Inside the touching moment Adelaide’s prankster Philippou twins – RackaRacka – save sister’s wedding

When her dad suffered a health scare right before speeches, bride Helene wanted to end her wedding.

A soft side of Adelaide filmmaking brothers Michael and Danny Philippou – aka RackaRacka – has been revealed with touching vision emerging of the prankster twins stepping up at their big sister’s wedding.

The duo, best known for their outrageous pranks and horror film Talk to Me, took to the dancefloor as impromptu fill-ins during the traditional father-daughter dance when their dad, Alexandros “Alex” Philippou, 64, suffered a frightening medical episode during the spectacular wedding celebrations.

Mr Philippou was rushed in an ambulance from the Intercontinental Hotel to Royal Adelaide Hospital just before speeches for his daughter Helene and her new husband, solicitor Joseph Chaptini, commenced.

A smiling Helene Philippou and Joseph Chaptini with their bridal party, before Helene’s father suffered a health scare. Picture: Scott Goh Photography

Michael and Danny Philippou save the day, standing by their sister Helene. Picture: Scott Goh Photography

“We thought the wedding had to end right then … but as Dad was getting carried out by ambulance, he put up his hands and said ‘go dance’ and, at that moment, we knew the night had to continue on,” Helene, 32, said.

The new bride said she was touched when her brothers, who are 18 months younger and her only siblings, joined her on the dancefloor for a rendition of Ben E. King’s Stand by Me.

“It was such a special moment that I will never forget,” the youth worker and influencer said.

But her special night, shared with 274 guests, was going to take another unexpected twist.

“Dad discharged himself from the hospital and walked back to the Intercontinental and did this grand entrance,” Helene said.

The couple’s first dance at their reception at the Intercontinental Hotel. Photographer: Scott Goh Photography

Helene Philippou and Joseph Chaptini with their bridal party on their wedding day. Picture: Scott Goh Photography

Mr Philippou arrived at 12.30am, half an hour before the celebrations were to end, heading straight to his daughter so the pair could do the special dance he’d missed out on earlier.

“Everyone was very emotional … it was the most perfect ending to my fairy tale wedding,” she said.

Helene said her dad was now “doing OK” and receiving medication for a heart condition.

Meanwhile her brothers – who in 2019 drove a car filled with water through a bottle-o – are readying to sign a seven-figure contract with major film company Legendary to direct their second feature film, a big screen adaptation of popular video-game ‘Street Fighter’.

This comes as the pair’s first feature-length film ‘Talk To Me’ is slated to hit the big screen on July 27.

The glamorous newlyweds. Picture: Scott Goh Photography

Now that’s an entrance! Picture: Scott Goh Photography

Helene and Joseph’s special day

Close to 300 guests helped celebrate Helene and Joseph’s spectacular wedding, meticulously planned over two years but with a dramatic twist no one could have foreseen.

The couple, who have been together 11 years, were married at St. Francis Xavier’s Catholic Cathedral by Monsignor Emmanuel Sakr before a star-studded reception at the Intercontinental Hotel.

Helena looked stunning in an “absolutely magnificent” Caterina Varacalli – Varacalli Couture – gown, “designed with love, blood, sweat and tears”, worn with beige Valentino shoes and a Stems Design bridal bouquet.

The newlyweds were welcomed at the reception to the sounds of the Zaffit Lebanese drummers, “crowd-surfing” on their way in.

“It was magnificent … words cannot describe the feeling we experienced walking into the venue for the first time … our entrance went for about 20 minutes filled with dancing and the drums,” Helene says.

“We had a mixture of Lebanese, Greek and English music (and tradition) … with guests drinking shots off the floor … at 1am the dance floor was still full, we could have gone until 3am.”

Helene Philippou and Joseph Chaptini – with their Porsche 356 “Hannah” – outside the Intercontinental Hotel. Picture: Scott Goh Photography

That gorgeous piece of machinery makes a sweet third wheel! Picture: Scott Goh Photography

The groom used his own “favourite Porsches” as the wedding cars, himself driving his new bride from the church to the Intercontinental in a classic convertible Porsche 356 “named Hannah”.

The devoted couple say they wanted to cross off their travel bucket list before “tying the knot”.

She is a youth worker and influencer and he is a lawyer. The pair have recently also started their own influencer and creator talent management firm, Philippou Management.

Cousin and best friend Elana Lipapis was Helene’s matron of honour, accompanied by bridesmaids Effie Samimi, Peta-Marie Philippou, Ranjeeta Singh, Alison Mancini, Katiya Juros and Janelle Chaptini (Joseph’s sister).

Flower girls were Iliana Despina Samimi and Anna Awwad with Amari Chaptini and Mahailo Sainovic as page boys.

Joseph’s brother Nathan Chaptini was his best man, joined by groomsmen Johnny Chaptini, Anthony Chaptini, Anthony Awkar, Elias Nemer, Deeb Milky and Michael Philippou (Helene’s brother).

Helene is the daughter of Georgia Lipapis of Para Hills and Alexandros Philippou, of Pooraka, and Joseph is the son of Alexandra and Bassam Chaptini, of Panorama.

Scott Goh Photography captured the event’s special moments.

Originally published as Inside the touching moment Adelaide’s prankster Philippou twins – RackaRacka – save sister’s wedding