Bride goes ahead with wedding by herself after groom failed to show up
An icon is born.
A bride decided to carry on with her wedding despite the groom failing to show up on the day.
Kayley Stead, 27, found out that morning that her husband-to-be wouldn’t be attending the ceremony.
But despite the heartbreak (and catering already paid for), the bride decided to go ahead with the big day while surrounded by her inner circle at Oxwich Bay Hotel in Wales.
Kayley even debuted her gown during her entrance and went ahead with speeches and dances while managing to take pictures with the already-hired professional photographer.
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She even shared the first dance with the groomsmen, her brothers, and dad Brian, 71.
But if that wasn't iconic enough, the bride entered the ceremony as Lizzo's 'Good as Hell' played in the background.
Following the groom's absence, the 27-year-old was forced to cancel her honeymoon, and her friends have even set up a GoFundMe page for Kayley.
However, despite putting on a brave face, Kayley remains bewildered by the groom’s last-minute decision.
She said: "We've tried to reach out to him, but I've had no response from him, no reason why. I've had no explanation - not that I want one now, because it's too far along the line.
"It was an absolute shock, I had no indication he was going to do this but seeing my girls distraught as well made me want to turn the day around.”
Kayley added that a groomsman contacted the bridal party to notify them that the groom was nowhere to be found.
She said: "We woke up at quarter past six when the make-up artist arrived, had breakfast together and then started getting ready.
"One of the groomsmen contacted my best friend to say the groom was gone, and the bridal party hid my phone so they could decide what was the best way to tell me and I wouldn't find out from someone else.”
She added: "I found my phone and saw I had a missed call from his mum.
"I called her back and she was crying and told me he had gone for a drive in the early hours of the morning, and he was gone.”
Around 11am, as Kayley sat to have hair and make-up, she spoke with the groom’s father, who confirmed that her fiancé would not be showing up.
Kayley said: "At that point, I was gone. I was sobbing.”
She continued: "My sister was redoing my make-up, because at that point it was all just gone, and she said: 'Why don't you do it, Kayley?'
"That's when I was like, I'm going to do it. I'd spent all this money, I'd been looking forward to the food, a dance with my dad, spending time with my family, so why not?"
Power to you, girl. More wedding cake for the rest of us.
Charisa Bossinakis