Restaurant Manager Steps In to Save Wedding After Storm Darragh Cancellation

A couple whose wedding was called off when Storm Darragh impacted extensive areas of Wales ultimately experienced their desired outcome after a stranger offered assistance. Rebecca and George Lance, from Cardiff, had originally planned their wedding for Saturday, but a power failure at their chosen venue led to the cancellation of their plans. The couple had spent the preceding night in an apartment located above the Penny Farthing restaurant in Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan, and its general manager proposed hosting the wedding reception as an alternative. “They came down for breakfast when they had found out their original venue couldn’t host and I just felt awful for them,” stated Mohammed Elkilay. Mr Lance mentioned that the team “really pulled out the stops” to accommodate them. The couple’s wedding ceremony was scheduled to take place at Cobbles in Ogmore-by-Sea in Bridgend county at midday, followed by a celebration with over 50 attendees. Many guests had journeyed from Bristol and Devon and had stayed overnight. “I was surprised how calm they were,” Mr Elkilay, 49, told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast, recalling his meeting with the couple. “I was really looking forward to getting involved, to make their day,” he added. “I said I’d do it,” he recounted. “I almost insisted that we held it here instead.” “In three minutes we talked through everything,” he further explained. He mentioned having a “wonderful” team prepared to assist the couple and instructed them to arrive at 17:00 GMT for drinks. The registrar’s appointment was rescheduled for Sunday, and the couple also made new arrangements for the DJ. He inquired about their colour scheme — olive green — and proceeded to source flowers and retrieve tablecloths. “I went everywhere. We managed to get some from local shops,” he said. “I didn’t even know their names,” he laughed. He also arranged for pizza from a neighboring establishment for the evening. Mr Elkilay remarked that, despite the initial disappointment, the day transformed into a wonderful occasion. “I think most people in my position would have done the same,” he commented. “It looked like they had rehearsed it 100 times when they walked in. “It looked really good,” he observed. “They surrounded themselves with wonderful people.” The groom remarked about the Penny Farthing: “Mo really pulled out the stops. We partied on till about 11pm and basically did our wedding in reverse.” He also praised Cobbles, stating it “amazingly” managed to proceed with the wedding ceremony on Sunday after locating a generator. “The venue moved heaven on earth, with the owner of Cobbles even roasting the dinners at their home and bringing it to us for our wedding breakfast.” “The registrars swapped the days as well to make our big day happen.” “We don’t know what we have done to deserve this kindness.” Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.