Jilted bride has ‘no regrets’ as it meant mum saw her ‘big day’ before she died

A bride who was jilted at the altar says she has 'no regrets' as it meant her mum was able to be there on her 'big day' shortly before she died.

Kayley Stead, 27, was left stunned on the morning of her wedding when her groom mysteriously disappeared, reports Manchester Evening News.

The couple had been together for almost four years and got engaged in August 2020 when she discovered he’d left his usher on the morning of the wedding - and did not return.

Undeterred, Kayley - an insurance clerk from Portmead, Swansea, Wales - decided to carry on and party with her friends and family, which included mum Dee, 65.

She went ahead with much of the day as planned, with the wedding entrance, meal, speeches, dances and even professional wedding photos.

The bride says she has no regrets about her big day as her mum was able to be there shortly before she died (Neil Jones Photography / SWNS)

Kayley's mum, Dee, died just four months after the wedding - meaning her decision to keep the plans at Oxwich Bay Hotel on September 15 gave her mum a chance to see her big day.

Though the loss of her mother has been "horrible", she told M.E.N. that "it makes me even more glad I went ahead with the day and had the opportunity to make those memories with her".

Kayley added: "She got to see me dancing with my dad - who always said he wouldn't dance at my wedding!

"When one door closes, a window opens. And I want to pull that window open as much as possible, and soak up all the sun."

Kayley said she was glad her mum 'got to see me dancing with my dad' (Neil Jones Photography / SWNS)

Though she claims she hasn't spoken to her runaway groom since, she doesn’t “resent” him - and says she just wishes "he'd have come to me, even as a friend, to let me know he was struggling."

Since the wedding Kayley has made an appearance on This Morning, where she was told by Holly and Philip her cancelled honeymoon would go ahead thanks to a £2,000 gift from the show and travel company, Hays Travel.

However, Kayley has had to put her travel plans on hold following the death of her mum at the end of 2022.

Kayley says claims she hasn't spoken to her runaway groom since the day - but doesn't 'resent' him (Neil Jones Photography / SWNS)

Kayley added that she’s not currently looking to date, has no plans to be in a new relationship anytime soon.

She is instead taking the time to "focus on myself a bit more", as well as taking "free therapy sessions from my work", doing some journaling and even going on a trip to New York with her best friend.

"I never thought I would because [my ex] didn’t like New York", she said.