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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Paige Holland

NHS couple overwhelmed by stranger's 'incredible' gesture after £10K wedding was cancelled

A couple who were forced to cancel their £10,000 wedding were brought to tears by a stranger's heartwarming gesture.

Alex Buckwell and David Collie, who both work for the NHS, had to cancel their dream wedding as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

But, their neighbour - who they'd only met the day before - went above and beyond to give them their special day.

Alex and David had spent a year planning their wedding, which was due to take place April 11 at Ross Priory on the banks of Lake Lomond in Scotland, followed by a fortnight's honeymoon to Vietnam.

Alex and David's dream wedding had been cancelled due to coronavirus (Triangle News)

However, after Boris Johnson implemented a nationwide lockdown, Alex, 26, and physiotherapist David, 36, had to reschedule the £10,000 April 11 ceremony complete with piper, saxophonist and a three-course meal for 100 guests.

Alex said: "I was in tears having to postpone everything until next April, but David and I said we would make it special on the day and we went to Waitrose to buy fillet steak and a bottle of wine."

Alex said she was in tears after finding out she would have to postpone everything (Triangle News)

But, when they heard the sound of bagpipes followed by banging on their door at 6:30pm that evening, they were baffled.

When they opened it, they saw that their neighbours had organised a surprise wedding of their own - complete with champagne, bagpipes, a 'guest' in a kilt, flowers, bubble machine and even a first dance in the middle of the street.

Alex said: "It was the most touching surprise.

But after a five minute chat with her new neighbour everything changed (Triangle News)

"To know that this was all organised by strangers made it even more incredible. I couldn't stop crying."

David proposed on a holiday in the Bahamas last year.

Alex recalled: "He'd dropped down on one knee during a walk along the beach on April 11 last year and so we decided to get married on the same day this year.

"I'd bought my dress, and because David is originally from Glasgow he and his groomsmen were going to wear kilts and we'd booked a piper and a saxophonist.

Their neighbours had recreated their wedding day for them (Triangle News)

"We had arranged everything - from table plans to the menu for the three-course dinner and accompanying drinks, through to every detail of the honeymoon. We had flights, hotel, outfits - the lot - ready and paid for when the coronavirus hit."

But little did they know, Bernie Hellett the neighbour, had put notes through everyone's letter box asking them to celebrate what should have big the couple's big day.

Alex continued: "We'd moved into the house on the last day possible before house moves were banned and then we were in lockdown so we hadn't met any of the neighbours.

"I'd only mentioned it to the woman who lives opposite the day before what should have been our wedding day as she asked if we could swap car parking spaces.

"It was just said in a casual five-minute conversation from across the street and she secretly organised an entire surprise wedding for us. It was so kind, we were overwhelmed.

Alex and David were so overwhelmed by the gesture (Triangle News)

"Everyone had hung bunting, and were holding glasses of bubbly on their doorsteps to toast us with. Someone had Flower of Scotland playing on a speaker.

"Then they played Abba's Dancing Queen and everyone clapped as we had our first dance in the middle of the street. "

"We must have been making quite a bit of noise as the police drove past but they didn't stop and just carried on as we were all social distancing and being sensible.

"It was a very special and magical moment and made me realise we're so glad we moved here - we have the best neighbours ever."

David, who has been trained to do respiratory physiotherapy on patients with coronavirus added: "I was really taken aback by this amazing gesture. It was quite incredible."

Residents on the street are already planning a street party to celebrate when the lockdown is lifted.

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