There could probably be no more of a heart-sinking feeling for a bridesmaid at a wedding abroad than to arrive at the hotel and realise that you've forgotten a key item - the dress. That's exactly what happened to Lauren Fernandes, 29, who was performing the role for bride Gemma O'Shea, 31, in Cyprus.
The wedding party had arrived at the Coral Beach Hotel & Resort in Paphos when Lauren realised her bridesmaid's dress wasn't in her luggage. Gemma's wedding planner put a hopeful call out on a TUI staff Facebook group to see whether anyone flying to Paphos could help.
It was seen by TUI cabin crew regional manager, who wasn't working but spotted that there was a flight leaving Newcastle for Larnaca within hours. And so the race began to save the day, reports ChronicleLive.
The dress was treated as precious cargo and was passed over to the crew at Newcastle Airport to get it on board. The dress was then handed to a TUI rep in Larnaca on arrival, who drove the bridesmaid dress to the resort in time for the wedding.
Gemma, from Gateshead, said: "Lauren said she started to get a paranoid feeling on the flight that she may have forgotten the dress, but she only knew this was definitely the case when she unpacked in the hotel room around midnight. Michael and I are a very laid-back couple, however, I'd put so much effort into planning the wedding and finding a bridesmaid dress that all four of my bridesmaids loved - so it's safe to say I was disappointed.
"As soon as Lauren realised she didn't have the dress, she started to look to order a replacement online, however it was out of stock in every size. I was overwhelmed by the amount of kind individuals who offered to go out of their way to help someone they had never met."
Thankfully, Gemma and her now-husband Michael, 32, got the big day they'd dreamed of and are considering booking their honeymoon with TUI after feeling the staff had gone above and beyond for her. Lauren, meanwhile, blamed her forgetfulness on baby brain - with her daughter Alice coming along just three months before the wedding.
Gemma added: "I would like to say a huge thank you to each and every one of them and a massive thank you to TUI and their staff who went above and beyond to make sure I had the perfect wedding day I had planned. When the dress arrived, I felt like a weight lifted and I could start to enjoy my holiday without the worry always being at the back of my mind."
Sue Peak, TUI cabin crew regional manager, said: "As soon as our team became aware of the issue, they acted fast to find the best possible solution. Everyone worked together, as it involved a lot of co-ordination, from getting the dress to Newcastle Airport, storing it in the cockpit of the TUI aircraft for the journey, passing it on to our ground staff at Cyprus and having it personally delivered to the bride’s resort. We are so happy to have been a part of this magical day and we’d like to congratulate the bride and groom on their marriage."
