A bride who went ahead with her wedding celebrations despite being jilted at the altar said she doesn’t regret it as it meant her mum was there on her ‘big day’ before she died. Kayley Stead, 27, discovered that she wasn’t getting married the morning of her wedding when her groom mysteriously disappeared.
The couple had been together for almost four years; they began dating in December 2018 and got engaged in August 2020. She found out he’d left his groomsman on the morning of the wedding and hadn’t returned.
But Kayley decided to carry on and party with her friends and family, which included her mum Dee, 65. Kayley, an insurance clerk from Portmead, Swansea, Wales, went ahead with the wedding entrance, meal, speeches, dances and even professional wedding photos.
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Kayley was joined by the groomsmen and bridesmaids as they sang and danced along to Lizzo's 'Good as Hell' on their way to the top table. She replaced her first dance with a boogie with her dad, brothers and the groomsmen to 'Love You To The Moon and Back' by Dolly Parton.
She even walked through her sparkler tunnel alone and partied the night away before spending the night in the bridal suite with her maid of honour.
Sadly her mum Dee died just four months after the wedding, meaning the bride’s decision to carry on with her big day at Oxwich Bay Hotel on September 15 allowed her mum to experience her wedding - even seeing Kayley dance with dad.
Kayley said: "I haven't cashed the honeymoon in - my mum passed away, which has been another horrible thing. But it makes me even more glad I went ahead with the day and had the opportunity to make those memories with her.
"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 claims she hasn’t spoken to her runaway groom since but says that she doesn’t “resent” him. She said: "With every relationship, it's really easy to look from the outside in and vice-versa.
"It's really easy to say, 'this wasn't right for me.' But it felt right at the time. During the relationship, I was wholeheartedly committed to my ex, as well as my future with him.
"I'm a new Kayley now, so I'm glad it happened. I haven't heard from him since. I don't resent him for what he did, either.
"It must be hard for him right now because he's going through a break-up just as much as I am. As much as he was my partner, he was also my best friend - and I just wish he'd have come to me, even as a friend, to let me know he was struggling."
Since the wedding Kayley has been on a “rollercoaster”. She made an appearance on This Morning and during the segment 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.
She said: "It's been a bit of a rollercoaster, to be honest. Not just because of the breakup - but loads of people have been reaching out to me saying my story resonated, because they were going through the same thing.
"A lot of it has been incredible. I've met people I never thought I was going to meet - Holly Willoughby, Phillip Schofield, even Kelly Clarkson!"
Kayley added that she’s not currently looking to date, has no plans to be in a new relationship anytime soon. She said: "I'm not ready at the minute, especially after losing my mum.
"It was weird going out without my engagement ring. I just need to focus on myself a bit more. I'm taking free therapy sessions from my work, I'm journaling, I'm saying 'yes' to everything - including a trip to New York with my best friend.
"I never thought I would because [my ex] didn’t like New York. I went to Madison Square Garden, it was incredible!
"I'm not Kayley-and-someone-else now. I'm just Kayley. I've had incredible highs and incredible lows. In fact, I'd love to go back and do the whole wedding on my own again, as I am now. I think I'd enjoy it 10-times more!"
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