A COUPLE of NHS workers who thought their big day had been cancelled were given a virtual wedding and a surprise performance from Kodaline.

Abingdon-based modern matron, Louise Kibbey, and her paramedic fiancé, Stefan Frost – who recently recovered from coronavirus himself – were due to be married at Lapstone Barn in the North Cotswolds on Wednesday April 29.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic the couple had to cancel their wedding plans. However, Oxfordshire radio station JACKfm, stepped into action to help the couple still have their big day.

The radio station arranged an alternative virtual wedding day on April 29, family and friends were invited to watch via video chat from the couples living room.

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JACKfm secured the services of award-winning celebrant, Lynn Tierney for the virtual wedding day and arranged for a host of local business across Oxfordshire to help create a one-of-a-kind day.

Wealden House Kitchen created a bespoke wedding cake, the flowers and food for their delicious wedding breakfast was supplied courtesy of Waitrose Abingdon and a range of craft beer was donated by Bicester’s Wriggly Monkey Brewery.

The couple were given special wedding underwear to put on for their big day, courtesy of sustainable underwear company, Y.O.U. Underwear, while a listener in Banbury donated her wedding dress to Louise to wear on the special day. Videographer Olivia Wittet of The Lens People will be editing the video content of the virtual wedding to make the couple a lasting memento.

Oxford Mail:

To make the day even more special Steve Garrigan, the lead singer of Kodaline, performed the hit song “The One” which the couple had planned to accompany their first dance.

Ms Kibbey said: “This has honestly been one of the best days of our lives and to have Kodaline performing the song that we’d planned to have our first dance to was just incredible.

“We feel so fortunate and cannot thank Trevor and Rich at JACKfm enough for making this happen, as well as all the brilliant local businesses who donated something to make the day so special. Our real wedding day has got a lot to live up to now.”

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Trevor Marshall, presenter of JACKfm Breakfast Show JACK’s Morning Glory, said: “When we heard about Louise and Stefan’s wedding day being cancelled, we had to step in and see if we could bring a smile to their faces on what would have been their big day.

“As NHS workers, they’ve been working tirelessly to help others during this unprecedented crisis – Stefan even contracted coronavirus himself as a result of his efforts – and so the JACKfm team wanted to do something to say thank you and to give something back to them. We’re thrilled we got an invite to the big day too.”

The couple asked for no presents but for donations to be made to Oxford Hospitals Charity via the JACKfm JustGiving page justgiving.com/fundraising/jackfmvirtuallymarried.