Orcadians rescue wedding
ORCADIANS helped a bride-to-be, who lost her luggage en route to Orkney for her wedding, tie the knot.
The Kirkwall Hotel had launched a Facebook appeal for bridal shoes and clothes, including a wedding dress, for Lucia Baratta, who had lost her luggage as she travelled from Seattle.
The appeal said: “We have a couple staying with us who are due to get married tomorrow afternoon. Their luggage has gone missing in transit. Is there anyone that might be able to lend any of the above for an afternoon?”
The hotel was inundated with helpful responses from locals.
Later, staff declared on the social media site they were “completely overwhelmed by the kindness”, adding that the couple were now “sorted”.
On Tuesday, Lucia, in a dress chosen from one of 12 offered by locals, married her fiance John.
She said: “The hospitality we have received has been so warm and I feel beautiful in this dress.”
IT IS surely every bride’s nightmare. After planning every element of your dream wedding in an exotic location – in this case, Orkney – the airline goes and spoils it all by losing your luggage: no wedding dress, no veil, no tiara, no make-up.
This is exactly what happened to unfortunate bride-to-be Lucia Baratta and her partner John Sessions when they flew to Orkney on Monday in preparation for their wedding yesterday.
With nothing to wear to the ceremony, the couple initially thought they would have to postpone their big day altogether. But the owners of the Kirkwall hotel where they were staying posted an appeal on Facebook and Ms Baratta was promptly inundated with offers of everything a bride would ever need, including 12 dresses.
The wedding went ahead, with praise being heaped by the newlyweds on the “incredible” people of Orkney who rallied round and saved the day.
This story highlights how the kindness of a local community really can make a difference.
But, in an age when social media is all too often used to abuse or offend, it is refreshing to see that it can also be a force for good. We send our congratulations to the new Mr and Mrs Sessions, and our appreciation of this example of Orcadian generosity.