When a Storm Ruined Their Wedding, Hundreds of Strangers Stepped In

Kimberly Laprad and Jayden Sink had spent a year planning their dream wedding on Hatteras Island, North Carolina. They expected about 45 family members and friends to join them on their special day.

Then a powerful nor’easter changed everything.

The storm damaged North Carolina Highway 12, cutting off road access to Hatteras Island just before the couple’s planned wedding on September 25. Most of their guests and several wedding vendors could no longer reach the island.

With their original plans falling apart, Laprad and Sink decided not to let the storm completely take away their celebration. They turned to social media and invited local residents to join them.

The response was far beyond what they expected.

Local residents and businesses quickly came together to create a new wedding almost from scratch. Frisco Woods Campground provided a venue and lodging, while an officiant, photographers, a DJ, florists and local food providers volunteered their services.

By the time the celebration took place, hundreds of people had arrived. The couple later said 458 people signed their guest book, while the total crowd was estimated at between 500 and 800 people.

Strangers who had never met the couple brought food, flowers and music. They filled the dance floor and helped turn a wedding threatened by a natural disaster into a community celebration.

For Laprad and Sink, the unexpected gathering became more meaningful than the wedding they had originally planned.

The newlyweds have since decided to give something back to the community that welcomed them. They are supporting an effort to improve pedestrian and bicycle access between Hatteras Island communities.

What began as a ruined wedding plan ultimately became a reminder of how quickly strangers can come together when someone needs help.

Sources

• The Washington Post
• Island Free Press