Wedding day mishaps are nothing new, but one New York City couple never expected the mayhem that befell their special day.
New York natives Maria Leonardi and Justin Stone wed at the West Avon Congregational Church in Avon, Connecticut, on Saturday. But on the way to the reception, their wedding bus caught fire, ABC News reported.
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A fire extinguisher on the bus was used to quell the flames after the engine caught fire, the fire department said in a statement. Once firefighters realized that the couple was on their way to their reception, they decided to help.
Although the entire wedding party couldn’t fit in the truck, the firemen offered to give the couple a ride to Leonardi’s family home, where the reception was being held.
“We both jumped at that opportunity,” Stone told ABC.
“I thought it was the best thing ever and they were so incredibly nice,” Leonardi said. “They were just so gracious and wonderful.”
Instead of ruining their wedding day, the bus fire ended up being one of the couple’s first cherished memories as newlyweds.
The chief of the volunteer fire department who helped the Leonardi and Stone said he was “very proud” of his team.
“We were able to assist and make their memorable day just a little bit more special,” Chief Michael Trick said.
The couple, who met at business school at the University of North Carolina, had been engaged since May 2016. They plan on taking two honeymoons: one next week in Napa, California, and another at the end of the year to Australia, New Zealand and Tahiti.
Their wedding day didn’t go exactly as planned, but the couple received good practice in rolling with the punches of life.
“People think that getting married is this life-changing event, and everything changes, but you’re reaffirming to spend the rest of your life with your best friend,” Leonardi said.
(H/T: ABC News)