LONDON –- There's only one thing worse than losing your luggage, and that's losing your luggage the day before your wedding.
After arriving in Orkney on Monday, Lucia Sessions was faced with exactly that nightmare scenario; her luggage was lost en route and she suddenly had less than 24 hours to re-stock her entire wedding wardrobe, dress and all.
Luckily, her hotel –- and the women of Orkney -– came to the rescue.
It all started when Kirkwall Hotel staff posted this urgent plea on their Facebook page the evening before the big day.
(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_GB/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));A Request for help!!We have a couple staying with us who are due to get married tomorrow afternoon - Their luggage...Posted by The Kirkwall Hotel on Monday, 13 July 2015
The first response came less than 10 minutes later, and more kept coming throughout the evening as people shared the post.
More than 40 comments and nearly 200 shares later, the hotel posted this.
After Sessions' emergency wedding outfit had been assembled –- and at the request of pretty much the whole island of Orkney, most of whom were following the story by this point -– the hotel shared some photos of the bride and groom.
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(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));Posted by The Kirkwall Hotel on Tuesday, July 14, 2015
They also shared a video message from Lucia Sessions on Tuesday, in which she thanks all the people who helped her.
(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));A lovely message from Mrs Lucia SessionsPosted by The Kirkwall Hotel on Tuesday, July 14, 2015
"I'm really grateful for the dress that fit, but I would have been absolutely honoured to wear any of your gorgeous dresses," Sessions said. "I know they tell the story of your life, and it's a story I'll share too."
"All the love you've provided for me will never, ever be forgotten. I hope you know how much it means to me."