Page 16 - IAV Digital Magazine #545

iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine
Oklahoma Couple Wed Aboard Airplane After Vegas Flight Cancellation
By Ben Hooper
April 29 (UPI) -- An Oklahoma City cou- ple's canceled flight on their way to elope in Las Vegas led to their holding their wedding aboard a Southwest Airlines plane.
Southwest Airlines said in a Facebook post that Pam Patterson and Jeremy Salda booked a Sunday flight to Las Vegas, and decided to travel in their wed- ding attire to be ready for their wedding chapel appointment at 9 p.m.
The couple arrived at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport to catch their connecting flight to Harry
Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, but after multiple delays they were told their flight was can- celed.
A fellow passenger named Chris, who was also attempting to travel from Dallas
to Las Vegas, over- heard them dis- cussing their predica- ment and revealed he was an ordained min- ister and would be willing to personally preside over their wedding in Las Vegas.
The trio booked the
last three remaining seats on a Southwest flight from Dallas Love Field Airport to Las Vegas and took a ride-sharing car to get from one Dallas air- port to the other.
While boarding the new flight, the pilot, Capt. Gil, noticed
Patterson was wear- ing a wedding gown and asked her about it.
"Pam explained their story and joked with Captain Gil they should just get mar- ried on the flight. For the second time that week, Pam was sur-
prised to hear the words, 'Let's do it,'" the Facebook post said.
The crew decorated the passenger area with toilet paper streamers and used snack mix to create a sash for the minister. A flight attendant named Julie stood in as maid of honor and a professional pho- tographer who hap- pened to be on the same flight took out her camera to docu- ment the ceremony.
"Another passenger passed around an old notebook for the whole cabin to sign with well wishes and their seat numbers, which was given to the bride and groom as a makeshift guest- book," Southwest said.
The post congratulat- ed the couple "on a memorable in-flight wedding neither our employees nor pas- sengers are likely to forget!"
iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine