Groom gets married via iPad after travel disaster prevents him from attending wedding: ‘It was really difficult’

A groom stranded from his ain wedding still appeared and wed via iPad – and was moreover photoshopped into nan charismatic pictures later.

Ross Evans and Drew Hoffman saw plans for their $47K (£35K) large time near successful turmoil erstwhile Drew’s visa delays saw him stuck successful nan USA.

They realized unexpected reddish portion would time off them thousands of miles apart.

But arsenic they had already booked nan venue, pinch guests turning up from astir nan world, they made nan “difficult” determination to spell ahead.

Drew, 28, sat connected his edifice furniture successful LA successful his “extravagant” wedding outfit being live-streamed connected 2 screens – 1 astatine nan apical array and nan different being passed astir amongst nan guests.

He featured successful nan charismatic wedding photos done nan surface – and a spread was near for him to beryllium “photoshopped” onto precious family shots.

And he was still capable to springiness his reside and return portion successful nan first creation arsenic nan mates said they did “the champion they could” to make it a memorable day.

Ross, 29, said: “We spared nary expense. But what was a $46,000 wedding for some of us, it ended up conscionable being maine and Drew had to acquisition it connected an iPad.

“I did not really want to spell done pinch it. It felt conscionable measurement excessively hard, but arsenic each friends and family were coming from each complete nan world, we knew we would ne'er get them each successful 1 spot again.”

They decided not to spell up pinch nan general ceremonial arsenic Ross said, “it would person been excessively awkward stepping down nan aisle pinch an iPad.”

Instead, they trim consecutive to nan drinks reception, followed by meal and evening party.

Ross added: “It was really difficult – I put connected my outfit and sobbed my look disconnected – I could not judge Drew was still not here.

“But I knew I had to beryllium beardown pinch each our friends and family, and everyone was really supportive.

“At first, nan temper was a spot weird. People did not cognize what to say, and everyone was a spot gobsmacked, I think. But we made nan astir of it.

“When we sewage to meal and speeches, Drew said he didn’t want anyone to beryllium sad. He wanted it to beryllium a happy, joyous celebration, and that really uplifted nan mood. It was emotional, and everyone was crying.

“Everyone sewage really drunk and had a awesome time. The nutrient was amazing. I carried Drew astir nan full clip connected nan iPad.

“But it was still for illustration being punched successful nan gut perpetually that he was not here. But we tried to make nan astir of it.”

The mates met while moving together connected cruise ships, wherever they were some performers, and person been together for astir a decade.

They had already been “officially” joined successful beforehand of conscionable 3 witnesses astatine nan extremity of 2020, but wanted a large wedding to observe and state their emotion successful beforehand of family and friends.

They had booked nan Hopetoun House successful Edinburgh for July 23, 2022, featuring everything from Highland Cows, afloat bespoke outfits, a 20-man tube band, and a lavish reception.

Drew already had an outfit that had been custom-made for astir a year, while Ross had ordered a tartan and kilt. They besides had a custom-made tartan shape pinch their past names connected it.

But immense delays successful nan visa processing strategy astatine nan Home Office, arsenic a consequence of COVID and nan Ukrainian war, saw them person an unexpected “delay alert” successful April – 3 months earlier nan large day.

They past faced an anxious hold to spot if Drew’s visa would arrive, and he said he held onto nan dream until nan time earlier nan wedding itself.

He added: “We really withdrew nan first exertion arsenic nan Home Office looked astatine nan incorrect and existent guidelines aft Covid. Our 2nd exertion went successful astatine nan extremity of 2021, which should person been plentifulness of time.

“But we really recovered retired connected April Fools Day 2022 that nan visa had been delayed and conscionable had to wait. There was nary existent strategy to cheque nan exertion aliases find retired really it was progressing.

“Everything for nan wedding was already group successful stone, and we decided we will spell done pinch it, immoderate happened, successful nan dream Drew would beryllium capable to come.

“But erstwhile we sewage to astir June, those hopes really started to dwindle, and we feared we were not getting location successful time.”

Drew added, “I honestly did not judge conclusion until nan time aft nan wedding happened.

“When we were getting close, a batch of group started getting their visas quickly. If I had sewage it nan time before, aliases moreover connected nan day, I would person recovered a formation to get maine location and showed up to get into nan party. I did not judge I wouldn’t make it up until nan time I wasn’t there.”

Drew said he woke up astatine 5 americium connected nan greeting of nan wedding aft booking himself 2 nights astatine a fancy edifice successful LA.

He past put retired a plea for thief to get his elaborate wedding outfit connected and said he cried nan full time.

He facetimed Ross arsenic they sewage fresh together, bought himself immoderate alcohol, and spent his wedding time sitting connected nan separator of his edifice bed.

“I knowledgeable my full wedding time connected nan iPad from nan hotel,” he added.

“A large portion of maine wanted to effort and clasp nan absurdity of it and thought, ‘let’s conscionable do it. I deliberation it is still really difficult to bask and judge nan parts of it I was missing.

“I was being passed astir and evidently missed a batch of what was going on. Interacting became a spot harder arsenic group were drinking. As they became much intoxicated, nan camera surely jiggled astir a batch more.”

Drew said nan full time was afloat of ups and downs, and he still had immoderate sadness that he couldn’t beryllium location successful person.

He added: “Ross called maine nan time earlier and said I tin not spell done pinch it and continue, and that ‘I don’t want to do it without you.'”

“I told him each friends and family had flown complete to Scotland and emotion america – we emotion each different truthful much, and people, sloppy of america some being there, were really rallying down america and wanted to observe our love.

“I cried a batch during nan first dance, cutting nan cake, and I truthful wanted to opportunity my vows successful beforehand of everyone.

“But it ended up being amazing. Because of nan clip difference, everyone went to furniture each drunk, and I came disconnected nan statement 8 hours down them.”

And being passed astir connected camera meant he was capable to speak to everyone there,

He added: “It was rather bully arsenic you’d usually not beryllium capable to opportunity hullo to each person. But I was capable to spot everyone, and it was bully to talk to them each again.

“My relative trim nan barroom pinch Ross, and nan first creation was pinch my mum and maine connected nan iPad.”

The mates said nan sad irony was that Drew’s visa came done conscionable 2 weeks aft nan wedding, and he was connected a formation consecutive complete to subordinate Ross successful Scotland.

Ross added, “The photographer agreed to travel backmost and let america to do immoderate photos together.

“He was besides photoshopped into nan family photos. They near a spread truthful he could fresh successful seamlessly. Honestly, looking astatine nan photos, you could not show he wasn’t there.

“We tin laughter astir it now. The irony is if nan wedding was conscionable 2 weeks later, he would person been here. It was each conscionable meant to be.”

The mates person now settled successful Falkirk and tally a creation studio, Slay House Glasgow.