Rod Stewart serenades UK couple at Las Vegas wedding after Thomas Cook travel flap
When travel company Thomas Cook collapsed last week, stranding hundreds of thousands of travelers, Andrew Aitchison and his fiancee, Sharon Cook, found themselves also out in the cold -- with no way to get to Las Vegas for their pending nuptials.
The couple from Liverpool, England, had spent a year planning their dream wedding and they'd booked travel to the U.S. so they could wed at Caesars Palace.
But then the world's oldest global travel agency abruptly shut down on Sept. 23. Aitchison and Cook were told that they would have to pay for new tickets, and not only for themselves but also for their wedding party of 14 family and friends.
Desperate for help, the couple reached out to Caesars Palace, which then reached out to Delta Airlines, and the two companies joined forces to make the couple's dream wedding come true.
"Going above and beyond is one of our values, and the way the teams pulled together to help Andrew and Sharon is a prime example of this," said Shane Spyak, staff vice president of sales and JV integration, Europe, Middle East, Africa and India, according to Delta.
The couple and their guests left Liverpool on Sunday for Las Vegas.
"5 days ago travel & wedding plans in tatters. In 12 hrs ... heading to Heathrow for our @Delta flight on our way to @CaesarsPalace #likeacaesar . Down to the kindness of amazing people at Delta and Caesars. … What surprises await us?" Aitchison tweeted on Sept. 28.
On Wednesday, Aitchison and Cook tied the knot at the Venus Garden Chapel at Caesars Palace.
But Caesars Palace had lined up another surprise for the newlyweds: an appearance by the famous singer Rod Stewart.
"So @rodstewart just turned up at our wedding and sang to my wife! I can’t believe what has happened in the last week and this has just topped it off. Thank you Rod you’ve absolutely made our dream wedding you absolute legend. We Can’t wait to see you Friday #LikeACaesar #SirRod," Aitchison tweeted Wednesday after the ceremony.
After Aitchison and Cook said their vows, Stewart appeared, giving the shocked couple a hug.
"I can’t imagine how you must have felt and the disappointment of not being able to travel," he told them. And, then he serenaded them with "Have I Told You Lately."
"Let’s do this ... and I wish you all the luck in the world. Come and stand next to me," he said.
"Have I told you lately that I love you…. Have I told you there’s no one else above you," he began to sing. "Fill my heart with gladness ... take away my sadness ... Ease my troubles that’s what you do."
The party cheered.
Stewart also later invited the wedding party and the newlyweds to his show at the Colosseum, “Rod Stewart: The Hits,” according to Caesars Palace.
Aitchison told Delta that the experience had been a roller coaster.
"On Monday, we lost everything for our dream wedding in Vegas. Then Wednesday morning Delta called to say they would help us. They brought our dream back. It's just been incredible," he said.
