When you get into a relationship, youโre hopeful and in love.
Over the years, you really get to know each other, and soon, you either drift apart and fall out of love or realize that youโre meant for each other.
Kayley Stead and Kallum Norton had been dating since 2018, and last December 2020, Norton popped the question.
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Stead, 27, couldnโt believe it. She and her beloved fiance, Norton, 24, were finally tying the knot.
After months of preparations and Stead spending her life savings for their wedding, they finally had a date. The couple chose September 15 as their wedding date.
On September 15, 2022, Kayley Stead woke up feeling excited in an Airbnb they booked a day before.
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She was with her bridesmaids, getting ready for her big day.
What she didnโt know was that her soon-to-be-groom had run off, leaving no explanation or trace.
Stead was busy, so she didnโt notice that her phone was missing.
One of her bridesmaids hid her phone. They already knew from one groomsman that Norton had already run away.
Her friends were scared and didnโt know how to tell her.
However, Stead saw her phone, and there was a missed call from his mother. She called Nortonโs mother, and she told her everything.
The news devastated Stead, but she was hopeful.
Stead said that they didnโt fight, and he never gave her any reason to doubt his love and loyalty.
The bride-to-be even recalled Norton gifting her a hand-written book with โa million reasonsโ why he loved her.
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He couldnโt possibly abandon her like that, right?
She went on with the preparations, but there was no groom. This is when Stead started crying.
One of her most painful memory was telling her hairdresser, videographer, and parents that the wedding was off.
Her videographer tried to cheer her up and told her to just carry on. She had spent all her money, so why not?
It was because Stead had paid for the entire wedding herself.
She willingly used up all her life savings, amounting to ยฃ12,000 or $13,000.
Steadโs sister also agreed and said, why not do it?
The bride-to-be noted to the groomsmen that the event will carry on, even if Norton would not attend.
Stead wiped her tears, hugged her family, and asked her sister to redo her makeup again.
She decided she will do it.
โThatโs when I was like, Iโm going to do it,โ she said in her interview with Daily Record. โIโd spent all this money. Iโd been looking forward to the food, a dance with my dad, spending time with my family, so why not?โ
Steadโs groomsmen and bridesmaids joined her as she walked in the entrance.
They also sang and danced along to the song โGood as Hellโ by Lizzo.
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The photographer also asked Stead to go to the garden and instead of a newlywedโs photo, they took a photo of her in her dress.
Stead was gorgeous!
Her guests, at first, were gloomy, and they felt the pain of the betrayal, but with Steadโs positive attitude and being the strong woman that she is, the party went on.
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โIโd always dreamed of dancing with my dad at my wedding. Heโs 71, and I always had a fear that he and my mum, Dee, 63, wouldnโt be at my wedding, so I always wanted to have my dance with him,โ Stead shared.
Now, sheโs adjusting to her life as a single lady, and itโs hard.
But if you will ask her if she would want her, now ex-boyfriend, to explain, she doesnโt.
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Kayleyโs best friend and also her maid of honor, Jordie Cullen, 27, created a GoFundMe account for her bestie to recoup the money that was lost.
After a few days, The Sun tracked Norton. However, all he could say was that he didnโt want to talk about the article.
Watch the full news feature below, and you can also check their GoFundMe account.
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