Couple finally discover wild truth behind mysterious stranger in their wedding picture four years later
A Scottish couple have finally discovered the truth behind an unknown individual who appeared in their wedding pictures.
Looking back at wedding photos is a truly special experience, but Michelle and John Wylie had been left puzzled by theirs after a 'random stranger' appeared in a number of snaps.
He was pictured standing in the aisle and at the very back of Michelle and John's group photo from November 2021.
No one was able to identify the mystery man and previous efforts over the years have been unsuccessful.
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However, nearly four years after Michelle and John's big day, a fresh Facebook appeal has now revealed the hilarious story behind the 'wedding crasher'.
The man has since been identified as Andrew Helliman, who responded to a post and gave his side of the story.
It turn out that he had meant to be at a different wedding with his partner that day - but was given the wrong venue.
Andrew - a 33-year-old painter and decorator from South Ayrshire - arrived just before the start of what he thought was the right ceremony, but only discovered his error when he saw Michelle walking down the aisle.
To not raise suspicions, Andrew stayed for the nuptials at the Carlton Hotel in Scotland, before quietly slipping away.
"I always wondered if this would ever make its way back to me," Andrew said. "Four years ago my partner was acting as bridesman (male bridesmaid) for his friend Michaela's wedding and I'd been invited as his plus one.
"For some reason he told me it was at the Carlton hotel in Prestwick at 2pm when it was actually being held at the Great Western hotel in Ayr.
"He had already left in the morning to help with whatever it is bridesmen do and left me to make my own way to the wedding."
Andrew didn't know anyone else at the wedding aside from his partner and the bride, who he thought were in another room.
He said: "The fact that I didn't recognise a single person in this place didn't raise any alarm bells."
However, the penny finally dropped when he saw the bride making her way down the aisle.
Andrew added: "I was at the wrong wedding!
"You can't exactly stand up and walk out of a wedding mid ceremony so I just had to commit to this act and spent the next 20 minutes awkwardly sitting there trying to be as inconspicuous."
He rushed outside after the ceremony, made some phone calls before making his way to the correct wedding. Safe to say Andrew had some explaining to do.
"I was almost as popular as the actual bride and groom and spent most of the night retelling that story to people," he recalled.
As for Michelle and John, they are pleased the confusion is over and can't quite believe the hilarious story behind it.
"It is unbelievable. I just could not stop laughing when I heard the story. It is so funny and the way Adam tells the story is brilliant," Michelle, a 38-year-old Digital Facilitator for the NHS, said.
"You just don't hear about things like this happening. I just can not stop laughing about it. It is great to finally find out who it was.
"It was always in the back of my mind, who was that and why was he there? To find out eventually after all this time is quite something."
Michelle has even met Andrew and they plan to keep in touch.
The East Ayrshire woman added: "Our wedding day really was the perfect day. But this adds another great story to it that gives us even more special memories.
"I had thought that he should have stuck around so at least we could have met on the day. But then we wouldn't have had all of this. It just worked out the way it was supposed to.
"It has certainly put a lot of smiles on people's faces."
Callum Jones