When you're in the public eye, there's sometimes a risk that your private bashes might be interrupted by some hopeful attendees. But Emmerdale star Michelle Hardwick couldn't believe it when her wedding was gatecrashed by a stranger she'd just met.
The actor – who plays Vanessa Woodfield in the long-running ITV soap – and producer Kate Brooks tied the knot back in September 2019.
When it transpired that the latter's mum was too unwell to fly to the US, the couple decided to elope and get hitched as Elvis Presley's legendary Graceland in Tennessee, just the two of them. Or so they thought, anyways.
Related: Emmerdale's Charity Dingle storms out after another row with Vanessa Woodfield
"We had just checked in at the hotel in Memphis and this guy came up and asked if he could help us," the 44-year-old recently told the Mirror. "He took us to our room and asked us what brought us [there]. So we told him we are getting married in a few days."
Michelle went on to recall how they informed him of the intended venue, and he replied that he'd love to come. So much so, that he'd even bring his mother along too.
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"So we said 'yes' and sort of laughed it off... Never imagining that he would actually turn up," she laughed. "But when we arrived at Graceland, our lovely wedding coordinator told us that two of our friends were there.
Related: Emmerdale's Charity Dingle storms out after another row with Vanessa Woodfield
"So we thought someone must have flown over to surprise us. Then she said it's John and his mum from our hotel. It was hilarious – they were there in their jeans, T-shirts and trainers. It adds to the story and the craziness of it all. We even had pictures with them.”
Earlier this week, Michelle and Kate revealed that they are expecting a baby. Sharing the happy news on social media, the former posted a photo of herself with her hand on her stomach as Kate grinned away in the background, pointing to the same area.
"Fred's big brother duties commence in October #BabyBrooks," she captioned the image, referencing the couple's dog.
Emmerdale currently airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7pm on ITV.
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