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A newlywed couple were 'heartbroken’ to wake up after their big day to find that 50 gift cards containing at least £700 had gone missing, meaning they were down on the cash they’d hoped to use for their honeymoon.
Kayleigh and Ashley Hanrahan tied the knot at a lodge near their home in Wigan, Greater Manchester, on 7 October, before dancing the night away at Gathurst Golf Club.
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They had asked their guests to put any cards in a special postbox at the venue, claiming it was full to the brim when they went to bed.
Less than 12 hours later, however, the box of cards was completely empty – something that police are now investigating.
Stay-at-home mum Kayleigh, 29, said: "We're absolutely heartbroken. We're sad about the money, which is a lot, but it's mostly the sentimental value of the cards which I wanted to keep.
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"We never even got to open and read them. We had to contact all our guests to find out exactly how much was missing. It was more than £700.
"They have been stolen - who could do something like that? We've waited such a long time for our wedding.
"I'm so angry and upset that someone could do this to us on our wedding night."
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Kayleigh and HGV driver Ashley, 31, have kids together and married after more than 10 years as a couple.
But their happy day became a bittersweet moment when the cards disappeared from the postbox, which had been provided by an events company and set up as a place for friends and family to place their cards.
Kayleigh says she and Ashley had left the venue at 12:30am, at which point the cards were all still there.
However, when she returned to the club at around 12:00pm the following day, they were nowhere to be seen.
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Kayleigh continued: "We were the last to leave and the cards were in the box which was tied shut with a sash.
"When I came back the next day everything had been moved to another room so the big one could be cleaned.
"Everything else was there, the cake, the bouquet, and all the other gifts, but the post box had gone and there were no cards.
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"It's heartbreaking. I just want justice."
Kayleigh’s brother has now set up a fundraiser so that the newlyweds and their kids can go on their honeymoon to Wales as planned.
Explaining how the couple had a ‘lovely evening’ at their reception, he wrote in the GoFundMe campaign’s description: “Sadly, this is where the happiness ends as when my sister returned the next morning to collect their belongings, they found that all their wedding cards with around £700 in cash had been taken.”
He added: “This fundraiser is simply to help them start their married lives with a little bit of something so they can go on a little holiday with their 3 children.”
Greater Manchester Police confirmed it is investigating the case, while Gathurst Golf Club and the events company declined to comment.
Tyla has reached out to Gathurst Golf Club.
Topics: Wedding
Jess Hardiman