Engaged couples typically put a lot of time and thought into planning their weddings, right down to the smallest details. But one New Jersey bride and her groom received the surprise of a lifetime on their special day, and fortunately, the tear-jerking scene was all captured on film.
It wasn’t long after Alex and Tommy Ellison joined at the altar that the unexpected took place. Out of nowhere, several guests rose to their feet and began belting out a song in the middle of the venue. Little did the couple know though – there was so much more to come…
Most dads dream of walking their daughters down the aisle. Neil Hudes is the father of bride Alex, and he wanted his little girl’s day to be unforgettable.
But instead of just attending the wedding, Neil decided to create a special surprise for the couple, which would require help from others. His idea was to put together the ultimate singing flashmob.
Although his intentions were for it to be a beautiful gift, he also knew there was a chance it could mess up the event.
Neil told WABC-TV:
“So this was very risky on my part, because if this went sideways, I just ruined my daughter’s wedding.”
Alex had wanted her 28-year-old brother Jake to be involved in the wedding, but since he has autism, she also didn’t want it to overwhelm him.
The bride had no clue what was being planned behind her back…
Neil decided to secretly approach his son with the flashmob plan, hoping he’d take part in it. Much to his delight, Jake agreed to hop on board and help surprise the couple during their ceremony.
The Hotel DuPont in Wilmington, Delaware was the location of Alex and Tommy’s wedding. It was also the perfect setting for unveiling the flash mob.
The couple was standing at the altar when guests started singing the 1964 classic, “Chapel of Love.”
By no surprise, they were stunned hearing the voices from the crowd. They weren’t the only ones though. Only a dozen of the guests (out of 170) had been clued in about the flashmob.
Alex was taken aback by the heartwarming scene, especially when her brother Jake joined in. In fact, it left her needing a tissue.
Neil explained to WABC-TV:
“At first she was like, ‘what is this’ and then it turned into ‘oh my god,’ and then it turned into tears, and then when she saw Jake, it turned into more tears.”
Jake admits that he was a little nervous at first. However, once he began singing it was “all good.”
The flash mob grew to be much bigger than expected. Other guests decided to participate in singing the iconic song, which made the moment even more spectacular.
Brides and grooms usually want their weddings to go exactly as planned. However, this was a case where the “unexpected” turned out to be a highlight they’ll always cherish.
As for Neil, he was absolutely thrilled it all worked out so well. He shared with the news station:
“What a relief, after it was all over for me, are you kidding, it was great, the rest of the wedding just flew, it was wonderful.”
It’s a wedding surprise that’s warming viewers’ souls. Press play to see the song in full below:
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