Couple Learns Their Wedding Is at Risk, Have an Emergency Ceremony Right on the Plane

Pam Patterson and Jeremy Salda planned to spend the rest of their lives together by hopping on a plane and getting married in Las Vegas. But when turbulent weather threatened to ruin their plans, the kindness of strangers saved the day.

Through online dating, Pam Patterson and Jeremy Salda's love story began in 2020. Recently before their date, Pam had just been laid off from her medical sales job during the pandemic.

Jeremy, a 49-year-old graphic designer, had recently been divorced and was dreading online dating. Pam was also nervous about meeting Jeremy as this was her first online date.

"It was just one of those great dates where you talk all night until 2 a.m.," Pam said. During their date, she told Jeremy that she enjoyed throwing kindness around like confetti.

Jeremy brought flowers and confetti to his second date with Pam like a true romantic. The pair tossed it around town and had a lovely time.

Other than dreading online dates, Jeremy and Pam also had something else in common. They both had children from previous relationships. Pam had a 28-year-old daughter and a 20-year-old son, while Jeremy had a 15-year-old son and an 11-year-old daughter.

HOW PAM AND JEREMY BROKE UP AND FOUND EACH OTHER AGAIN

But despite their undeniable chemistry, they decided to keep in touch while dating other people. "I didn't know if I was ready to do a whole family thing again," Pam said.

But Jeremy liked Pam too much just to let everything go. So, on Mother's Day, he reached out to Pam and treated her to a special day.

"I have never met somebody that truly looks for the good in others. She can find good in just about anybody," Jeremy said.

In January 2022, Jeremy proposed to Pam on a beach in Cancun. Pam was thrilled, and they immediately began making plans for their wedding.

Pam and Jeremy dreamt of a destination wedding in Mexico, but they needed to have a legal wedding in the U.S. first. They decided that Las Vegas was the perfect place to have a short, fun ceremony with just the two of them in attendance.

PLANNING A VEGAS WEDDING

Soon after, the couple planned every detail of their special day. They reserved an appointment for a marriage license and booked a hotel near the Vegas Strip.

Pam and Jeremy also bought tickets for a flight from Oklahoma City to Nevada. Pam even purchased a wedding dress online.

Unfortunately, the flight they booked was canceled just two days later. They then decided to book another flight with a different airline that would connect them to Nevada from Texas.

The couple finally arrived at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in Texas dressed in their wedding attire. They planned to get off the plane and head straight to their chapel appointment.

But as Pam and Jeremy sat waiting for their connecting flight, it was delayed multiple times due to turbulent weather conditions. Sadly, the flight was eventually canceled.

As they sat disappointed at the airport, a man named Chris Mitcham saw their sad demeanor. He walked up to them and asked where they were traveling.

TURBULENT WEATHER THREATENS PAM AND JEREMY'S PLANS

Pam and Jeremy explained their plans and how flight cancellations thwarted them. As it turned out, Chris was making his way to Las Vegas, and his flight had also been canceled. And even better, Chris was an ordained minister, and he offered to marry them.

The three of them immediately booked another flight heading to Vegas. They hoped to land later that evening and finally get their marriage license.

Pam, Jeremy, and Chris had to rush to Love Field Airport in Texas to catch their flight to Vegas. Pam said that she felt like she was in a movie. She added:

"[I was] literally running through the airport, through security, in a wedding dress. People [were] shouting at us, 'Congratulations! Yay!'"

While Pam boarded the plane, the pilot asked if she planned to get married immediately after landing. Pam replied, "Well, we're going to try, but if not, I think I'm just going to get married right here on this plane."

A SPONTANEOUS WEDDING ON THE PLANE

The pilot happily agreed with the idea. He announced to the passengers and crew that a wedding would soon occur on the flight.

As soon as the plane reached the safe altitude for people to start moving around, strangers and the flight crew on the aircraft began preparing for the midair ceremony.

Flight attendants grabbed tissue paper to make streamers. Chris, who was also a former television producer, had video equipment on hand. He prepared the camera, and one of the flight attendants agreed to record the ceremony.

The attendants even set mood lighting using the plane's call lights and downloaded the song "Here Comes the Bride" to play as Pam walked down the plane's aisle. And on April 24, 2022, Jeremy and Pam were officially married!

Jeremy explained that passengers were just as involved in turning the aircraft into a wedding venue:

"Another woman onboard was a professional photographer who offered to take photos of the ceremony. One passenger passed a notebook around for other attendees to sign."

Another passenger even offered their donut to serve as the couple's wedding cake. Pam and Jeremy split it in half and shared it.

Pam also reflected on the passengers' kindness during their spontaneous wedding. "We obviously delayed the drink service, but no one seemed to care," she said.

Southwest Airlines, which was the plane the couple was aboard, said that it was happy for the couple. They released a statement that partially read:

"We offer our congratulations to the newlyweds and well wishes on their new life together."

Pam and Jeremy said many passengers approached them during and after their flight. They thanked them for brightening up their day after a stressful travel period.

The couple also said that they were glad their in-flight wedding helped make other people happier. It shows that strangers can unite and create joyous occasions even during stressful moments.