Couple Spent Wedding Night in Hospital After Groom Fell to Floor in Severe Pain — and Their Guests Still Kept Partying

“It spun out of control quite quickly,” bride Claire Kelly said of her husband James Kelly’s medical emergency

NEED TO KNOW

• Newlyweds Claire and James Kelly spent their wedding night in the hospital after the groom suddenly fell to the floor with a “sharp” pain in his abdomen
• James was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance, joined by Claire, who was still wearing her wedding dress
• Meanwhile, their wedding guests continued to celebrate at the reception without them

For newlyweds Claire and James Kelly, the "in sickness and in health" vow became a terrifying reality just minutes into their wedding celebration.

After planning their dream nuptials for 10 months, the couple tied the knot in a manor house in Shropshire, England, on Feb. 20, per Kennedy News. Following the ceremony, the Kellys gathered with their loved ones at a wedding breakfast, ready to celebrate and toast the start of their married life together.

But when James, 31, sat down at the meal, he began to feel a "sharp" pain in the right side of his abdomen, though he didn't mention it to Claire at the time. Initially, he thought it might simply be trapped gas. However, the pain continued to worsen.

"No more than 10 minutes after sitting down for the wedding breakfast, he just had a really sharp pain in his abdomen," Claire, also 31, explained. "It was instant — he was fine one second, and then he wasn't fine."

A short while later, the new bride was alerted by her maid of honor that something was wrong with James.

"He went upstairs. I didn't know at the time that he was experiencing any pain, so I was still downstairs talking to our family and having some food," Claire recalled. "My maid of honor came to get me and took me upstairs."

Claire found James lying on the floor in so much pain that he "couldn't stand up, couldn't really communicate anything" to her. She quickly called for an ambulance.

James was rushed to this hospital, accompanied by Claire, who was still wearing her wedding dress. "It was awfully dramatic. I was so worried and so scared that I didn't even think to get changed or anything," Claire recalled.

Blood tests and a CT scan determined that James was suffering from acute appendicitis and would need to undergo surgery.

"It was literally an hour after we got married," Claire said of James' medical emergency, before lamenting, "We were so excited. I spent 10 months planning my dream wedding."

Instead of canceling their reception, which had cost them more than $26,000, the Kellys had their guests carry on with the celebration in their absence while they were at the hospital.

A day and a half later, James had surgery. "I stayed with him the entire time," Claire said. "He went into surgery … and they discovered his appendix was in a really bad way. There was an abscess and a mass as well."

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"It was a lot more serious than we thought," she added. "It wasn't a great time — it was scary, there were a lot of emotions."

The operation went well, and James has since been resting and recovering. "I am so thankful that James is better," Claire said, adding of his ordeal, "It spun out of control quite quickly."

While Claire said that "the bigger picture is that [James] is doing alright and on the road to recovery," the pair can't help but feel "distraught" that they missed out on the wedding they spent months carefully planning.

"We didn't get to enjoy the food, didn't get a first dance, we didn't get to be introduced as Mr. and Mrs., we didn't stay at the bridal suite," Claire told Kennedy News. "We spent the night in the hospital instead of the bridal suite. It really wasn't the wedding I imagined."

To make up for missing their special day, the couple is planning another celebration in May.

"We are planning a second event, not as big as the one we had because it took a long time to save for the wedding we were meant to have," Claire said, noting that she and James were not able to claim any money back from their original event because their guests "still enjoyed the food and entertainment at the venue."

She added that the pair are grateful to at least have had their ceremony. "I'm happy we exchanged vows, over the moon we got the most important part done," she said.

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