Life
Bride loses ring an hour before the wedding...little boy saves the story
By Anna Pollitt
9 years ago
Of all the things that could go wrong on a wedding day, losing a diamond ring that's also a 100-year-old family heirloom is up there with a bridal hair bee infestation and being forced to wear big, grey knickers under your gown.
It happened to one bride an hour before she was due to walk down the aisle - but thanks to an eagle-eyed eight-year-old, her wedding woe turned into a heartening tale of honour and thankfulness.
Wisconsin bride Erica Fenske was posing for photographs in front of the picturesque Lake Michigan shoreline minutes ahead of her wedding on Saturday when she realised her grandmother's solitaire diamond had popped off her finger.
"It's a small solitaire ring,” Fenske tells WISN. “My mother wore it in her wedding. I think my grandmother wore it in her wedding as well.”
Initially, the bride was hopeful of being able to find the sentimental band before the ceremony Schlitz Audubon Nature Center in Milwaukee.
“The first thing I thought of is, 'Oh good, I have eight groomsmen and eight bridesmaids," she explains. “I'm sending them all down to look everywhere we've been for the ring.”
The minutes flew by and the bridal party had no luck scouring through grounds of the centre, which has 185 acres of land covered in trees and rocks.
Despite losing her precious "something old," Fenske had a “beautiful” wedding day with 200 relatives and friends - but gave up hope of finding the ring. She admits another worry was “My mother's going to kill me.”
But less than a week into married life and trying to put the loss behind her, she received a call from the centre that added an extra touch of magic to her special day.
“'Hey, we found a ring,” she was told. “I thought, 'No way it's mine,'” Fenske says.
Thankfully, it was. An eight-year-old boy who had been scouring the dense rocky landscape and beach for fossils spotted the gold band and handed it in.
“When they brought out the ring, I instantly started crying just because it was a miracle,” Fenske says.
The boy's family says they're "thrilled” the bride has got her ring back.
“It proves that the one little thing that went wrong that day got fixed and that was more of not an omen, but a sign to us that this is it. This was right. This was perfect,” Fenske says.
Images: istock/WISN/Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
20 stylish up-dos for a modern bridal look:
Wedding Hair Ideas: 20 Modern Up-Dos
Neat top knots were the order of the day at Amsale's autumn/winter 2014 bridal show.
Image source: Getty
Wedding Hair Ideas: 20 Modern Up-Dos
Hairstylist Mara Roszak made a feature of Zoe Saldana's Jennifer Behr headband with a retro-inspired twisted up-do.
Image source: Mara Roszak; instagram.com/mararoszak
Wedding Hair Ideas: 20 Modern Up-Dos
Pinned braids were given a head-turning twist with embellished hairpins at the Honor spring/summer 2013 show.
Image source: Getty
Wedding Hair Ideas: 20 Modern Up-Dos
Blake Lively rocked a glamorous twist on a classic high ponytail at the Met Ball 2013.
Image source: Getty
Wedding Hair Ideas: 20 Modern Up-Dos
Princess-inspired hair was worn loose, wavy and with a braided rosette at Rodarte's autumn/winter 2013 show.
Image source: Getty
Wedding Hair Ideas: 20 Modern Up-Dos
Heidi Klum wore her hair slicked back into a twisted high ponytail at this year's People's Choice Awards.
Image source: Getty
Wedding Hair Ideas: 20 Modern Up-Dos
Amy Adams pinned her long hair into a chic faux bob with retro leanings at the SAG Awards 2014.
Image source: Getty
Wedding Hair Ideas: 20 Modern Up-Dos
This regal low bun was given an elegant finish with an embellished hair comb.
Image source: Belle The Magazine
Wedding Hair Ideas: 20 Modern Up-Dos
Kerry Washington wore her hair in a pretty ballerina bun, complete with ribbon tie, at the SAG Awards 2014.
Image source: PA
Wedding Hair Ideas: 20 Modern Up-Dos
Loosely pinned curls create an easy, feminine wedding look at the Michaeljohn hair salon.
Image source: Michaeljohn; michaeljohn.co.uk
Wedding Hair Ideas: 20 Modern Up-Dos
A low ponytail got a chic, high-fashion finish in the hands of hairstylist Miriam Kenly.
Image source: Miriam Kenly; instagram.com/mirmaidkenly
Wedding Hair Ideas: 20 Modern Up-Dos
Hair was pinned under into a faux bob and given height at the crown at the Monique Lhuillier Bridal show.
Image source: Getty
Wedding Hair Ideas: 20 Modern Up-Dos
Hair twisted into a soft low bun has a pretty, bohemian feel to it.
Image source: BHLDN
Wedding Hair Ideas: 20 Modern Up-Dos
Nicole Kidman wore her hair plaited and pinned into a textured 'rosebud' shape at the Cannes Film Festival 2013.
Image source: Getty
Wedding Hair Ideas: 20 Modern Up-Dos
A simple low twist is transformed with the addition of a gold leaf hair comb from Jennifer Behr.
Image source: Jennifer Behr. Photography by Belathee
Wedding Hair Ideas: 20 Modern Up-Dos
Frida Kahlo and Bianca Jagger in Mexico were the inspirations for this modern braided style at Rebecca Minkoff's spring/summer 2014 show.
Image source: Getty
Wedding Hair Ideas: 20 Modern Up-Dos
A soft texture adds a modern appeal to this elegant up-do from the Richard Ward hair salon.
Image source: Richard Ward; richardward.com
Wedding Hair Ideas: 20 Modern Up-Dos
An effortless halo braid makes the perfect canvas for statement bridal hair accessory.
Image source: BHLDN/Jennifer Behr
Wedding Hair Ideas: 20 Modern Up-Dos
Chunky plaits were worn with a sporty edge at Alon Livne's spring/summer 2014 show. Loosen things up for a pretty bridal look.
Image source: TIGI
Wedding Hair Ideas: 20 Modern Up-Dos
Allison Williams opted for a summery, textured long braid at the BAFTA TV Tea Party.
Image source: Getty
undefined
By signing up you agree to occasionally receive offers and promotions from Stylist. Newsletters may contain online ads and content funded by carefully selected partners. Don’t worry, we’ll never share or sell your data. You can opt-out at any time. For more information read Stylist’s Privacy Policy
Thank you!
You’re now subscribed to all our newsletters. You can manage your subscriptions at any time from an email or from a MyStylist account.