Resort fire can

[jnelsoninjax]

It?s the stuff of bridal nightmares.

Less than an hour before her wedding, as she laced up her dress and put the final touches on her makeup, Nancy Rogers was informed by her wedding planner that the main lodge where she was supposed to be getting married was on fire.

The 32-year-old bride stood in shock as the planner who told her the news hurried off.

Although black smoke could be seen for several kilometres outside, Nancy and her fianc?, Michael Rogers chose to plow ahead with the ceremony she had been planning for months.

?We decided that the most important thing was that we wanted to get married, and we were only an hour late,? she said.

Rogers, who had rushed back to the resort from his parent?s cottage across the lake, made it happen with help from staff at the White Point Beach Resort.

Staff at the popular seaside resort on Nova Scotia?s South Shore moved the wedding to another building as firefighters from more than 10 departments battled the blaze.

Though the road to the main lodge was blocked by fire trucks, the bride, her maids and about 45 guests were able to weave past the trucks, around the other side of the burning building to the new location.

?At this point there was a lot of smoke coming from the lodge,? said Rogers.

There were chairs set up and a musician brought in at the last moment to replace Michael?s father, who was evacuated from the main building while practicing on the piano for the bride?s march.

The only low point was when Michael?s 7-year-old daughter, Grace, found out her flowers had gone up in flames with all the other things in the main lodge, including the cake and decorations. ?How am I supposed to be a flower girl without my flowers?? she asked. They found a way.

During the ceremony they could here sirens and trucks going by on the road. But Michael?s strongest memory of the day was the first moment he saw his bride. He teared up.

While they were getting married resort staff were coming to terms with the inevitable loss of the lodge and having to close the resort temporarily.

?We came out and the place was in flames. It was indescribable really,? said the groom.

RCMP Staff Sgt. Jeff Wells said early indications suggest the fire may have started in the basement of the 83-year-old hotel.

The couple expected they?d have to order pizza to feed their guests, but the resort staff arranged for a reception at a local inn.

?They now have their own special memory,? said resort manager Danny Morton, who helped with the last-minute plans.

The local community, devastated by the fire, showed their support on the resort?s Facebook page. Owner, Robert Risley, said it?s ?far too important a part of the fabric of Nova Scotia to not rebuild.?

?It?s just a building that burned down,? added Morton, the memories formed there remain.

Morton said despite the fire and closure, the White Point Beach resort will be there another 80 years. But it may not ever have another wedding quite like the Rogers wedding.

Source

[-KJ]

Strange...