Ref. 29432-50A COUPLE'S dream wedding was nearly shattered when the flowers failed to turn up on the big day.

Kate and John Bridgeman got married at the Cricklade Hotel and Country Club, but the bride's bouquet and 30 buttonholes for the guests failed to turn up at the couple's home in Haydon Wick.

The flowers had been ordered from House of Flowers in Victoria Road, a shop affiliated to George Davis and Son Ltd, the Swindon-based florist, which went into insolvency last Monday.

But the hotel swung into action to save the day contacting IV Florist in Shrivenham and the flowers were on the way in just half an hour.

"I was determined I wouldn't let it ruin my day," said Kate.

"Mine was only a small wedding with only a few flowers and buttonholes but I would hate to imagine that a young bride with a big wedding coming up with flowers ordered from the same firm might be let down.

Kate ordered the flowers on February 23 and was told they would be delivered to her home at 9am on the wedding day.

She said: "We hoped the flowers might have been delivered to the hotel but they had not.

"It was then that a member of staff told us House of Flowers was part of George Davis and Son."

The order from House of Flowers was paid by credit card.

The money for the flowers was reimbursed in cash to Mrs Bridgeman yesterday when a man working for the company handed her the money and told her that she was the only customer whose flowers had failed to turn up.

Paul Butler, general manager of the Cricklade Hotel and Country Club, said: "We were asked to provide flowers for the tables but the flowers for the bouquet and buttonholes were to come from House of Flowers. This is not an uncommon arrangement.

"When the flowers did not arrive our staff kept trying the company but to no avail so we called our florists who brought a new bouquet."

Julie Cook, partner at IV Florist, took the emergency order. She said: "I hate the idea of a bride without flowers so I had to get something put together in 15 minutes because I know it takes me 15 minutes to get to the Cricklade Country Club and I arrived 10 minutes before the ceremony started."

No one from George Davis and Son was available for comment. The Adver has attempted to contact the firm every day since last Monday, but there has been no answer.

The newlyweds are now taking time off work to enjoy their first week of marriage.

Anthony Osborne