'My fairytale wedding day was years in the making - but I woke up in hospital'
Dominating the landscape on the breathtakingly beautiful Isle of Mull, Duart Castle with its 14th Century keep is the kind of fairytale venue where every bride dreams of tying the knot. And in 24 hours, it was where florist Lisa Haggart planned to marry her partner of 14 years, welder fabricator Ian Whitaker.
Mull's dramatic beauty - so different to their home in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire - had stolen the hearts of the couple and their children, Esme, 12, and Eddie, seven, who had made the barren setting their preferred holiday destination for years.
Now they were rolling a family holiday and honeymoon into one - enjoying a few days in a caravan together on a campsite with spectacular views, before and after the wedding. But a wild storm had raged since they arrived, largely confining them to barracks.
READ MORE: Pharmacist shares hidden' dangers of pill taken by millions in UK
So, with the kids getting cabin fever, on 4 August Lisa and Ian, both 39, seized a break in the rain to take Eddie out with them for a walk. Esme, sensibly, stayed indoors, with Lisa's parents, Anne and Andy Haggart.
Heading to the beach beside the campsite, being mindful of the soggy ground, Lisa recalls: 'It was the day before my wedding and I was positively giddy with excitement.
'We'd been on the Isle of Mull for a few days and had the most relaxing time. It was so lovely to spend time together as a family.
'After this walk, I was planning on heading back to the campsite to work on my bouquet. As a florist, I'd be making my own bouquet. I'd chosen the sunflowers and roses for it a few days earlier in Oban.'
Strolling along with Eddie, behind Ian, she says: 'I couldn't believe it had been 14 years since our first date, when we went to the cinema to see Super 8.'
Ian proposed in Christmas 2015. Lisa recalls: 'I thought I was opening a gift when suddenly my favourite song, A Thousand Years by Christina Perri, came on.
'I opened the unassuming present to find a gorgeous ring propped up on a cushion with a message that read 'Lisa, will you marry me?' I leapt into his arms right away. The answer was always going to be yes.'
The couple's decade-long engagement was because they wanted to wait until the time was right - deciding, in the end, to have Eddie as Ian's best man and ring bearer and Esme as Lisa's maid of honour. And it had been worth the wait.
'Now we were finally getting married in our favourite place, the Isle of Mull,' says Lisa. 'I had always seen Duart Castle when we came to Mull in the summer and wondered what it was like inside. We'd toured it last year and I fell in love with the dramatic surroundings and stunning sea views.
'I knew this was the place for us and we had picked the sea view room for our special day, because of the spectacular scenery.'
Pinching her arm to make sure she wasn't dreaming, as she walked down a bank, suddenly, without warning, Lisa lost her footing and slid across the wet grass - before coming crashing down.
'I heard it before I felt it,' she says. 'The sound of my bones in my left leg snapping is something I'll never forget. Then the excruciating pain followed, I swear it was genuinely worse than childbirth. I let out a strangled scream to get my fiance to turn back and Eddie ran up the path to get his attention.'
Between them all, they managed to move Lisa onto a nearby picnic bench.
'I knew it was a bad break. When I looked down at my leg I saw it had gone completely limp and floppy,' she says. 'I felt the colour drain from my face and it looked like all the bones had vanished from my leg.
'We hurried to the car as quickly as we could and drove to A&E at Mull & Iona Hospital. It was only 10 minutes away, but it felt like an eternity and I couldn't stop thinking about the fact that I was supposed to be walking down the aisle the next day.'
After her X-rays, a doctor broke the news. 'He told me, 'You've broken your tibia, fibula and ankle,'' she says. ''I'm supposed to be walking down the aisle tomorrow,' I said.'
As doctors fitted her cast, they told her she needed to be airlifted to the mainland for further treatment on her leg, which was broken in three places. But the stormy weather meant the air ambulance couldn't land until the morning.
'My mind was racing a million miles an hour now,' she says.'I thought, 'was there any way I could still get married on Mull like we'd planned?''
The castle steps meant, even in a wheelchair, she wouldn't be able to get to the venue without risking damaging her leg further. 'I had my heart set on marrying the love of my life the next day, as planned,' says Lisa. 'As I locked eyes with Ian, I knew he felt exactly the same way. Then it was all systems go.
'Ian was straight on the phone to our registrar and thankfully he agreed to come and marry us at the hospital.'
Barely sleeping, because of her excitement, Lisa nearly forgot the pain in her leg - waking the next morning, thrilled to be tying the knot.
Admittedly, it would be a very different day to her dream wedding - where they'd planned to take photos in the castle grounds before heading into nearby town Tobermory with their six guests to take a boat around the harbour and go for fish and chips. Then later that day, Lisa was planning to take a dip in the sea in her wedding dress before heading back to the caravan for a barbecue.
Luckily, all was not lost, as understanding staff at the castle said they could postpone it and have a blessing the following year instead.
Waking up on August 5, Lisa says: 'I chuckled to myself, I never thought I'd be waking up in a hospital bed on the day of my wedding. I was still devastated that I wasn't going to be walking down the aisle in Duart Castle, but all that really mattered to me was getting married to Ian.
'Most brides would have probably waited until all the drama was over, but I simply could not wait another day. The nurses were amazing and decorated my room with their Christmas lights and a garland made from surgical gloves. And the staff were so excited as they'd never had a wedding at the hospital before.
'They even helped me get my wedding dress over my head and lay the skirt out over me as best they could. I had planned on wearing a pair of gorgeous white heels, but with the cast on my leg I had to forgo them.'
In the end, six people - Lisa's mum and dad, her children, and two friends, one of whom was the photographer - made it, despite the storm, and watched them tie the knot.
'My gorgeous daughter Esme came running through with a stunning bouquet in her hands,' says Lisa. ''Mummy, we made you this because you didn't get a chance to make your own!' she beamed at me.
''Oh darling, they are absolutely beautiful,' I replied, through tears of joy. 'Although I never imagined I'd be saying 'I do' sitting in a hospital bed, my big day was even more perfect than I could ever have imagined.
'The registrar has also agreed to give us our blessing next year and I plan to wear my wedding dress again. Not many brides get to wear their dress twice!'
A few hours after the ceremony, the helicopter arrived to take Lisa to the mainland for surgery at Paisley's Royal Alexandra Hospital. Sadly, there was no room for Ian. 'I was heartbroken to be flying away from him so soon after we'd married, but I was glad he was staying with the kids,' she says. 'We agreed he would meet me at the hospital later on.
'It wasn't the wedding night of passion we'd envisioned!'
Lisa, who is now recovering at home, had a rod inserted into her leg and says: 'It was certainly a wedding day to remember!'
Ian adds: 'I didn't want to wait another day to marry Lisa. She is the love of my life.
'I know a hospital isn't the most traditional venue, but we can still have our special day at the castle next year.'
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'My fairytale wedding day was years in the making - but I woke up in hospital'
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READ MORE: Pharmacist shares hidden' dangers of pill taken by millions in UK So, with the kids getting cabin fever, on 4 August Lisa and Ian, both 39, seized a break in the rain to take Eddie out with them for a walk. Esme, sensibly, stayed indoors, with Lisa's parents, Anne and Andy Haggart. Heading to the beach beside the campsite, being mindful of the soggy ground, Lisa recalls: 'It was the day before my wedding and I was positively giddy with excitement. 'We'd been on the Isle of Mull for a few days and had the most relaxing time. It was so lovely to spend time together as a family. 'After this walk, I was planning on heading back to the campsite to work on my bouquet. As a florist, I'd be making my own bouquet. I'd chosen the sunflowers and roses for it a few days earlier in Oban.' Strolling along with Eddie, behind Ian, she says: 'I couldn't believe it had been 14 years since our first date, when we went to the cinema to see Super 8.' Ian proposed in Christmas 2015. Lisa recalls: 'I thought I was opening a gift when suddenly my favourite song, A Thousand Years by Christina Perri, came on. 'I opened the unassuming present to find a gorgeous ring propped up on a cushion with a message that read 'Lisa, will you marry me?' I leapt into his arms right away. The answer was always going to be yes.' The couple's decade-long engagement was because they wanted to wait until the time was right - deciding, in the end, to have Eddie as Ian's best man and ring bearer and Esme as Lisa's maid of honour. And it had been worth the wait. 'Now we were finally getting married in our favourite place, the Isle of Mull,' says Lisa. 'I had always seen Duart Castle when we came to Mull in the summer and wondered what it was like inside. We'd toured it last year and I fell in love with the dramatic surroundings and stunning sea views. 'I knew this was the place for us and we had picked the sea view room for our special day, because of the spectacular scenery.' Pinching her arm to make sure she wasn't dreaming, as she walked down a bank, suddenly, without warning, Lisa lost her footing and slid across the wet grass - before coming crashing down. 'I heard it before I felt it,' she says. 'The sound of my bones in my left leg snapping is something I'll never forget. Then the excruciating pain followed, I swear it was genuinely worse than childbirth. I let out a strangled scream to get my fiance to turn back and Eddie ran up the path to get his attention.' Between them all, they managed to move Lisa onto a nearby picnic bench. 'I knew it was a bad break. When I looked down at my leg I saw it had gone completely limp and floppy,' she says. 'I felt the colour drain from my face and it looked like all the bones had vanished from my leg. 'We hurried to the car as quickly as we could and drove to A&E at Mull & Iona Hospital. It was only 10 minutes away, but it felt like an eternity and I couldn't stop thinking about the fact that I was supposed to be walking down the aisle the next day.' After her X-rays, a doctor broke the news. 'He told me, 'You've broken your tibia, fibula and ankle,'' she says. ''I'm supposed to be walking down the aisle tomorrow,' I said.' As doctors fitted her cast, they told her she needed to be airlifted to the mainland for further treatment on her leg, which was broken in three places. But the stormy weather meant the air ambulance couldn't land until the morning. 'My mind was racing a million miles an hour now,' she says.'I thought, 'was there any way I could still get married on Mull like we'd planned?'' The castle steps meant, even in a wheelchair, she wouldn't be able to get to the venue without risking damaging her leg further. 'I had my heart set on marrying the love of my life the next day, as planned,' says Lisa. 'As I locked eyes with Ian, I knew he felt exactly the same way. Then it was all systems go. 'Ian was straight on the phone to our registrar and thankfully he agreed to come and marry us at the hospital.' Barely sleeping, because of her excitement, Lisa nearly forgot the pain in her leg - waking the next morning, thrilled to be tying the knot. Admittedly, it would be a very different day to her dream wedding - where they'd planned to take photos in the castle grounds before heading into nearby town Tobermory with their six guests to take a boat around the harbour and go for fish and chips. Then later that day, Lisa was planning to take a dip in the sea in her wedding dress before heading back to the caravan for a barbecue. Luckily, all was not lost, as understanding staff at the castle said they could postpone it and have a blessing the following year instead. Waking up on August 5, Lisa says: 'I chuckled to myself, I never thought I'd be waking up in a hospital bed on the day of my wedding. I was still devastated that I wasn't going to be walking down the aisle in Duart Castle, but all that really mattered to me was getting married to Ian. 'Most brides would have probably waited until all the drama was over, but I simply could not wait another day. The nurses were amazing and decorated my room with their Christmas lights and a garland made from surgical gloves. And the staff were so excited as they'd never had a wedding at the hospital before. 'They even helped me get my wedding dress over my head and lay the skirt out over me as best they could. I had planned on wearing a pair of gorgeous white heels, but with the cast on my leg I had to forgo them.' In the end, six people - Lisa's mum and dad, her children, and two friends, one of whom was the photographer - made it, despite the storm, and watched them tie the knot. 'My gorgeous daughter Esme came running through with a stunning bouquet in her hands,' says Lisa. ''Mummy, we made you this because you didn't get a chance to make your own!' she beamed at me. ''Oh darling, they are absolutely beautiful,' I replied, through tears of joy. 'Although I never imagined I'd be saying 'I do' sitting in a hospital bed, my big day was even more perfect than I could ever have imagined. 'The registrar has also agreed to give us our blessing next year and I plan to wear my wedding dress again. Not many brides get to wear their dress twice!' A few hours after the ceremony, the helicopter arrived to take Lisa to the mainland for surgery at Paisley's Royal Alexandra Hospital. Sadly, there was no room for Ian. 'I was heartbroken to be flying away from him so soon after we'd married, but I was glad he was staying with the kids,' she says. 'We agreed he would meet me at the hospital later on. 'It wasn't the wedding night of passion we'd envisioned!' 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