Kodaline lead singer surprises NHS couple with exclusive virtual wedding performance

•    Following the cancellation of their wedding due to Covid-19, JACKfm arranged virtual wedding for paramedic, Stefan Frost, and Modern Matron, Louise Kibbey, both from Abingdon in Oxfordshire.

•    Steve Garrigan, lead singer of Dublin-based band Kodaline surprised the NHS workers with live performance of “The One” at virtual wedding, which was to be the couple’s first dance.

•    JACKfm secured support from local businesses to make what would have been their Wedding Day a day to remember for all the right reasons; with donations including a wedding cake, flowers, food & drink, videography service – and even a celebrant to lead the ceremony!

•    A selection of images and video assets from the virtual wedding and including Steve Garrigan’s performance and the nuptials can be downloaded here: https://we.tl/t-MOj9GQ4GYI

•    Watch the whole virtual wedding ceremony here: https://www.facebook.com/JACKfm/videos/2518198678429587/

29 April 2020, Oxford: The lead singer of Dublin-based rock band Kodaline surprised a couple of NHS workers with an exclusive performance at their virtual wedding, which was arranged for them by award-winning Oxfordshire radio station, JACKfm. Steve Garrigan performed Kodaline’s hit song “The One” which the couple had planned to accompany their first dance, before their wedding was cancelled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Abingdon-based Modern Matron, Louise Kibbey, and her paramedic fiancé, Stefan Frost – who recently recovered from coronavirus himself – were due to be married at Lapstone Barn in the North Cotswolds today (Wednesday 29 April). When JACKfm heard of their plight, the team behind the JACKfm Breakfast Show, JACK’s Morning Glory, quickly jumped into action, arranging an alternative virtual wedding day with the intention of giving the kind couple a reason to smile, instead of a day to feel sad about. As well as securing the services of award-winning celebrant, Lynn Tierney, JACKfm arranged for a host of local Oxfordshire businesses to step in and create a one-of-a-kind wedding day. 

A bespoke wedding cake was created for the couple courtesy of Wealden House Kitchen, flowers and food for a delicious Wedding Breakfast was provided courtesy of Waitrose Abingdon, and a range of craft beers was donated by Bicester’s Wriggly Monkey Brewery. The couple were given special wedding underwear to put on for their big day, courtesy of sustainable underwear company, Y.O.U. Underwear, while a listener in Banbury donated her wedding dress to Louise to wear on the special day. In addition, screen shots and video content of the happy couple and their guests in attendance will be innovatively curated and edited by videographer Olivia Wittet of The Lens People, giving Louise and Stefan a lasting memento of their unique, virtual wedding. 

Louise Kibbey said: “This has honestly been one of the best days of our lives and to have Kodaline performing the song that we’d planned to have our first dance to was just incredible. We feel so fortunate and cannot thank Trevor and Rich at JACKfm enough for making this happen, as well as all the brilliant local businesses who donated something to make the day so special. Our real wedding day has got a lot to live up to now!”

Steve Garrigan, lead singer of Kodaline said: “When JACKfm asked us if Kodaline would be willing to perform our song The One for Louise and Stefan’s virtual wedding, we were only too happy to help. The efforts of the NHS during this pandemic are just monumental, so it’s the least that we can do to say thank you to this special couple.”

Instead of wedding gifts, the couple asked for donations to be made to Oxford Hospitals Charity, which supports patients and staff working across local Oxfordshire hospitals. Donations can be made via the JACKfm JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jackfmvirtuallymarried. 

JACKfm is available on FM and DAB across Oxfordshire, and online at www.jackfm.co.uk