After a whirlwind six months, Toronto-based Cyndi Maisonneuve, 33, couldn’t believe it when her boyfriend Alex popped the question. But an hour before their dream ceremony in Hawaii, where he proposed, on the day she was set to marry the man of her dreams turned into her worst nightmare. Through heavy eyes, I could feel my boyfriend Alex* trying to pull me out of bed. I tried to shrug him off – the last thing I wanted was to up in the early hours after suffering heavily from jet-lag…
“Wake-up, come on let’s go and see the sunrise,” he insisted.“Come on, it will be really nice to share the moment together!”
Grouchily I got up and off we headed to the beach on the beautiful island of Hawaii. As the bright orange sun appeared in the distance, I was grateful I’d come along. Standing in wonder, I turned my head to talk to Alex – but he wasn’t beside me; he was on one knee.
“Will you marry me” he asked, beaming up at me.
It was a shock – we’d only been together for six months but we were already so close. The picturesque scene in the background made the proposal all the more incredible. I knew it was quick, but I trusted Alex with all of my heart and said yes. The following two years seemed to pass by in an instant as we moved in together, started talking about kids’ names and in no time at all our big day arrived.
We were having a small wedding do back in Hawaii, as we’d planned to buy a house for my parents that was close to where we lived with the remaining money.
In terms of family, only my sister could attend the wedding – my mum didn’t fly and Alex’s parents had died. Our ceremony would be small and sweet.
Everyone was asking me if I was nervous, but I didn’t have a single doubt in my mind – and my friends agreed.
“Alex is a great guy, there’s no reason you should have any doubts!” one told me.
I couldn’t wait to be a married woman – I truly believed I’d met the love of my life.
“Morning future husband” I said to Alex on the phone when he called on the morning of the wedding.
“Hey beautiful, I know you’re busy but can you leave my passport on the bed for me?” he asked.
I thought Alex and the guys must be going for a quick trip somewhere to calm his nerves before our big moment. I placed his passport on top of my purse on the bed and went out to get my hair done.
Back in bridal suite I pulled out my creased wedding dress from my suitcase. After a mad dash and an hour of steaming it was finally ready to be put on.
I slipped into the beautiful gown and put my veil on… this was it.
With one hour to go until I walked down the aisle I waited for my sister and my bridesmaids to come back.Then, Alex walked into the room.I panicked, and shouted: “Quick, quick, close your eyes you can’t see me in my wedding dress, it’s bad luck!”Then I looked at him more closely and noticed he had red puffy eyes, like he’d been crying. He was quite an emotional man – he’d always spoken about his mum and how much he wished she could have met me – so I presumed he was upset about that.
Then he said quietly: “Cyndi, I’m sorry but I can’t do this, I can’t marry you.” His words played on repeat in my head like a broken record. An hour before the wedding he was doing this to me?
Heartbroken I told him to leave, horrified by his bombshell. Tears flowed down my eyes as I heard the door shut behind him and I locked myself in the toilet. I sat weeping into my wedding dress, on what should have been the happiest day of my life. I heard my sister say through the door, “I’m so sorry, Cyndi.” After half an hour I got myself together, slipped off the gorgeous gown and went back to my bridesmaids. My sister had told everyone that the wedding was off.
Later I heard he’d tried to ask my bridesmaid to tell me he couldn’t marry me. I couldn’t believe that the man I thought was to be my future husband was such a spineless coward.That was the reason he wanted his passport left out.