CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WSOC) — A couple from North Carolina were in for a surprise when they got married over the weekend.
The bride, the groom, and the wedding party needed rescuing when they suddenly got stuck in their hotel.
"I was freaking out. I'm not going to lie. It's only like you hear this in movies," said the bride, Victoria Jha.
After their wedding Saturday night, they loaded into the elevator of the Grand Bohemian Hotel heading to the 16th floor for their afterparty when the unimaginable happened.
"We got up maybe five feet and then boom, door's kind of stuck," said the groom, Panav Jha. "The door started to open and so I could see like the concrete wall right in front of me, and I could see the concrete wall behind me. I was like, that's not normal."
Instead of wedding bells, they were hearing the voices of Charlotte firefighters four stories above them setting up for a rescue.
"Basically, what we did as a last resort is we rebuilt a new elevator system using ropes and rescue equipment and overhead anchors," said Cpt. Stephen Pritchard with the Charlotte Fire Department.
Crews rappelled down to save the bride, the groom and four of their wedding guests.
Video of the rescue shows Victoria in her traditional Indian wedding gown, head to toe in jewels, climbing up the ladder.
"I just had to lift it and just climb the very narrow staircase one after the other," said Victoria.
Panav followed, and two and a half hours later, everyone was safe and sound.
They thanked Charlotte firefighters for their quick response and for a story to last a lifetime.
"[I] just express my gratitude and appreciation for, you know, taking my husband and I out safely and the rest of the team and the way you guys did it, it was safe, efficient. And I appreciate you all," said Victoria.
Unfortunately, they did not make it to the afterparty.
"We did not. The bar closed. We had great friends who were hosting for us. So they took care of everyone," said Panav.
The hotel released a statement saying both the Grand Bohemian and the fire department went above and beyond for the guests.
