A newlywed couple got a second surprise from Red Rooster on Friday when the fast food chain that saved their wedding also pledged $2,000 toward their dream honeymoon.
‘I didn’t actually know anything,’ a happily surprised Jessica Fleifel told Daily Mail Australia on Friday morning, after receiving the cheque from Red Rooster CEO Chris Green.
‘Everyone kept me in the dark… We are super grateful to the store and the team and Red Rooster for everything they’ve given us. It’s just amazing.’
Jessica and Henry were gifted $2000 for a honeymoon Red Rooster CEO Chris Green (centre)
The newlyweds were invited down to the store the week after Red Rooster ‘saved’ the wedding
When stepfather Gary and new husband Henry told Jessica that Red Rooster wanted her to go to the store the week after the wedding to congratulate her, the new bride didn’t suspect a thing
And on Friday morning, the blushing bride was surprised at the Red Rooster Lurnea store by the CEO, state manager, area manager and ‘the team that saved the day’ – all of whom showed up be a part of the honeymoon surprise.
The happy couple are now planning a trip away from the city. Fiji and Hawaii are on their shortlist: ‘We just want to sightsee and relax and enjoy some time together’.
Henry added that the young couple is appreciative for all the help Red Rooster has given them them, calling the honeymoon ‘literally a bonus on top of another bonus.’
Jessica and Henry are planning a honeymoon ‘away from the city’ in a spot like Fiji or Hawaii
The blushing bride was ‘overwhelmed’ by the support and generosity of the Red Rooster team
‘We’re overwhelmed that they came our rescue and helped us when they didn’t have to,’ Jessica said. ‘They really pulled through when there was a crisis and it was great, we really weren’t expecting that.’
With 100 wedding guests to feed last Saturday, the couple’s special day was about to turn into every bride’s worst nightmare when the caterers didn’t show up – but Gary saved the day with a desperate call to Red Rooster.
The day after the wedding, he had contacted the team at Lurnea Red Rooster, to make sure that they had been properly congratulated and thanked for their efforts.
Happy couple Jessica and Henry were thrown for a loop when their caterers never showed up
Red Rooster saved the wedding day of Jessica and Henry (pictured) with last-minute catering
‘He was so grateful for the help they gave him on the day and for saving the kids’ wedding day,’ Red Rooster spokesperson Stella Katsaros told Daily Mail Australia.
When Stella asked Garry when the happy couple were coming back from their honeymoon, he said that they couldn’t afford one because they were working hard and saving for a house.
‘They are a very sweet family,’ Stella said. ‘I took it upon myself to see if Red Rooster could help in some way.
Jessica and Henry were signing their wedding certificate last weekend when they realised that despite plenty of email confirmations, their caterers weren’t going to make an appearance.
‘We were pretty calm about it,’ Jessica told Daily Mail Australia. ‘We knew that they would fix it. They always do, they always come through for us.’
And he did. Gary had a brainwave, and made a ‘mad’ phone call to Red Rooster, panicking because in addition to not having food, the couple didn’t have cutlery or crockery either.
‘I thought, “Red Rooster…They must have food there” so I just rung them and said, “Help us. The caterers haven’t shown up and I have a hundred hungry people and I don’t know what to do!”‘ he said.
Jessica walks down the aisle at her wedding, before realising that they didn’t have any food
Henry (left) and Jessica enjoy the food helpfully provided by Red Rooster on their wedding day
‘The staff at Lurnea Red Rooster said, “Come on down, we’ll get everything for you…We’ll do the lot for you”.’
Stephanie, who was the manager at the time of Gary’s frantic phone call, managed to prepare 10 roasted whole chickens and four kilos of garden salad and coleslaw in the space of 20 minutes.
When Gary arrived, the entire staff came out of the store, carrying boxes of plates, serviettes, knives, forks and food which they personally brought to the reception venue.
‘They wished us a good day and a happy wedding and hoped the guests could be fed now with the food they gave us.’
From left: Jessica, Gary and Henry recount the bizarre catering situation on the Today Show
Red Rooster food was served at the wedding, to the delight of the happy couple and the guests
The newlyweds, who have now vowed to be ‘Red Roosters customers for life’ have lavished praised on the fast food chain for saving their wedding.
‘The staff [at Lurnea Red Rooster] went above and beyond helping us out of the staff there were absolutely wonderful,’ the couple said.
‘They did everything possible for us and we just want to thank them from the bottom of our hearts.’
Gary also dropped into the store after the wedding to thank the team again for saving Jessica and Henry’s wedding with 20 minutes’ notice – and to help the team plan a honeymoon surprise for the happy couple.
Jessica, Henry and Gary praised the Lurnea Red Rooster outlet (pictured) for their dedication