Kayley Stead was abandoned at the altar in 2022 when her fiancé failed to appear, but she has now found happiness with an old university acquaintance and is preparing to marry on Friday 13th. According to BBC News, the Swansea woman says "everything has fallen into place" as she prepares for her second wedding in four years.
Stead became widely known on social media in 2022 after she chose to continue with her wedding celebrations despite her fiancé's no-show. On the morning of that ceremony, she learned from her former fiancé's father that he had driven away and was four hours distant, with no explanation ever provided to her. Yahoo Lifestyle reported that she spent just under £12,000 of her own money on that 2022 wedding, with guests travelling from Ireland and Scotland to attend.
Now, after reconnecting with Richard Perrott, a fellow university student she met a decade ago, Stead has found love again. Yahoo News UK reported that Kayley and Richard became engaged on May 27, 2026, at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David campus. The couple's romantic history took an unconventional path: according to the Mirror, Richard first asked Kayley out during their first year at university, but she declined. She later asked him out in their third year, when he declined. Now, more than a decade later, they have found their way to each other.
Why choose Friday 13th?
Despite the widespread superstition that Friday 13th brings bad luck, Stead has embraced the date for her wedding. She said she "loves a risk" and is feeling confident about their big day. The number 13 holds special significance for her beyond its calendar placement. "Number 13 was my childhood home," she explained. "We found out that we've known each other for 13 years this year, and it's also my nephew's birthday, so he's going to be turning three."
Her young nephew has become invested in the occasion. "He thinks it's his big birthday party, if I'm honest," Stead said. "He better be there, otherwise he's going to have a lot to answer for. He's prepared and yeah he's excited."
How does this wedding feel different?
Stead has reflected on the emotional journey between her two weddings and how the experience has shaped her approach to marriage. "It just feels right, and it feels completely different from the last time when I was planning it," she said. She acknowledged that the nerves are returning as the date approaches, but she views this as a natural part of the process.
"Luckily, I learned all the dos and don'ts last time and what to prep for," she told Radio Wales Breakfast. "But the nerves are definitely coming in, which I think is normal."
Stead has expressed gratitude for how events unfolded, viewing her previous heartbreak as a necessary part of her life's path.
"If I didn't, I wouldn't be here right now. I wouldn't be marrying the man that I was meant to marry and that I met 13 years ago. It's just insane. The dress is magical."
She said
"everything has fallen into place"this time around and she feels that, despite the emotional rollercoaster she experienced a few years ago, it happened for a reason. She has emphasised the strength of Richard's commitment to her.
"He's reassured me a thousand times that he will be there."She added:
"I know the love that he's got for me is in abundance."
What does Kayley say about her future?
Stead has expressed her conviction that marrying Richard is her true destiny. She said it was "meant to be" and she is grateful to "marry the man that I want to". She has described feeling prepared for this marriage in a way that differs from her first wedding experience, having gained perspective and clarity about what she truly wants in a partnership.
The couple's journey from university acquaintances to engaged partners reflects a second-chance narrative that Stead has embraced fully. With her nephew's birthday coinciding with the wedding date and Richard's repeated reassurances of his commitment, Stead appears ready to move forward with confidence into this new chapter of her life.
