23 February 2023 , 14:24
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A newly married couple missed their own wedding reception after getting trapped in an elevator for two hours.
Victoria and Panav Jha were heading up to their reception on the 16th floor of the Grand Bohemian Hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina, when the elevator they were riding in ground to a halt in between floors.
They were in the elevator with Victoria's sister and three other wedding guests.
At first they thought it would just be a few moments but it stretched to minutes and then hours before the local fire brigade rescued them.
But by then their own party had ended.
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Mr Jha told CNN: "We got up maybe five feet, and then boom, the doors kind of stuck.
Victoria and Panav Jha trapped on their wedding day"Then the doors started to open, so I could see the concrete wall right in front of me, and I could see the concrete wall behind me, and I was like, that's not normal."
When Charlotte Fire Department arrived they determined the best way to rescue those trapped was from the fourth floor so set up a winch from there.
From there the guests were put in harnesses and helped through the hatch at the top of the elevator and winched up.
Victoria's sister was helped out first and immediately asked the fire fighters: "Please get my sister out next, she's the one in the wedding dress."
The newlyweds posed for a picture with the fire crews and the department posted their congratulations on Facebook.
The bride and groom with their rescuers (Charlotte Fire Dept)Thankfully nobody was hurt in the incident.
Victoria was glad it wasn't just one of her or Panav in the elevator.
She said: "Elevator had a glitch and here we are. It had to happen with the groom and I both stuck in the elevator. So, at least it wasn't just one of us."
The fire department wrote: "First, congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Jha on your wedding day.
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The couple were trapped along with other guests (WSOC - TV)"Although Charlotte Fire wasn't formally invited, we weren't exactly wedding crashers either."
Panave said that getting rescued felt like a scene out of James Bond.
After the drama had died down Victoria did say she was upset at not being able to say goodbye to her guest.
She said: "We were not able to celebrate or do the last kisses or goodbyes. And that's what put the damper on everything. That's how the wedding night had to end."