A British couple planning their wedding was left utterly bewildered after receiving what they described as an 'insane' communication from their chosen venue just days before a scheduled wine tasting event. The email, which has since sparked widespread debate, requested a volunteer from among fourteen attending couples to convincingly simulate a cardiac arrest.
The Bizarre Request
The bride-to-be, independent music artist Lady Larke, shared the extraordinary correspondence online. As part of their wedding package, she and her partner, along with other engaged couples, were invited to a wine tasting evening to select beverages for their upcoming nuptials. However, the pre-event briefing took a startling turn.
The venue's email explicitly asked if any couple would be willing to "fake having a heart attack" to the extent that staff would believe they needed to retrieve and use a defibrillator. The message elaborated, stating the venue had coordinated with emergency services and now sought someone with acting prowess to collapse at approximately 4:30 PM.
Detailed Instructions
The email provided specific instructions: "I am looking for someone to fake a heart attack... can you carry the acting on until I give the all clear, can your partner or + one act enough to back you up so that my team genuinely believe they need to find the defibrillator and keep you alive?" It further cautioned participants to avoid laughter during the exercise.
Compensation for this unusual role was humorously offered as "sideways looks from my team when they find out you have scammed them - this alone is worth its weight in gold."
Couple's Reaction and Venue Justification
Initially believing the message to be a joke, Lady Larke contacted the venue manager, Liz, for clarification. To her astonishment, the request was confirmed as entirely serious. The manager explained this was an annual training exercise conducted at the start of each wedding season during the first wine tasting event.
"She goes 'no, no, it's very real. Yeah, we do need someone to fake having a heart attack so that we can test the team'," the bride recounted. When questioned about frequency, the manager noted a similar drill the previous year where a groom pretended to break his leg, followed by a simulated fire emergency using a smoke machine.
Consequently, all guests at the tasting were aware that at 4:30 PM, someone would dramatically collapse, with their partner reacting as if a genuine medical crisis was unfolding.
Public Outcry and Event Outcome
The video Lady Larke posted detailing the incident attracted hundreds of comments, with many labelling the venue's methods as "insane" and questioning why standard staff training days weren't organised instead of involving paying clients as "test dummies."
On the day of the wine tasting, an update was provided. While nothing occurred at the specified 4:30 PM, at 4:45 PM, a staff member was overheard urgently requesting an emergency defibrillator via walkie-talkie. Shouts for "help" were also heard emanating from a disabled toilet within the venue.
"All along I was waiting for somebody to flop over in the main hall, then she's in the loo doing it. So we missed all the drama," Lady Larke remarked, expressing a mix of relief and disappointment at missing the simulated emergency spectacle.
This incident raises significant questions about the appropriateness of involving wedding clients in unannounced emergency drills, blurring the lines between necessary staff preparedness and guest experience during what should be a celebratory pre-wedding event.
