Couple finally identify mystery wedding crasher after years of hunting him down
In 2021, a mystery man photobombed Michelle Wylie's wedding photos.
The unknown individual appeared in the background of several different shots, even standing and smiling on the aisle during the reception as the professional photographer made their way around the soirée.
In the years since, she and her husband, John, have worked tirelessly to track the 'random stranger' down - and yet, no other attendees to their nuptials recognised him.
However, the truth recently emerged, and the married couple were blindsided to learn the identity of their real-life 'wedding crasher'.
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As part of her online campaign, Michelle, a digital facilitator for the NHS, had regularly taken to Facebook to share images from her big day, encouraging her friends and followers to keep the post afloat.
"As soon as I got the sample of the wedding pictures I noticed it straight away," she explained. "We all said do you know who that is? We were asking around the family and friends and no-one had any idea.
"No-one remembered him being there on the day and we now know he slipped away straight after the ceremony."
She believed that the farther the photo reached, the more likely the man would be identified. And finally, just a matter of weeks ago, he was.
A man named Andrew Hillhouse appeared in the social media comments of a post one day, claiming to be the individual in the background of the precious snaps.
After arranging to meet with Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire lass Michelle, Andrew revealed he was supposed to attend a different wedding - one at which he only knew his own partner, and the bride - the same day, but had been told to head to the wrong venue.
"I always wondered if this would ever make its way back to me," the man said. "Four years ago my partner was acting as bridesman (male bridesmaid) for his friend Michaela's wedding and I'd been invited as his plus one.
"For some reason he told me it was at the Carlton hotel in Prestwick at 2pm when it was actually being held at the Great Western hotel in Ayr [Scotland].
"He had already left in the morning to help with whatever it is bridesmen do and left me to make my own way to the wedding."
He went on to recall: "I remember thinking to myself 'Cool, this is obviously the right place'. I parked my car and rushed inside.
"I make my way into the hall and saw the groom standing and waiting nervously. I had never met Michaela's husband before so I thought, 'Alright, this must be Ben'.
Apparently, Andrew, 33, a painter and decorator, only realised he'd made a wrong move when he witnessed Michelle walking down the aisle.
"The fact that I didn't recognise a single person in this place didn't raise any alarm bells," he confessed. "Then the music started. Everyone stands up and turns around to watch the bride walk down the aisle and, 'OMG that's not Michaela!'"
Hoping not to cause a distraction, he remained in place throughout the whole ceremony before slipping away ahead of the reception.
"You can't exactly stand up and walk out of a wedding mid ceremony," Andrew continued. "So I just had to commit to this act and spent the next 20 minutes awkwardly sitting there trying to be as inconspicuous."
Hearing his account, Michelle, 38, said she 'couldn't stop laughing'.
"It is so funny and the way Andrew tells the story is brilliant," she admitted. "You just don't hear about things like this happening. I just can not stop laughing about it. It is great to finally find out who it was.
"It was always in the back of my mind, who was that and why was he there? To find out eventually after all this time is quite something."
Topics: Sex and Relationships, UK News, Wedding
Rhianna Benson