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Source: Reuters -
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A devastated Tauranga bride has called off her wedding after she and her husband-to-be were stranded in London by the volcanic ash which grounded thousands of international air travellers.
Nicola Bernau and Karl Marett, were to have been married in Tauranga on Friday but are now looking at other dates after the global travel crisis meant they could not get back in time.
Bernau called her father Tim Bernau in Tauranga from London about 2.30am Wednesday and said they had made the decision to call off the Friday nuptials.
"She is devastated. They have made a decision and at this point she probably feels there is no going back," Tim Bernau says.
"It has been a huge decision and a huge disappointment to them and I think they will just wait for the dust to settle and then reinvigorate themselves for alternative plans.
"They are licking their wounds and we are putting no pressure on them."
The decision was made about four hours before British aviation authorities reopened air space which had been closed since last Thursday because of the volcano in Iceland which erupted, sending thousands of tonnes of ash into the atmosphere and threatening the safety of international flights.
Tim Bernau says several guests have already arrived in New Zealand for the wedding.
He says there will be a significant cost but it is not an issue because it is such an important event to his daughter and her partner.
"They are safe and they are together and that is the most important thing to us."
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