Bride crying after wedding money was stolen from ute in rural Marlborough

When Casey Lynam went to pay for the room where she stayed with her husband Blair the day after their wedding, she couldn’t find cash.

His money, more than $ 2000 received from guests the day before, had been stolen.

It ruined what had been a perfect wedding for the Marlborough couple in the Wairau Valley. Casey and Blair Lynam tied the knot on November 20 in front of 86 guests.

The couple spent a year and a half preparing and saving for their wedding. They even sold some of their chickens to raise enough money.

READ MORE:
* SNL’s Chloe Fineman marries Casey Thomas Brown on Instagram Live
* Stuff’s wedding of the week: Charlotte and Blair

“It was such a good atmosphere, everyone was dancing. The decorations were amazing, we couldn’t have asked for anything more, it was just perfect, ”said Casey.

After the ceremony, photos and a formal dinner, the newlyweds and their guests celebrated the party until 12.30 pm.

“After the party, we emptied the wishing well box into a Pak ‘n Save bag, put it in our ute, and went to an Airbnb in the Wairau Valley. On Saturday morning, we open all of our cards and count all the money, like it does, it’s exciting, ”Casey said.

“We had between $ 2000 and $ 2500. We saved the reading [the letters] For later. We returned all the money on each individual card, to find out who gave what, ”said Blair.

The couple left their accommodation and returned home with the cards in the back seat.

They parked in the driveway and that was the last time they saw the cards and cash.

“We were out between 11 am and 3 pm on Saturday afternoon while we were cleaning the wedding room near our house. My daughter went home twice during that time, but she didn’t see anyone around, ”said Blair.

After cleaning, Casey and Blair headed to Blenheim and spent the night in a hotel. They realized the cards were missing on Sunday morning.

“I cried into my eyes,” Casey said. “I cried for years. Blair kept saying they were there somewhere, but they weren’t. We return home for brunch with our families. We got everything out of the car but we couldn’t find the money.

“The few cards that were left were the ones that didn’t have money inside. We also had a $ 200 voucher for a store that had not been robbed probably because it is traceable.

“It’s weird that they left the cards out of money because it means they had time to find out which cards had money. We had 40 in all and there were only six left with the gifts on top of the bag, ”Casey said.

Casey said she hoped someone she knew hadn’t taken the money.

Police checked the hotel’s CCTV when the couple’s car was parked just below a security camera, but saw nothing.

“The police believe it happened in our driveway. They said it’s a lesson to be learned, that we should have locked our car. They couldn’t fingerprint the car because we used it for our wedding so it had everyone’s fingerprints all over it, ”Casey said.

Marlborough Community Agent Russell Smith said police sympathized with people who had lost money, but added that it was unwise to leave any sum of money in a motor vehicle.

“If he is going to receive a sum of cash for whatever reason, put it away somewhere until you are physically with him, transport it to the bank or whatever you are going to do to secure it,” Smith said.

One of the cards was from Blair’s grandmother who was unable to attend the wedding due to health problems. He wrote a long letter and gave the couple a lot of money.

“We can make up the missing money, we can work harder, but we can’t get the cards back and that’s the worst part for us. It’s like a house fire, you can rebuild the house but you can’t replace what was in it, ”said Blair.

The couple planned to use the money for a honeymoon in Rarotonga for a week.

Friends have created a Givealittle page for the Lynams to help replace the stolen wishing well money.