TALL BLACK ALEX PLEDGER'S WILD & WONDERFUL VEGAS WEDDING!

After finishing his cancer treatment, the basketball star married the love of his life for a second time in Sin City

- Cloe Willetts

When Kiwi basketball star Alex Pledger and his wife, celebrity stylist Bailee Wilson-Pledger, planned their first wedding in 2021, they refused to let the uncertainty of lockdowns or the former Tall Black's terrifying cancer diagnosis stop them hosting their emotional vineyard nuptials in Central Otago.

And when, two years later, the pair decided to celebrate the athlete's recovery from cancer with a shotgun second ceremony at the Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas on 7 November, nothing could stop them this time either not even a delayed flight.

When airline staff at Auckland Airport spotted Bailee's garment bag with "Brides by Donna Rae" emblazoned on it, she and Alex, 36, were rushed onto a different plane headed for the US, where Bailee, 35, was due for work, as well as their planned nuptials.

"We were heading to Vegas for BravoCon 2023, where I'd been invited to style and do hair and makeup for Below Deck stars Aesha Scott and Katie Flood," explains Bailee, who'd planned their Sin City ceremony around the three-day reality TV convention for fans of shows such as Real Housewives and Below Deck.

"But our flight kept getting pushed and then someone told us we'd probably have to get one the next day. I mean, how many Kiwi stylists get flown over to dress the stars at BravoCon? And suddenly I was going to miss it!

"I was clearly radiating stress, but this beautiful Air New Zealand hostess had seen my wedding dress draped across our luggage, grabbed our bags and ushered us on a different flight, saying, 'These two are getting married and we've got to get them out today!' I had makeup running down my face from crying as we were put in whatever seats were available."

The flight left five hours later than planned, but the pair made it to BravoCon in the nick of time.