By Jean Christou
A GREEK Cypriot groom went directly on his honeymoon, leaving his jilted bride to hold the wedding reception alone to the strains of Gloria Gaynor’s I will Survive.
In an interview with American TV at the weekend, Greek-American Nicole Contos, 27, and her mother told how London Cypriot Tasos Michael, a 35-year- old lawyer, had stood her up at a New York church and taken off to Tahiti, their honeymoon destination.
Contos, the daughter of a wealthy Greek emigre to the US, said: “I’m hurt and I’m heartbroken, but I still love him and I know he still loves me.” The couple met last year on holiday in Greece.
Michael, the son of a Greek Cypriot man who emigrated to the UK in the 1960s, fled to Los Angeles still wearing his wedding clothes and caught a flight to Tahiti. He sent his best man Chris Christou to break the news to his bride and their 250 guests.
Contos was left sitting in the Manhattan church on Saturday, but refused to crumple when she was told the groom would not be coming.
Instead, she went ahead with the $65,000 reception and was the first up on the dance floor when the band played Gloria Gaynor’s hit 1970s song I will Survive.
“This was supposed to be a fairytale wedding. Well it did not have a happy ending. There just wasn’t a groom. It was not the happiest occasion but I held my head high and I am glad I went through with it. He should be very embarrassed about this,” Contos said.
She is still prepared to believe that Michael is just suffering from pre- wedding nerves.
“I do still hope this has a happy ending but I suppose I don’t know at this stage,” she told reporters. “I think he wanted to be alone for a while to think things over.”
However, Michael told journalists on the phone from Tahiti that he was stunned by the amount of interest in him. “I suppose it’s because Americans don’t have a princess to write about,” he said. “I have not got any supermodels beating down my door… I just wanted to get away.”
Back in the UK, Michael’s family was critical of Contos and all the publicity which was given to the wedding cancellation.
The painted a picture of an attractive, successful man who is popular with the Greek community there.
Michael’s younger sister Chrystalla, 27, a stewardess with British Airways, said: “Tasos is a nice guy and wouldn’t want to hurt anyone by doing something like this.”
She was also critical of the bride for going public.
“I can’t believe this woman carried on dancing after what happened. It is so Hollywood,” she said.
