It’s not every day your wedding gets an unexpected celebrity guest, but for one lucky couple in Asheville, North Carolina, their big day came with a surprise straight from the morning news.
Gayle King, co-anchor of CBS Mornings, was staying at The Omni Grove Park Inn & Spa last Saturday when she caught wind of a wedding happening at the venue. The tip came directly from one of the grooms, Matt Kaplon, a former college baseball player, who shared the fun encounter with Outsports, reported PEOPLE.
Gayle was in town working on a story for Oprah Daily, alongside creative director Adam Glassman, focusing on how Asheville has been recovering from the damage left behind by Hurricane Helene. But work took a backseat for a few minutes when she decided to pop in and congratulate the happy couple in person.
Wearing a casual green sweatsuit, Gayle didn’t let her outfit stop her from joining the celebration. She made her way over to the wedding and took photos with the newlyweds and even posed with other guests. The moment was captured in an Instagram post by attendee Rachel Hale, who couldn’t believe what was happening.
“It was incredible,” Kaplon told People Magazine, clearly still glowing from the unexpected moment. He said Gayle and Adam “were so kind” and brought an extra touch of magic to the day.
“They were treats,” he said, adding that he and his partner, Nicolaus Wegrzyn, “were so surprised and just grateful that they wanted to come share their best wishes and congratulations with us.”
What might have been a random celebrity drop-in turned into one of the most talked-about highlights of the night. Kaplon was quick to clarify that it didn’t feel like an intrusion at all.
“All of our guests were shocked and excited,” he said. “And we even got a chance to chat with them.”
Gayle, who recently celebrated her own son William “Will” Bumpus Jr.’s wedding, clearly still had love and wedding joy in the air. Her relaxed approach and genuine interest in the couple’s big day made her surprise visit even more special.
With everything that goes into planning a wedding, it’s safe to say this was one moment that no amount of coordination could have prepared anyone for—and it turned out to be unforgettable in the best possible way.