An anniversary surprise arranged by a husband involving a tribute in the Cayman Compass, delivered to his wife via social media was, by the couple’s account, a huge success.
Richard Mold contacted the Compass last month from their home in the U.K. to ask if the paper could help commemorate the couple’s one-year wedding anniversary, known as a “paper anniversary,” by running a short article with an anniversary greeting for his wife and a photo of them on their Aug. 14, 2014 wedding day.
He then enlisted friends and family in Cayman and elsewhere to present the article as a surprise to Ms. Critchley through social media.
“I woke to the first post, which our friend Harriet set up to show first thing that morning,” Mr. Mold said. “I burst out laughing in bed, which took some explaining, but managed to contain the surprise. I wanted Gemma to see the pictures on her Instagram feed.”
Ms. Critchley said when her husband handed her phone to her and said “Here is my paper gift to you,” she didn’t know why he was showing her a photo of her friends reading the paper. “And then I noticed the article and was totally blown away. Not only was it so romantic of Rich to arrange this …, but to see my friends having so much fun with the concept was incredible. So perfect and such a clever paper surprise,” she said.
Among the photos that showed up on Ms. Critchley’s Instagram were of a group of friends reading the article on board a boat at Starfish Point, other friends wearing full-face snorkel masks while reading the paper and other pals on beaches around Cayman with the paper.
The couple met at university in Birmingham, England, where they bonded over their adventurous spirits and love of the ocean. Ms. Critchley was born and raised in Grand Cayman, so connecting their wedding and this milestone with her heritage was important for the couple, Mr. Mold said.
“The first picture that day was a fun surprise which made me laugh,” Ms. Critchley said. “I was shocked and so happy. To see all the others that followed was overwhelming as I realized the love and thought that had gone into the pictures.”
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