Nationwide — Zoey Conant, an African American bride from South Carolina, was denied entry to Costa Rica just four days before her destination wedding after authorities flagged her passport as stolen. Despite the obstacles, Zoey and her fiancé, Blane, tied the knot after a dramatic series of events.Zoey and her fiancé, Blane Conant, had planned a small beach wedding with 25 close friends and family. After traveling from South Carolina to Costa Rica, they landed at Liberia’s Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport. That’s when immigration officers pulled Zoey aside. Her passport had been reported as lost or stolen, likely due to someone else with a similar name, according to People.
Without a way to check her passport’s status in advance, Zoey had no choice but to return to Miami. Blane stayed behind to manage the rest of the wedding preparations.
On the flight back, flight attendants noticed Zoey’s distress and offered help. They pointed her to a nearby passport agency. After filling out paperwork and scrambling for a passport-appropriate outfit, she secured a same-day appointment. She received a new passport by noon and immediately booked a return flight to Costa Rica.
Zoey made it back two days before the wedding. Customs let her through without issue this time.
“You have no idea how relieved I was when I actually got through customs at the airport the second time,” Zoey shares. “A couple of people recognized me from a few days before and gave me big smiles and nods.”
But the challenges weren’t over. A tropical depression hit during the week of the ceremony. Still, Zoey and Blane went ahead with their wedding on a black sand beach on November 16. It rained during the ceremony, but they didn’t mind.
“Costa Rica in the rain is still paradise,” Blane says.
Zoey and Blane’s wedding journey, filled with setbacks and triumphs, turned into a beautiful celebration of resilience and love.