Disaster was imminent: The bride was due to arrive at any moment and the pianist called to say he wouldn't arrive in time. Fearing his fiance would have to walk down the aisle in silence, the frantic groom ran into the concert hall adjacent to the wedding venue – with stupendous results.

His luck led him to the music director of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, British conductor Bramwell Tovey. Disheveled and dressed in shorts, he agreed to act as substitute, dashing up to the piano ready to play the required Cole Porter's Night and Day… He even chose the closing piece.

"No one had told me what to play as the bride and groom walked out," he said. "So I decided to be traditional and went with the Mendelssohn march, which I finished with a big flourish." (Read the wonderful account w/ photo in the Toronto Globe and Mail)

Thanks to Bill McMahon for submitting the link!