A couple who feared their £13,000 dream wedding in Florida was in tatters after the collapse of holiday giant XL were celebrating salvaging their plans today.

Anthony Lloyd and Emma Gould, of Wombourne, were originally flying out this afternoon with 14 friends and relatives for a fortnight’s holiday.

As a huge operation got under way to rescue the 90,000 people left stranded abroad by the travel firm’s demise, the couple were among 200,000 others left devastated at being told their holiday was cancelled.

As experts today predicted an end to cheap package deals after XL’s demise, tour operator First Choice stepped in to pay the £10,000 costs of a rearranged trip to Orlando. The entire party is now flying out tomorrow from Manchester for 15 days.

Inland Revenue worker Miss Gould, aged 26, who booked the trip a year ago and will tie the knot on Monday, said today: “We had a call from Anthony’s mum Kim at 7.30am yesterday to say XL had gone bust and the holiday was cancelled.

“We couldn’t believe it.”

The couple, who have a 15-month-old son Jack, made an emergency trip to First Choice holidays in Bilston last night, which arranged flights from Heathrow tomorrow.

Miss Gould said: “It’s a major relief.”

The couple met 12 years ago while pupils at Ounsdale High School in Wombourne.