Groom saves drowning man during wedding pictures

Orange Beach, AL (WALA) – A couple's wedding day turned heroic at Orange Beach in Alabama when the groom ran out into the Gulf to save a drowning swimmer during his photo session.

"We planned it in a week," said Cindy Edwards, the bride, of the wedding.

But these were no average nuptials. Just after the ceremony while taking pictures, things got scary.

"A lady had come up to us and said, That guy is out there struggling. He can't get back, he's having a hard time,'" Cindy said.

Recalling that her new husband was a former lifeguard and a coast guardsman, Cindy told him he had to go.

There were reportedly red flags up at the beach but some people didn't heed the warning. First responders on duty were away saving someone else. So Zac swam out into the gulf.

"She said, 'Don't worry about your pants, just go.' See you've got to listen to your wife because otherwise, you're in trouble," said Zac Edwards, the groom.

"He goes to start taking his shirt off and he went off to take off his bottoms and I was like 'You don't have time.' The guy kept drifting further and further out and he was struggling," Cindy recalled.

For a moment, they say, Zac and the young man were both stuck.

"It's scary. You don't wanna lose a loved one," Cindy said. "Unfortunately, living here, we hear about it way too often. Just be mindful of those flags and knowing to be cautious."

First responders showed up shortly after and brought them both to safety. Zac says all he could think about was his bride.

"It beat us up pretty hard getting in and we pulled up on the beach everybody grabs him.

"I got up and she's running out in her wedding dress. I'm bleeding from the nose and trying to tell her get away because I know how important that dress was and I didn't want to ruin that," he said.

It's an unusual wedding story – you can certainly tell that by the pictures – but it was a day the Edwards wouldn't trade for the world.

"'It's a story to tell,' I told her. The grandkids are going to have a story to tell. It was a perfect day. Beautiful wedding," Zac explained.

In fact, the new Mrs Edwards says she got a package deal.

"Hero and hubby in the same day," she said.

"She's my hero every day," Zac added.

The new couple added that they had spoken to the family of the young man, who hailed from Mississippi. He was reportedly doing fine: a little sore, but back to work and had started his first day of senior year.