The newlyweds who had married two weeks previously traveled a total of 360 miles to recreate their wedding ceremony a second time, so the bride’s grandmother could witness the big day.
Childhood sweethearts Will and Rebecca Heppell, both 26, married in front of 60 guests in a picturesque ceremony in the Cotswolds last month, as reported by SWNS, the British news service.
The couple then re-enacted their vows in a more intimate setting exactly two weeks later, in the grounds of the care home where Rebecca Heppell’s grandmother, Peggy Dracup, currently lives.
The grandmother is 91 years old and reportedly suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. She was unable to attend the first ceremony, SWNS said. So the couple rehearsed the ceremony 164 miles away to incorporate it into their big day.
Rebecca Heppell said: “It was a really special day and (it was) great that my grandmother was able to be part of it. She was delighted. »
She added: “Her memory isn’t great, but she knew who we were…and she kept saying how beautiful my dress was.”
The newlyweds are both teachers.
They met as teenagers and became engaged during a romantic vacation to Iceland on their 10th anniversary last March, SWNS said.
When it came time to plan their big day, the couple wanted to make sure their grandmother could be a part of it.
But staff at Osborne House in Selby, North Yorkshire, where Peggy Dracup lives, felt she would not make the long journey to the Cotswolds hall.
Undeterred, the couple arranged to recreate the entire day within the confines of the retirement home in the presence of their grandmother.
Exact replica of the first
The couple’s first wedding took place on August 5; they honeymooned in Kenya and Mauritius, before returning home to recreate the special day on August 29, SWNS reported.
The second ceremony was an exact replica of the first – with the second ceremony even decorated in the same way.
The couple apparently went to great lengths to recreate their special day, right down to striking the same pose during their first dances.
Afterwards, the couple received hundreds of rose petals as a very proud grandmother enjoyed the moments.
Bride Rebecca Heppell, from Chipping Norton, said: “I really wanted her to be there. We were hoping she might come down, but the practicality of her coming to the Cotswolds just wasn’t going to happen. But it was great. She didn’t know it wasn’t the real ceremony – she loved it.
The bride added: “And we weren’t as nervous the second time. It was much more relaxed.
She also said her grandmother loved music, so her sister played “a few tunes” during the ceremony.
The bride said the people at “the nursing home were absolutely amazing. The events manager went above and beyond our expectations and created a magical setting and made a spectacular wedding cake adorned with handmade sugar roses.
Groom Will Heppell told SWNS: “It was doubly magical because we were reliving the original ceremony. »
Helen Harrison, the bride’s mother, said: “It was extremely important to Rebecca that her grandmother was there to take part in the celebration and it was a wonderful day. My daughter looked fabulous and her grandmother commented on how beautiful her dress was.
Harrison added: “It was delightful to see my mother interacting with so many people, smiling and laughing and having all her family around her.”
“Osborne House was beautifully decorated,” added Harrison, “and the chef exceeded all expectations by hosting the reception with a spectacular silver tea buffet – a grand finale to a perfect day.”
New York Post
