Couple holds wedding at Mansfield senior living center to make sure bride's mom was involved
MANSFIELD, Texas - A North Texas couple planning their wedding made big changes to their ceremony that brought joy to some who were not at all expecting it.
Their beautiful wedding photos and recorded video capture everything newlyweds Randy and Michele Prescott hoped for, including a last-minute change of venue for their ceremony.
[REPORTER: "Would you have changed anything?"]
"No, no. Not a thing," they responded.
The bride’s mother is 87-year-old Lillie Magdalene Hall.
"During the last month, she has had some hospitalizations and a big decline," Michele said. "I feel like the stage of dementia she’s in, you get little moments, right?"
Home for Ms. Maggie, as she’s affectionately known, is Legend Senior Living and Memory Care in Mansfield.
"I just kind of blurted it out I said, ‘Why don’t we have it there?’" Randy recalled.
"We asked, and they were so gracious. They said, ‘Absolutely, what do you need from us?’" Michele said.
The revamped wedding plan began as a way to include Michele’s mom, whose cognitive decline has limited her ability to leave her environment. It turned into a rare and joyous event for the entire senior and memory care community.
"One of the ladies was like, ‘I was going to wear a hat, but that might’ve been too much.’ It was a big deal. Staff members that were off came in," the couple recalled.
It was a touching ceremony, from the bride's entrance, to the vows. There were cupcakes, beautiful décor, and residents all dressed up.
"There were more people out of their rooms, being in the common areas, than there’s been in a long time," the couple said.
A photo of Michele with her mom spoke volumes of what it meant to them.
"At that moment, I just wanted her to know that I was glad she was here," she recalled. "She grabbed my hand, and I knew she was definitely knowing what was happening."
"Our desire is for our lives not to be about us, so this kind of fit in with all that. It’s our wedding, I get that, but why not make our wedding something that really brings joy to people who, sometimes, they don’t get a lot of visitors. They don’t get a lot of excitement like this," Randy added.
The new husband and wife said they have no plans for a honeymoon right now. They are most interested in spending as much time as possible with Ms. Maggie.