Bride And Groom
This is the story of Michael Thompson and Aaliyah Vega, the young couple in the picture below.
These two lovebirds had been planning their wedding for months, but just when they were prepared to walk down the aisle, they received an unexpected phone call that threw them off guard...
Tough Luck
Unfortunately, this was not the first time they had to interrupt their wedding plans. As a matter of fact, this wasn't the first time they had been forced to postpone their wedding, but the third!
I know what you're thinking: how can anyone ever be so unlucky? You'll soon find out.
Strike Three
Michael and Aaliyah had had to put off their wedding plans twice before that, due to the tragic deaths of two of their family members.
You know what they say, third time's a charm, so the power couple was sure that everything would work out for the best on strike three. However, just when Aaliyah was about to walk down the aisle, this happened...
An Unfortunate Phone Call
Moments before delivering their vows, Michael received an unfortunate phone call: it was his father.
Their worst fears were being realized: once again, one of their most beloved family members had suffered an emergency at the last moment and had been taken to the E.R. The couple couldn't believe the same thing was happening all over again.
Off To The E.R.
Michael and Aaliyah were both family folks, so when they both found out about the news, they didn't even doubt what to do next.
They screamed out to the crowd that they were rushing to the hospital to see if Michael's father was OK. "We immediately dropped everything and canceled stuff", the bride said.
Terrifying News
As soon as they arrived at the hospital, they received terrible news: Michael's father had suffered from sepsis as a byproduct of his diabetes.
Just so you know, sepsis is a rare yet deadly condition which requires immediate treatment and often surgery. The man was lucky he had been rushed to the E.R. on time, but the clock was ticking.
The Wedding Is Off
While the couple awaited further news from the doctors, they realized they had an important decision to make: whether to officially call off their wedding or not. The truth was that the rest of their friends and family was still at the ceremony, but they soon realized they didn't have a choice.
> "I told [Michael,] if your dad has surgery, there is no way that they are going to let him out for the wedding", Aaliyah said.
Looking At The Bright Side
Michael and Aaliyah tried to look at the bright side. It's not like they had organized a lavish wedding and spent fortunes on the ceremony.
On the contrary, they had actually chosen to have a rather low-key wedding. But in spite of that, postponing it for the third time was a difficult decision to make.
An Unlikely Plan
Just when they were waiting at the hospital ward for further news, that's when it came down on them.
They understood that what makes a wedding so special is not the food, the dress, or the money spent, but the people who are there right by your side. That's when both of them came up with an unexpected plan...
Last-Minute Plan
Aaliyah and Michael started making a few phone calls, and you won't believe what they came up with!
They spoke with all their friends and family, to the pastor, to the nurses and to the hospital staff, and they were all OK with their wild last-minute plan. But can you guess what their plan was?
An Unusual Ceremony
By now, you're probably guessing what their plan was. That's right, they decided to get married right there at the hospital!
"We decided if William can’t leave, then we'll get married…in the hospital room", Aaliyah pointed out. After all, why would they even care if they had an unconventional ceremony, if they had already had to call off the ceremony twice?
Family First
I know what you're thinking: getting married at a hospital doesn't seem like the most romantic nor the most hygienic plan out there, but little did Michael and Aaliyah care.
For Michael, family came first, and the truth was that he had already lost two family members weeks before, so his father's health was all he could think of.
Mutual Love And Support
Aaliyah proved how faithful and supportive she was, as she went along with the plan from the start. Michael realized that the love he felt for her was stronger than ever.
> "It was really important that [Michael’s] dad got to be there after losing those two people", the bride said.
They All Showed Up
Barely an hour had passed and the couple's family and friends were already on their way to the hospital. Aaliyah's grandmother and Michael's best man were the first ones to arrive, but it was only a matter of minutes before the rest of the crowd showed up.
However, what Michael and Aaliyah didn't know was that the nurses were preparing them a surprise of their own.
The Ceremony Begins
It wasn't long before they were all gathered in the hospital hallway, crammed to see Michael and Aaliyah finally tie the knot.
When the pastor began delivering his speech, half of the guests could barely hear his voice because of all the noise in the hospital, but little did this matter.
I Do
So this is how Michael and Aaliyah finally got married wearing a hospital gown instead of a wedding dress and with gloves in their hands.
And just after they delivered their vows and said "I do", they received a surprise that they definitely weren't expecting! Slide next and find out.
A Touching Surprise
Just while Michael and Aaliyah were tying the knot, the nurses had been making them this heartwarming surprise. They bought a cake, made some grape juice for the toast, and fixed a few flower bouquets.
> "They came in and surprised us with a cake and some flowers and some grape juice and celebrated with us", Aaliyah recalled in tears.
Nothing But Gratitude
However, the most touching part of all is that Michael's father, William, had the privilege of attending the modest yet beautiful ceremony.
He felt extremely grateful and wouldn't stop smiling, amazed by all they had gone through just so that he could attend their wedding.
Their Second Wedding
But this doesn't end here! A couple of hours after the heart-warming ceremony at the hospital, the newlyweds and the guests went back to the church, Aaliyah put on her gown and veil, and they got married... for a second time!
Except for William, everyone else made it to the church on time and saw the couple tie the knot again.
A Story They'll Never Forget
So before they knew it, Michael and Aaliyah got married not once, but twice! I bet you don't see that every day, don't you?
Even though they had always longed for their perfect wedding, they'll never forget the time they said "I do" in the middle of the hospital beneath the building's fluorescent lights. Now there's a moment they'll never forget!