For various reasons, not everyone has a big fancy wedding with a cake, photographer, and all of their friends and family in attendance. However, some people end up wishing they had. As first reported by Love What Matters, one woman who missed out on the experience of walking down the aisle in a white dress ended up getting her wish 40 years later thanks to her husband and kids.
According to Brad O’Hara of Tulsa, Oklahoma, his parents are a true representation of love.
"I’m so thankful love was never so small as an emotion in our house. It was so much more! It was an action and a way of life," Brad shared with Love What Matters.
"My parents were officially married on April 22, 1978, in the presence of two witnesses (to make it legal), and one minister. There was no cake, no flowing white gown, no aromatic flower arrangements, not even a photographer. There were no guests or reception."
He explained that due to "life and finances" his mom never got the opportunity to have the wedding she wanted.
"All of the things that a little girl spends her childhood dreaming about were missing, but not missed," he wrote.
But, thanks to Brad, his father, and the rest of their family, his mom's dream wedding came to life.
"On July 3, 2018, after 40 years of marriage, my mom finally got her wedding day. And it was all a surprise!" Brad said. It reportedly took months of planning and coordinating.
Brad's mom thought that during their family reunion, his sister and her husband would be renewing their vows.
Brad's other sister took their mom dress shopping for a fake mother-of-bride dress, which is how they got her measurements. "They took those measurements and bought her the most beautiful dress and shipped it to Colorado to wait," Brad explained.
The couple's full legacy was present, which included two daughters and their husbands, two sons and their wives, and 12 grandchildren.
On the morning of the wedding, Brad's sisters took their mom to get her hair, makeup, and nails done. When the ladies arrived to the venue, they were ushered in to a nearby changing room for the big reveal … her flowing white gown.
"Back in the main room, I took my place next to my dad," Brad recounted. "It was nice to see my hero nervous. And he had good reason! My mom stole every ounce of air in the room the second she walked through the door."
"My mom finally had her wedding day," said Brad.
The family pulled off a beautiful wedding, and Brad's mom was without a doubt elated. "We all laughed, cried, shared stories, danced, and made fools of ourselves … it was a day I will never forget," Brad wrote.
Ugh, we're not crying, you are. Congrats to the happy couple!
