Most brides dream of their wedding day – whether it’s as a young girl playing with her dolls, as a teen with her first mad crush, or a woman who just agreed to marry her love. Wedding plans vary drastically from bride to bride, with more creative options available than ever before. From venues to vows and floral arrangements to the ceremony, less traditional choices are becoming the norm for the modern bride and groom. In fact, even the tradition of choosing bridesmaids was put to the challenge when bride Christine Quinn asked her 89-year-old grandmother Betty Govern to join her wedding party.
Wedding Features 89-year-old Bridesmaid
Betty, a.k.a. Nana Betty, was surprised when her granddaughter made the request. However, she was quite sincere when she decided her Nana Betty would be the perfect addition to her wedding party. The wedding took place in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, where Nana Betty was thrilled to stand by Christine. Wedding pictures show her in all her bridesmaid glory donning her dusty purple dress and clutching her wedding bouquet.
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Our photo of Nana Betty went viral this week- craziness! #grandmabridesmaid #nanabetty #bridesmaids
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Bride’s Grandma Is Literally A BFF
The decision should not be too much of a surprise when you understand the reason. Christine considers her grandmother to be one of her dearest friends. After all, who would make a better best friend for life than someone who has known you since birth? “While she doesn’t live that close, we have continually made it a point to spend as much time together as possible,” says Christine. “She just has an amazing sense of humor and outlook on life that I strive to emulate every day. Everyone loves her.”
Wedding Party Late Addition
Christine waited a little longer to ask Nana Betty to join her wedding party “so she didn’t have too much time to think about it.” Christine actually thought her grandmother would say no as she tends to be modest and avoids being in the limelight. However, Nana Betty seemed more puzzled than worried about her request.
“She asked me about 10 times, ‘Are you sure?’ and ‘Why would you want an old lady in your bridal party?'” says Christine. “A few times she even said ‘All of your bridesmaids are young and pretty, why would you want me?’ Obviously Nana is beautiful too. Just look at those photos!”
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Nana Betty Popular Wedding Guest
After she finally believed Christine was sincere in her offer, Nana Betty said yes. According to accounts from the bride, she proved to be very popular at the wedding. “She had the entire wedding party laughing with her words of wisdom and funny comments throughout the day,” says Christine.
Joining The Wedding Festivities
Nana Betty participated in all the festivities making the most of her role and the wedding celebrations. “Nana got on the party bus with the rest of the wedding party instead of ‘going home to rest’ but did not tell my mom (her daughter)!” says Christine. “She also danced the entire night away, including an adorable moment when she and my husband’s grandmother, Bellsie, danced together. It was amazing.”
This is one more example of how living well can help us live longer, happier lives. As Nana Betty told Christine, “You’re only as old as you feel and I feel young today.”
