Bride Asks 83-Year-Old Grandma to Be Her Bridesmaid, Coins the New Term 'Grandmaid' (Exclusive)
Bethany Johnston-Sweeney got married on Aug. 8 at the Stirk House Hotel in England with her grandmother by her side
Wedding Content Creater Chess | @florialiemoments
Bethany Johnston-Sweeney and her grandma Ena Johnston at Bethany's weddingBethany Johnston-Sweeney asked her 83-year-old grandmother, Ena Johnston, to be her bridesmaid
Throughout the wedding planning process Bethany says her grandma was supportive of her every step of the way
Bethany let her grandma choose her dress to make sure she was comfortable
The bride's videographer Chess at @floraliemoments captured the magical wedding moments and shared on social media, where one video has garnered more than 2.2 million views on TikTok
Bethany Johnston-Sweeney and her grandmother, Ena Johnston, share an unbreakable bond. So, when Bethany began planning her wedding, she knew she wanted her grandmother to be involved in the ceremony in a special way.
After brainstorming a few ideas, the 28-year-old teacher from Chorley, England, decided to ask her 83-year-old grandmother to be a bridesmaid. She shared her idea with her now-husband and the rest of the family. Although they weren’t shocked, they thought Bethany might eventually change her mind due to her grandmother's age.
"They thought she might struggle with bridesmaid duties, but I was adamant," Bethany tells PEOPLE exclusively. "They initially thought I was crazy, but I knew she would be fantastic."
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Wedding Content Creater Chess | @florialiemoments
Bethany Johnston-Sweeney and her grandmother, Ena Johnston, at Bethany's weddingBethany, who married on Aug. 8 at the Stirk House Hotel in England, wanted her grandmother to fully experience being a bridesmaid. Leading up to the wedding, Bethany surprised her with a "bridesmaid proposal" gift set that included her favorite Prosecco, a picture of the two of them, a friendship bracelet and a card.
When Ena opened the card and gifts, she was quite shocked. "She initially said she was too old to be a bridesmaid, which is why I came up with the term 'grandmaid', " Bethany explains.
"My grandma was with me the whole way — from viewing the first venue to helping me decide on the color scheme and choosing and finalizing my wedding dress. I wanted her input on everything because we’re so close, and I value her opinion," she adds.
Bethany made sure her grandmother felt comfortable in her "grandmaid" dress; she allowed her and the rest of the bridesmaids to choose their own styles and colors. In the end, the group selected two hues: blush and red. Ena opted for the darker red dress.
Seeing her grandmother on her wedding day was incredibly emotional for Bethany. The moment was captured by videographer Chess at @floraliemoments and shared on social media, where it has garnered more than 2.2 million views on TikTok.
Wedding Content Creater Chess | @florialiemoments
Bethany Johnston-Sweeney, her grandmother, Ena Johnston and the rest of her bridesmaids"I always knew she was special and I’m happy other people can see that now too," Bethany says. "Treasure the moments you have with your family and show them how special they are to you as we don’t have forever."
"We shared many special moments that day," Bethany adds. "Before putting on my dress, she saw the patch of my granddad’s cap that had been sewn into it, as he had sadly passed away a while ago. She helped me prepare to walk down the aisle by adjusting my dress, and we shared many dances that night!"
For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.
