When a woman told her grandmother that she was getting married to the man she had been with for eight years, her grandmother was shocked. Her grandmother asked her right away if she could be in the wedding party. What happened next was incredibly moving and important.
Vita Cresswell and her lovely family lived in the English town of Seaton, Cumbria. She and her two sisters and brother were very close to their single mother, Veronica Cresswell, who was raised by their grandmother, Martha Wallbank.
People said that Wallbank worked three jobs to take care of her daughter since she was a single mother. Vita also said that when she and her siblings were young, her sweet grandmother took them on long walks and showered them with love and affection.
A Kind Grandmother Vita said that Wallbank was from Yorkshire, but that she lived in the Kirkland Bungalows in Cockermouth, Cumbria, until she turned 98. After that, the loving grandmother moved into a care facility in Maryport called Solway House.
After the couple from Cumbria got married at Lorton Church, the priest told the crowd something important.
The woman from Seaton said that she and her siblings loved their lively grandmother and that she was a big part of their lives. Vita also added:
“We’re all really close, and I live closest to her, so we get to spend a lot of time together.”
So, when Vita decided to marry the man she loved in 2016, she knew she had to tell her grandmother.
Wallbank said something cute when she heard that her beautiful granddaughter had decided to settle down with her boyfriend of eight years. Vita remembered exactly what her beloved grandma said at the time:
“She just stood up and said, ‘I’m the bridesmaid, aren’t I?'”
Vita and her then-boyfriend, Gary Whineray, who was 31 at the time, said they didn’t want their big day to be all about them, so they came up with a plan. The couple chose to have their wedding on the birthday of their grandmother.
You might wonder why the couple decided to get married on Wallbank’s birthday. What Vita had to say about it was as follows:
“We were interested in how people choose dates, so we chose Martha’s birthday. Then she just said, “I’m the bridesmaid, aren’t I?” and we thought, “Why not?” and went along with it. It was so cute that she was so happy.”
So, when Vita, who was 29, walked down the aisle on April 8, 2016, her proud grandmother was not only the guest of honor, but also a bridesmaid. Wallbank’s outfit was perfect. She wore an old cream coat and a light blue hat with lace and feathers on it.
Whineray and Vita remembered how their happy grandmother stole the show and was the life and soul of their special day parties. “I’m sure she was thinking, ‘Why do you keep looking at them? Today is my day.’ How happy she was was beautiful. She had a great time,” Vita said.
Wallbank reportedly chose all of the hymns for her granddaughter’s big day and even the meal for afterward. Vita remembered:
“Nothing could have gone better. We got her bouquets, and she was dressed like the other bridesmaids. She was laughing, singing, and waving to everyone.
Vita and Whineray were glad to hear that they had a great day and that everything went well.
The couple was worried that Wallbank, who was mostly healthy but had some memory problems, might mistake her for the bride because she was so in love with the groom.
A grandmother-of-four has become Britainís oldest bridesmaid after following her granddaughter down the aisle ñ on the SAME DAY as turning 100. When Vita Cresswell, 29, of Seaton, Cumbria, told her grandma Martha Wallbank she was marrying her partner of eight years Gary Whineray, 31, the proud gran responded with and Iím the bridesmaid.Marthaís zeal to be a part of their big day, inspired the loved up couple to get Vitaís gran even more involved, booking the wedding for her 100th birthday on 8 April.
Vita, the Lovely Record Holder, said that her grandmother was very fond of Whineray and loved him a lot. She said that the two had a beautiful relationship, with Wallbank playing jokes on Whineray and Wallbank being very upset about her health.
When the couple thought back on their happy day, they said they had a great time. But what really made them happy was that their lovely grandmother looked like a bridesmaid for her birthday and had a party to remember.
Daily Mail said that Wallbank became the oldest bridesmaid in the U.K. on the same day she turned 100.
The messages sent online
The cute grandma’s story went viral on social media and got comments from people all over the world:
“Oh, this made me cry like a baby! Martha, good on you!! 100 years young. You’re a great granddaughter, Vita.”