A SCOTS bride has had her dream come true when she was able to share her long-awaited wedding day with her shielding granny – in her care home.
Jill Morton was determined to be reunited with her 93-year-old gran Margaret Morton on her big day after they had to endure months of shielding and virtual calls.
Although she had to rearrange the wedding three times due to the pandemic, the 28-year-old was able to make Margaret part of her wedding day on Friday.
Mansfield Care’s Pine Villa Care Home staff in Loanhead, Midlothian helped the Scots gran choose a wedding day outfit and organised a live stream of the ceremony.
Dance instructor Jill also made a brief pitstop to see her gran along with her mum, dad and bridesmaids before she wed her partner, Murray Winton.
Rachel Hein Photography.
After the visit to the care home, the group headed to the official ceremony at Edinburgh’s Bruntsfield Hotel.
Speaking today Jill, from Penicuik, Midlothian, said: “My granny Margaret has been so supportive and excited about the wedding, always asking about it and finding out how we are.
“So being able to see her and have her be a part of the wedding was really special.
“The staff also helped us arrange a live stream of the ceremony so that she could watch it from Pine Villa and celebrate with us.”
The reunion between Jill and her granny had been long-awaited after briefly seeing one another at the funeral of Jill’s grandfather who died in February.
Jill said: “It was the first time I’d seen my granny in person since my grandpa’s funeral in February. That was a really hard time as my granny couldn’t be around family the way you usually would during a time of grieving.
Rachel Hein Photography.
“I was initially extremely sad about her not being able to come to the ceremony but the Pine Villa staff has been really great.
“They’ve made such a big effort to make a big deal of the wedding and arranged a celebration after the streamed ceremony and everything. A member of staff even helped my granny pick an outfit.
“Last September my granny and grandpa celebrated their 70th anniversary at Pine Villa and it was a lovely day for them. Between that and the funeral and now with the wedding, the staff have just been incredible.
“We’re a big family so we were all a bit nervous when the pandemic hit and we couldn’t visit but the level of care and support Pine Villa has given has been remarkable. They have been really amazing for my gran and it puts everyone’s mind at ease.”
Supporting her career from a young age, Jill’s granny and late grandpa always attended every dance show.
Jill said: “My granny and grandpa danced together all the time. They would go to dance evenings and do these incredible partner dances together.
“They’ve always been very supportive and interested in my career and that side of my life so it’s really special being able to share that passion together.”
