ABOYNE – The first-ever marriage ceremony at the new Groves Hospital allowed one mother an opportunity to see her son get married.
On Saturday, Nathan and Melissa Bouwman got married at the hospital’s healing garden while Nathan’s mother looked on from a hospital room.
In a phone call, Nathan explained they originally intended to get married at a church but plans changed as his mother was in the hospital and wouldn’t be able to make it.
“It was by the grace of God that all things lined up that we could have it at the hospital and that the hospital was willing to work with us for that,” Bouwman said.
There was a short turnaround time from planning to the actual ceremony on the hospital grounds.
“On Wednesday we decided we were going to do it at the hospital, so we had mentioned it to my mom and she mentioned it to the hospital staff,” Bouwman said.
Groves Hospital spokesperson Alison Armstrong said in an email they were happy to support the request and to help ensure public health guidelines were followed to safely hold an outdoor event.
Staff and physicians were also supportive and a few staff members helped decorate the gazebo to make the day special for the couple.
“They did all the organizing at the hospital, they decorated the gazebo, they moved my mom to the other side of the hospital so she could see it,” Bouwman said.
“Two of our nurses were in the room with the patient during the ceremony,” Armstrong said, adding staff had a cell phone so the mother could listen.
“They were keeping a watchful eye on the patient and sharing in the special moment. There were many tears of joy, smiles and laughter from both the staff and wedding party.”
Bouwman said he’s very thankful for what the Groves staff did for them and how much it meant to his mother to be there.
“She loved that she could still be part of that,” Bouwman said.
