Copyright newsweek
A woman’s mother has gone above and beyond to ensure her grandmother has a place at her wedding. The woman, Cait’s late-night discovery of a video from her wedding has gained attention on TikTok, capturing a deeply emotional moment where her mom secretly attached a piece of jewelry to her wedding dress. The gesture served as the bride’s “something borrowed and something blue,” allowing her beloved grandmother—the owner of the jewelry—to be present on the day she was too unwell to attend. Cait, 33, spoke to Newsweek about the gesture and what it continues to mean to her. “Late night finds, but it’s your mom showing you the brooch she found in your grandma’s nursing home room and secretly attached to your wedding dress as your ‘something borrowed and something blue’ because your grandma was too unwell to attend the wedding,” Cait captioned the video. Photos from Cait’s TikTok video of the brooch her mother attached to her wedding dress. Cait revealed the deeply personal connection she shares with her grandmother. “My grandma is like the mouses of Cinderella,” she said. “She’s always been quiet, polite and sweet with us, but then will come out with the stories of the incredible work she’s done in her life, like being a maths genius before calculators or computers at a bank or rocking hot pants as a waitress.” Sadly, Cait’s grandmother has been severely affected by dementia. “Now, she has unfortunately been completely taken from us all by dementia,” Cait said. “While her body lives on, her mind has gone, and it’s been tough to watch.” Present in Spirit The wedding day was filled with emotion for Cait. She recalled feeling “a huge rush of joy with a tinge of sadness that none of [her] grandparents could be there on the day, as much as they would have all loved to.” The secret brooch was the perfect way to feel their presence. “This little touch made it feel like they were there in spirit,” she said. It was just one of several ways the couple ensured their grandparents were included. “A few other touches were really special, too,” Cait added. “My uncle wore my grandpa’s bow tie, for example.” The couple also had framed photos of each of their grandparents’ weddings as a “perfect nod” to their family history. Having her grandparents included in her day was vital for Cait, she said. A Memory to Last The emotional detail of the small, hidden brooch resonated strongly with the bride and with viewers online—and Cait reflected on the bittersweet reality of her grandmother’s illness and her inability to fully understand the beautiful gesture. “My grandma didn’t know about it,” she said. “I wish she could understand that she was there with me in spirit.” However, a small comment from her grandmother was enough to comfort Cait: “She said that the girl in the photos looked pretty, so that will do for me.” The moment is a reminder of the beautiful, creative ways people honor their loved ones during significant life events like a wedding. The simple act of attaching a hidden brooch allowed Cait’s grandmother, though physically absent, to walk with her granddaughter down the aisle.
