Maria reached out the week of her wedding and told me her 99 year old grandfather, who she hoped would walk her down the aisle, had fallen ill and would not be able to attend the wedding.
Because of his condition, she wasn’t even sure if he would make it to the wedding day, but if he did, she said she wanted to visit him in her dress so he could still be a part of the day.
My heart leapt. Of course I wanted to capture those precious moments.
Documenting memories with loved ones is why I became a photographer.
Weddings aren’t just about the pretty. They are about the connection and love between people.
I thought it was so beautiful that Maria set aside time in what can otherwise feel like a packed, chaotic day, and prioritized what was important to her.
Sure – we could have had more time for detail and portrait photos, but honestly, this was a million times better and more important.
I didn’t think about the hour long commute each way to and from the hospital – whatever needed to be done to make this happen, we would do.
The events of this day felt like they effortlessly flowed into one another. When something happens to a loved one, things get thrown into perspective and there’s a grounding sense of clarity that comes over you.
In the moments leading up to entering the hospital – as Maria and her parents were en route – I wanted to call my grandparents to tell them how much I love them. Thinking about it put a lump in my throat and I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep my composure, so I focused on what we were about to do and resolved to call them after.
As we went in I knew it was important to be unobtrusive when documenting these memories. I decided on no flash, as I felt it would distract from the moment in the intimate hospital room.
Immediately, when he saw her he lit up. They hugged each other and shared an emotional embrace. Writing this I am choking up. It was beautiful.
He quipped, ‘You haven’t changed your mind have you?’, prompting everyone to laugh. He told her not to change her mind – he likes Keegan.
I stayed in the periphery as Maria, her grandfather, and her mother spoke for a while, with held hands and forehead kisses and embraces – fleeting moments I felt so honoured and humbled to capture.
This was absolutely a highlight of my wedding photography career. I am so grateful Maria felt comfortable to share this memory with me, and I hope it brings her and her family a sense of peace and warmth through the years.
—
From Maria:
Tell us a bit about you and your now husband!
My name is Maria Donaldson (now Maria Galea) and I’m 28 years old. I was born and raised in Oakville, Ontario and currently live in Toronto. My husband’s name is Keegan Galea and he’s 32 years old. We have been together for almost 8 years! We got engaged in the Lofoten Islands of Northern Norway just under a year ago and got married on June 2nd 2018 in Caledon, Ontario. We love to travel and our next big adventure will be moving to Edmonton, Alberta in August for me to attend school at the University of Alberta. I am a registered nurse working in the neonatal intensive care unit at the Hospital forSick Children. I will be taking a program at U of A to become a neonatal nurse practitioner. Very exciting!
Would you be able to describe your relationship with your grandpa?
Mygrandfather’s name is Kjell Renstrom. He is such a kind, loving, and giving person and has always been a huge part of my life. He has lived in Oakville close to my parents for many years and I see him on a very regular basis. When I don’t get to see him, he sends me emails (yes, he is quite computer savvy!) Even at 99 years old he is sharp as a nail, and probably has a better memory than I do! In the last couple of months we have noticed a bit of a decline in his mental sharpness and he has become very frail, so I was constantly worrying if he would make it to the wedding.
Can you tell me us little bit about the circumstances around him not being able to make it to walk you down the aisle?
Six days prior to the wedding my dad called me and said my grandpa had to be hospitalized for what they suspected was pneumonia. I went and saw him the following day at the hospital and his condition was very poor. I was devastated; I had been planning on asking him to walk me down the aisle alongside my dad. I am his final grandchild to get married, and we all knew he would be so moved to walk me down the aisle. At one point, we weren’t sure if he would even hold on until the wedding day, and it was really hard on all of the family.
Describe your visit with him on your wedding day. I can imagine it was emotional for everyone involved.
As soon as reality hit that my grandpa would be unable to attend the wedding, I knew I needed to find a way to see him on my wedding day. My friends and family did such a wonderful job in making this happen. I got up really early to have my hair and makeup done, and then my dad drove me an hour to my parents’ house. I put my dress on with my mom and then we drove to the hospital. My photographer Anastasia Giaouris (Olive Photography) joined us at the hospital and we all walked to my grandfather’s room. I thought I could stay composed, but as soon as I saw him and he saw me we were both reduced to tears. It was such a beautiful moment and you could see it meant just as much to him as it did to me. I was so glad he was completely coherent, and knew exactly who I was and why I was there. I later found out he had been telling people “my granddaughter is getting married today”, so I know I made the right decision.
What did he say to you when he saw you in your wedding dress?
He was so funny, he looked me over and then with a smile said “so you haven’t changed your mind?”. I said absolutely not, and that I loved Keegan so much. He replied “me too”
Is there anything in particular you would like to say about your grandfather or that moment?
I wouldn’t be the person I am today without the support and love of my grandfather. He cares so deeply about his grandchildren, and we all love him so much. Going to see him may have made my day a lot more hectic, but it was so important to me, and I am so glad that I did it. I am also incredibly grateful for Anastasia, who went above and beyond as a wedding photographer to capture this incredibly important moment in my life.