Grandmas steal the show at wedding as ‘flower girls’

By Ben Barry via SWNS

A bride and groom asked their grandmas to be "flower girls" at their wedding and say it made the day "extra special."

Thomas Hession, 29, and his partner, Michaela, 28, wanted to get the whole family involved in their big day and decided to ask their 'nonnas' to be their "flower girls."

Thomas' grandma, Umberta Murray, 82, and Michaela's grandma, Rocchina Eufemia, 94, were both thrilled to be asked to have such a special role in the nuptials.

In the run up to the wedding, it was touch and go whether Rocchina would be able to make the five-hour journey from her home in Mildura, Australia, to the venue in McLaren Vale, Australia.

But thankfully Rocchina was able to make it and the grandmas delighted guests as they scattered flower petals down the aisle when the couple tied the knot on February 17, 2024.

Michaela, a social worker, from Mildura, Victoria, Australia, said: "My nonna wasn't sure if she was going to come as it is a challenging five-hour journey for her.

"She is 94 years old and physically it was too hard for her to get her head around travelling.

"For months and months she said she wasn't going to come - she wanted to come but it was too hard.

"The night before the wedding we had a rehearsal and Umberta was upset as she didn't want to do it alone and take over.

"That night I had a family dinner, my family were in a corner and they shuffled around and my nonna was sat there laughing her head off."

Thomas and Michaela met in Adelaide, Australia, through mutual friends in 2019.

After a few years of dating, Thomas got on one knee and popped the question in November 2022 while they were walking through a forest.

When it came to planning a wedding, both of them felt it was important to get their grandmas involved.

Thomas, a government worker, said: "We did want to break tradition.

"We wanted to try to bring as many family members in as we can.

"There were no kids there - so it was nice to get them involved.

"They made it extra special."

"We wanted to be unpredictable and try and break the normal wedding stereotypes of having a couple of kids walking you down the aisle."

At first, Umberta said she was "too old" to be a flower girl but was quickly persuaded.

Umberta, a grandma-of-12, from Murray Bridge, Australia, said: "They insisted that 'no, both nonnas will be there' and I said it would be an honor.

"It felt very special, on the day, myself and Rocchina were encouraging each other down the aisle.

"When we got up to Thomas I was in tears and we sat behind them - I was very proud."

Thomas and Michaela said the day was "very special" and "filled with adrenaline."

Michaela said: "We got married at a winery, we stayed apart the night before.

"We didn't get married until 5pm so I had the whole day to get ready."

"There were so many emotions, the adrenaline was just high.

"Now that the nonnas are viral it keeps going on and on."

Photographer, Joshua Huggert, 32, from Adelaide, Australia, who captured the special moment, said: "I am a softy, the daddy and daughter dance makes me so emotional each time and I think that is down to having a four-year-old.

"Because I have that daughter it is really hitting home that one day this will be us.

"I think especially with the grandmas because I have a 92-year-old grandma so seeing this stuff takes me back to my wedding day."