Bride honors grandma unconventionally on wedding day by giving her 'grandmaid' duties

When most brides think about their bridesmaids, they often turn to their closest friends or sisters to stand by their side on their big day. But for Bethany Johnston-Sweeney, her bridal party wouldn't feel complete without a very special addition—her 83-year-old grandmother. Bethany Johnston Sweeney, the 28-year-old English teacher from Chorley always shared a strong bond with her grandmother, Ena Johnston. Therefore, Bethany knew her grandmother had to be involved meaningfully as she began to organize her wedding. The touching moment was captured on video by Chess, the wedding videographer, who goes by @floraliemoments on TikTok.

After thinking about it, Bethany invited her 83-year-old grandma to be a bridesmaid. No one was shocked when Bethany told her now-husband and family about the plan, although they did question if Bethany may reconsider given her grandmother's old age.

"They thought she might struggle with bridesmaid duties, but I was adamant. They initially thought I was crazy, but I knew she would be fantastic," Bethany told PEOPLE.  "My grandma was with me every step of the way — from checking out the first venue to helping me pick the color scheme and choosing my wedding dress. I wanted her to be part of everything because we’re so close, and I really value her opinion," she added.

On August 8, at the Stirk House Hotel in England, Bethany tied the knot, but she made sure her grandmother played a special role. Wanting her grandmother to fully experience the joy of being a bridesmaid, Bethany surprised her with a thoughtful "bridesmaid proposal" gift set. It included Ena’s favorite Prosecco, a picture of the two of them, a friendship bracelet, and a heartfelt card. When Ena opened the card and saw the gifts, she was taken aback."She initially said she was too old to be a bridesmaid, which is why I came up with the term 'grandmaid," Bethany says with a smile.

Bethany wanted her grandmother to feel at ease in her "grandmaid" dress, so Ena decided on a deep red dress. She gave her and the rest of the bridesmaids the freedom to choose their styles and colors. In the end, the group settled on two shades: blush and red. Seeing her grandmother on the big day brought out all the emotions for Bethany. 

"I always knew she was special and I’m happy other people can see that now too," Bethany said. "Treasure the moments you have with your family and show them how special they are to you as we don’t have forever. We shared many special moments that day," she adds. "Before putting on my dress, she saw the patch of my granddad’s cap that had been sewn into it, as he had sadly passed away a while ago. She helped me prepare to walk down the aisle by adjusting my dress, and we shared many dances that night!"

This is the sweetest thing ever, not just for us but also for the people who watched this video on TikTok. "Oh this makes me so sad, I wish mine was here for when the times are right. Thank you for cherishing your grandma," said @serenaleamatthews. "this is amazing she looks so happy, my nan passed away 1 week before my wedding, she was supposed to walk me down the aisle," commented @nicaranoonan. "Oh, I love this and just look at her. All so beautiful. Hope you had the best day," added @southerndancing6.

You can follow Chess (@floraliemoments) on TikTok for more wedding content.