Woman radiates joy as she wears a wedding gown for the first time after 77 years of marriage

For some, weddings tend to be extravagant affairs. All the arrangements, like preparing a guest list, scouting and booking the wedding venue and picking a wedding dress, are taken care of months in advance at times. However, some brides do not get to experience the nuptial ceremony or wedding dress of their dreams. An elderly woman named Frankie King was one such bride. When King tied the knot with her husband in 1944, she did not even have a proper wedding gown, reports PEOPLE.

But in 2021, on King and her husband's 77th wedding anniversary, her dream of wearing a wedding dress finally came true. The staff of St. Croix Hospice in Iowa helped the then-97-year-old King to get dressed in all white and a veil to walk down the grassy lawn to celebrate her wedding anniversary. The hospice facility made a small but special arrangement to help the veteran couple reenact their wedding memories, getting everyone emotional in the process. 

"It was so hard to keep from crying behind the lens as I got to witness the emotion with this beautiful couple, and the love and compassion that their team poured into preparing this event for them," Hilary Michelson, a photographer and staff member at St. Croix Hospice, told the outlet. The elderly couple's daughter, Sue Bilodeau, also actively participated in organizing the special day for her mom and dad. She helped King get dressed in the wedding gown, which featured full sleeves and a high collar.

As King walked out to meet her husband, the elderly gentleman was dressed in his Air Force uniform and waiting for his beloved wife of 77 years at a makeshift altar decorated with flowers. "The light in her eyes—I wish everyone could have seen it. She told me she felt so beautiful," St. Croix Hospice aide Kacie Derr said. "It was so touching to be a part of that. I've never worked for a company that would do something so wholesome and heartfelt for someone." The hospice facility's music therapist also contributed by playing a song from the 1940s for King and her husband.

"Words cannot express the gratitude our family has for the amazing staff at St. Croix for making this day happen," Bilodeau wrote in the Facebook post shared by St. Croix Hospice. "Just to see my Mom looking in her mirror before the ceremony and seeing Dad's smile light up when he glimpsed Mom in her beautiful dress. Couldn't see through the tears." Michelson, the event's photographer, told the outlet that "she couldn't have been happier to capture the special occasion."

"My experience in working with end-of-life care has taught me so many valuable experiences," she added. "The most important of them all being that there's going to be a day where all we have are these little moments frozen in time. That's what motivates me behind the camera—making sure I capture those memories for families." Commentators on Facebook also gave their blessings and love to King and her husband on their special day. Dustin Culp commented, "Those are such beautiful pictures. I'm happy for you and your family! Tell your father thanks for his service and sacrifice for our country." 

Britney Cutsinger shared, "Your parents are so amazingly precious! Thank your dad for me for his service and tell your mom that she's the most beautiful bride ever! I'm praying for an easy transition for you all." Kelly Walton commented, "Thank you to all the nurses! That is such an awesome act of kindness! And thank you to the couple for showing the world that love is forever." Debra Hunkele-Garofalo added, "This is such a beautiful love story. The act of kindness you showed to this couple. After 77 years of marriage, their life has just been completed. This is the best heartfelt story. Congratulations, you are both blessed."