Daisy Hart had planned to have her wedding the month before her baby was due. But then her water broke three months early. She was admitted to Intermountain Medical Center, where she learned she wouldn’t be able to leave the hospital until after her baby was born. She’d really wanted to be married before the birth, so her fiancé, Nicholas Larsen, asked, “Why don’t we do it here?”
Jeni Johnson painted the sign, Alice Adams played the violin, and Lindsay Curtis made the wedding cake.
“When I came on shift in the morning, I learned it was very important to Daisy that she get married before her baby was born,” says Jenny Penrose, RN. “Since the baby could be born anytime, the sooner the better. I offered to help see if we could find a way.”
Nicholas started making phone calls to see what was possible. He learned that both him and Daisy had to be present to get the marriage license. He reported what he’d learned to Jenny and she talked to the Labor & Delivery manager, Shauna Hepworth, RN, to see if the team could get permission to have the Salt Lake County Clerk, Sherrie Swenson, come to the hospital to help get the marriage license in order and to perform the wedding ceremony.
Shauna quickly contacted hospital administration for approval and the ceremony was scheduled for the next day. Then she met with the couple to discuss the wedding plans and coordinated with Sherrie to perform the ceremony.
Candie Petty, RN, Labor & Delivery shared leadership engagement coordinator, helped with wedding planning and took charge of converting the unit’s waiting room into a wedding chapel, with the help of others from Labor & Delivery, Maternity, and the NICU. Lindsay Curtis, NICU manager, made a wedding cake and brought in some decorations. Melanie Bullock, a phlebotomist who was formerly a wedding planner, put together the flower arrangements. Jeni Johnson, admin assistant from the NICU, painted a lovely sign for the wedding entrance.
The couple walked down the aisle as Alice Adams, RN, NICU nurse manager, played her violin and staff from Labor & Delivery, Maternity, and the NICU waved ribbons that were brought in by Shelley West, RN. Alisha Bowling, RN, manned an iPad so family and friends could watch remotely.
“I was really surprised that they made it so beautiful,” Daisy says. “I was expecting to just do it in my room.”
Then the couple stood hand in hand and took their wedding vows as Nick Short and Kris Beldin from Marketing and Communications served as wedding photographers.
Nicholas and Daisy hold hands as Salt Lake County Clerk Sherrie Swenson leads the wedding ceremony.
“Everyone really went out of their way to make it happen and they didn’t have to,” Daisy says. “It was really amazing and thoughtful. They really helped bring our family together. I feel more complete now that we’re married — like a family.”
“Our staff was overjoyed to be able to take part in this unique event,” Candie says. “In a year of uncertainty and changes, it was a pleasure to be able to pull together with our sister units and create something magical for someone in need.”
“I was honored to help make our patient’s wedding dreams a reality,” Jenny says. “It was such a fun and unique experience that had everyone on our unit smiling — many with tears of joy in their eyes. For many expectant mothers, a prolonged stay makes our antepartum unit their home away from home and with strict COVID-19 visitor restrictions, their stay can be isolating and lonely. It’s more important than ever for us to take the opportunity to actively listen and help meet our patient’s needs.”
“This was a truly unique and rewarding experience for our Labor & Delivery team,” Shauna says. “Our unit eagerly came together and embraced the opportunity to make a dream come true for this sweet patient and her fiancé. Everyone involved recognized and appreciated the special privilege we had to provide this service for our patient, her fiancé, and their families.”
Daisy delivered her baby boy, Nicodemus, a few weeks after the wedding. He’s still in the NICU but is doing well. “Even though we can’t bring Nicodemus home with us yet, I feel like I’m on a honeymoon,” Daisy says. “I feel like God is blessing us every day.”