Good morning from Mr and Mrs Hankinson to all you lovely people. Yesterday was simply wonderful in the end ❤️. But what a journey we had to make...it started at about 6:45am with a phone call from Steve’s Consultant to say that Steve was not well enough to leave hospital, I was pretty devastated at that point, then another phone call to say that the hospital would investigate our options for a ceremony at the hospital. So Emily-Rose, my daughter and I set off to the hairdressers as planned and on the way we made a Plan A to E. Had a wonderful time at the hairdressers, my lovely hairdresser let me borrow that beautiful tiara. On the way home we had another call from the hospital to say that if I produced all the various documents I could meet with the hospital chaplain Richard at 11:30 to try and work on Plan B or C! Phoned Solihull Register Office to see if there was a way round having to find all the documentation but no and Plan D would have involved a trip into Birmingham Register Office etc etc. So we then had a mad panic trying to locate all the various paperwork as Steve and I had done that back in March and didn’t think we would need to do it again! So paperwork found jeans and tiara headed up to the hospital with Helena leaving Em to sort out everything at home and at Sweet Chillies and a huge thank you to Lisa for helping Emily - you 2 could honestly run the country! Meanwhile all bridesmaids dresses, bouquets etc are at the hotel in Solihull opposite the Register Office- oh the best laid plans!! Thank you to mum Valerie for sorting out the flowers and to Bob for ‘supervising’ everyone! We met with Richard at the hospital and various drs and nurses and after a lot of discussion, tears ( maybe the odd tantrum, I was wearing a tiara I’m allowed!) we settled on arrangements for a wedding in the Hospital Chapel. Richard and the hospital staff were simply amazing and in the space of the next few hours all the necessary paperwork had been done including getting a Special License from the Archbishop of Canterbury. During this time and we are now approaching 5pm ( I am still in tiara and jeans!) all our guests had to be redirected from Solihull to the QE in Birmingham, the bridesmaids dresses etc had to be brought across and Helena managed to find Sainsbury’s and get Prosecco! The hospital found us a room and decorated it up with balloons and banners. Somehow everyone met and got to the right place. The bridesmaids all looked beautiful.
Emily transformed my face and I ditched the jeans for a better look! Got Steve’s navy tracheostomy cover and the bow tie in place and we were good to go. Oh we even managed to email ( with Lisa’s help) some photos of Steve and I to Richard who projected them during the ceremony. Steve got married in bed, I tell you there is never a dull moment in our lives. He managed to say his vows loud enough to be heard at the back of the room and it really was magical and incredibly special. We wheeled him to the reception room and got him out of bed so that we could walk into the room together. We did speeches, cut the cake and Steve even got a glass of his favourite tipple ( Helena you are such a rebel!!!) We wheeled Steve back up to the ward with balloons and Just Married banners attached to his bed!I know it’s tradition for the bride to be late but 3 hours ?..... Some of us ended the day at Sweet Chillies which was fabulous. The final word needs to be a massive thank you to the QE hospital staff for saving our day and enabling us to execute Plan G! My message for today is chase your dreams and make them happen while you can - have a wonderful day everyone xxxx❤️xxxx
Written by
Hiking13
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Oh Well Done, You Two!! A day you will remember for the rest of your lives! And well done QE hospital.
Birmingham! What a place to have a panic like that!!
Was an old stomping ground of mine aeons ago! Worked at Institute of Child Health when it had a plug in switchboard! Then lived in Halesowen for a while. Went to school in Kings Norton! Couldn't find my way round now.
I am so thrilled that you made it. What a really special occassion for you both. It must mean so much to you both but especially to Steve that he was able to be strong enough to speak loudly enough and have your family and friends with you all. God bless. AliBee xx
Has anyone ever called you Superwoman? You are amazing to have made sure you both had your big day. Congratulations to you both! Next hard project for someone you know where to go? Lol
Oh..My...Goodness!!!....What a phenomenal and unique story Hiking!!
Congratulations - Not just for getting married but for surmounting so many obstacles! You are truly a formidable bride, and Steve is One Lucky Man - in that respect May there be many more moments just as happy or even better XXX
It made me giddy just reading your wonderful post, it was amazing that everything all came together in the end, it's all in the planning even if it's plan G !! I read your post with a big smile on my face, such happy news for you both, I feel the joy and love that was obviously enjoyed by everybody, including hospital staff. Wonderful and congratulations Mr and Mrs Hankinson.
Oh what a lovely story to start the day. Congratulations to you both and well done to all who moved mountains to make it happen. I am wearing an ear to ear smile. Very, very best wishes, Hils. xx
Congratulations to you both, smiling with tears while reading. You did so well with keeping going despite the obstacles, brilliant thinking outside the box to switch from plan A to B and so on, so that you got there in the end. Photo shows just how joyous it was.
Congratulations Mr & Mrs Hankinson, what a lovely photo - you both look so very happy, thank you for sharing it with us and also the story of your day - you seem to have the ability to move mountains - well done, you are both inspirational!
Everyone has said it all but must say CONGRATULATIONS, so well done by all, this story is good enough for a book, had me smiling and tearful you both look so beautiful and happy, keep happy and very best wishes.
I can’t send a gift but I’m sending congratulations with big hugs and cheers. You both are so happy and we are sharing in that happiness with you. Well done.
Congratulations and well done for coming through so many obstacles. So glad you got your wedding day, and a big thank you to the hospital staff for assisting. Lovely photo. Best wishes Nanny857 x
What a marvelous story! It reads like an episode of Last Tango in Halifax...only better. Congratulations to you both and you really know how to “live in the moment.”
Grats!!! Any other photos? You both look stunning and obviously need more moments to be captured. Here's a great photographer in NYC daretodream.nyc/central-par.... We've had a great time posing for post-wedding shots. Check it out
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May there be many more moments just as happy or even better XXX
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