Couple tie the knot at Knaresborough care home

Katie Pickering, a carer at Manor House care home in Knaresborough, wanted to share her special day with the residents.

The new Mrs Pickering and her husband Phil actually had their ‘official’ wedding in early August, but decided to hold an additional blessing at the care home so the residents could join in the fun.

Mrs Pickering said:

“Part of working in care is understanding that it’s like you’re part of a second family. So it felt fitting to celebrate and share the day with them as well as our other family.

“One resident even said ‘I hope you’re partner is ready to meet all these new aunties’, and the residents have been with me from the get go wanting to know all the details about our wedding plans.”

The Pickerings’ wedding was originally scheduled for August last year but had to be postponed due to the pandemic. But when they finally tied the knot in August this year, it was the big wedding they’d dreamed of.

And they didn’t hold back for the care home blessing either, which featured everything you would expect from a wedding. Around 30 residents attended the ceremony and after party, with cake, decorations. Mrs Pickering’s colleagues Ali Morgan and Jo Meredith were bridesmaids.

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The ceremony was performed by Reverend Garry Hinchcliffe, who regularly visits the care home in his role as the local priest.

“I’ve never done a wedding or a blessing in a care home before, so it’s a first for me. I come here every month to take a service, so I was delighted to be asked to do this blessing service today.

Brenda Raynes, a resident at Manor House, said she was excited about the big day:

“None of us could go to Katie’s official wedding because we’re residents in a care home and not allowed out!

“We’ve been shut inside and not able to do anything for two years while it’s been covid, but now we can have visitors and do things, its made it a big event for us. So we’ve all got dressed up and put our best frocks on, and come down.”