While most brides ask children to be their flower girls, a Minnesota woman wanted her 92-year-old grandmother to play that role, unaware of how her granny’s grand entrance would steal the limelight at her wedding.
Abby Mershon and her sister grew up watching their beloved grandmother, Georgina Arlt, teach them essential life skills such as cooking. Although the girls lived an hour away from their granny’s home in Chaska, Minnesota, they spent most of their weekends with her.
Whenever Mershon thought about her wedding, even before she met her now-husband, she knew she wanted her grandparents to play a unique role. However, she couldn’t fulfill all her wishes because of fate’s plans.
The Bride’s Wishes
Mershon wanted her grandfather to be the ring bearer at her wedding, but her dream could never come true because he passed away about a year before her big day.
After losing her grandfather, Mershon didn’t want the same to happen with Arlt. So the Mankato bride-to-be discussed her wish with her then-future-husband, Dustin, and devised a great plan. With Dustin and her family members, Mershon sat down with her grandmother and asked if she would be the flower girl at her wedding.
Asking Her Grandmother
“Everyone screamed, but she shrieked at the top of her lungs,” Mershon recalled. Arlt never expected her granddaughter to give her such a special role, and she was delighted to accept.
Mershon was hiding from the guests when she heard the crowd erupt in applause.
“I’ve never been in a wedding besides my own,” Arlt kept repeating. She felt so happy and honored to participate in Mershon’s wedding as an honored guest.
Georgina Arlt talks about her experience. | Source: facebook.com/ABC World News Tonight with David Muir
The Big Day
Mershon said she could have asked her granny to be a bridesmaid, but she had a special reason for not doing so. While there are many bridesmaids, there is only one flower girl at the wedding, and Mershon wanted that one person to be her granny.
Attending a wedding for the first time in 72 years was a thrilling experience for Arlt. All eyes were on her on July 1, 2017, when she walked down the aisle in a gorgeous silver ensemble while holding her walker and sprinkling flowers left and right.
Meanwhile, Mershon was hiding from the guests when she heard the crowd erupt in applause. She soon realized they were cheering for Arlt. “I had to peek through the window,” she recounted.
People cheering for Georgina Arlt as she assumed the role of flower girl. | Source: facebook.com/ABC World News Tonight with David Muir
Sharing Her Experience
After the wedding, Arlt shared that she loved being the flower girl, but the experience was a bit tiring. Joking with her granddaughter, she said she wanted to toss candy instead of flowers. Arlt, who also believed she had entertained the guests while she was walking down the aisle, confessed:
“I’m happy I lived long enough to do it.”
Georgina Arlt. | Source: facebook.com/NowThis
Besides throwing flowers, Arlt danced with the guests but darted for her bed as soon as she got home because she was too tired. Nevertheless, Arlt concluded, “I rocked it!” adding that the experience also made her feel emotional.
With eight children, and 33 grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Arlt could become a flower girl again. With tears in her eyes, she said, “I am so happy for Abby and Dustin, and they included me in their special day [sic].”
Stealing the Limelight
Since Arlt’s entrance as a flower girl grabbed the audience’s attention, many people thought Mershon would feel offended after her grandmother stole the limelight. But the young bride said, “It doesn’t bother me one bit.” She added:
“I’m so happy that my grandma is able to make millions of people smile.”
Recalling the memories she made with her granny, Mershon said Arlt was “always the perfect grandma.” The then-27-year-old bride believed she couldn’t have imagined her wedding any other way.
If you enjoyed reading this story, don’t forget to share it with your friends and family. Reading about Mershon’s unique idea might brighten up their day.
Click here to read another heartwarming story about a young woman who asked her 101-year-old grandmother to be her maid of honor at her wedding after promising it as a teenager.