'Our hospital wedding was perfect'

The venue was a hospital ward, the rings were hairbands, and the flowers were plastic – but Jim and Jenny Denton say their wedding was perfect.

It was arranged by Jenny and staff on Deal ward at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, who are caring for 74-year-old Jim, after she proposed last week.

She had read about bedside weddings on a website and decided to pop the question after 16 years together.

Jenny, also 74, who works as an administrator for Sense’s residential care homes in Thanet, said: “It was all a bit by chance – I just happened to read about it so I thought I’d propose, and luckily he said yes as I wasn’t going to ask a second time! 

“But he did tell me that he had asked me many years ago and I had not heard him.

“Getting married hadn’t cropped up before we felt we wanted to show our love for each other in this special way, it felt right.

“I grabbed two of my colleagues to be witnesses, and we had the perfect ceremony with plenty of laughs.

“Now we wonder why we didn’t do it sooner, but we didn’t feel the need. But it was about time, and the timing was right.

“It was all arranged so quickly but it was the perfect day for us.”

The couple met at a gig at the Harbour Garden Café in Whitstable and immediately hit it off. Another gig date followed – this time a ska band from Switzerland - and they soon settled into life together.

But after many happy years together enjoying music, adventures, and holidays, retired railway admin worker Jim was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year. He had surgery using the Whipple procedure, to remove part of the pancreas, gall bladder, duodenum and part of the stomach, but then picked up an infection and ended up back in hospital.

The couple’s birthdays are two days apart, on 27 and 29 August, so their wedding date of Friday, 28 March, also felt significant.

Jenny said: “It has not been easy but it all seems to make sense and I think the date was important.

“I initially found a washer in a drawer that I was going to use as a ring, but it was a bit sharp and so decided against it.

“Instead I bought a box of hairbands and we used those. Jim keeps telling me to get a proper ring later but I don’t need one – I think our rings are perfect.

“In fact, I’m thinking of selling the rest of the box online as wedding rings; it could catch on!”

It was Jim’s first wedding, but third time lucky for Jenny, who has one son, six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Jim quipped: “I hadn’t realised just what I was taking on! It does feel different to be married, and the staff have been really kind.

“They look after me really well, I get 24/7 attention, so there’s nothing to complain about really.”

Ward staff arranged for a wedding cake and Prosecco, as well as the registrar to ensure the ceremony was legal, and healthcare assistant Becky Gunn came in on her day off to be part of the celebrations.

Jenny said: “I didn’t have any flowers, I hadn‘t had time to think of them, but they whipped some of the plastic ones off the ward and I walked in carrying those which gave Jim a laugh.

“One of my witnesses held my train, which was actually just the hem of my lace top. It was very us and a lot of fun.

“We are so grateful to the team for their kindness, it means the world to be Jim’s wife and it wouldn’t have been possible without them.”

Ward manager Hollie Cheeseman-Brazier said it was a privilege to be able to help the couple’s wedding wish come true.

She said: “It was an absolute honour and pleasure to be able to make this happen for Jim and Jenny.

“It was our first wedding on Deal so everyone was very excited and also proud to be a part of it.

“They are such a special couple and we just wish they could have many more years together.”