Scottie and Kay tied the knot at a courthouse in North Carolina on Sept. 2, 1972.
A beautiful elderly couple who never had a wedding of their own was in for a big surprise from their family. Scottie and Kay's love story is one for the ages. Scottie was living with her sister and brother-in-law in Ohio when she first met Kay, who is Scottie’s brother-in-law’s brother. The two met in March 1972 and fell in love soon after. They tied the knot at a courthouse in North Carolina, just a month after Scottie’s 19th birthday on Sept. 2, 1972. Now after 50 years of togetherness, they have a big family that includes nine children, 26 grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren, reports The Epoch Times.
For their 50th wedding anniversary, their family wanted to do something extra special for the sweet couple. One of their grandchildren, Maddie Ilapit thought it would be a great idea to give them a wedding, especially after she heard Scottie wishing she’d also had a wedding with all the family present. Everyone played a special part in the planning and coming together of the surprise wedding that would take place at Oakland Christian Church in Suffolk, Virginia. The family told the couple that they had planned an anniversary photoshoot for them but little did they know it was an actual wedding!
“The day came, and we had Scottie and Kay come over, to do Scottie’s makeup,” Maddie said. “My mom had purchased a dress for her to wear for the photos, and we told her we would be going to this ‘pretty church down the street’ so my brother Travis could take photos of them in front of the stained glass. When we got there, all the guests were inside the chapel, waiting.” The couple was so surprised and their sweet reaction was shared on TikTok.
“She was very surprised … there was not a dry eye,” Maddie said. “Seeing the joy and emotion in Scottie, especially her children’s faces getting to witness their parents get married again after 50 years together … there was so much love that filled the room, and they couldn’t be more deserving.” Scottie added that it was "one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me. When I walked to the front and all my beautiful children were dressed, standing there, smiling at us, all I could think was, ‘This is my life,’ and how grateful I was to be surrounded by them.”
Her husband gushed about his bride saying, “She’s just such a caring and loving person. She’s sweet and beautiful, inside and out. There’s a Don Williams song that goes, ‘You’re my bread when I’m hungry, you’re my shelter from a troubled wind, you’re my anchor in life’s ocean, but most of all you’re my best friend,’ and that’s how l feel about Scottie.” Added Scottie, “I love his patience with his family, his kindness, and his willingness to help others.” Respect, love, and compromise are the couple’s cornerstones of a strong marriage. What's their advice for a long-lasting kind of love? “Never use harsh words toward another, always say I’m sorry, and always say I love you … you have to accept people for who they are,” they shared. “We’ve had a wonderful life and wonderful children, we would do it all over again. We are so thankful.”
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Cover Image Source: TikTok | @maddieilapit/
