Bride Uses Father’s Ashes in Wedding Nail Design
“Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue…” The familiar rhyme that brides lean on for luck took on an entirely new meaning for one woman from Stoke-on-Trent. After ticking off the traditional items, she chose a deeply personal addition: a wedding nail design incorporating a tiny sprinkling of her father’s ashes.
Charlotte Watson had brought her wedding forward when she realised her father was in the final stages of cancer. Heartbreakingly, he passed away before the big day arrived. Wanting to honour him in a way that felt close and meaningful, Charlotte turned to her cousin — and well-known YouTuber — Kirsty Meakin, whose nail art channel boasts more than a million followers.
Kirsty suggested creating a bespoke acrylic nail using a minute portion of the ashes. “The ashes were in a little glass pot and we looked through them and picked the pieces we thought would work,” she explained.
“It was a bit surreal — these were the ashes of my uncle Mick. I had to detach myself at times or I’d have been a blubbering wreck. It was only when it was finished that it sank in: her dad would be holding her hand on her wedding day.”
Charlotte was moved by the result. “It really felt like he was there,” she said.
On the day itself, her mother Joanne walked her down the aisle, and Charlotte carried several other mementos of her father: a teddy bear made from one of his jumpers, and a pair of his old jeans sewn into her attire.
It won’t be for everyone — ashes incorporated into personal items rarely are — but this small act of creativity and love made a difficult day feel a little more complete for one family. Thoughtful, touching and undeniably original, we wish the Staffordshire couple every happiness.
The original story was on the BBC website.
The main picture is copyrighted by Kirsty Meakin.