PEABODY — Assisted-living facilities are not the usual venues to renew wedding vows. But the Harriett and Ralph Kaplan Estates proved to be the exception.
It ended up being the perfect choice.
That’s because Alma Barrett, 87, a Kaplan resident, desperately wanted to be present when her daughter, Judi Corbishley, and son-in-law, Chris Corbishley, renewed their wedding vows on their 25th wedding anniversary.
With the help of the Kaplan Estates staff — and planning by the Corbishleys — that dream became a reality.
The bride and groom walked down the aisle May 25 before 23 guests, assisted-living residents and staff to the song “I Will,” by Christopher Cross, which was their wedding song 25 years ago.
Since it’s a long song, the couple entertained guests with an impromptu dance before the ceremony. The day was made even more significant by the fact that May 25 was also the wedding anniversary of Alma Barrett and her late husband, Larry.
“This ceremony was everything we hoped it would be,” said Judi Corbishley. “We knew we wanted to do something fun to celebrate this milestone anniversary, the pandemic being over and Chris making it through a very serious health crisis.”
Last August, Chris Corbishley was hospitalized for over a month with a severe case of sepsis, which ultimately caused three separate strokes. For a time he lost the ability to speak. While his progress at home was slow, he ultimately made a complete recovery.
The bridal party consisted of six bridesmaids and six groomsmen, including sons, Jordan and Noah. The couple’s good friend, Craig Branscomb performed the service.
“This wedding was so beautiful,” said Barrett. “It was even better than the first one.”
Barrett has been a resident at Kaplan Estates, operated by nonprofit Chelsea Jewish Lifecare, for the last two years. She is popular with residents and staff alike.
“Alma is such a beloved member of the Kaplan family,” said Marisa Iafrate, director of marketing for the Peabody campus. “She is an avid bingo player, loves our history series and is a terrific conversationalist. We were excited to host this special occasion for Alma and her family.”
“My mom loves living here, so for us, it’s our ‘happy’ place,” said Judi Corbishley. “We couldn’t see her for such a long time because of the pandemic, but we knew she was happy, healthy and safe. We are grateful to the entire Kaplan Estates staff for taking such wonderful care of her and organizing the virtual visits. Renewing our vows at the assisted living (facility) seemed like the right thing to do.”
Judy Corbishley, who works at CVS, was able to vaccinate her mother in January.
