A BRIDE has revealed how she used her dad’s ashes in her wedding manicure.
Charlotte Walton, 26, from Stoke-On-Trent, married husband Nick, 33, in August, but tragically her dad Mick Barber passed away just months before.
Mum-of-two Charlotte was devastated when her dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer – which spread to his lymph nodes and bones – and despite hoping he would be able to watch her get married, Mick passed away in April.
The 26-year-old had always dreamed of having her dad walk her down the aisle and Charlotte was heartbroken knowing how much Mick had wanted to be there on her special day.
When Charlotte’s cousin, nail guru Kirsty, had the idea of having Mick’s ashes “attached” to her nails, Charlotte thought the idea was “really sweet”.
“Kirsty is the queen of nails and I thought her idea was amazing,” she explained.
“She has around a million followers on her Instagram so if anyone could do it, I knew that it would be her.
“I was always a huge daddy’s girl, we all were, whenever we asked for anything he would say no first but then he would feel bad and would do it five minutes later.
“He was diagnosed with cancer which was incurable, at that point we knew we had to move quick so that he could be there to watch me marry Nick.
“I was heartbroken when he lost his battle because I knew how much he wanted to see us marry, I wanted him to be there but it wasn’t meant to be.
“Having the ashes attached to my nails felt like he was holding my hand, I knew it wasn’t the same as him really being there, but it was as close as we could get.
“It was a unique thing to do but I loved it, I felt like he was able to walk me down the aisle, which I knew was something he really wanted to do.”
Kirsty uploaded a YouTube video of how the nails were created, showing followers how she and Charlotte went through the ashes to find “tiny bits of bone fragment” that would work for the acrylics.
Charlotte explained she has now framed the nails with decorative crystals at home.
“I suppose the funny side of it was that people asked me what I would do with the nails once they fell off as if I was going to throw them away,” she continued.
“I have of course kept them and now they’re framed with decorative crystals all around the frame in my home.
“I loved having him there with me even if it was just in spirit, but with his ashes attached to me as I walked to wed my husband it felt like the next best thing.
“The wedding was incredible, and everyone loved the nails.
“It meant everything to have him there in my own special way, I married Nick, who I have two children with and I know Dad will always be watching over us.”
To follow Kirsty’s incredible nail art you can find her on Instagram, @kirstymeakin.
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