Nursery hosts wedding celebration

Toddlers have taken part in a mock wedding ceremony at the University of Teesside.

The event involved around 20 children from the University’s nursery for children of students and staff. It was the culmination of a three-week project in which the children learned about weddings and marriage.

The roles of bride and groom were played by four-year-olds Millie Poppitt and James Dalton. Millie wore a white dress, while James’s groom outfit was given a formal touch with a top hat created from cardboard. Three-year-old Jacob Shaw was the best man.

The University’s Chaplain, Reverend Andrew Howard led the mock ceremony.

He said: ‘The children visited All Saints Church in central Middlesbrough before the ceremony, to show them where some weddings take place. We simplified the format of the ceremony for the children.’

Wedding photographs were put on display in the nursery and the children made fabric bouquets and button-holes, along with invitations and wedding cakes from cotton wool. Some of the girls dressed as bridesmaids. After exchanging home-made rings, the children threw confetti and also signed a guest book.

The project was inspired by Judith Kerr book When Willie Went to the Wedding, which the nursery children had been reading.

Ella Field, room leader in the nursery’s pre-school room, said: ‘The children really enjoyed taking part in all the activities leading up to the wedding.

‘They spent nearly three weeks preparing for the wedding and seeing the end result with the ceremony was really exciting for the children.’

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