The incredibly touching story behind this wedding photo

When Mel Townsend and Pete Mangan tied the knot in September, they decided to release some butterflies on their wedding day – and the reason why is incredibly emotional.

The couple were initially set to marry in March, but they had to postpone the nuptials for one very important reason – she was having a kidney transplant.

Health troubles

After having a lung transplant 14 years earlier due to a condition called primary pulmonary hypertension, Mel’s kidneys started to fail due to her anti-rejection medication.

“I got quite sick last year and end up on dialysis and had 12 months off work,” Mel, who works as a registered nurse, told Yahoo Lifestyle.

After eight months on dialysis – which she had to have for four hours a day, three days a week – she got the call that there was a kidney available for her.

Transplant surgery

But it wasn’t the greatest timing as she was due to have the surgery in early March, three weeks before she was due to tie the knot. Luckily, Mel and Pete had been prepared for this situation to happen.

“We told our guests beforehand that I could get called in for a transplant and we said if that was to happen, we’d just transfer everything through to a new date and everyone was really good about it,” the 35-year-old explained.

After the surgery, Mel immediately felt like she had a new lease of life.

“I felt better as soon as I woke up which sounds a bit silly,” she admitted.

Wedding time

Six months after the surgery, Mel and Pete officially became husband and wife in September marrying in front of their family and friends in a beautiful ceremony in Tamworth.

However, the couple – who have been together for three and half years – made sure to pay tribute to Mel’s donors, by releasing 14 butterflies for the 14 extra years she gained because of her transplant surgeries.

“It was quite emotional, I think everybody cried,” she said. “It was lovely.”

Mel also posted a video in a wedding Facebook group, to tell her touching story.

The bride revealed there “wasn’t a dry eye in the house”.

We totally understand why.

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