Woman Plans Wedding in 3 Days After Mother Goes into Hospice. Then She Gets an Unexpected Surprise

Nearly two years ago, Kristen Butler’s life changed when her mother was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer.

Since then, the 37-year-old from Florida has faced a tough journey, supported by her partner of 13 years, Tyler, and their two children.

“[My mother] was doing phenomenal and kept pushing for us. But ultimately, after the last round of radiation, complications arose and everything changed in an instant,” Butler tells PEOPLE exclusively.

“We thought we had at least another year or two of being loved by her, then at the drop of a dime, two years turned into less than two weeks.”

In July 2025, as her mother entered hospice care, she shared a final wish — for her daughter to finally marry the love of her life.

Moved by her mother’s words, the couple got engaged on July 23, 2025, and decided to plan their wedding immediately.

“I knew it would be hard to plan even a small ceremony in just three days, but I was going to do anything in my power to make it work,” she shares.

During this emotional time, Butler called her best friend of over 20 years, Stephanie Zimmerer, to share the news and invite her to FaceTime during the ceremony, thinking it was too last-minute for her to attend.

Butler never expected Zimmerer – usually not spontaneous – to drop everything, book a flight, and travel over 1,500 miles from Nebraska to be there.

“She is my longest friend, so I was immediately sad about not being there, but I understood the need to make it happen quickly,” Zimmerer, 37, says. “I told my husband about it and we started brainstorming whether or not it would be possible to go, and 24 hours later, I had plane tickets booked.”

The only person who knew about the last-minute plan was Butler’s sister, who picked Zimmerer up at the airport.

When the two friends finally saw each other, they both cried. Her surprise arrival showed the strength of friendship, even in the hardest moments.

“I just wanted to bring any bit of joy I could to a somber time,” Zimmerer says. “I know she is always there for me, so I wanted to show up for her on her special day, especially under the circumstances.”

Zimmerer helped Butler with everything during the wedding preparations. She helped decorate, ran last-minute errands, guided guests down the aisle, and made sure Butler had everything she needed – even small essentials like deodorant.

In a joyful twist, Zimmerer even had the honor of being the flower girl. “Having Stephanie by my side made my world start spinning again…I needed her,” Butler admits.

“I needed her clear head to think for my own. I needed her encouraging words. I needed her hugs. I needed her to tell me stories to remind me of good times. I needed her to tell my mother goodbye. I just needed her soul there with mine,” she adds. “She will never ever know how much her being here meant to me and my family.”

The ceremony and dinner took place in Butler’s mother and stepfather’s backyard. With just a few chairs, a handful of tables, and a simple tent, the setting was small but full of love.

“At first, I had no idea where to start – this is where my mom would be my life saver – but thankfully, I do also have a wonderful support system,” Butler admits. “Our friends and family rallied together in an instant.”

Her soon-to-be husband flew to North Carolina to bring their youngest daughter home from camp so the whole family could be together for the wedding.

Nearly every part of the wedding was borrowed or gifted with love. The decor came from past family events, and Butler wore pearls passed down through generations.

Her dress, originally made for her mother-in-law 22 years ago, fit perfectly. Butler’s sister-in-law baked a red velvet cake, and a close friend helped with music, hair, and other details.

Most meaningful of all, Butler wore the ring her mother once wore — the same one used by her parents nearly 40 years ago.

During the ceremony, Butler’s mother watched from the spare bedroom with a large window facing the backyard. “She was able to hear some, see most and feel all of the love in her backyard,” Butler recalls.

The mother of two described the day as “the best, worst day of my life,” filled with joy, grief, excitement, and guilt all at once.

“How is it even possible to be so devastated but so beyond happy at the same time?” she reflects.

Despite everything, what stayed with her most was knowing “my mother was bawling out of happiness,” and that is the feeling she chooses to hold onto.

Butler’s mother died five days after the wedding.

“I would have married [Tyler] in sweatpants and a T-shirt inside my mother’s room just for her to be there,” Butler tells PEOPLE. “Would have moved heaven and earth for her, and we somehow did.”