Elizabeth Shoesmith said she was worried the meaning to "A Thousand Years" by Christina Perry would be lost through lip reading.
A groom, who is deaf, was brought to tears when his bride signed their wedding song as she walked down the aisle.
Elizabeth Shoesmith of Sydney, Australia, signed the words to Christina Perri’s "A Thousand Years" as she walked towards Scott Shoesmith.
“Scott just burst into tears when he saw me,” Elizabeth told Caters News. “I wanted to surprise him and he had no idea I was going to sign during the ceremony.”
Scott began losing his hearing when he was just 5 years old, and became legally deaf by 8.
Because of speech therapy, Scott can speak well and has an easy time lip reading, but Elizabeth said she reached out to his friend, who is an interpreter, to teach her the words in sign language so she can fully communicate the song's meaning.
“Every time I had practiced it leading up to the day I would make mistakes or go blank,” she said. “But when I was left at the top of the aisle and locked eyes with Scott, I didn’t look away. It honestly felt like we were the only ones in the room.”
Elizabeth, who started dating Scott two years ago, is the CEO of The Inclusive Foundation, and hopes to advocate for a more inclusive society through her non-profit.
“We need to simply create a world where everyone is included,” she said.
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