Wedding honors 3 generations

Don Peterson said his daughter, Debra, always does everything her Nana wants her to do.

Debra’s Nana, Geri Pringle, who celebrated her 95th birthday a week ago, watched from her wheelchair Saturday afternoon as her granddaughter married fiance David Draves on the patio at Newport Beach Plaza Retirement Community, the place Geri calls home.

The Feb. 16 wedding date was significant for more sentimental reasons. It was the birthday of Geri’s daughter, and Debra’s mother, Sally, who died several years ago.

Don said the family always celebrated the mother and daughter birthdays, which were exactly one week apart, on the same day, so in a sense, this was a way of honoring three generations of the women in his family.

Debra’s matron of honor at the wedding ceremony was Peggy Thomas, her mother’s best friend for more than 40 years.

“Sally was larger than life,” Peggy said, recalling how they met on the beach at China Cove in Corona del Mar when their daughters were toddlers.

Peggy’s daughter, Carrie Huntington, said she and Debra grew up together, building sand castles on the beach while Sally swam in the bay.

“Debra looks a lot like her mom, and I know Sally’s here with us today,” Carrie said.

David was more than happy to honor the wishes of his wife’s grandmother by getting married at the retirement community.

“I’d marry her anywhere, but when Nana kept asking, ‘Why don’t you get married where I live.’ I didn’t want Debra to look back and regret it if we got married somewhere else,” he said.

Debra also knew that because her grandmother was not in good health, the only way she would be able to attend the wedding was if it were held at the retirement home.

Connie Marvick, general manager of the retirement community, was thrilled when Debra asked if they could get married there. It’s the first time they’ve had a wedding at the facility. Everyone, especially the residents, were very excited.

“This is a very family-oriented environment, and everyone knows Debra because she’s devoted to her grandmother, and she visits so often,” Marvick said.

Connie, who’s been at the Plaza for 14 years, said the great thing about her job is that she’s able to touch the lives of so many people. The wedding was an opportunity to bring other people into a place they might not have come into before — a place she said is often referred to as “an old folks home,” or worse yet, “God’s waiting room.”

“This was a chance to change people’s perceptions, and open their eyes to what retirement living can be.”

Connie and her staff decorated the tables, prepared the food and did everything they could, Debra said, to make sure the guests enjoyed themselves.

Residents lined the halls to watch the ceremony and were delighted to see a young couple exchanging vows on the outdoor patio.

David said friends and family flew in from across the country and as far away as London to watch he and Debra say “I do.”

Actress Mariette Hartley and her husband Jerry Sroka, newlyweds themselves, were happy to be part of the festivities.

Anyone who knows Debra understands how close she is to her grandmother, Mariette said, adding that Debra is the kind of person who develops solid friendships and sticks by you even if she doesn’t get to see you much because of her schedule.

John Sweeney, owner of One Image advertising photography company in Irvine, has been a friend and business associate of Debra’s for 15 years. He said being able to watch his friend honor her grandmother’s wish by getting married at her “house” was awesome.

“Debra and her grandmother have been inseparable over the years,” John said.

“Nana has been her lifetime best friend.”

SUE THOENSEN may be reached at (714) 966-4627 or at sue.thoensen@latimes.com.