Smith Village bustles for wedding
Susan Evans imagined her daughter and five bridesmaids getting ready for a December wedding in her Beverly bungalow, but she decided there might be too many challenges.
“Photographers usually move furniture around to take photos; plus, it’s Christmas time, and my home is all decorated,” Evans said.
Rather than remove decorations or worry about what to do with her family dog, she called her dad, Roy Uddman, a resident of Smith Village.
“The closets in my house are small, but his bedroom closet is big enough for my daughter’s wedding dress. The gown has a large train, so we decided to store it at Grandpa’s home.”
Evans was considering renting a hotel suite to serve as headquarters for the bridal party to prepare on her daughter’s wedding day, but then she remembered that Smith Village has guest suites for relatives of residents.
So, she contacted her father’s sales counselor, Loris Vander Velde, to reserve a suite. As a result, the morning of the Friday, Dec. 18, wedding, Smith Village apartment number 4308 was bustling with activity.
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Five bridesmaids wearing rhinestone-studded tank tops that read “Bridesmaid” were joking and sharing stories while makeup artist Sam Sansone applied makeup to the bride, Alexandra Evans, 28, a fourth-grade teacher at St. Daniel the Prophet Catholic elementary school.
“I’ve known Alexandra since I was 5,” said Rachel Hoffman, a bridesmaid and resident of Beverly. “I grew up with her. She and I became people together.”
At that, another bridesmaid, Gina Bozyk, the groom’s sister, let out a laugh, and used her phone to take a photo of Hoffman drinking a cup of tea. Bozyk had introduced the bride to her brother, Brian Noffsinger, 31, a pipefitter.
All the while, photographer Gilbert Reyes was snapping images of the bridesmaids’ playful antics.
Around 1 p.m., a bus-size limo pulled up to the entrance of Smith Village ready to transport the bridal party to Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church, 9401 S. Oakley Ave.
Waiting patiently in the lobby and dressed in a brown suit and tie, the bride’s grandfather, Uddman, said of the couple: “I’m happy for them. They’ve been going together for a long time, and of course, I was wondering, ‘Well, when is this going to happen?’”
Uddman moved to Smith Village in June of 2014 from his Beverly home of 42 years.
“I’m happy the girls were able to get ready here,” he said. “Everyone here has been so nice.”
Smith Village officials were happy to accommodate.
“We’re thrilled when residents like Mr. Uddman truly realize Smith Village is their home,” said Vander Velde. “They can plan any kind of celebration or activity here they would have hosted in their home. And sometimes it’s even better. It’s easy to accommodate larger gatherings because we have so much room.”
Retired from a 44-year career with General Mills and 15 years with Central American Group, Uddman stood tall next to his granddaughter in the Smith Village lobby, where they posed for photos shortly before boarding the limo.
It was one of life’s fairy-tale moments.
About Smith Village
Smith Village is a continuing-care retirement community, located at 2320 W. 113th Place, that is sponsored by Smith Senior Living, a not-for-profit organization serving older adults since 1924. It provides spacious residences and engaging programs for independent living, as well as assisted living, memory support and skilled nursing care.
Smith Village also offers short-term rehabilitation services for residents and others requiring assistance after surgery or a medical incident.