With just months to live, Leslie Rivera had only one dream, to marry her high-school sweetheart, Daniel.
And, last week, the terminally ill Californian teen did just that.
The eighteen-year-old married her boyfriend, Daniel Mendez in a dream wedding, organised by the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Shortly before graduating from high school in April, Leslie was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia.
She was told her time was short but, by her side at all times was fellow student Daniel, whom she met the previous October at an anti-racism group meeting.
They were inseparable after their first meeting and, during her time in hospital, they would pass their time watching Unveiled and My Fair Wedding, which star celebrity wedding planner David Tutera.
So, when the Make-A-Wish Foundation heard Leslie’s story, they reached out to Tutera and, together, they created Leslie’s dream wedding.
“Within days, David was on board… and his team jumped into action to plan every single detail of her day,” Sarah Pizzaruso, from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, told The Daily Mail.
Tutera, pictured above, even surprised the bride-to-be at her first dress fitting.
‘Vendors jumped at the chance to be involved in this incredible day, and David’s website had hundreds of people reaching out to help.’
Tutera told the Daily Mail, “The best part of this day is seeing that she’s a normal bride.”
He organised the perfect wedding, which was styled in the theme of one of the bride’s favourite films, Twilight.
