Cinderella Wedding

Camille’s wish began as a story she worked on this past spring with her homeschool teacher. Each week, she detailed her vision of the Cinderella wedding in a digital book, using alternative communication tools. Her story became a stunning reality when her fairy godmother and two fairy godfathers decided to grant her wish for a real-life fairy tale wedding.

This magical event took place November 13, 2011 at The Montage in Beverly Hills. The hotel generously hosted the wedding and reception, creating an atmosphere fit for a princess. Cinderella’s wedding party included princesses and their respective princes, cast by Camille.

Wonderful souls offered their creativity and services for floral design, music, photography and invitations. The winner of the Food Network’s ‘Last Cake Standing’ created a Princess wedding cake which served a dual purpose, as the event also celebrated Camille's eighth birthday.

This celebration was a realization of so many seemingly unattainable dreams. In 2011, Camille spent her birthday in the hospital after recurrent admissions. Camille’s team of physicians conveyed that they had done everything possible for her, and emphasized that we must face the reality that her body was failing. Palliative care measures were the primary goal, particularly in light of her unyielding pain. After more than two months in the hospital, we brought her home for what we believed were her last days.

Remarkably, Camille became stronger and more stable and she began to focus on her dreams for the future. She was particularly struck by the story-lines of princesses who overcome remarkable challenges through their strength of character, resilience, faith in the goodness of others and a firm hope that dreams can come true. The wedding planning process was transformational for Camille – strengthening her sense of joy, purpose and motivation.

See footage of the wedding on the UCLA Comfort Care Video here

See news footage of the wedding on Fox, KTLA, & NBC here

To see more pictures from the Cinderella Wedding, click here.