Deborah Callandret, of Independence, expected to give birth to her daughter in about four weeks. But her unborn daughter had other plans.

Deborah’s water broke at 4 a.m. on March 28 – the same day she planned to get married to her fiancé, Shane Callandret, also of Independence.

The couple went to the Salem Health Family Birth Center, where doctors discovered that Deborah was not yet in labor.

Deborah shared with her nurse that today was supposed to be her wedding day. The nursing team told her it could still happen if she was interested, but in her hospital room instead.

More than a dozen hospital employees scrambled to get flowers and made decorations, while the hospital’s Nutrition Services department provided snacks and non-alcoholic drinks for the impromptu event.

Salem Health’s lead chaplain, Ken Morse, performed the wedding after the couple had their marriage license faxed to the hospital.

“I think it was absolutely amazing and a beautiful, wonderful thing that they did for my husband and me,” Deborah says.

“I thought it was really genuine of the nurses and the staff and it’s a beautiful thing,” Shane says.

Terri McCarrell, RN, assistant nurse manager with the Labor and Delivery Unit at the Salem Health Family Birth Center says, “It’s just a blessing to be able to care for families and to be able to make each part of their story happen. And I think it’s just special to be a part of that.”

Salem Health produced a video about the wedding. 

Salem Health — an OHSU Partner — offers exceptional care to people in and around Oregon’s mid-Willamette Valley. It is comprised of hospitals in Salem and Dallas, a medical group of primary and specialty care providers, plus other affiliated services. For the second consecutive year, the hospital in Salem received the prestigious 2016 Truven Health 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals — placing it among the nation’s highest performing hospitals. “Like” us on facebook.com/salemhealth; follow us on Twitter: @salemhealth; and view us at youtube.com/salemhealth.