I need to borrow an Auntie.

Could I borrow an auntie for the most important day of my life?

This is probably one of the most unusual requests you'll come across on Gransnet. And to be honest, I feel quite nervous even writing it.

I'm a 44-year-old man and I'm entering a civil partnership with my lovely partner this November, in Leicestershire.

It should be one of the happiest days of my life. And it will be. But there's something that's been weighing very heavily on me.

I lost my mam suddenly in 2022, and my dad last year after a battle with cancer. My mam was the heart of our family. The person who brought everyone together, made everyone feel loved and made every occasion special. When she died, it felt like our family fell apart. Losing Dad has only made that emptiness greater.

We're having a tiny ceremony, with just two guests, both from my partner's side.

And the truth is, I'm absolutely dreading the thought of standing there with nobody from my own family.

Not because my partner isn't enough. He means the world to me. But because I'll be reminded, on one of the most important days of my life, of just how much I've lost.

There's another reason, too. One that's perhaps even harder to explain.

I want my partner to feel that he's marrying into a family. That there's someone from my side who loves me, is proud of us and is delighted to welcome him. Someone who gives us their blessing.

My mam would have absolutely adored him. I can picture her fussing over us, making him feel special and telling him how happy she was for us. It breaks my heart that he'll never experience that.

And I suppose, if I'm really truthful, I don't want my partner or his family to see me as someone who has nobody. I don't want sympathy or pity on our special day. I just want, for a little while, to feel like I still belong to a family.

So here's my rather unconventional request.

I'm looking for a warm, kind-hearted older lady who might be willing to be my auntie for our ceremony.

Not just somebody to fill a seat. Someone who understands why it matters. Someone who could share a few affectionate words, welcome my partner into the family, give us a hug and genuinely make us feel that we have her blessing.

My hope is that she could be introduced as my auntie, rather than as someone I've arranged to attend. I appreciate that involves pretending to be a relative, and I completely understand that not everyone would feel comfortable with it.

I would happily pay for her time and travel, and we'd have a proper conversation beforehand to make sure everyone involved felt comfortable.

I know this won't bring my parents back. And I know it might seem a strange thing to ask.

But I so desperately want to look back on our day with happiness rather than remembering the overwhelming absence of the two people who should have been there.

If you're a kind lady who thinks she might understand, I'd be incredibly grateful to hear from you.

Thank you for reading. ❤️