It's been one year since Kelly Cousino's brother and sister-in-law got married, but June 5 wasn't supposed to be their original wedding date. The Michigan couple had previously planned on exchanging vows in November, but after Kelly's dad's cancer returned [1], Tommy and Heather decided to postpone their nuptials until he was well enough to attend [2].

They made new arrangements for a Summer wedding, but right before Memorial Day, doctors sat the family down for "the hospice" talk. "Dad, always being the guy who thinks about others first, asked the doctor [3] if he thought he would make it to July," Kelly shared on the Love What Matters Facebook page. "The doctor said that an earlier wedding would be best, and if he could make it to the July ceremony, that would be a bonus."

So in the midst of planning their late-Summer nuptials, they decided to get married earlier in Kelly's parents' backyard. "Dad didn't like the idea at first. He asked if they would really legally be married, or if it was just an act," Kelly wrote. "We assured him that it was the real deal and that he would be watching his son get married . . . vows, cake, priest, and all. When he heard that, he gave us the go ahead."

He was sent home from the hospital in hospice care in June and the family quickly arranged the meaningful celebration. "He somehow mustered up enough energy and strength to walk down the kitchen steps and make it outside," she wrote. "My brother and his fiancée said their vows underneath a decorated arch, with dad's garden as their backdrop . . . . We were able to pull together the most beautiful wedding I have ever seen."

After the newlyweds exchanged vows, Kelly's parents decided to also renew their vows after 35 years of marriage. "My mom asked my dad and his initial response was that he wasn't sure because he didn't know if he would be strong enough to do it," Kelly told POPSUGAR. "For us, it was such an amazing thing to witness on so many different levels. Heather loved my brother and really cared about the rest of us enough to switch her wedding date without hesitation."

After the incredibly meaningful double ceremony, Kelly's dad asked to be wheeled out into the yard so that he could look at his garden. "I'll never forget the look on his face and in his eyes; the look of taking inventory, of reflection, and of love," she wrote. "That was the last time my dad was outside."

Five days later, Kelly's dad passed away, and she will forever be grateful to Tommy and Heather for giving her family those priceless memories. "Happy anniversary to my brother and sister in law — two people who loved not only each other, but also loved my dad and the rest of our family so much that they were willing to change their date multiple times, and ultimately settle for a simple backyard wedding," she wrote. "The acts of love that we were able to share that day helped us survive the next week and will give us something to be thankful [for] year after year during this difficult time."