Woodland Place residents are used to seeing Vickie Emahizer wearing white in the hallways of the Coolspring Township nursing home.

After all, she is a licensed practical nurse there.

But when she wore bridal white Tuesday evening, some 50 residents reached for their hankies.

Vickie and Allan Basile exchanged vows in the nursing home auditorium/chapel before the Rev. Todd Custer, pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Ellwood City. Basile, 37, is a guard at Mercer County Jail.

Prior to the ceremony, the 39-year-old bride wiped away her own tears as residents handed her wedding gifts -- one wrapped in rose red and white paper and the other in a brown paper bag.

"You’ve got to love them. They’re like my extended family," the bride said. "They all have a place in my heart. I love them all," said the new Mrs. Basile, who has worked at Woodland Place only two months.

While on the job, the bride said, she often talked with residents about her upcoming nuptials, which were planned for the Ellwood City church.

"They told me they wished they could see me get married. I couldn’t take 40-plus people on a bus to Ellwood City, so we brought the wedding to them," the new Mrs. Basile said.

So by wheelchairs and walkers, residents made their way to the auditorium for the wedding and to the dining area for a reception.

Prior to the wedding, an assistant activities director passed out tissues, just in case the residents tend to cry at weddings.

Mrs. Basile was not the only Woodland Place employee in the wedding party. Her son, Joshua Felix, a nurse aide, was an usher.

The groom’s parents, Allan and Linda Basile, were honored as best man and matron of honor.

The wedding was in memory of the new Mrs. Basile’s mother, whose birthday would have been Tuesday.

"It’s a great activity for them (the residents.) We don’t know how long it’s been since any of them were at a wedding," said Sandy Hill, Woodland Place activities director.

The new Mrs. Basile recalled the words of one resident. "She told me not to get old. When you get old, they forget about you," she said.

The newlyweds live in Emlenton.