An Iowa couple celebrated their wedding day in Des Moines amidst beautiful weather and a very unique family heirloom—a lemonade stand. The stand, which held special meaning to the bride and her siblings, was lovingly crafted by their grandparents, Nancy and Joe Wills, in 2010. Despite being in their 70s, the Wills have always held a deep affection for their grandchildren, who spent countless hours at their Des Moines residence during their younger years.
When the bride, Lilli Prins, heard her mother mention the possibility of using the lemonade stand at her wedding, she instantly fell in love with the idea. Consequently, the stand was repurposed to serve refreshing beverages exclusively for the children in attendance.
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Lilli shared, “My dad and brothers were kind enough to transport and set up the lemonade stand a couple of days before the wedding. We stored it in the basement and rolled it out on the wedding day.”
On June 2, the day of the wedding, as Lilli’s grandparents arrived at the venue and laid eyes on the familiar lemonade stand, they were overwhelmed with emotion. Lilli remembers her grandfather bending over, sobbing and her grandmother in tears, as all three reflected on the beauty of family, love, and cherished memories from the past.
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Weeks after the wedding, Lilli received a touching text message from her grandfather. It read, “When we first saw you in the distance and then saw the lemonade stand, our hearts were overwhelmed, and we knew right then and there why we made it. Your wedding day was a beautiful day, Lilli, and we love you with our whole heart.”
Expressing her gratitude, Lilli shared, “I’m truly fortunate to still have my grandparents around. It’s rare nowadays for people to have the privilege of their grandparents’ presence and involvement in their lives. That moment with them on my wedding day will forever be a treasured memory.”
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Aside from the emotional encounter with her grandparents, Lilli describes the rest of the day as equally extraordinary. As she walked down the aisle, the clouds parted, and the sun shone brightly during the ceremony, accompanied by the song “You Are My Sunshine.” This heartfelt moment resonated deeply with Lilli, who is affectionately referred to as a “ray of sunshine” by her husband and parents.
The newlyweds now reside in Des Moines, not far from Lilli’s childhood home in Urbandale. Lilli works as an event coordinator, while her husband is an entrepreneur.
The thoughtful grandparents gifted lemonade stands to all four of their grandchildren, including Lilli and her siblings: Sophie, Sam, and Charlie.
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When asked about her grandpa’s motivation in creating the special lemonade stand, Lilli shared a recently received message from him:
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Over time, the Smith children used the stand to sell various items, including brooches and rings, in addition to lemonade. Lilli fondly recalls thinking, “No other kid in the neighborhood has a lemonade stand this cool.”
As a strong advocate for traditional family values, Lilli believes it is vital to honor and cherish loved ones like her grandparents. She stated, “My grandparents have poured so much love and wisdom into our lives. We have countless cherished memories with them.”
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Undoubtedly, the creative grandparents have played a significant role not only in Lilli’s wedding but also in her engagement. She excitedly shared, “I actually got engaged in a treehouse that my grandpa built and that my grandma helped design and decorate.”
Currently, the lemonade stand remains at Lilli’s parents’ home, but she firmly believes it will soon be used again for creating joyous childhood memories. She eagerly states, “Ever since we used it for the wedding, I can’t wait to have kids someday, so that they too can experience the same fun childhood memories that I did.”
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