Dominique Elissa weds at hospital so her sick mum can share her special day

Australian model Dominique Elissa has married her partner Tom Bull three weeks after her engagement at Prince of Wales Private Hospital.

Elissa explained she made the decision to exchange vows there after being told her mother Odile Faludi wouldn’t be able to leave the hospital.

In an Instagram post, the 29-year-old said they had planned to say I do within a fortnight from the proposal. But a day out, plans changed.

READ MORE: Pregnant TV star seeks shelter as cyclone hits

“We planned to get married in less than two weeks with a venue in mind, however, the day before we were told we couldn’t leave the hospital with mum’s condition,” she told her followers.

“Mum’s spirit inspires me everyday and it felt so right to be there altogether.”

Elissa explained it was her mum’s dream to walk her down the aisle.

READ MORE: Prince’s shattering message reveals youngest son’s death

“We did everything to make it happen, even if it meant getting married at the hospital,” she shared of the precious moment.

“Mum always said the biggest decision you’ll ever make is who you spend the rest of your life with, and that always stuck with me.

The model described it as “the most emotional 48 hours of my life”. 

“I’m in awe of this incredible woman.

“It’s International Woman’s Day as well, and she will forever be my greatest teacher and inspiration.”

In the video Elissa is seen walking into her mother’s hospital room dressed in her wedding gown where they embraced before making their way outdoors on the hospital grounds for the nuptials.

WATCH: Australian wedding costs skyrocket

She said the choice to wed at the hospital was “the best decision we have ever made”.

”Yesterday was truly the happiest day of my life, I married the love of my life @tombull in front of just family,” she wrote.

“I have never been more sure about something in my life, and I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to call you my husband,” she added in tribute to her partner.

Elissa and Bull were engaged on February 15, with the groom proposing using a ring more than 100 years old that once belonged to the bride’s great grandmother.

“My mum gave it to him when he asked for my parent’s blessing,” the model explained.

“A family heirloom that I feel so grateful to have for the rest of my life.”

Faludi was diagnosed with Stage III Rectal Cancer in 2021 – a diagnosis that took some time.

For a daily dose of 9honey, subscribe to our newsletter here.

Inside the most expensive celebrity weddings of all time

She was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer which usually presents on the outside layers of the skin. This cancer occurs in fewer than six people out of every 100,000 people each year.

Fauldi told 9honey in 2022 the tumour had originally been missed.

“I had that MRI in April 2021 and even if the tumour was two centimetres, we should have been able to see it. I had three oncologists confirm that the tumour would have been there for certain as I was feeling the extreme pain at that time,” she explained.

Initially treatment was successful, however the cancer later returned.

”I can spend all my time being angry and ringing doctors and telling them they got it wrong or I can just focus on getting better,” she said at the time.

“At the moment anger isn’t going to serve me. You have to let go of whatever it is that is holding you back, anger, bitterness, frustration, because it’s not going to get me out of this shit. I have to focus on getting better.”

She has the unwavering support of her loving husband of 35 years Peter, 64, and children Richard and Dominique.

FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.