Family isn’t always the one you’re born into- sometimes family is the one you create. We were reminded of that late last year thanks to a heart-warming TikTok video, in which a father surprised his daughter’s stepfather by asking him to join him in walking her down the aisle on her wedding day.
A selfless act
In late 2021, Kelsey Griffith shared a beautiful video of her wedding day. In it, she and her father are walking down the aisle to “Here Comes the Bride.” However, instead of walking Kelsey straight up to her groom, he takes a detour and surprises her stepfather by asking him to join them.
The trio then walk with their arms linked to the altar, as the music switches from the traditional wedding song to Abba’s “Dancing Queen.”
Acknowledging blended families
So far the video has been seen more than five millions times. Griffith also shared the story on her Instagram page, revealing that everyone was surprised by the sweet move.
“Such a special moment from our wedding day,” she captioned the post. “My dad surprised my step dad by asking him to join us in our walk down the aisle. We had kept it a secret until the ceremony, so everyone was surprised when we included him,” she continued.
My stepdad, Andy, has helped raise me since I was nine years old, so he deserved a little moment of recognition on our wedding day. It was an incredibly sweet and humble gesture to include him and I’m beyond proud of my dad for doing so.
Kelsey Griffith
If the photos are any indication, the gesture meant a lot to Andy too. In one of Griffith’s photos he’s wiping away a tear from the corner of his eye.
@griffithk5 My dad surprised my step dad by including him in our walk down the aisle🤍 #theperfectday #fyp #wedding #dancingqueen
Inspiring others to spread the love
Many dads think about the day they may walk their daughter down the aisle, but how many of them picture a scenario where they’re doing so with another man, one who stepped in to help raise that little girl? Probably not many, but with so many blended families out there these days, it’s a story that hits home with a lot of people.
This is what happens when a parent loves his child with complete unselfishness.
Instagram comment
“If this doesn’t serve as a lesson to all divorced and or additional parents, I don’t know what does,” another person wrote. “Congrats to all of you. More parents could learn!”
The video inspired many others to share stories of how their blended families came together for important life moments as well. "When my daughter married, her stepdad had a picture of her late dad in his pocket and when they did the father/daughter dance he showed her he was with them all day,” shared one user.
“As a full-time stepmother, this makes me cry. I hope my little step girl chooses me too,” wrote another.
Finding your own family
Not everyone is lucky enough to have loving parents like these in their lives, but that doesn’t mean we’re alone. Sometimes your chosen family- siblings, cousins, really good friends- are the ones you lean on and choose to be there for instead. No matter who your family is, this story reminds us that it’s important to show the people in our lives how much we appreciate and love them, whether it’s through a grand gesture like this one, a small thing like a hug, or by simply telling them that you love them and appreciate that they’re in your life.
And, if you’re a parent of a child who was raised by stepparents, remember that at the end of the day they probably love that kid like you do. And doesn’t that make your kid the luckiest, to have so much love in his or her life? We think it does.
More uplifting news
- Dad Invites Stepdad To Walk Daughter Down The Aisle, Sends Powerful Message About Divorce
- Teenager Brings Stepdad To Tears With Surprise He Never Expected
- After 33 Years, Man Reunites With Long Lost Father Thanks To One Strange Facebook Message
- Man Stops His Car After Seeing Distressed Father’s Signals – His Intervention Saves a Life
