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We typically like to keep things easy and breezy on our blog, but there ARE somber realities in the wedding world that we believe should be acknowledged in hopes of shedding some light and helping brides and grooms deal with tragedy.
Believe it or not, there are cases where a bride has bigger problems than not fitting into her wedding gown. We spoke with a bride to be the other day about her personal wedding story. My heart was deeply saddened by her situation, but quickly enlightened by the way she was able to adjust to such tragic news. Her father was very sick, and given the gift of time by his doctors. Now, I say “the gift” of time, because I would like to think it was more of a blessing to know that he would not be able to attend his daughter’s wedding and getting the opportunity to do something about it.
Knowing that their time left with him was short gave the family the opportunity to take early action and include him in the most precious activity of his baby’s wedding day, the father-daughter dance. Is it not every father’s dream to walk his daughter down the aisle and then accompany her to the dance floor for that tender moment?
So, rather than avoid the fact that he would not physically be at the wedding, the bride and her family came to a resolution on how they can make both the bride’s and her father’s dreams come true. They decided to have their father-daughter dance long before the wedding, but in a way that they would still be able to share the tender moment with their closest friends and family.
The bride got her dress on early, as the family helped her father wiggle into his suit. They created a dance floor surrounded by white drapery, and adorned the floor with tea lights that lit the way as her father worked up his strength to rise to his feet. With his family's help, he made his way over to meet his baby girl on their dance floor that was covered with flower petals scattered beneath their feet. They arranged for their professional videographer to gather the footage of them dancing to Luther Vandross’s “Dance With My Father Again”. Tears ran down both their cheeks as her father whispered “this is the greatest gift a daughter can give - I’ll love you always baby” As she replied “No papa, thank you for your strength and love to give me one last dance”.
Her father passed just a few days later, but the memory of him and the irreplaceable moment shared between he and his daughter would be cherished for life. On the actual day of the wedding, when the time arrived for the father-daughter dance, the bride spoke about her father and the last bit of vigor he displayed, determined to share this mutual gift with her. She then played the video for everyone on a projector screen. Needless to say, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.