Once you’ve been to enough weddings, it becomes clear that the kind of atmosphere it’s going to have will depend a lot on how the couple is feeling about it.
I’ve been to fun-filled events where we were asked to wear Halloween costumes, weddings that were multi-stage spectacles in accordance with cultural traditions, and solemn yet intimate celebrations of love.
But sometimes, a wedding isn’t just about the couple, but also about the way that a family has supported each other through hardships that many of us struggle to imagine.
And as we can see from one bride’s powerful TikTok, those moments of bittersweet celebration can resonate with far more people than just the wedding’s guests.
When Nicole Kopsidas was two years old, her father was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
And as she told Insider, the disease has since progressed within his body to the point that he has spent the last seven years living as a quadriplegic.
He is now under the care of her grandparents, but he also receives regular support from the rest of his family.
In Kopsidas’ words, “My parents divorced before my dad got sick, but my mom, siblings, and I help out weekly to make sure he is well taken care of.”
And by the time Kopsidas was planning her wedding, she took the same consideration into finding ways for him to accompany her down the aisle.
However, she learned that he much preferred to see her as she approached the altar, so she asked her brother to escort her instead.
As she said, “He was honored and excited, but probably a little bit sad because my dad couldn’t walk me down. I feel like he knew I was going to ask him, so he was happy to be able to do it for our family.”
And in a powerful TikTok that has since amassed over 10 million views, Kopsidas revealed that her father watched her take this walk from the altar.
And she said that both he and her mother — who was the one filming — were in tears by the time she embraced him.
As Kopsidas put it, “There wasn’t a dry eye in the house. It was really special, and my dad was really happy that we did it that way because he got to see everyone in the room.”
And life seems to be moving fast for her since that special day, as she and her new husband have already bought a house and she’s getting ready to welcome a baby into their family.
And while she expected her family and friends to appreciate this emotional moment, she never pictured that it would resonate with millions of others as well.
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In her words, “I knew it was going to be emotional and so special. I’m his oldest, and we didn’t know whether he was going to be able to make it to my wedding day, so we both cried a lot.”
h/t: Insider