Saying Her Vows
Everyone was staring at Katie. She could feel their gazes fixed on her. Her carefully tailored wedding dress suddenly felt several sizes too small. Blood rushing to her, flushing her cheeks. She looked down at what she had written and took a deep breath.
Katie looked around until she saw the face she was looking for and fixed her gaze on the face. Thinking of what her fiance had admitted, she kept her gaze fixed on the face and began to read her own words.
Meet Jeremy
The day when Katie Hild met her now fiance Jeremy was a date that she would never forget. Her whole life changed on that fateful day. When Katie met Jeremy she immediately fell head over heels and the feeling was mutual. They simply clicked from the word go.
She could never have imagined what bombshell Jeremy would someday drop on her.
Head Over Heels
Their romance was a perfect example of a whirlwind romance. Jeremy appeared to be her Prince Charming. He seemed perfect and she was falling headlong into the fairytale life she always dreamed of. She felt her heart race with hope, excitement, and anticipation every time a message came through on her phone. Every message might be from him!
Jeremy was a catch. Katie knew this, but as it would turn out, she wasn't the only one who knew that.
Being Infatuated
Katie was practically obsessed with Jeremy. She wanted to know everything about him and she would spend every minute apart thinking of the time they spent together and thinking about the next time they would see each other. She thought about every detail about him from his expressions to the scents he wore. Finally, Jeremy propsed and everything was perfect.
Her world would soon fall apart, however, and she had no idea.
Crashing Down
Katie picked herself up. She replayed all the events that had led her to this point. She had gone from being on top of the world, to the lowest moment in her life. It had happened so fast.
She held the phone with the earth shattering message as she cried. Laying on the bed as she felt the weight of the crushing despair that had descended upon her.
Revelations
Katie had been writing her vows when a message from Jeremy arrived on her phone. She eagerly unlocked her phone and read the message. At first, she was confused about the message, and then she read it again. Her heart sank and then broke more than she could ever have believed possible before that moment.
Just a few hours before her wedding, Jeremy sent Katie a confession that shook her world. There was something he'd hidden from her for years and now, right before her big day, he decided to come clean.
Rock And A Hard Place
Katie didn't know what to think or what to do. How should she proceed? Should she go through with the wedding knowing what did? Should she call it off, knowing she'd lose the huge amount of money that had been put into the wedding so far. She couldn't decide what to do and once she finally did decide, it was too late.
She was meant to be walking down the aisle to start her "happily ever after" but instead, she was devasted and simply wanted to cry and give up. Could she really bring herself to go through with this?
Making Your Choices
All the wedding arrangements had been made and everything was set up. The guests were all there, the venue staff were bustling around, caterers were about to serve the food, and Katie was no closer to an answer for the dilemma she faced than she was when she received that fateful message. She had no idea what the right thing to do would be.
Then, like a bolt of lightning, inspiration struck. Immediately, she felt herself becoming the epitome of calm. She knew what to do.
Something Needed To Be Done
She knew that what had happened had been a long time ago, right at the start of their relationship. Even so, it nagged at her like a splinter in her brain, and she couldn't let it go.
There was only one thing she could do, and even though it was her wedding day, Katie knew she had to do it. She wass going ahead with the wedding, though she knew that it wouldn't be going quite as planned. She put on her dress, picked up her bouquet, and looked at herself in the mirror as she prepared to walk down that aisle.
The Big Moment
Everyone was seated. Katie looked around and saw the simling, happy faces of her friends and family. All of them eager to share in her happiness. Jeremy's mother and father were also beaming with pride as the looked at the couple standing at the altar.
Beneath her veil, no one could see her tear-streaked cheeks and the cold look of determination in her eyes as she steeled herself, preparing for what she was about to do. No one there could understand what was happening at first.
Changing The Script
Jeremy was just as confused as the rest of the people at first. Then, as he looked at her face and expression, his heart plummeted as he realized that something was about to happen. He could see that she wasn't happy, but he was about to find out exactly what was going on.
The ceremony continued and Jeremy read his vows. However, when it came to Katie's vows, she did not follow the usual script. Instead, she looked around the room until she saw Jeremy's ex. She looked at the confused woman as she asked her to stand. What could Jeremy possibly have said to make all of this happen?
The Confession
Jeremy's earth shattering revelation had been the fact that he had a child. When asked how old the child was, he told her the date, April 28th, of that same year!
It felt as if someone had punched her in the gut and she couldn't breathe as she tried to understand what he was telling her. Could it have been a mistake?
The Ex
Katie could not believe that Jeremy would have lied to her about something so important. She asked who the mother was and as soon as he told her she recognised the name. She had put it on the guest list for her wedding!
As Katie stood there at the altar, she knew she couldn't change course now, she had comitted to her plan. She fought back tears and did what she knew she had to do.
Secrets Exposed
Jeremy's son was born a mere 11 days after Katie had met him. Jeremy had been deceiving her through their whole relationship and it made Katie furious! She was not only angry but she was also disappointed.
Katie didn't know what she could believe anymore. If he had kept something so huge from her, what else might he be lying about? Could she ever trust him again?
The Unusual Ceremony
Jeremy assumed that his confession had cleared the air between them and everything would be ok. However, as he saw Katie preparing to read her vows, he realized something was wrong. Katie had planned this moment, down to the last detail.
Her moment had arrived, and she knew she had to go through with it. She asked Jeremy's ex to stand up and took a deep breath as she tried to stop herself from shaking.
Silence
Katie started to recite her vows, and the onlookers were mesmerized by her words. She looked pointedly at Jeremy’s ex, Casey, and began to speak. Then, she addressed Landon. But her speech wasn’t anything like anybody had expected.
After a moment of uncertainty, another wave of surprise went through the crowd as everyone fell silent.
A Surprising Speech
“First, I want to thank you for accepting me as your friend and allowing me to be a part of Landon’s life…” Katie read, her voice breaking.
Casey was so moved by Katie’s heartfelt words that her eyes started to fill. Then Katie kneeled in front of Landon and continued her speech.
A Blossoming Friendship
When Katie had heard about Casey she had been filled with resentment. But, as time went on, she softened.
In a gesture of maturity and compassion, she decided to include the two in her vows. She started to reach out to Casey, and the two formed an unusual bond. She even grew to love Landon as if he were her own.
Everyone Is Awed
Katie had decided to write a special piece in her vows to include Casey and Landon in her wedding ceremony. “I promise to be an amazing mother to your son…” she said. “I will guide, teach and love him every single day.”
“I promise to respect, work, listen and communicate together as co-parents,” she continued. “I will love you guys no matter what comes our way. We are one family, always…” The guests were in complete awe.
“Bonus Mommy”
Katie then turned to her stepson: “Landon, I love you more than you will ever know,” Katie paused and wiped a tear away.
“I’m so happy that I now officially get to be your bonus mommy.”
Perfect Vows
Katie had written and rewritten her vows until they were perfect. “I knew I was missing something,” Katie told Global News. “I was missing what made mine and [my husband’s] relationship work.”
Speaking of her husband’s ex and child, “I wanted to include them but I never knew how,” she explained. “I wanted people to see how important they were to me.”
A Powerful Message
There wasn’t a dry eye at the ceremony, and Katie’s amazing message about co-parenting quickly went viral. The video of her heartfelt vows has since garnered over 2000,000 views — and strikes a chord with many.
“This was absolutely beautiful,” one woman wrote on Facebook, “Kudos to this wonderful and special family and as for the bride, she’s one of a kind!”
An Inspiration
“It felt like nobody was in the room,” Katie says. “I practiced so much so I wouldn’t cry … I didn’t even hear anyone cry, it was just a bittersweet moment.”
“All four of you are so amazing. This is absolutely inspiring and I wish everyone involved in co-parenting situations matures enough to follow your example,” another Facebook user wrote.
Embracing Co-Parenting
“I wasn’t just going into a marriage with Jeremy and needed his trust and respect, but I needed Casey’s and Tyler’s, too. One thing I promised, was to be ONE family, always. I know without hesitation, we will never break that promise.”
But things didn’t always go so smoothly between the two women: “The one thing we had in common though was Landon. Landon was and is the beat to our heart. The little guy who not only changed our routines and norms, but he changed us,” Katie explained.
One Big Family
“So many stories, rumors, and judgment, but what would you expect? That’s all we ever saw. That’s the norm. You don’t like the ‘other person,’” she said. Katie has shown that she has come a long way in four years, and was able to embrace her stepson, and more surprisingly, her husband’s ex as an important part of her family.
What could be the worst thing that could happen on your wedding day? Is it an unruly guest, or the possibility that the band might not show up? Nicole was familiar with all of the things that could go wrong on her wedding day. But she never expected her own wedding to take a strange turn when her dad decided to speak…
Imperfect Wedding
Weddings are a special time. Nicole had spent months looking forward to having her family and friends get together to celebrate. Everyone had been supportive, yet her dad seemed like a different person throughout the engagement.
When they saw each other, it was just the two of them, with her fiancé notably absent. It wouldn’t be until the wedding that he revealed the reasons behind his actions.
Happy Relationship
The bride to be, Nicole, was living in California and teaching in elementary schools. Her fiancé, James, worked as an air conditioning engineer. Together, they shared a love of motorbikes, sports, and films.
It seemed like the perfect relationship, supported by both their families. Little did they know, Nicole’s father had been plotting his move for a whole year.
Unsettled
There were nights when Nicole’s dad would announce himself uninvited. “We saw each other yesterday”, Nicole would say.
Her patience was thin, worn down by the weight of work and wedding planning, but she had to tolerate her father’s uncharacteristic attitude – he was family, after all. So why did she find his behavior so off?
Emotions Rising
Everyone was excited for the wedding. Kids from Nicole’s school were getting involved: “Are you married?”, asked one, “I will be next week!” she replied. Others gifted her pictures of her and her fiancé.
These little gestures kept her emotions rising. She had no idea just how emotional her day would be.
No Secrets
Coming from a close-knit family, Nicole would spend time knitting with her mother or chatting with her father in the evenings. There seemed to be no secrets between them.
When they heard she was to get married, they were there to help. With so much time spent together, her dad’s hidden agenda became all the more unbelievable.
Counting Down
As with every bride, Nicole had been counting down the days for months. Excitement grew with every passing day, and she subscribed to online wedding planners to make sure she had covered all the bases.
By the time the day came, she was calm but full of butterflies. She didn’t expect to be crying that night.
No Time
Working demanding jobs, the financial stress of a wedding had been taking its toll. Nicole also interpreted sign language, while James was out fixing vents in 100-degree weather. There was little time to relax and the countdown was dragging.
It had been a year of constant expense and late nights. How would it all unfold when the day finally arrived?
The Happy Occasion
Nicole’s big day came. The weather was perfect, there were no unexpected delays and everything had been arranged as she wanted it. As she walked up the aisle, she dreaded tripping on her dress but remained calm.
After a short, emotional ceremony, the couple walked proudly out as husband and wife. They left for the reception, still smiling, for now.
An Odd Approach
Sitting down for speeches, the atmosphere was merry. The couple sat together, facing where the speakers would be. When Nicole’s dad got up, he mouthed some words at her. The crowd expected a heartfelt speech but the music started playing – it was her favorite song.
There was something off about what he was doing.
All The Signs
As he began making gestures along with the lyrics, it took some time for her to realize what was going on. Nicole’s father had learned sign language to show how much he appreciated her. While she was not deaf, she worked as an interpreter.
Her dad had been practicing for a year, since he heard his daughter was to marry, catching her completely off-guard.
A Touching Moment
Both Nicole and James reacted in shock, completely overwhelmed with emotion. With her hands to her face, she cried uncontrollably, incredibly touched by her dad’s gift. Choosing the song “I Loved Her First”, his message reached both of them, leaving them in tears.
The room was hooked on this father pledging his support for the couple.
All Kinds Of Surprises
Anyone who has been to a wedding will know that it rarely goes to plan. Dozens of films have drawn from the fact that surprises should be expected, both welcome and not.
For Nicole and her groom, however, there was nothing to indicate the amazing display of love which would be awaiting them at the reception.
Memorable Farewell
Immediately after the wedding, the couple left for a honeymoon in Cancun. Reliving the moments of her father’s performance, she reflected on it with adoration for her father.
She posted the video online, attracting thousands of comments from viewers about how touched they were. Their relationship was off to a great start.
Looking Back
Nicole and James continue to look back fondly on their wedding day. Taking trips across the world, from cruises in the Bahamas to journeys across Europe, the moment Nicole’s dad stood up to sign a song for her is still one of their most memorable.
It showed her how much he was willing to work to make her day even more special.
Perfect Memories
Many people will spend years planning their perfect wedding, trying to craft a memorable experience they can look back on for years to come. Some weddings are made memorable for other reasons – while everyone faces problems along the way, it is important to not let the pressure take away from enjoying the event.
Nicole’s father gave her a more touching moment than she could ever have expected, and the memory will stay with them forever.