A father carried the 'key' to his daughter’s 'heart' for 14 years — what he did with it at her wedding left guests in tears
'When Stephanie turned 16 years old, I gave her a heart-shaped pendant from Tiffany's...' he started
There’s a medley of aesthetic elements that show up in a wedding, from crystal tableware to floral arches, from fairy lanterns to multi-tiered cakes. Despite all the aesthetics, the most beautiful element in a wedding is perhaps the speech, especially the father-of-the-bride's speech. One bride, Stephanie, broke down into tears as her doting father recalled a special heart pendant he had gifted her on her 16th birthday. The beautiful moment was shared on the wedding photographer The Stauffers Co.'s (@thestauffers.co) Instagram page, and has received over 7 million views online.
A pendant fo her Sweet 16
With a glass of champagne in her hands, Stephanie, the bride in a white gown, seemed to be choking with emotion as her father delivered the wedding speech. "When Stephanie turned 16 years old, I gave her a heart-shaped pendant from Tiffany's," he said, "and with it came a key. I've worn that key around my neck, near my heart, for the last 14 years." The father confessed that he kept the key because he regarded himself as the "owner of her heart." He recalled how he promised Stephanie to always protect her and guide her through the passage of life. But as he prepared himself to trust Dom, his son-in-law, with his daughter's heart, the father announced, "Today, I give that key to you," and stepped forward to hand him the key.
A message for the groom
On February 17, the photographer posted “part 2” of the father’s speech as he spoke while addressing his daughter’s husband. “As every parent knows, raising a kid is a lot of work. When your daughter comes home asking for money for that special dress, jewelry, or outfit, Dom, that’s now your job,” he joked, sniffling all the while. “When she needs a ride or wants to stop at a store to grab something at the last minute, even though it’s way out of your way, Dom, that’s your job,” he said and continued to make Dom realize the responsibility and privilege he was 'owning' by marrying his daughter.
A Roman blessing
The first father-of-the-bride speech, according to Hockwold Hall, was first witnessed when a Roman senator spoke at his daughter's wedding. Something that started around 4,000 years ago has now turned into a heartfelt ritual. In fact, in most cases, a bride's father (or her parents) is the first one to give a speech at the wedding. "This is typically the way it was done because the parents of the bride would traditionally pay for the wedding, and having them kick off the toasts indicates to guests that they were the hosts," Bianca Hall and Erica Vanco, co-owners and lead planners of Estera Events, explained.
Meanwhile, Stephanie's father's speech made everyone emotional. For instance, @alexakonigs commented, "This man is a treasure! It was not common to show love in public when he grew up...I personally do not know even just one dad who talks to his kids like that. " @han_rod_ wrote, "I've never seen something like this! Why is the screen blurry all of a sudden? That’s one of the most sensitive and noble acts of love and kindness that a dad could ever do."
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