Vintage wedding video shows bride quoting James Van Der Beek's iconic 'Dawson’s Creek' line in her wedding vows

For many who grew up in the late 1990s and early 2000s, James Van Der Beek was more than just a television star. Through his role as Dawson Leery on "Dawson's Creek," he became part of deeply personal moments in the lives of teenagers who were trying to understand love, friendship, and identity. Decades later, that influence resurfaced in an unexpected place — a wedding ceremony shared on Instagram by Sarah Maree (@sarahmareelife), who quoted a line from "Dawson's Creek" originally delivered by Van Der Beek that she says stayed with her since high school.

Standing at the altar, Sarah began, "To quote Dawson from Dawson’s Creek," recalling an episode in which he was asked, "What’s a soulmate?" She then shared the answer, describing a soulmate as "like a best friend, but more." "It’s like a best friend, but more. It’s the one person in the world that knows you better than anyone else," she said. As she moved through the quote, she repeated one of the most remembered lines from the series.

As guests listen, she moves through the full quote, explaining, "It’s someone who makes you a better person. Actually, they don’t make you a better person. You do that because they inspire you.” She describes a soulmate as “someone who you carry with you forever," adding, "It’s the one person who knew you and accepted you and believed in you before anyone else did. Or when no one else would." She ends the excerpt with the line, “And no matter what happens, you’ll always love them. Nothing can ever change that."

In the caption, Sarah acknowledged that it might seem unusual to quote a fictional character on a wedding day. "Yes, I quoted Dawson on my wedding day. Dawson’s Creek was compulsory viewing in high school," she wrote. She added that Van Der Beek "was part of some truly pivotal television moments during my adolescence, including the scene I quoted during my vows." "It’s strange how someone you’ve never met can shape your teenage years, but he did," she continued, before closing with, "Thank you for the words and the memories."

Fictional love stories often leave that kind of imprint on a person's life. Many researchers have actually studied how the media we watch influences what we expect from love and relationships. For example, a 2013 paper conducted two studies published in Communication Monographs. The first one analyzed the romantic ideals from the top 52 highest grossing romantic comedies from the last 10 years and the second analyzed responses from 335 undergraduate students and found that those who reported watching romantic films to learn about relationships also showed stronger endorsement of idealized beliefs about romance, including the idea of a "soul mate" or "one and only person," compared with viewers who didn’t watch for that purpose. For many viewers, Dawson’s words about soulmates were the language they carried into adulthood.

Her post struck a chord with viewers who grew up watching the series. The show aired from 1998 to 2003 and became a defining part of youth culture in multiple countries, particularly for audiences navigating first loves and formative friendships. "Omg this is the best clip of you being you! A true legacy. And agree, did we even have a youth without Dawson's Creek?" @traveltalesblog wrote. @sakdiyah.maruf said, "This is so beautiful, thank you for sharing such a tender moment with us. Dawson's Creek was deeply impactful indeed."

You can follow Sarah Maree (@sarahmareelife) on Instagram for more lifestyle content.

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