Woman who grew up without a dad makes unusual request of father-in-law on her wedding day

It is not unknown that traditional wedding rites were rooted in patriarchy. Even the ritual of the father giving away the bride was bound to be transactional rather than emotional, deriving its roots from fathers having to carry minor brides to the altar. But, in today’s world, the meaning has evolved, and the tradition is considered very important by the brides as a reflection of their journey as father and daughter. Keeping its value in mind, Kyanie Rocap asked her father-in-law to walk her down the aisle in a now-viral Instagram post, where she goes by @kyanierocap.

Rocap, 32, who grew up without his father, described the experience as the loneliest journey she has ever had to go through. It became tougher when her boyfriend, Bionelky, proposed to her in April 2024, as now she has no one to walk her down the aisle on her D-Day. Rocap said, “As I plan my wedding, that absence stirs up a lot of emotions. Not having my father by my side for such a meaningful moment has been harder than I imagined.” 

She met Bionelky’s family many years ago, and since then, her now fiancé’s father, Secundino Moronta, has been a steady presence in her life. “A man who never had to fill any role but chose to anyway. He stepped in with love, patience, and open arms. He treats me like his own, feeds me, listens to me, prays for me, and guides me like only a father can. I’ve never felt judged, dismissed, or unseen. Only loved, supported, and safe,” explained Rocap in the caption of the video.

In her declaration of respect and love towards Moronta, in the video, she asked him to walk her down the aisle on the wedding day. Rocap wrote a letter and made his father-in-law read it. Upon reading it through, his voice trembled, and he hugged her while saying 'yes.' The wedding is scheduled for 2026. “It would be the greatest honor to have him walk me down the aisle and share my first dance. In a moment that could’ve felt painfully incomplete, he’s made it whole. I love you, Papi. Con todo mi corazón,” shared Rocap.

She runs a candle business and is a successful entrepreneur from New York. She met Bionlky 7 years ago and has been very vocal about her relationship on social media. Having a father figure on her wedding day was important to her; little did she know, asking his father-in-law to perform the giving away ritual would turn into a relationship that lasted her whole life. This idea of giving away the bride started in the 16th century when the English church intervened in the ceremonies to regulate the informal weddings that were taking place before that.

Earlier, fathers didn't even need to be present at the wedding. According to The Times, any of the bride’s uncles or even her brothers would do the tradition. Even the royal family has a history of neglecting this tradition. In 1858, Queen Victoria was walked down the aisle by her uncle at her wedding, which took place after her father died, and she walked two of her daughters down the aisle after their father died, as confirmed by George Monger, author of the book Marriage Customs of the World.

The tradition is still despised, as even Meghan Markle avoided walking with her father on her wedding day with Prince Harry in May 2018. The contentious roots of the tradition are still beloved by the population because of the change brought about by American movies. So much so that it allegedly inspired a Swedish royal wedding in 2010, where the Crown Princess walked down the aisle with her father, the King, emphasizing their relationship, thus marking the universal change of the idea behind following this tradition.

 People all over the internet showed their love. "I’m crying, god bless you guys," shared @ashbeauts. "Sobbing because I can genuinely feel the true love from the other side of the screen," said @ohheylinda_."All the girls that didn’t have their dad... this is so beautiful... God bless your family," wrote@julz_b33 while @marta.kiki.matt.martinez remarked, "I’m crying, how beautiful is this prima?"

You can follow Kyanie Rocap on Instagram at @kyanierocap for more updates on her candle-making business and life.