Bride read letters to groom’s family — but it was the one meant for his late dad that opened the floodgates

A bride found a way to include every member of her groom’s family on their wedding day, even the ones who couldn’t be there. In a video shared on May 23 by a wedding videographer, Mason Panos, who goes by @pano_vision on Instagram, she presented handwritten letters to each of her husband’s relatives, but saved one final note for someone they’d both never met. The video has since garnered over 3.8 million views with over 344,000 likes and 1300 comments. She had written a letter addressed to his late father, Trevor. When the groom heard her read it aloud, he broke down in tears.

The video opens with her voice trembling slightly as she begins, "Hey Trevor. You and I never got the chance to meet unfortunately, but I've been told by a very trusted source that we would’ve gotten along pretty well. Today is a big day. Today, I have become the luckiest girl in the world to marry your son." The letter continued with warmth and humor as she imagined what his father might have asked, "What the heck are you thinking?" and why she loved his son so much.

She said, "It's one of my favorite questions to answer," adding, "Your son is kind. He's loving. He's patient. And he's extremely handsome. He's protective. He's loyal. He's honest. And he's the funniest guy I know. But he's weird — what I like to call funny weird." She described how he made her laugh harder than she ever thought possible, how he cared deeply for his family, and how his presence lit up every room. "He has this energy, this magnetism about him. You can't help but smile and feel uplifted when you're around him. He's changed my life in so many ways, and I wish I could put into words how much I adore him," she said.

The groom wept quietly as she spoke, surrounded by friends and family, trying hard to stay composed. She closed with one final promise, "Your son is going to be the best dad, hands down. From the moment I started falling for him, I knew he'd blow that role out of the water." Panos explained in the caption that this "has to be one of the most special moments I’ve been able to capture. What a gesture and so well written!" Gestures like these are not only emotionally powerful but also backed by research. A study by the University of Florida found that giving and receiving affectionate communication, such as caring words or loving notes, leads to higher relationship commitment and perceived quality. 

The moment resonated with many online, and they were touched by the bride's heartfelt gesture. @erikajadelafrance wrote, "Watched this again and cried AGAIN! They are so freaking cute." @tuntun.97 said, "I lowkey had a few tear drops. Such an amazing moment!!" @nikkirams_ shared, "I started bawling the second she said 'Hey Trevor.'" @usrkiara added, "As soon as it said I didn’t get to meet you, I started crying." @praharshibh wrote, "Getting married next May, and I never got to meet his mom. This inspired me to write her a letter."

If you're struggling to cope with grief, and need help, please reach out to Crisis Response at 1-800-203-CARE (2273)

You can follow Mason Panos (@pano_vision) on Instagram for more wedding videography content.