The bride had anticipated the moment all her life but her father refused.
Parents often play meaningful roles during weddings, with both sides looking forward to special moments. For the bride, these traditions can be particularly emotional—walking down the aisle, being given away, and sharing that iconic first dance. Jess Anastasi (@jessanastasi_) shared a heartfelt post about her anticipation for these moments on her wedding day.
Anastasi shared that she had always dreamed of dancing with her father at her wedding. "I waited my whole life and was so excited to dance with my dad," she wrote. However, in a heartbreaking twist, her father refused. "Little did I know that my dad would refuse to dance with me. I was so heartbroken." The video shows her slow-dancing with an elderly man—her father-in-law, who stepped in without hesitation to fill the role. "My father-in-law stepped in without a second thought," she added.
The duo were engaged in an emotional and adorable dance, almost as if it was meant to be from the very beginning. Their comfort and gentleness with each other made it seem like they weren’t in-laws but father-daughter indeed. Anastasi also shared stills of her dancing with her father-in-law and each revealed how responsibly and caringly the man stepped up for his new daughter. “I am so grateful to be married into such an amazing family,” the bride wrote. In her caption, she added how she created a core memory that she treasures in the present. She exclaimed, “Still a thought I think about regularly.”
Several women commented about what a wonderful family Anastasi had married into and how relevant it was from the kind gesture. @54321edcba3 wrote, “I don’t know why your father refused at such a moment but it sounds like you married good people.” @stephk997 added, “Definitely your father's loss. So glad you have an amazing father-in-law.” Several others shared their stories of how their dad’s refused too but something wonderful came through anyway just like it did for Anastasi. @melzz207 recalled, “My dad didn’t want to. After 30 seconds he asked whether we had to do the entire song. I chose my girl, let go and walked away.”
@lawandricelife added, “Here I was refusing to even make time for a father-daughter dance, lest the guests get the idea that he was ever a good father.” @chelly_mcjelly added, “My dad didn’t show up but all the men in my family tapped shoulders to dance with me.” @american_mutt added, “Your father-in-law isn’t just filling in a role, he’s filling in a void and that’s such a blessing. You got a husband and a bonus dad on the same day!”
@mrsanastasi_ Still a thought i think about regularly #weddingtiktok #fyp ♬ Dandelions (slowed + reverb) - Ruth B. & sped up + slowed
You can follow Jess Anastasi (@mrsanastasi_) on TikTok for more wholesome content.
This article originally appeared on 07.24.24.
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