The First Look I Will Never Forget

The maid of honor and a bridesmaid asked me to close my eyes, then linked their arms through mine and guided me outside for my first look before my daughter Grace’s wedding. With my eyes shut and their hands steadying me, I felt like I was being carried toward a moment I had been waiting for since the day she was born.

It was only a short walk, but it was more than enough time for twenty five years of memories to rush in. I thought about the night our twins were born when I held their tiny hands and wondered about the men who would someday hold each of those hands at the altar. I saw first steps and first days of school, dance recitals, soccer games, cheerleading on the sidelines, and graduations that arrived quicker than I expected. I thought about their engagement days earlier this year when both of my girls started down their own paths toward this moment.

As I walked, my mind drifted to everything it took to reach this day. The planning, the timelines, the fittings, and the decisions that filled the past several months all blended together in a way that suddenly felt worth every bit of effort. Saying "yes to the dress," choosing venues, booking the caterer and florist, picking a photographer, arranging hotel rooms, and checking off every small detail, it all played back in my head like a highlight reel that brought us to this perfect moment.

All of that ran through my mind during that slow walk from the reception hall where I had been waiting out of sight to the green grass near the Ashley River where she would soon say her vows.

Then came a gentle tap on my shoulder. My cue to turn around. I took a deep breath, exhaled, and opened my eyes.

And there she was. Not the little girl I once carried on my shoulders, but the incredible woman she has grown to be. Our eyes met and we both smiled. Then the tears came, not sad tears, just pure joy. She was stunning, and for a moment I forgot to breathe.

This was the day we had prayed over from the moment she arrived in this world. This was the fairytale she dreamed about, unfolding right in front of me. Cameras clicked, the few people nearby quietly cheered, and we held that daddy daughter moment as long as we could. Then I pulled her close, told her how much I loved her, and how proud I was to be her dad. Letting go was not easy, but I stepped back, took both of her hands, and tried to soak in every second.

What I saw was the look of a dream becoming real.

A little while later, I walked her down the aisle. I placed her hand in Graham’s, hugged him tight, and watched her step into a new chapter as she became a Blackwood. And I could not be more grateful, because Graham is one of the finest young men I have ever known. I know her heart is in good hands.

Later that evening at the reception, I shared that it had been an honor raising her. Now it is Graham’s honor to grow old with her.

And in just a few months, we will do it all again when Ashton marries Andrew, the love of her life. I already know that first look will take my breath away just like this one did, because that is what happens when you are blessed with daughters who fill your life with joy.

In the end, I have learned something simple. You spend their childhood holding their hands, and one day you place those hands into someone else’s, but no matter where life takes them or what name they carry, they will always be your little girls.