"Having a man love your child as much as he loves you is an indescribable feeling," said the bride.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on January 10, 2020. It has since been updated.
Weddings are special days. Laughter, tears and lots of love permeate the air as the couple exchanges their vows in front of family and friends. And that was what the wedding of Jimmy Gisondi and Kelsea Jewart was like when they got married on November 2, 2019. However, there was something even more special about this wedding.
When the groom was ready to say his vows, everyone realised that it wasn't just for the bride. He had something special to say to his 9-year-old stepdaughter, Olivia too. In the video that captured the heartfelt moment, Jimmy turns to her and says, "Olivia, from this day forward, I promise to remind you every day how truly loved you are. I promise to teach, guide, respect you for the rest of our days. I'm very happy to say that you’re my daughter. From this day forward, you will truly be my daughter and the other love of my life. I love you, Olivia."
With such a loving promise being made, there was not a single dry eye left in the room. But the most emotional one was the young girl. Speaking to Good Morning America, the now Kelsea Jewart Gisondi mentioned that it meant so much to her daughter who was moved by the speech.
"It was a very emotional moment for our families it’s something everyone knew Olivia needed and wanted so badly. And that was her time," the mother said. "Olivia isn’t a very emotional person so seeing her like that just confirmed we all knew how much this just really meant to her."
Abigail Lydick, who runs Abigail Gingerale Photography, was there to capture the heartwarming moment. She told the Daily Mail, "Everyone that attended Kelsea and Jimmy’s wedding were very special to them, so they all knew the love that Jimmy had for Olivia. When he read his vows to her though, I don’t think anyone expected to witness such raw, pure love. There was not a dry eye in the entire place!"
And the 30-year-old bride had known what Jimmy, a mechanic of the same age, was going to do. “I have been a single mom pretty much since day one,” the bride told Huff Post. “This was something I had always dreamed of but never really thought would ever happen. The part that stuck out to me is when he called Olivia ‘the other love of my life.’ Having a man love your child as much as he loves you is an indescribable feeling.”
Groom reads tearful vows to stepdaughter as he marries her mom - ABC News - via @ABC https://t.co/2NF8WFro6I
— 💚Guille Colmán 🇵🇾🌈 (@guille_183) November 13, 2019
Abigail, 26, also revealed that Jimmy and Kelsea, a medical assistant, had chosen a personalized necklace for Olivia which they were to give to her after he read the vows during the outdoor ceremony.
"Kelsea knew about the vows that Jimmy had prepared for Olivia, but they were a surprise to Olivia. The necklace was the most beautiful touch to help her remember the moment forever," said the photographer.
Groom Makes The Most Heartfelt Vows To His 9-Year-Old Stepdaughter https://t.co/hdONDRALoQ
— MSN (@MSN) November 13, 2019
"The whole wedding day from start to finish was filled with giggles, nervous and excited glances, and so much love and family," Abigail continued. "All of Kelsea’s family got ready with us at Durham Hill Farm and you could just feel the excitement. You could tell that they were so excited and had been waiting so long for Kelsea to find her true love, and the time had finally come!"
This was not the first time that Jimmy showed just how involved he wanted Olivia to be in their life. Before the nuptials, the couple had enlisted the little girl to be a part of their engagement celebration photos. The images that were produced showed just how happy the family looked.
Here's to a beautiful, happy married life and family to Jimmy, Kelsea and Olivia. Watch the full video here:
References:
https://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/grooms-wedding-vows-stepdaughter_l_5dcb01fde4b0fca7bb59c3e2