When two people marry, they bring not only each other into their lives, but also any children from previous relationships. It’s been a growing wedding trend for grooms to also give vows to these children, offering them unconditional love, support, protection and ultimately pledging to be a parental figure in their lives.
Recently a groom named Eldridge Buchanan gave some special vows to his new seven-year-old-son Kayden during his wedding to Asia Green Buchanan.
The touching moment, captured and shared to Instagram by the wedding’s photographer and videographer Daka David and A Love Experience, shows Buchanan stands in front of little Kayden, as tears begin flowing.
“I want you to know, Kayden, that we’re going [to] have fun. We’re definitely going to do homework,” Buchanan says. “But I want you to know that with everything in my body, Kayden, I’m going to pour into you to make sure that you grow up to be a young Black king that you are.”
As he continues, his voice gets more choked up.
“I’m gonna teach you how to be a leader. I’m gonna teach you how to be a man of integrity, a man of respect, a man that values himself. And most importantly, I’ma show you every single day what it looks like for a man to love a woman and to love his family and to lead his family so that when you grow up, you will know exactly what that looks like and you’ll know exactly what that feels like. So I vow to you from this day forward that I’m gonna love you, I’m gonna teach you, I’m gonna guide you and I’m gonna pour into you because you are a king. And you’re my king. I love you, man.”
Watch it all unfold below. You might wanna grab a tissue:
In an interview with “Good Morning America,” Buchanan revelad that the entire exchange was a spur-of-the-moment idea, one that came to him mere minutes before he walked down the aisle.
“It was just kind of a heartfelt moment, a reiteration of things that we talk about on a daily basis,” Buchanan told GMA. “I just really wanted him to know in that special moment not only was I going to give a vow to his mom, but I was giving a vow to him as well—as my son.”
The sincerity of the impromptu speech was felt by nearly 46,000 viewers online, many of who commented on how beautiful it was to see, and how important that kind of influence will be to Kayden as he grows up.
“Words every boy needs to hear from a father,”one person wrote.
Another added, “he is going to watch this video when he’s older and finally understand everything he said to him.”
Indeed Buchanan seems more than ready to step into his role as a father. And it’s wonderful to see. Congratulations to the entire family.