More than anything, Andrea wanted to have her father walk her down the aisle on her wedding day. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be. On the big day, her family found a wonderful way to mark her dad’s absence and have him there in spirit.
Andrea’s brother knew as well as anyone possibly could just how much she missed their dad. So he recorded his own version of “Butterfly Kisses” — it was the song their dad and sister had danced to at her wedding. “Butterfly Kisses” was written by Bob Carlisle and Randy Thomas and released in 1997. It hit the top of the Adult Contemporary Chart and also won a Grammy for best country song. For Carlisle, it was a present for his daughter, a very special gift for her 16th birthday. The song is a beautiful account of a father-daughter bond across the years, evoking everything from childhood memories to her wedding day.
After the ceremony, Andrea’s brother had an announcement to make: for what would have been the traditional father-daughter dance, the version of “Butterfly Kisses” he made would be played. After her jaw literally dropped, Andrea was overcome by emotion. While her brother’s recording played, she danced with a succession of close family members. First she danced with her grandfather; this was her dad’s dad, so it had to be particularly emotional for both of them. Then she danced with each of her brothers and finally her new father-in-law. It’s hard to imagine there was a dry eye in the entire room.
A video of this beautiful moment is posted below. Nobody could replace her father, but knowing how loving and supportive her relatives were must have meant a lot to Andrea. That the video is closing in on 28 million views shows just how much it’s resonated with people.
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