Who remembers the movie “Father of the Bride” with Steve Martin? What a touching story of a father’s love for his daughter and his difficulty in letting go of his little girl. I thought it would be nice to profile a real life father of the bride and get his feelings about the special day.
Please allow me to introduce Karl Wilson, father of KT and father-in-law to Tyler.
Did the groom go the old fashioned route and ask your permission to marry your daughter? How did you find out about the engagement?
Tyler (the groom) came into our lives only a few months before the wedding but my little (grown up) girl knew he was the one. One day I got a phone call that Tyler was coming to take me for lunch. At that split second, my heart sank. I knew what was coming and I knew I was about to lose my last daughter to another man. (Just a few months prior to this day Katie said “Dad you will always be the man in my life”.)
When Tyler showed up, I had mixed emotions going through my head. What would I tell him? Are they actually ready? AM I READY?? So off to Harvey’s we go and first of all I had to pay!!! First impressions ----- oh well. We sat down and started to eat. I knew Tyler was nervous, but I have never seen anyone this nervous before.
The conversation started:
Tyler: “You know Karl, I have been dating your daughter for a few months now, (here we go … ) and we really think … no, we know that God has brought us together and we would like to get married. So I would like to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage.”
BOOM! I could put an end to this RIGHT NOW. TELL HIM NO! TELL HIM NO! I continued to eat my Harvey’s hamburg.
Karl: “So when would you be doing this? Maybe two or three years? (Or maybe ten?!?). “
Tyler: “Well we were thinking this summer”
(Choke! choke! My hamburg didn’t quite go down right).
Karl: “This summer, eh? Have you guys even thought this through?”
Tyler: “Oh yes, we have talked and we are ready.”
Karl: “Well Tyler, I need to see your driver’s license and your bank account first!”
At which he pulled his wallet and bankbook out.
Karl: “Tyler I was just kidding.”
We talked a little while and I gave him my blessings. The poor guy didn’t even finish his hamburg, as we were leaving Harvey’s, he gave me the biggest hug, and I will never forget it.
Tyler: “Whew! Glad that’s over.”
What kinds of emotions were flowing for you on the day of the wedding?
On the wedding day I kept crying when I was by myself (I was too macho to let anyone see me). I remember seeing KT come down the stairs at my friend’s house ready to go and for the second time my heart sank (this is it). But at the same time I jumped for joy, as I knew she would be very happy and she made a very beautiful bride. We got in the car to go to the church (my best friend John was driving) all the way to the church, which seemed like eternity, I kept looking at her and crying she grabbed my hand and held it tight
When you first saw your daughter walk down the aisle, what was your first thought?
I was with her walking her down the aisle and all the way down that looonnng aisle I kept thinking this is it, as I looked up and saw a young man smile from ear to ear I knew that THIS WAS IT
How did you go about writing your speech? What kinds of things were running through your mind?
I started thinking about my speech many months before the big day, memories going through my mind. The day KT was born, growing up, first day of school, watching TV on Sunday afternoons. So I started writing things down on pieces of paper to help me remember. Then I started to think how would I put this together to honour KT but also honour God on that special day. I have been to a lot of weddings and the Father gets up and basically tries to embarrass his daughter, all in fun I believe, but I didn’t want to do that. I wanted to honour my little girl. So I put together a speech that would bring glory to her and to our Heavenly Father but also be a challenge for this young couple to grow with as husband and wife and eventually parents.
Do you still look at your daughter as daddy’s little girl and do you think that will ever change, especially now that she has a family of her own?
Yes, I still look at KT as my little girl, it’s funny sometimes when I look at her I get flash backs, although she is grown up and has a life of her own I still long for those hugs and I love you's. I am very proud of the woman and wife she has become (as I am of all my girls). SHE WILL ALWAYS BE “ MY LITTLE GIRL”
Thanks for reading! - Mandi the Intern