A Missouri bride’s wedding surprise is getting national attention thanks to her mom’s touching tribute.
Natalie Crockett Jimenez recently shared a video of wedding preparations on TikTok. As her mom helps her adjust her wedding dress, Natalie notices “something blue” near its bottom.
Touching Tribute To Father On Wedding Day
“I love you, Natalie. Daddy,” reads the text sewn into a blue heart on the dress. A speechless Natalie is overcome with tears.
According to ABC News, Natalie’s father, Bruce, died unexpectedly after complications from a blood clot in 2015. Natalie was still in high school at the time.
“I was like ‘Oh, I’m really going to have to do this without him,'” Natalie said in an interview with Good Morning America.
How Natalie’s Mom Pulled Off The Surprise
It’s pretty difficult to sneak something past a bride or groom, especially when they have been involved with meticulously planning every detail for the big day.
According to ABC News, Natalie’s mother, Devona Crockett, orchestrated the entire surprise without her daughter getting a hint at what was going on.
The fabric for the heart came from one of her late husband’s shirts. The script for the text on the heart was digitized from a yearbook signature.
“I remember exactly what his handwriting looked like, so as soon as I recognized it, obviously tears,” Natalie told Good Morning America. “I couldn’t stop crying. I cried probably for 30 minutes after [the surprise].
Natalie noted that she was “blessed with the very best parents” in the TikTok post, which has now been viewed more than 4 million times.
She has since shared footage of her honeymoon, life as a newlywed and the media attention the surprise tribute to her father has gotten in recent weeks.