written by Aubrey Cassidy
Photos by Hannah Lux Photography
Something not a lot of people are fortunate enough to call themselves. From listening to classic rock on his old vinyl records, watching the Yankees, Saturday Night Live, and a lot of classic movies, my dad and I have always shared a truly special father-daughter bond. It is true, I will always be the loudest laugh in the room when my dad tells a joke. I get my dad and I truly am his mini-me.
Something not a lot of people are fortunate enough to call themselves. From listening to classic rock on his old vinyl records, watching the Yankees, Saturday Night Live, and a lot of classic movies, my dad and I have always shared a truly special father-daughter bond. It is true, I will always be the loudest laugh in the room when my dad tells a joke. I get my dad and I truly am his mini-me.
When it comes to wedding planning, most fathers take a back seat. My father wanted to be involved in the entire process, to make sure I got everything I ever dreamed of. My dad’s answers to many things throughout the wedding planning process was “As you wish.” From the get go, he helped us in securing the band, the venue, the wedding planner, and the caterer. It was all out of love and the desire to give his little girl everything she ever dreamed of, and I am so grateful he was there through it all.
When it came time to walk down the aisle, I knew I wanted this moment to be an extra special moment, not just for me walking towards my husband-to-be, but for the moment my father has been talking about and realistically dreading, since the day I was born. “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac has always been a special song for me and my dad. He used to sing it to me to get me to go to sleep and I always saw him tear-up a little when it would come on as I started to grow-up. “This is for you, Daddy” is what Stevie Nicks says at the beginning of the famous live version of “Landslide,” and the part in the song that I surprised my dad with to signal us to begin walking down the aisle. This time we both teared up! As we walked down the aisle, I really let the lyrics of the song hit me, walking arm-in-arm with my father. “I’ve been afraid of changing, ‘cause I've built my life around you. Time makes you bolder, even children get older and I’m getting older too.”
I remember gripping my dad tight as this line was played and looking at him to see if he was crying, but instead, I saw him with a beaming smile looking towards my husband-to-be. I then let out my own beaming smile, first at the man who raised me and taught me how to be strong, resilient, and to never settle for anything less than I deserve. I then smiled up towards the man my father always told me would come into my life someday.
Another special moment every father dreams about when he has a daughter is the father-daughter dance. My dad knew from the day I was born which song we would dance to someday; “Aubrey” by Bread. This is the song I was named after and another song that had been sung to me by both my parents throughout my childhood. I have always known how much this song meant to my dad and I loved every minute of hearing it - on repeat, multiple times a week - for the 4 months of dance lessons we took! Dance lessons with my dad were an experience I will treasure for the rest of my life. Dancing is a family affair with the Reardon family and serendipitously, how I met my husband. When it came time to perform the dance on the wedding day, I started off trying to lead my dad and whisper the counts to him and then I realized something: my dad was just happy to be dancing with me. It didn’t matter how perfectly we got down the steps; this moment was the moment he had dreamed of since the first day he held me. I felt that happiness radiate from him as we glided across the dance floor. We finished the dance, not a step missed or out of sync, just my dad and I having fun out there doing a dance that both of us have dreamed of since I was a child. In true gymnast-dad fashion, we decided to end our dance by saluting a “gymnastics salute” towards my three former gymnastics coaches sitting at their table. They flashed a perfect 10.0 for us at the end of the dance (a surprise for me and my dad, organized by my mom!) and the moment was captured by two pictures I will cherish for the rest of my life. My dad has always been so proud of my gymnastics career, and it was just such a perfect moment to celebrate that.
To the women planning their wedding who are fortunate enough to still have their fathers in their lives: let him be a part of this process and hold him a little tighter each day. Do the dance lessons, take him to the tastings, let him be a part of music choices, enjoy the moment walking down the aisle together. In his eyes, you are still just his little girl twirling around on the dance floor and it truly is his dream to give you the world on your special day.
Thank you dad, for all the love and support both you and mom gave me throughout this wedding planning process and even more so, for the love you have given and continue to give me every single day. I hope that someday, if Eric and I are ever blessed with a daughter, we can give her the same love and support that I have been lucky enough to have from you and mom.
Love,
Aubrey