Bride Planned Special Way for Her Late Father to ‘Walk’ Her Down the Aisle 3 Years After His Death

Nothing, not even loss, could dim the connection between Lizzie Dean and her dad.

In a recent TikTok, the newlywed shared a moving compilation from her wedding ceremony, filled with tributes to her late father, Ron, who died unexpectedly three years ago. As Dean married her husband, Matthew Valvardi, family and friends grew emotional watching her surrounded by reminders of what she described in the video as the “infinite love and the bond between a father and daughter.”

At the start of the clip, Dean explained that she couldn’t imagine anyone but her father walking her down the aisle — so she found another way to keep him by her side. She walked into the ceremony alone, but her wedding shoes were covered with fabric from one of his pink shirts, a subtle detail that made it feel like he was still escorting her in spirit. Smiling through tears, she made her way toward Valvardi.

“I knew I wanted him to be a big part of the day, and that I didn’t want to shy away from his presence,” Dean told Newsweek. “I knew it would make it more difficult emotionally, but I couldn’t imagine not incorporating him as much as I could.”

As she approached the altar, the couple had arranged for a powerful soundtrack: a blend of music from Interstellar layered with a voicemail Ron had once left for her and Valvardi.

“Hi, Lizzie, Dad here. I love and miss you, darling,” he said in the message. “I hope you and Matt have a fantastic day, and I love you very much! That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. I am so blessed. I love you so much.”

The couple also left an empty seat just for him, marked with a poem that read:

“Your wedding day is finally here, and I wish so much I could be near.
I’ll be there in spirit celebrating you two, holding you close in all that you do.
Save me a seat, a comfy chair to share — you may not see me, but I will be there.”

Dean described her father as “a girl dad through and through” and joked that he was essentially an honorary sorority member for his daughters, she told Newsweek.

Ron had been managing heart issues but was committed to staying active, often going on what he called his “hot girl walks” around Washington, D.C., Dean shared. He seemed to be improving when he suddenly experienced a fatal heart attack.

Throughout the wedding, Dean and Valvardi found quiet and creative ways to keep his memory close — from mentions in Valvardi’s speech to nods in the cocktail menu and even in the design of the wedding invitations. Their next-day celebration was held on what would have been her parents’ 29th wedding anniversary, adding another layer of meaning to the weekend.

“While we may not have [seen] him, we knew he was there,” Dean wrote as the TikTok ended. In her caption, she added a final message to him: “Love you Dad.”