It’s often said that you can’t choose your family, but that’s not always true. When Emily Leehan, an Airman with the United States Air Force, married her fiancee, she wanted her soon-to-be stepson to know that she considers him family, even though they aren’t related by blood. So, the bride-to-be included the four-year-old in her wedding vows in this 2017 story.
When Emily Leehan met Marine Corps Sergeant Joshua Newville, she knew he was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. He was smart, funny and quite handsome. He also had a young son, Gage, from a previous relationship.
Some women would think twice about getting involved with a man who already has children, but Emily Leehan is not one of those women. She saw spending time with Gage as an amazing opportunity to watch a little boy grow up. She cherished her time with both Joshua and Gage, and she wanted to use their wedding ceremony to express her love for her fiance and his son.
During their beautiful military ceremony, Emily read her vows aloud for the first time. She wasn’t sure how Gage would react. Four-year-olds are unpredictable, and Emily knew Gage would already be bored with the day’s pomp and circumstance.
Emily starts her vows by promising to always protect Gage, and she tells him to try to be a good person in every situation.
Gage is quickly overcome by emotion and begins to cry. The adorable four-year-old buries his face in Emily’s wedding dress
Joshua Newville hugs his son and tells him to be strong, but it’s clear that the marine is also having trouble keeping his composure.
Emily finishes her vows by telling Gage that she did not give him the gift of life, but life gave her the gift of him. It’s clear from his reaction to Emily’s vows that Gage appreciates his blended family.
Fortunately, Gage was in a much lighter mood at the reception, where he donned a Darth Vader mask and entertained the crowd.
The Newville family told Inside Edition that they are glad their wedding video went viral. They want the world to know that being part of a blended family is not always easy, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t love one another.
You can watch Emily’s vows in the video below: