This Bride’s Speech To Her Stepson Is The Best Thing You'll See All Week

It goes without saying that weddings are emotional AF. Now that wedding season is at its peak, a lot of tear-jerker moments have gone viral, including this bride's speech to her stepson. Although there's some steep competition out there, this sweet video depicting the power of the stepparent-stepchild relationship will definitely make you cry.

On Saturday, U.S. Marines Joshua and Emily Newville got married in Ripley, New York after two years together, according to the Daily Mail. One particularly special guest at the wedding was Joshua's 4-year-old son, Gage. Considering Emily has a very special relationship with Gage, she wanted to do something at the wedding that would make him feel included in the ceremony. Furthermore, Emily also wanted to let Gage know that she would take her role of stepmom very seriously. With all of these heartwarming thoughts in mind, Emily decided to write her own wedding vows Gage.

Emily said, according to CBS New York:

I wanted to involve him because when I was vowing to be Josh’s wife I was also vowing to be his stepmom. I wanted him to feel special and to remind him of how much he means to me. He had no idea that I had planned vows to him and at 4 years old I really didn’t expect him to understand what was going on but his emotions tell a different story!

As for the "emotions" Emily is referencing, Gage broke down in full-on sobs as soon as she started the vows. To make the moment even sweeter, Emily gave Gage a comforting hug as he adorably tried to handle the all the love pouring out of his new stepmom.

Amid all the crying and hugging, Emily was able to deliver a beautiful speech on the meaningful bond between a stepparent and stepchild. Emily said, according to WSB-TV Atlanta:

I want you to be safe and to try your hardest and to be a good person. I know that you and I will butt heads – except for right now. But I hope, with all my heart, that as you become a grown man, you will understand my methods and realize I've only done what is best for you and that I love you. The last thing that I hope you learn is that you are a very special boy. You are so extremely smart, handsome and kind to others. You have helped make me into the woman I am today, and I may not have given you the gift of life, but life surely gave me the gift of you.

Needless to say, the moment (which you can watch below) is bound to bring tears to your eyes.

As for Joshua's thoughts on the touching moment, he said, according to New York Upstate:

He totally caught us all off guard but he made our big day 100 times better.

If you're a stepparent, then you know the stepparent-stepchild relationship can be complex at times. Although the stepparent-stepchild dynamic can be tricky to navigate, there's often not enough discussion of how powerful and special this bond can be. As Emily noted in her speech, a stepchild is a "gift," and this reward comes with great responsibility.