A TOUCHING video shows the moment a bride danced at her wedding with a cardboard cut-out of her mum who tragically passed away from cancer.
Natalie Mulcahy wanted to include her late mother Linda Thomas when she took to the floor for her father and daughter dance earlier this month.
Video shows Natalie, 27, and dad Colin Thomas, 69, swaying together to Wind Beneath My Wings by Bette Midler while holding onto the cut-out of Linda.
Around 70 guests are shown watching the emotional moment at Natalie and husband Carl’s wedding at Grecian Sands Hotel in Ayia Napa, Cyprus.
The family had hoped Linda would be able to see Natalie walk down the aisle this summer.
However, the family were left devastated when mum-of-12 Linda lost her two year battle with cancer and passed away in January last year, aged 67.
The family decided to get a life-size cutout of Linda so she could still be part of Natalie and Carl’s wedding in some way.
Speaking today, Natalie, from Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, said: “Mum battled cancer for two years and at Christmas we were told they could not control the disease.
“We had the dreaded news, she had no more than three weeks to live.
“All the family wanted to spend time with her, especially with all the Covid restrictions.
“My younger sister and my dad cared for her during the night and we would spend every available moment with her until her passing.
“All five girls and my dad were present when she actually passed. It was the saddest day of our lives. The boys attended and managed to say their goodbyes on the night.
“My sister decided she would purchase a life-size cutout of her so on special occasions she would be with us.
“Mum would normally be stood in the corner overlooking everybody at my sister’s home.
“We all decided she had to be at the wedding and my sister packed her into the suitcase and off she went.
“When the day came, my mum was in position and the stage was set.
“Mum was moved into the hall after the ceremony. My first dance was with my husband and the second was with my dad. My dad asked ‘shall we?’
“She was picked up and kissed, and we danced together to one of her favourite songs, Wind Beneath My Wings by Bette Midler. There wasn’t a dry eye.
“The special lady in my life was at the special day in my life. The whole thing was emotional but had to be done.”
Wedding guest Adam Oakley, 35, captured the moving moment on his phone and posted it on TikTok.
The video has since racked up over 102,00 views and more than 4,000 likes.
Viewers were left emotional after watching the clip.
One said: “Bless her, this made me cry.”
Another wrote: “I lost my mum six years ago and this is so beautiful.”
A third commented: “This made me cry so much. I recently lost my dad and my partner wants us to get married.”
A fourth added: “This is so lovely. What a beautiful lady.”
While another viewer said: “This caused a lot of tears. My mum died seven years ago and the thought of ever getting married without her breaks me.”
Linda was also given a memorable send off at her funeral, as her cortege was fronted by four white horses and a white carriage.
