An image of a bride making an emotional visit to her father’s grave on her way to her wedding has gone viral.
Paige Eding was pictured kneeling at her father’s final resting place, with her forehead pressed against his gravestone.
The 23-year-old, who lost dad Mark Winia unexpectedly in 2011, was on her way to tie the knot with Kevin Eding in Michigan when she made the planned detour.
Courtesy Zander & Breck Photography.
At her request, wedding photographer Kari Wieringa of Zander and Breck Photography was on hand to capture the scene.
Wieringa told the Huffington Post: “It all seemed pretty normal, she looked fine, and so we’re standing there and I’m ready to take pictures and she just fell.”
“It was a moment of longing and wishing for him,” Eding revealed. “I was so sad that he wasn’t there physically… but I was also joyous… through my family, he still lives inside of each one of us.”
Wieringa put the image on her Facebook page and saw it take off with more than 700,000 likes and 35,000 shares.
The image also made its way onto Reddit, with users describing the shot as “powerful” and praising Eding for involving her late father in her special day.
However, many suggest her decision to bring her photographer to the capture the moment was “tacky” and “forced”.
What do you think?