Woman Invites Husband’s Ex to Their Wedding – Shocks Everyone by Exposing the Truth About Their Relationship
There wasn’t a dry eye after one bride finished her speech.
Weddings are a big deal. They’re the day you profess your love to someone in front of other people and promise to do your best for them, but they’re also a day for people to celebrate you and your chosen one. For some, pulling all of that together can be stressful.
Maybe that’s why we always hear stories about bridezillas. However, as one bride showed us with the perfect speech, a wedding can be much more.
Why One Bride Mentioned Her Husband’s Ex in Her Vows
In 2017, Katie Musser and her fiancé Jeremy were standing at the alter when it was Musser’s turn to speak. Jeremy expected her to say her vows, but instead, she turned to Casey Bender, his ex-girlfriend and the mother of his four-year-old son, Landon. Musser asked Bender and her husband, Tyler, to stand up.
“First, I want to thank you for accepting me as your friend and allowing me to be a part of Landon’s life,” she said, as per Today. “I will love you guys no matter what comes our way. We are one family, always. I promise to be an amazing mother to your son. I will guide, teach, and love him every single day.”
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Musser then turned to Landon. “Landon, I will love you more than you will ever know. I’ve had the privilege of knowing you since the beginning. I love watching you grow. And I will for the rest of my life. I’m so happy that I get to now, officially be your bonus mommy,” Musser continued.
“I promise to stand by you, listen to you, and love you every day. I promise to love daddy with all my heart and be a best friend to mommy and your daddy, Tyler. We will be one big family that I promise you will have for the rest of your life. I love you so much.”
How a Woman Became Best Friends With Her Husband’s Ex
Someone in the crowd taped the vows, which left everyone with tears in their eyes. Later, Bender revealed to Today she had no idea Musser would include her and her son in that way.
“Just being invited to the wedding was enough for me, but for her to take even three minutes out of her once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, the one day where it’s all about her and her groom, was such an amazing, selfless thing,” she told the publication. “I was just floored. She did not have to do it.”
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The pair revealed they haven’t always been close. When Musser began dating Jeremy, they were in college. Jeremy and Bender had broken up, but Landon was already on the way. Bender recalled being “upset and very hurt at the time,” and the two women didn’t have the best start.
Eventually, Musser reached out to Bender, and they spoke before Landon’s first birthday. At first, they centered their conversations around the kid, but eventually they realized they were forming an actual, genuine friendship.
“We bonded on so many more levels than just Landon. And we realized we had more in common than we didn’t,” Bender explained. “At the time, I thought we would be able to be cordial and co-parent. Never in a million years did I think she and I would be the very best of friends.”
After the wedding, Bender shared the video on her Facebook page to inspire others to figure out their co-parenting situations and do what’s best for the children.
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“This can happen. We want people to see that the kid is what matters, his feelings, and the love he gets. Obviously, we got a good friendship out of it, but in the end, we really wanted what’s best for him,” she told Today.
“You just all have to agree the child’s interests are what matters,” she continued. “I know at the end of the day that Katie loves Landon just as much as I do, and as a mother, you can’t ask for anything more.”
How One Woman Proved the Importance of Co-Parenting
Not everyone will be best friends with their partner’s exes, and striking up even a mild friendship doesn’t always make sense. But as these two women proved, when kids are in the equation, it makes a world of difference if all parents can get along.
Whether it’s reaching out for a cup of coffee, inviting that person over for a meal, or even going for a walk together to try and sort out any differences you may have, it’s always easier to co-parent when everyone is on the same page.
There are many relationships and blended families these days, which means new challenges to face when raising kids. But if there’s one takeaway from this heartwarming story, it’s that with solid communication, respect, and understanding, your village can be bigger than ever.
