Groom Plans Epic Surprise by Inviting Bride’s Down Syndrome Students as Ring Bearers

Groom Plans Epic Surprise by Inviting Bride’s Down Syndrome Students as Ring Bearers
(Courtesy of Silas Abreu via Cíntia Bonfante Pereira)
11/12/2020
Updated:
7/13/2021
This story was last updated in November 2020.

A thoughtful groom found the perfect way to pay tribute to his bride’s great passion, her work as a speech therapist, by inviting some very special surprise guests to their wedding ceremony.

Cíntia Bonfante Pereira, of Caxias do Sul, Brazil, works with children with Down syndrome to help them improve their speaking skills.

Standing at the altar with her husband-to-be, José Vitor Flach, in April, Cíntia was prompted to look toward the church doors where a procession of beautifully dressed children was entering.

The children were Cíntia’s students.

(Courtesy of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/silas_abreu_fotografo/">Silas Abreu</a> via <a href="https://www.instagram.com/fonoaudiologacintiabonfante/">Cíntia Bonfante Pereira</a>)
(Courtesy of Silas Abreu via Cíntia Bonfante Pereira)

The eldest boy, at the front of the procession, carried the couple’s wedding rings. Adorable flower girls followed...

And then there came two little boys at the rear, stealing the show in a snazzy remote-controlled electric car.

In the moving wedding video, Cíntia is so overcome that she bursts into tears.

As the children approach, the bride crouches to greet each and every one with a smile, words of encouragement, and a gentle touch.

(Courtesy of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/silas_abreu_fotografo/">Silas Abreu</a> via <a href="https://www.instagram.com/fonoaudiologacintiabonfante/">Cíntia Bonfante Pereira</a>)
(Courtesy of Silas Abreu via Cíntia Bonfante Pereira)

José, a mechanical engineer, joins in, kneeling down to receive hugs and handshakes from the little star guests, and to compliment the kids on their beautiful wedding attire.

Reflecting on the emotional surprise, Cíntia told her Instagram followers that seeing her students was one of the best elements of her wedding day.

“I love my profession so much and having the opportunity to have some of the children with us on this day was inexplicable,” she posted, as translated from Portuguese.
(Courtesy of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/silas_abreu_fotografo/">Silas Abreu</a> via <a href="https://www.instagram.com/fonoaudiologacintiabonfante/">Cíntia Bonfante Pereira</a>)
(Courtesy of Silas Abreu via Cíntia Bonfante Pereira)

“The emotion overcame me in a way that I thought my heart would not be able to handle!” Cíntia wrote.

The dedicated speech therapist has long been an advocate for people with Down syndrome.

Cíntia and José even chose a wedding photographer, João Vicente, who has Down syndrome himself.

Sharing her wedding footage on YouTube, Cíntia explained, “My dream has always been to spread the beauty of social and school inclusion, and this video, without meaning to, became the living proof that everyone deserves equal opportunities!”
(Courtesy of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/silas_abreu_fotografo/">Silas Abreu</a> via <a href="https://www.instagram.com/fonoaudiologacintiabonfante/">Cíntia Bonfante Pereira</a>)
(Courtesy of Silas Abreu via Cíntia Bonfante Pereira)

“[W]ith this visibility that the video is having,” Cíntia said, “we are able to show how much more beautiful everything is when we include everyone.”

The video has been shared widely since the couple’s wedding, inspiring thousands to continue approaching life with open hearts and open minds.

Watch the surprise moment in the video below:

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Louise Chambers is a writer, born and raised in London, England. She covers inspiring news and human interest stories.
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