Her dad teased a surprise for their father-daughter dance — the bride was speechless when the music revealed a plan 20 years in the making
While a bride and her father's dance can be emotional and wholesome, this father decided to make it truly unforgettable by presenting his daughter with a gift she never saw coming. The surprise he had been saving for more than two decades brought the bride to tears. Sharing the heartwarming moment on TikTok, the bride, Haley McCartney (@haley.mccartney), posted the video on December 9, 2025, where it gained over 187.5K likes.
@haley.mccartney A custom recorded song with childhood voicemails over 20 years old (left on a landline or razor flip phone), sung and written by my dad🤍 he planned this my whole life, always downloaded my voicemails, and re-wrote the lyrics to “Remember When” to include stories and memories from my childhood. So excited to finally get to share this moment with you guys. Forever grateful for this memory🫶🏽 #fatherdaughterdance #weddingday #firstdancesongs ♬ original sound - haley.mccartney
Haley, who recently got married to her husband, said the highlight of the day was her dance with her father. During his speech, he revealed that his daughter, as a kid, often left him voicemails, which he found "unintentionally hilarious and cute." In the video shared by Haley, as the father-bride duo was in the middle of their dance, he abruptly stopped to make an announcement. He informed the crowd that the current song wasn't right for the "daddy-daughter" dance, hence he had a surprise song for all. The father played a song written and sung by him, which was inspired by the dozens of voicemails his daughter had left him over 20 years.
Before the song began, a voicemail played, as old camcorder footage appeared, showing the father spending time with his two daughters. The song titled Remember When described his daughter and the moments he cherished most as her dad. For context, Remember When was a song by country singer Alan Jackson, which Haley's father adapted by rewriting the lyrics to personalize it for his daughter. One line in particular, "You need to see what I can do, 'cause I owe it to you," left guests visibly emotional. The most touching element of the performance was the inclusion of Haley's voicemails, which played each time he sang the words "Remember When." The song ended with a voicemail from the dad, "This is Dad. Just checking to see what's going on. Talk to you later, bye-bye."
Haley, who could not contain her joy, captioned the video, "A custom-recorded song with childhood voicemails over 20 years old (left on a landline or Razor flip phone), sung and written by my dad. He planned this my whole life, always downloaded my voicemails, and re-wrote the lyrics to 'Remember When' to include stories and memories from my childhood. So excited to finally get to share this moment with you guys. Forever grateful for this memory." A 2024 study noted the importance of a father's presence in his daughter's life. It was found that the father's presence and support strengthen psychological security in daughters. Women who feel secure and supported by their fathers are more likely to become confident and happier in later life.
Going by the voicemails and camcorder footage, it is clear that Haley was showered with lots of love from her father, a sentiment echoed in his heartfelt song. Online users were unable to contain their emotions after watching the video. @PaigeMarie penned, "You are rich in life, and this is the love every child and little girl deserves. I always wanted this love from my dad. How beautiful! What an amazing dad you have." @MariaGonzalez remarked, "Love is real because how do you leave your daddy after this?" @amanda.trowbridge0 noted, "The fact that after every voicemail the song goes 'Remember when.'"
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