Weddings can bring up all kinds of emotions in people. Whether it’s a crying maid of honor or a reluctant father of the bride, you never quite know what to expect when those speeches start rolling. And though we’ve seen our fair share of unconventional nuptials, we think that this heartfelt and unexpected speech from the bride herself is one of the absolute best.

Now, we know what you are going to say: “A BRIDE giving a speech—isn’t that for the wedding party?” We admit that we were first a bit taken aback by the sight, too, but once we realized just why she had taken to the microphone, we instantly started rooting for her.

As it turns out, this newly-minted bride and groom are no ordinary newlyweds. You see, the husband, known only to viewers as James, is actually a police officer. To celebrate James’ noble profession, his new wife decides to make an incredible dedication.

The bride kicks off her bombshell speech by first introducing the six men who are standing behind her as fellow police officer colleagues of her new husband. She says:

“All of these gentlemen standing up here are brothers in one way or another. They made the same oath, they chose the same path and are the only one who have each other’s’ backs. If I had to describe these men, I would say: brave, courageous, headstrong, heroes, role models and selfless.”

It’s clear that all of the men (new hubby included) are completely touched by her kind gesture. And while we think the sweet speech would be sufficient, she actually wraps up her eloquent tribute by offering quite the surprising gift…

The story behind this inspiring speech

This viral clip was first posted by the bride’s sister on her website The Queen Buzz. There, “The Head Bee”, as she calls herself, credits her sis with the courage to get up there and honor all of her husband’s brothers in blue.

Before tying the knot, both James and his soon-to-be bride actually relocated from New Jersey to Virginia just so that he could become a full-fledged officer. He had been working as a volunteer officer, and was hungry for an opportunity to finally serve and protect in a more meaningful way.

She says that the bride’s motivation had everything to do with misconceptions about law enforcement that had recently been filling the headlines. With her sister being a now-wife of a police officer, she wanted to do “something different, something unique, and something that would send a message.” “The Head Bee” writes:

…my sister wanted to bring attention to the room filled of family and friends. My sister wanted to educate and bring awareness to what these men and women do. My sister wanted nothing but a thank you with a cup of coffee or tea. My sister wanted what was right.

To see the beautiful bride give this earnest speech (and gift!) to an unsuspecting crowd, be sure to click on the video below. This is a selfless act if we have ever seen one—good for her!

What do you think of this bride’s unexpected speech? Did the gift surprise you? How do you choose to honor police officers? Tell us all about your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below!