In 1983, Sherry Blackledge and her husband had to come to a very difficult realization. They would be unable to have children of their own. However, they didn’t want this circumstance to stop them from starting a family, so the Blackledges decided to adopt.

First, they adopted a young son. But 11 years later, little Brooke came into their lives to complete their happy family.

At 18-months-old, Brooke had been put up for adoption at birth. She was in the custody of Child’s Services for the first year and a half of her life, waiting to find her forever home.

When the Blackledge family saw her, they knew she was the next part of their family, and the rest is history. The little baby grew up into a happy child and then a full-grown woman, guided by her amazing adopted family.

Right after she was adopted in 1994, Sherry wrote her newest daughter a letter for her to read on her wedding day. Brooke had never seen this touching note before, and she wouldn’t get to read it until the morning of her wedding 20 years later. In fact, she didn’t even know the letter existed.

Looking stunning in her wedding gown, The Film Poets was fortunate enough to capture the moment that beautiful Brooke got to read this note from her adopted mother, written 20 years previously.

Sherry even had the letter printed on a stretch of fabric from her own wedding dress before presenting it to her daughter on her big day.

“As I write this to you, you’re sleeping soundly in your baby bed,” Sherry’s letter says. “We just want you to know how much love and happiness you’ve brought to our family. A precious baby girl to daddy and me, and a little sister for Brian.”

Brooke can barely believe her eyes when Sherry hands her the letter, beautifully printed on the lacy fabric of her wedding dress. As she reads the letter, she immediately tears up, bursting into tears as her mom and dad express to her just how much she meant to their family.

“You’re special,” Sherry says, trying to hold back her own tears. “And God sent you to us so we could love you.”

Completely overcome with emotion now, all Brooke can say is that the letter is perfect. We can see, just by her extremely emotional reaction, just how much this letter means to her.

As a child of adoption, it can be easy to feel lost or unloved. So hearing this, reading what Brooke was probably raised knowing in the back of her mind, is the best affirmation in the entire world. And it couldn’t have come on a better day than her wedding.

What do you think of this touching story? Do you love the deeply personal gift that Sherry made for Brooke? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.