BRIDE BRINGS LATE SISTER AND BEST FRIEND DOWN WEDDING AISLE AS CARDBOARD CUTOUTS
WITH VID AND PIX
By Kiara Wells
A bride-to-be is touching hearts online after finding a unique and uplifting way to include her late sister and best friend in her wedding by turning them into life-sized cardboard cutouts and taking them along every step of her journey.
Alyssa Nikaye Stout, 28, a marketing and social media content creator from Columbus, Ohio, USA, lost both her sister, Randi, and best friend, Mallory Moss, in separate tragic car accidents but is determined they’ll still stand by her side on her big day.
Instead of letting grief overshadow her wedding, Alyssa has found a creative way to honor the two most important people in her life by bringing them along to dress fittings, parties, and even planning for them to “walk” down the aisle with her.
Alyssa said: “My sister was my best friend. We did everything together growing up. Concerts, sharing clothes, even dyeing our hair the same. She was exactly who I looked up to. There was never a doubt we’d be each other’s maids of honor.”
Randi tragically passed away in 2018 following a car accident, leaving a void Alyssa says could never be filled.
But during that time, her best friend Mallory became her rock.
Alyssa said: “Mallory was the Batman to my Robin, the Bonnie to my Clyde. I wouldn’t have made it through losing my sister without her. She brought so much light into my life.”
Mallory later promised to step into the role of maid of honor when Alyssa eventually got married but heartbreak struck again when she also passed away in a car accident in 2022.
Faced with planning a wedding without them, Alyssa said she initially felt dread.
“I always dreamed about my wedding, but it hurt knowing they wouldn’t physically be there” she explained.
What started as a joke soon turned into something much more meaningful.
Alyssa said: “I joked about making cardboard cutouts of them but the more I thought about it, the more it felt right. It became a beautiful way to actually see them with me.”
Now, Alyssa takes the cutouts everywhere from wedding planning appointments to celebrations, even dressing them up for each occasion.
Rather than feeling like a reminder of loss, Alyssa says the cutouts bring comfort and joy.
After sharing her idea online, Alyssa was overwhelmed by the response.
She says the process has been deeply healing.
“I want them at my dress fittings, my bachelorette, my bridal shower everything/
“They’ll even be in dresses walking down the aisle with me.
“It’s not about wishing they were here.
“It’s about knowing they are here with me every step of the way in a fun, silly, and heartfelt way.
“The support has been tremendous.
“People are not only embracing it, they’re giving me ideas like creating different outfits for each event. It’s become this really beautiful, collaborative experience.
“From making the cutouts to seeing how many people this resonates with it’s helped me in ways I didn’t expect.
“I feel like I can finally look forward to my wedding day without sadness.
“I won’t be wishing they were there.
“I’ll know they’ve been with me from the very beginning… all the way to the end.”
ENDS
