Groom Surprises Bride's Parents By Reading Vows In Spanish

A groom planned an emotional surprise for his new in-laws on the altar – by reading out part of his vows in their native Spanish. Takunda Kambiri, 25, from Tulsa, Oklahoma, had a special message he wanted to share, not just with his bride, but with the two people who helped shape the woman he loved. Before beginning his vows to his wife, Jenesis, 24, Takunda turned toward her parents, Felix and Daisy, and surprised them by speaking in Spanish. For Felix and Daisy, whose family heritage is Dominican and who grew up speaking Spanish, hearing their future son-in-law honor their culture in their own language was a moment they will never forget. Takunda said: “I wanted to show love to her family first, by showing love to her family first, she can confirm my love for her.” Takunda and Jenesis were married on July 21, 2025, at Vinterra Event Venue in Bixby, Oklahoma. The couple wanted their wedding day to be a celebration of not only their love for each other, but also the families and cultures that brought them together. The idea of giving their parents their own vows came from Takunda after seeing the deep bond Jenesis shared with her mother, Daisy. Daisy’s first language is Spanish, which she primarily speaks. When Takunda first asked for Jenesis’ hand in marriage, he wanted to make the moment meaningful to her mother, too, and so he translated what he wanted to say into Spanish. That special moment inspired him to take the idea even further, creating vows specifically for both sets of parents in their own languages. To prepare, Takunda worked hard to make sure his Spanish pronunciation was respectful and accurate. He practiced with the help of Jenesis’ sister, Destiny Reyes, who helped him rehearse the translations before the big day. When the wedding arrived, Takunda’s surprise unfolded exactly as he hoped.

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