Precious Ceremony Hug Between Groom and Stepdaughter, 9, Brings Wedding Guests to Tears (Exclusive)

Ashlyn RobinetteMon, March 2, 2026 at 4:26 PM UTC

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Richard Cosgrove hugging son Sammy Cosgrove and stepdaughter Rose LangstaffCredit: LeAnn Arrowsmith Photography -

Richard and Sarah Cosgrove wed in May 2024 in Settle, England

A touching clip from the ceremony recently went viral on Instagram

In the video, the bride's 9-year-old daughter, Rose Langstaff, burst into tears before wrapping her new stepdad in a heartfelt hug. The groom's 11-year-old son, Sammy Cosgrove, also joined the hug

There wasn't a dry eye in sight when a groom's 9-year-old stepdaughter went straight into his arms after walking down the aisle.

Sarah Cosgrove, 33, and Richard Cosgrove, 40, tied the knot in an intimate wedding attended by 65 guests at Falcon Manor in Settle, England, on May 31, 2024. A precious moment between the bride's daughter, Rose Langstaff, and the groom during the ceremony has recently gone viral on social media.

As the maid of honor, Rose walked down the aisle ahead of her mother and burst into tears before wrapping her new stepdad in a heartfelt hug. The best man, Richard's 11-year-old son Sammy Cosgrove, made the moment even more meaningful by joining the hug.

"It was quite overwhelming for them both because obviously they both had quite big roles in the day," Sarah tells PEOPLE of the children's emotional reactions. "Especially for Rose, she, in the morning, had been practicing walking down the aisle. When the music was playing, she was quite nervous. So I think when she actually walked down the aisle, it was such a huge relief to see Richard at the other end ... she kind of just felt safe, happy, an overflooding of emotions."

Richard adds that Sammy "was very reassuring" to Rose.

"He threw his arms around her and wanted her to feel better," he says.

Richard Cosgrove hugging son Sammy Cosgrove and stepdaughter Rose LangstaffCredit: LeAnn Arrowsmith Photography

A clip of the tear-jerking moment was captured by Tia Brown, founder of Clink Social Weddings, and shared on Instagram on Valentine's Day. The Yorkshire-based luxury wedding content creator wrote in the caption, "How lucky they are to have such a close, emotional bond like this. They couldn’t hold back their tears, a beautiful moment for this family."

Richard remembers his loved ones reacting to the tearful scene "with a big 'aww.' "

"Many of the guests came to see me afterward and said they were holding it together until they saw Rose," he says. "Many of the non-crying men also broke into tears, which we all had a good laugh about afterward."

Rose Langstaff walking down the aisleCredit: LeAnn Arrowsmith Photography

Because Sarah had yet to walk down the aisle, she didn't witness the trio's emotional hug in real time, but she cried when she eventually saw the video.

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"After the ceremony, everyone was saying, 'Oh, my God, Rose set us all off. She made everybody cry. We were all in tears when she walked down the aisle.' I couldn't wait to see the video," Sarah tells PEOPLE. "So when I saw it the next day, I was in lots of tears myself at the reaction."

Richard and Sarah CosgroveCredit: LeAnn Arrowsmith Photography

Sarah and Richard were "extremely surprised" when the wedding clip gained traction on Instagram, amassing nearly 140,000 likes. Their kids were also "over the moon."

From left to right: Sammy Cosgrove, Richard Cosgrove, Sarah Cosgrove, and Rose LangstaffCredit: LeAnn Arrowsmith Photography

"We were very, very excited. We thought it was hysterical as a family as well. It was very funny actually," Richard says with his wife adding, "The reaction that it had online was just insane and watching it again, it brought it all back."

Richard describes his relationship with his stepdaughter as "incredible."

"We can have fun together, cause mischief and have lots of banter because there’s no risk of me losing my disciplinary status as she has her mother and father for that," he says, adding, "I love being a father to my boy and I love being a stepfather to Rose. They are two completely different roles and equally rewarding."

From left to right: Sammy Cosgrove, Sarah Cosgrove, Richard Cosgrove, and Rose LangstaffCredit: LeAnn Arrowsmith Photography

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Richard and Sammy met Sarah and Rose at Heaton Park in Manchester, England, in June 2021, more than a decade after Richard and Sarah first connected. Even though the couple — who were both single at the time — "weren’t considering starting a relationship together," because their children "got on so well" they figured "it would be crazy not to."

"They get on like a house on fire. They get on incredibly well," Richard says of Sammy and Rose's friendship. "They are constantly trying to cause trouble and cause mischief. They are very, very creative together. They love to do arts and crafts and make-believe, they just do everything together. The time that they spend together is amazing. They both look forward to it."

Sarah and Richard CosgroveCredit: LeAnn Arrowsmith Photography

He continues, "We're both very lucky. Sarah and I both said our relationship wouldn't survive unless the children got on very well and luckily they do."

The proud parents noted that in Sammy's reception speech he said, "Not only has he gained a stepsister, he's also gained a best friend [in Rose]."

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”