The moment Kendrick Powdrill pulled a step stool from behind a bouquet of flowers at the altar, wedding guests erupted in laughter.
That’s because at 5-foot-5, he needed a little help so his 6-foot-1 bride didn’t have to bend down for their first kiss as husband and wife.
The 34-year-old U.S. Marine’s surprise gesture during his wedding to Rachael at Live by Loews in Arlington, Texas, has captured millions of hearts after wedding content creator @weddingstoriesbymichelle posted a video that quickly went viral on social media.
At 5-foot-5, Powdrill stands eight inches shorter than his new wife – a height difference that has never bothered either of them, despite occasional jokes from friends.
“On our first date we went to a Rangers game and my best friend was laughing at me making jokes because how short I looked compared to her but it didn’t matter to me because for the first time ever I just really enjoyed her presence,” Powdrill said.
The idea for the ceremonial step stool originated months earlier. “The stool came about after one of the Marines I worked with made a joke about it at Thanksgiving,” Powdrill explained. But it wasn’t until wedding rehearsals the day before the ceremony that he decided to turn the joke into reality.
“Our wedding planner was like, I will totally get you a stool if you want one, and I told her, let’s do it,” he said. The couple kept the surprise secret from their guests for maximum impact. “We didn’t tell anyone and just put it behind the cross and pulled it out at the right time.”
Powdrill had already been fighting back tears while reciting his vows when the moment arrived. “Looking at her in that moment felt like I was in a movie,” he said. “Excitement, happiness, fulfillment – there were so many emotions I could use, but for that split moment it felt like it was just me and her.”
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The groom’s motivation went beyond comedy, though. “I thought it would do two things: be funny, of course, and then allow her to kiss me at the same height that day so she didn’t have to bend down,” he said. While he notes Rachael “wouldn’t have cared either way,” he believed the gesture would “make the moment more memorable for sure.”
The video quickly went viral after being shared online and has brought an overwhelming response from viewers worldwide, who chimed not only with the humor but the gesture, too – even if some didn’t take it as light-heartedly as the couple intended.
“There was a lot of people showing a lot of love and respect for the video,” Powdrill said. “Reading the comments on social media were definitely great to see but the negative comments were also very funny as well but it didn’t bother us too much.”
For Powdrill, the moment – and its reception – carries a broader message about love transcending physical differences. “I would say love who makes you happy. You don’t want to miss an opportunity on someone who could make you happy based on something as height,” he reflected. “Rachael has never cared at all about me being shorter than her. It’s about finding someone who you can grow old with and share a lifelong journey with.”
“But once I heard people laughing and clapping it just felt amazing,” Powdrill added, describing the moment during the ceremony. “I didn’t think that it was going to be as big as it was.”
