He wrote the letter the day she was born, then saved it to read at her wedding

There were a lot of special moments at the marriage of Megan Calligan and Spencer Kardash, but the speech from the father of the bride was the icing on the wedding cake.

He revealed a three decade old secret that not only marked the marriage and the life change for dad and daughter, but also made one reflect about that special day when we celebrate dads - Father's Day.

Father Dan Calligan was in the delivery room when his wife Karen gave birth to their only daughter on July 17, 1990. They had a son named Sean born in 1988 and would later have another son named Braden in 1993.

After the birth, Dan left the hospital and went home to get some rest, but he had too many thoughts in his head. He was kind of perplexed about having a baby girl. Not being able to sleep, he sat down and wrote Megan a tender and loving letter about what it meant for her to come into his life. He wrote his thoughts down on some yellow foolscap, running for two pages.

I want to be the best father in the world for you," he wrote. I want to do everything for you and give you the best care I can."

He put the letter in his night stand and didn't tell anyone about it. That letter made its way from Caledonia to new homes on the west Mountain and finally in Brant County near Cainsville.

His idea was to read it to Megan on her wedding day. And that day came on Saturday, June 10, before about 180 people at the Royal Ambassador Greenhouse on Innis Lake in the countryside of Caledon.

When he told the guests the story and pulled out the letter, there were some gasps. Megan said she was stunned.

You know what, I literally could not believe it," said Megan. When he started talking, I thought that was a nice touch. When he pulled the letter out, I almost fell over.

I couldn't believe he saved it, brought it and it all worked out. It's something I'll remember forever."

Megan was known as a Daddy's girl' and spoke about that in her own speech. She said she and her father are cut from the same cloth.

She graduated with an English degree from Guelph University. Sometimes when she went back to Guelph from visiting the family home on the west Mountain, she would forget her phone or laptop charger. Her dad would bring up the chargers without question," Megan recalled.

She believed all parents were like that, but later realized that was not the case.

I now realize how fortunate I was to have him," she said.

Dan, 62, couldn't say for sure why he never mentioned the letter to anyone.

It was a father and daughter thing," said the financial planner. I just wanted it to be a surprise."

Both father and daughter said the reaction from wedding guests was amazement and delight, including wife/mother Karen.

She was shocked," said Dan. You heard some gasps when I pulled out the letter from my pocket. I could hear her gasp behind me - and all the bridesmaids."

Megan is talking with her brothers about what to get their dad for Father's Day this Sunday. Megan says the day will have an extra shine in the wake of the letter.

I can't believe how lucky I am to have a dad who would do this," she added.

Daniel Nolan can be reached at dannolanwrites@gmail.com