As a father prepared to walk his daughter down the aisle at her wedding, he halted the procession and made a gesture that has resonated with stepparents across the world.

Todd Bachman, the biological father of Brittany Peck, approached her stepfather, Todd Cendrosky, and invited him to walk the bride down the aisle together during the ceremony in Lorain County, Ohio, last weekend. Mr. Cendrosky had not expected the invitation, and he began to cry as Mr. Bachman led him by the hand.

The moment was captured by the wedding photographer, Delia Blackburn, and posted to Facebook, where it has been shared over 500,000 times and liked by more than one million people.

Ms. Blackburn said she cried as she took the photos, touched by the gesture as a stepmother herself. She said the job of the stepparent is often difficult and thankless.