A Florida bride's wedding photo has gone viral because it features one of her bridesmaids pumping her breastmilk.
The photo, which was taken in October of last year but just went viral this month, featured bride Rachael Downs and her five bridesmaids holding their bouquets — while matron of honor Allison Helper holds her breast pump machine instead.
Photographer Amber Fletcher explained to Parents magazine that the photo was meant to be a silly recreation of the poster for the 2011 movie Bridesmaids.
"What happened moments coming up on the photo was that I finished the groomsmen a little early and Allison was still pumping," Fletcher said.
"I always do a photo like the Bridesmaids movie cover, so this seemed like the perfect time to utilize not only that photo in a humorous way, but to show the realness of the specific day," she continued.
"In turn, it brought light to what a day looks like for a bridesmaid who is currently breastfeeding/pumping," Fletcher added. "Rachael (the bride) and Allison (the one pumping) were down with it as it’s what the day truly looked like in a way and they are all for normalizing breastfeeding and pumping."
Downs told Today that she could empathize with her friend's need to pump and had no problem including it in her wedding photos.
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"I nursed my daughter for 18 months. I know what it’s like," she said. "I actually pumped at Allison’s wedding. We just didn’t get any photos!"
"The groomsmen finished their pictures early so I went to get Allison and she was like, 'I just need to finish pumping,' " the bride explained, adding that the bridal party "never thought it would blow up the way it did."
"But I’m glad it did," Downs added.
Fletcher added to Parents that it's been "amazing" to read the comments of so many women who relate to the photo.
The photo has certainly garnered plenty of attention online, with many expressing their appreciation for the group's embrace of pumping in public.
"This bride is absolutely fantastic. What a treasure of a friend!" one commenter wrote on Fletcher's Facebook post. "I see way too many stories in my breastfeeding groups about bridezillas throwing fits over the party leaving for any reason or 'inconveniencing' the wedding in any way."
"I love this. Support for the bride by being present and support for the bridesmaid by not making a fuss over her having to pump," another commenter added. "I wish I had friends like these. Women building women up and not being selfish. LOVE IT!"
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