Maid Of Honour Carries Bride's Dying Dog Down The Aisle. It's OK To Cry

This is what pure, unconditional love looks like.

Pictures from a Colorado wedding have gone viral after a maid of honour was photographed carrying the bride's dying dog down the aisle so he could be a part of his human's big day. Since September 3, the pictures have amassed over 44,000 reactions and more than 27,500 shares on Facebook.

In posts shared on Facebook and Instagram, photographer Jen Dziuvenis has described the touching story behind the viral pictures.

Veterinarian Kelly O'Connell was marrying the love of her life and wanted her 'soul dog' Charlie Bear to be a part of her wedding. She had found Charlie as a pup in a shopping cart 15 years ago and adopted him thereafter.

Sadly, months before Ms O'Connell's wedding, Charlie was diagnosed with a brain tumor.

At the wedding, the poor dog had used up all his energy and didn't have enough strength to accompany his human down the aisle. That's when Ms O'Connell's sister and maid of honour Katie Lloyd stepped in. She decided she couldn't leave him behind, scooped him up in her arms and carried him down the aisle.

"She's 5'3". He's 80 pounds. There isn't enough mascara in the world for these moments. Dog people are the best people," photographer Jen wrote on Facebook.

Once Charlie made it to the altar, everyone gathered around him. "The bride stroked his face and told him how happy she was that he made it. The whole family (and the photographer ...) cried their eyes out," photographer Jen said on Instagram.

Heartbreakingly, Charlie died just nine days after the wedding. "She's a mess, but so happy he got to be there," Ms Lloyd said about her sister on Facebook in a post shared by the photographer.

We hope Charlie is happy wherever he is now.

If you have a pet at home, give them a tight hug right away. And another from us.