PICS: One Mother’s Chance To Give Her Daughter With Down’s Syndrome Her Dream Wedding

A photo series ‘Ricchina’s Wedding’ captures one young girl’s dream to have her own wedding day, after Janice Di Jospeh threw a surprised themed birthday for her daughter. A chance encounter on a train to Philadelphia brought Janice and daughter Ricchina to photographer Lindsay Morris’ attention. Morris told Slate that she was ‘drawn in by Di Joseph’s extrovert personality’, but it was her daughter Ricchina who immediately caught her eye: “She was so dreamy. She had this air about her that was so soft and warm and welcoming.” Di Joseph was travelling home to Philadelphia and talking to the photographer when she mentioned she was preparing to throw a surprise wedding-themed birthday party for Ricchina. Ricchina, who has Down syndrome, had begun attending more weddings with her mother over the years, but began to question when or if she would ever get married. Di Joseph recalled how she felt she would “die whenever she asked, because I didn’t know what to say.” The amazing mum had already secured Ricchina the chance to meet two of her idols, Justin Timberlake and Lance Bass, and now she decided to throw a wedding-themed birthday party to make her dream come true. Talking about the photo series, photographer Morris said: “Exploring your fellow human being’s experience takes a lot of confidence. I’m attempting to show respect for another person, to show families and friends celebrating diversity… it’s a unique person being celebrated in a different scenario.”