Finally

A couple wedding just barely doesn’t go as planned

Everything was ready.

It was a clement, cloudy day. It was windless, all a perfect combination for a day like this. Robins outside sang their sweet melody that accompanied the beat of classical music playing from the record player. The dressing room was flooded with the chatter of excitement as the finishing touches were made to the bride. It was a clean, cream-coloured room with blue highlights along the walls. Pieces of fabric, lace, and ribbons were scattered across the floor. The bridesmaids were all rushing around, touching up their hair and makeup. Their gowns were blush pink with a pattern of white flowers around the hem. All approved by Bianca.

Butterflies flew around in Bianca's stomach. Half from excitement, half from anxiety. She had taken charge of planning alongside Alexander. As the Maid of Honour, she also took charge of the most important role; making sure the bride was in perfect shape.

A bench was positioned in front of a large mirror hanging from the wall. Adriana stood on top of it, completely spruced up in her flowing wedding dress. The white dress was simple, but elegant, with lace flowers around the bodice and a Peony flower in Adriana’s hair, falling in long, dark brown waves down her back. All thanks to her best friend, Bianca, and her hair styling skills.

“You look just magical, girl!” Bianca beamed. She brushed Adriana’s hair, checking for any tangles. “Finn’s some lucky guy!”

“Thanks. I’m kinda nervous, this whole thing is nerve-wracking.”

“Don’t be, Adi,” Laura, who was getting her makeup patched up by Valerie, replied from the side.

“This is your day. You got this, cous!” Amelia, encouraged. “You look so adorable!”

A smile tugged at Adriana’s lips. “Guys, stop it.”

“We will never stop because you’re beautiful!” Bianca tittered, stepping away from the bench. Valerie then stepped in, checking for imperfections in Adriana’s makeup.

“I still can’t believe this is actually happening. Do you think we’re going into this too quickly?”

“You and Finn have been dating for five years. If anything wasn’t right, we would’ve known by now. You two will make an awesome couple.”

Adriana brightened. If Bianca had confidence in them, something had to be going right. She was lucky to have such great friends and relatives. Adriana breathed in deeply, then out again. Longing whispered through her. She had imagined what this day would be like as a kid. The smell of the bouquet of flowers, and feeling like a princess in her gown. Now, she was here. She put on her most charming smile she could in the mirror.

But yet, something felt off. Someone hadn’t said a word the whole time.

“Valerie, you have been awfully quiet. Anything wrong?”

Valerie jumped at her words, like she didn’t expect Adriana to address her. She looked Adriana in the eye before her chin began to tremble. Tears shone in her eyes before bursting into tears.

“Valerie! What's wrong?” Adriana asked frantically.

“I just-” her voice was shaky and squeaky, “I just can’t-can’t believe my little sister is get-getting married!”

Adriana's expression softened. She opened her arms. “Aww, come here.”

Valerie leaped into her arms, nearly knocking them both over. Bianca was on the scene, ready to fix any messed up hair. The others watched the heartfelt scene with their own smiles.

“Hey, where’s Abby?” Laura asked.

“Valerie told me she’s with her grandfather. Valerie said she was feeling a little scared and needed to go for a walk to clear her mind,” Amelia replied. “Last I heard, they were visiting Jaxon, Levi, and Chelsea with the guys.”

“Speaking of the boys, I wonder how they’re doing?”

“Oh, they’re probably ok,”
——————————
“We are not ok!” Sweat beaded on Alexander’s forehead as he flipped through his loose papers and pages in his notebook. “It’s the big day and I don't know if everything is together. What if I mess something up?”

“Alexander?” Finn stood in front of a freestanding mirror adjusting his bow tie.

“I still have that suspicion that I have typos in the program.”

“Alexander.”

“And-and what if I forgot the rings? Or your clothes get stained? I didn’t think of getting extras! Oh, I’m doing everything wrong!”

“Alexander!”

Finn didn’t usually raise his voice, but Alexander wouldn’t stop fussing. This was the five hundredth time his brother needed reassurance that everything was fine. Alexander’s papers fell to the ground like leaves.

“You’re doing just fine. Don’t worry, ok? Look at what you and Bianca accomplished. You got the Peony flower field reservation made, the cake bought, you even paid for Malachi’s plane tickets to get him here. You’ve done good. Thanks, Peanut.”

Alexander adjusted his glasses. “Are-are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

“Gosh. Thanks.”

Alexander collected his papers from the floor. He knew everything Finn said was true, even if he had trouble believing it. Out of everyone, even the bride and groom, he was the most stressed of them all.

Unlike the bridesmaid’s room, blues music was coming from a speaker in the corner. The groomsmen were dispersed around the room, fixing their hair and ties. Their suits were sky blue with azure ties and porcelain white pants with black cuffs. The children were chatting off to the side, talking about their plans for the summer and their feelings towards the day ahead.

“Hey, Finn? Don’t take this the wrong way. But don’t grooms typically wear tuxedos for a wedding?” Andy inquired.

“It’s ok, buddy.” Finn gave Andy a pat on the shoulder. “I’ve never been much of a fan of suits.”

Instead of a groom’s tux, Finn wore a white dress shirt with matching pants. Lace flowers were stitched to the neck of the shirt. A peony flower was jutting out of the dress shirt pocket. Like Adriana’s dress, it was simple yet dazzling. It looked like the perfect male alternative to her dress.

“You look so…so-“ In Cody’s attempt to find the word, Malachi cut him off.

“You look so dapper, bro!”

“Ah yes, what he said.”

Finn guffawed. His older brother never really got used to slang.

“Cousin Finn?” A pre-teenage voice piped up from the sidelines. “Is it time for the wedding yet?”

“Let’s see, Jaxon.” Finn peered down at his wrist watch - 1:25pm. “Yes, in five minutes. Abby and Chelsea should head back to the bridesmaid’s room. Need any help, you two?”

“We got it, thanks. Say ‘bye’ to your Uncle Finn and Daddy, Chelsea.”

The little five-year-old did what was asked, along with a wave as a bonus. Finn and her father, Cody, waved back. Finn and Cody were glad to see two completely unrelated girls getting along nicely. They just knew that, once the wedding was over, the two of them would want to be together a lot. Even with the large age gap. The two girls left the room, leaving other children to themselves.

“Alright everyone! You’ve all gotten your suits and hair done? No one needs any help?”

Cody looked around the room. “We’re all set.”

“Great. The service is gonna start any minute now…”

Finn took a deep breath. To think this wasn’t just a wedding, but his own wedding. Warmth spread throughout his body. He dreamed of this day ever since he was a kid. He always wondered what it would be like to be standing at the altar, staring at the face of his love. Now, he was here. He swallowed his fear and put on a brave face.

Alexander squealed in excitement. “This is gonna be awesome!”
——————————
The guests began to pile onto the flower fields and were ushered into their seats. The front seats were reserved for the families of the bride and groom. A dog mat was laid on the grass, a spot for Adriana’s well behaved Poodle, Pearl. When everyone arrived, it made for a great crowd. Friends and family from around the state were seated in the flowery field.

The first time any of the groomsmen saw Adriana in her dress, they were getting ready to get in position. Their paths had crossed heading to the tent where the members waited to walk down the aisle. Their jaws dropped, especially Jaxon’s and Alexander’s. It reminded Jaxon of the Disney movies his sister enjoyed. And Alexander of queens in his fantasy novels. Adriana kissed Jaxon on top of his head like a loving mother, who grinned. She then turned to Alexander.

“I’m proud of you, Alex,” Adriana whispered to him. “Bianca told me how nervous you are about everything being perfect. But you’ve done just that. Thank you so much!”

Alexander gave a lopsided grin. “You’re welcome, your highness-I mean, Adriana.”

Adriana laughed and patted him on the back before going in the direction of the tent. The guys followed along, arriving at the men’s tent off to the side of the guests.

The guests chatted and fidgeted in their seats, waiting for the ceremony to begin. Suddenly, someone sat down at a piano and began to play an instrumental version of ‘Love Me Tender’. A red carpet was rolled out across the grass, leading to the altar. The guests shushed each other and watched as Adriana’s mother, Stacy, appeared from the women’s tent and walked down the aisle. She wore a pink blouse, the same shade as the bridesmaids dresses, and black dress pants. She took her seat at the left of the altar.

Finn then appeared from a separate tent. People whispered in amazement, admiring his choice of outfit. While it wasn’t mandatory, he decided to have his parents, Felix and Tabitha, accompany him down the aisle. His parents wore blue shirts with white pants, the same as the groomsmen. Finn took his place at the head of the altar and his parents at the seats to the right. Alexander, as the best man, followed suit. His smile was bright seeing everything he helped put together in motion. Alexander stood at Finn’s right, then winked at him. Finn’s groomsmen were next, who came down in the order of Andy, Cody, Malachi, and Jaxon (as the junior groomsmen). They stood on the right of the altar.

The bridesmaids were the next to arrive. They walked down the aisle one by one in the order of Amelia, Laura, Valerie, and Abby (as the junior bridesmaid). They walked with a strut down the aisle, bouquets of daisies in their hands. They stopped in the middle for the groomsmen to lock arms with them and lead them to the left of the altar. Bianca was the next one to walk down the aisle. With long, confident strides, she made her way next to the bridesmaids. Then, out came Chelsea, the flower girl. Her small dress was darker pink then the bridesmaids with a large bow wrapped around the waist. Chelsea walked aimlessly down the aisle, throwing flowers at random and interacting with guests who sat near the aisle. Levi appeared right behind Chelsea, decked out in a white dress shirt with dark blue pants and bow tie. He took his place off to the side with the rings in hand.

The piano player stopped his playing, before switching to a new song, “Open Arms”. The guests murmured things like “Adriana is coming!” and wondered what her dress looked like. A hush fell over the group as Adriana emerged from the tent. They watched in awe as Adriana began to walk slowly down the aisle. Pearl barked in delight seeing Adriana for the first time since that morning. Stacy gave her daughter’s pet a belly rub as Pearl’s tongue hung out. Her arm was locked with her father’s, Eugene. Her nervousness had vanished, a sort of wonder now on her mind. Adriana’s heart fluttered as she neared the altar and her love. Affection glowed in his eyes. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her. Neither could!

One she reached the altar, the Pastor began his speech. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered in these fields today to witness the joining of Adriana and Finn in marriage…”

His speech was long and heartfelt. Finn’s emerald eyes met Adriana’s arctic blue ones. They occasionally shared a smile or muffled laugh with each other, excitement gradually building inside them. But, as they listened to the Pastor's speech, a bad feeling took over Alexander. He could sense something was wrong. He subtly tilted his head up to see that the once white, cloudy sky was now darkened. The colour drained from his face. Panic began to rise in his stomach. He attempted to keep his cool and a straight face.

“…Christ abundantly blesses the love that binds you.Through a special Sacrament, he enriches and strengthens those he has already consecrated by Holy Baptism, that they may be faithful to each other for ever and assume all the responsibilities of married life. And so, in the presence of the Church, I ask you to state your intentions.”

The two of them held each other’s hands in front of them as the Pastor asked the questions. Alexander was keeping his eye on the sky.

“Adriana and Finn, have you come here to enter into Marriage without coercion, freely and wholeheartedly? Are you prepared, as you follow the path of Marriage, to love and honor each other for as long as you both shall live? Are you prepared to accept children lovingly from God and to bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church?”

“I am,” Finn and Adriana replied in unison.

“Since it is your intention to enter the covenant of Holy Matrimony, we shall declare your consent before God and his Church.”

Before the Pastor could open his mouth to begin the vows, a strike of lightning as sharp as a sword clashed against the ground. Then, to Alexander’s worst fear, rain began to pour. The guests scrambled to collect their things and grumbled in confusion. The people at the altar crammed under the roof of the altar with Finn and Adriana, trying to keep their clothes and hair from the rain. Bianca was able to grab a microphone from the altar. She whistled into it, stopping the hysterical chatter.

“Everyone, stay calm! All of you are advised to take shelter in the tents located behind you,” Bianca ordered. “A backup venue will soon be announced.”

Everyone rushed over to the two tents. Luckily, they only took up one third of them. The members of the wedding took shelter in the less filled tent. Fans and towels were stored in the tents in case of any inconveniences, Bianca’s idea. She thought they were never gonna need them. Now, she was grateful she had taken that measure. Bianca was on her phone contacting the other venue. It was a nearby church that, while small, would be able to hold them all. Alexander was also on his phone, in shambles, checking the weather. His chest rose and fell with rapid breaths.

“I was sure the weather said it was supposed to be clear today!” Alexander exclaimed to no one in particular. The weather symbols were all changed to rain. “I should have known it was gonna rain, I’ve ruined Adriana and my brother's perfect wedding!”

“Sweetheart, this isn’t your fault,” Adriana said from behind him.

She approached Alexander from behind. Her hair was slightly damp from the rain and the end of her dress was soggy. Pearl rubbed against Adriana’s leg, receiving a back rub to her satisfaction. Alexander’s caramel eyes welled up with tears. He avoided her gaze.

“But-but the decorations, the field, you-your-your dress.”

Finn also came to Alexander’s side. “Alex, fancy decorations and clothes aren't what’s making this wedding special.”

“They‘re not?” Alexander fought back tears.

“All of that is still awesome, but what makes this special is that I get to marry the love of my life.”

Adriana blushed rose red before hearing the booming voice of Bianca through a cordless microphone.

“Alright, everyone. We have a new venue!”

The storm was still brewing outside as they left the tent and dashed to their vehicles. The guests soon followed, piling into their own cars. It wasn’t long before they left the flower fields behind and went down the road. The ride was silent until chats about the rest of the ceremony started. After only 15 minutes, they had made it to the church. The doors were already abroad, allowing everyone to step inside.

“Welcome. You may resume your wedding at your leisure,” the senior Pastor greeted.

The church contained rows of chairs and a small altar. It was big enough for everyone, even with its small size. The windows were made of stained glass, depicting scenes from the life of Jesus. There were no decorations around, due to such short notice. Alexander admired the church, taking notice of the large harp off to the side of the altar.

“You seem to like it here don’t you, Alexander.” Finn asked.

Alexander appeared mesmerized in the surroundings. “It does look nice.”

The guests sat back down into the chairs and the others got back in position. Levi strolled up to the altar, carrying a small purple pillow with the wedding rings. Two sparkling gold bands with diamonds embedded. Valerie grinned brightly at the sight of her son looking all grown up at the altar.

“Now that we are back, we may now start the vows,” the Pastor said. “Finn, do you take Adriana for your lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?”

“I do.”

Adriana's eyes got shiny hearing her husband-to-be say those words. She sniffled, waiting her turn.

“Adriana, do you take Finn for your lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?

“I do,” She tearfully replied.

It was then Finn’s turn to get emotional. His eyes became misty with tears of joy. His vision became blurry enough to not see Levi approach him with the rings. He gave them to Adriana instead, who took Finn’s hand and slipped on the ring. Finn couldn’t hold it in after that and tears began to fall down his cheeks. So much that Levi had to place the ring in his hand before he noticed. He took the ring and carefully slipped it on Adriana's finger.

“May the Lord bless these rings, which you will give to each other as the sign of your love and fidelity.”

The crowd replied with a collective “amen”.

“If there is anyone who can give a reason why this couple should not be wed, let them speak now, or let them forever hold their peace."

No one spoke up. The silence was thick enough to be sliced by a knife. The Pastor nodded.

“I now, here in this place, hereby declare this couple husband and wife!”

The assembly erupted in cheers and applause as Finn and Adriana kissed. The bridesmaids and groomsmen tried to keep their cheers to a minimum. Except for Alexander and Bianca, who were jumping wildly and cheering louder than anyone else in the church. Even Valerie or Cody couldn’t stop themselves from cheering at least a little bit at that moment.

Finn whispered into Adriana's ear. “It’s about time.”

She replied with the same. “It’s about time.”