Together...
Cassie watched from the wings as her sisters marched in line down the aisle, making sure to avert her eyes before they reached the front. She didn’t want to look at her husband to be yet, not until she was taking the walk to his side. Tears were sure to come and she didn’t want to ruin her make-up before Stephen got a chance to see her.
The music changed and her papa squeezed her hand, a warm, reassuring smile on his face as he placed it in the crook of his arm. “It’s time, Cassie-cakes. Let’s get you married.”
Pressing her last kiss to her father’s cheek before he handed her over to another man to take care of her, she sniffled. “I love you, Papa,” she said, laughing when he dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose. She’d miss being his little girl, but Cassie was ready to build her own life with the man she loved. With a determined nod, they started down the red pathway.
The string quartet, whose repertoire had consisted of Handel and other soft classical pieces, suddenly switched gears to Wagner’s Wedding March. As their gathered guests rose, Stephen’s eyes sought out the only woman he wanted to see.
He almost forgot to breathe.
Cassie was a vision. On the arm of her father, walking towards him-- towards their future together-- there was a look on her face that he’d never seen before. He had no doubt that there was a mirror of that same look on his face. His heart was pounding wildly, so hard he was sure the guests in the back row could hear it.
Her eyes were locked on Stephen’s as she moved toward him and Cassie barely registered the minister’s question of who was giving her hand in marriage. When her papa’s voice replied though, and he placed her hand into her betrothed’s, she could scarcely catch her breath. This was really happening. They were getting married.
The recitation of her vows were a blur, at once heartfelt and mindless as she repeated the minister’s words. When it was Stephen’s turn her attention suddenly focused as she listened to him promise his love to her.
There would probably be a time in the future when he would look back on this day and attempt to recall every single significant little detail; from the way the April sunshine glinted off the curl in Cassie’s hair, to the tears welling at the corners of her eyes as he said his vows. But he knew in his heart that no memory, however strong, would ever be able to do this day justice.
His thumb ran over her soft knuckles as he turned and took the ring from Stewart, lips twitching when he caught his mate’s eye. They ribbed and heckled and jostled as men were wont to do, but he was proud his mates were up there with him. He couldn’t think of any others he’d want standing up for him on this day than the three of them.
Turning back to his bride, he took the ring and slipped it over her delicate finger. “With this ring, I thee wed,” he said, his gaze locked on hers as he spoke the words, his voice low and serious. "Omnia vincit amor."
Cassie heart beat faster as the officiant finished the last bit of the ceremony, finally looking to Stephen and say the words they’d been both been anticipating.
“I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
Bright eyes turned to her husband as Cassie tipped her face upward. “Kiss your bride, Stephen,” she murmured, her face alight with happiness.
His lips twitched in a small smirk, and Stephen murmured, “Peace. I will stop your mouth.” He cupped her cheek in his hand, his other splayed out across the small of her back as he pulled her flush against him and slanted his lips over hers.
Wrapping her arms around him tightly, Cassie’s finger threaded through his hair, as she reveled in their first kiss as a married couple. As the kiss went on there were a few cleared throats, then a catcall or two before they finally pulled apart. A smile broke across her face and she tucked her hand in Stephen’s. “I think we’re official.”
"Better safe than sorry," he replied with mirth in his eyes.
The officiant's smile was wide as he gestured for the pair to turn and face the assembled guests. "Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to present to you, for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Cornfoot."
Cassie glanced over her shoulder, sharing a weepy smile with her sisters. Even Lex, the strongest willed of them all, had a shine to her blue eyes and it warmed her heart to see her family so happy for her. Turning toward the future, she rested her head against her new husband’s shoulder and let him lead her back up the aisle, together. ‘Til death would they part.
The music changed and her papa squeezed her hand, a warm, reassuring smile on his face as he placed it in the crook of his arm. “It’s time, Cassie-cakes. Let’s get you married.”
Pressing her last kiss to her father’s cheek before he handed her over to another man to take care of her, she sniffled. “I love you, Papa,” she said, laughing when he dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose. She’d miss being his little girl, but Cassie was ready to build her own life with the man she loved. With a determined nod, they started down the red pathway.
The string quartet, whose repertoire had consisted of Handel and other soft classical pieces, suddenly switched gears to Wagner’s Wedding March. As their gathered guests rose, Stephen’s eyes sought out the only woman he wanted to see.
He almost forgot to breathe.
Cassie was a vision. On the arm of her father, walking towards him-- towards their future together-- there was a look on her face that he’d never seen before. He had no doubt that there was a mirror of that same look on his face. His heart was pounding wildly, so hard he was sure the guests in the back row could hear it.
Her eyes were locked on Stephen’s as she moved toward him and Cassie barely registered the minister’s question of who was giving her hand in marriage. When her papa’s voice replied though, and he placed her hand into her betrothed’s, she could scarcely catch her breath. This was really happening. They were getting married.
The recitation of her vows were a blur, at once heartfelt and mindless as she repeated the minister’s words. When it was Stephen’s turn her attention suddenly focused as she listened to him promise his love to her.
There would probably be a time in the future when he would look back on this day and attempt to recall every single significant little detail; from the way the April sunshine glinted off the curl in Cassie’s hair, to the tears welling at the corners of her eyes as he said his vows. But he knew in his heart that no memory, however strong, would ever be able to do this day justice.
His thumb ran over her soft knuckles as he turned and took the ring from Stewart, lips twitching when he caught his mate’s eye. They ribbed and heckled and jostled as men were wont to do, but he was proud his mates were up there with him. He couldn’t think of any others he’d want standing up for him on this day than the three of them.
Turning back to his bride, he took the ring and slipped it over her delicate finger. “With this ring, I thee wed,” he said, his gaze locked on hers as he spoke the words, his voice low and serious. "Omnia vincit amor."
Cassie heart beat faster as the officiant finished the last bit of the ceremony, finally looking to Stephen and say the words they’d been both been anticipating.
“I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
Bright eyes turned to her husband as Cassie tipped her face upward. “Kiss your bride, Stephen,” she murmured, her face alight with happiness.
His lips twitched in a small smirk, and Stephen murmured, “Peace. I will stop your mouth.” He cupped her cheek in his hand, his other splayed out across the small of her back as he pulled her flush against him and slanted his lips over hers.
Wrapping her arms around him tightly, Cassie’s finger threaded through his hair, as she reveled in their first kiss as a married couple. As the kiss went on there were a few cleared throats, then a catcall or two before they finally pulled apart. A smile broke across her face and she tucked her hand in Stephen’s. “I think we’re official.”
"Better safe than sorry," he replied with mirth in his eyes.
The officiant's smile was wide as he gestured for the pair to turn and face the assembled guests. "Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to present to you, for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Cornfoot."
Cassie glanced over her shoulder, sharing a weepy smile with her sisters. Even Lex, the strongest willed of them all, had a shine to her blue eyes and it warmed her heart to see her family so happy for her. Turning toward the future, she rested her head against her new husband’s shoulder and let him lead her back up the aisle, together. ‘Til death would they part.