As I stared at myself in the mirror, I was sure I would collapse from nerves. Why was I so nervous? This was only a little ceremony. Who was I trying to kid? Although I have to admit I did look stunning. I would take Edwards breath away, if he needed to breathe that is.
Alice had picked out a dress from some expensive Italian designer. But it did look amazing. It was a strapless that hugged just right to make my diminutive chest actually look full. There was intricate detailing on the bodice and the skirt was huge and gathered in places where it had small rose pins with diamonds in the center. She was kind enough, however to provide me with sensible shoes. My kind of sensible shoes, as in flats.
Rosalie had helped with my hair and make-up. I was grateful that neither Alice nor Rosalie had felt the need to make me look like a doll on my day. They applied sensible make-up in muted tones. They both decided that my hair had to be intricate to balance my lack of make-up. It was definitely time consuming. After 3 ½ hours they had successfully curled every inch of hair on my head and twirled it into the most intricate up do I'd ever seen. They put in small clips that matched the details on my dress and added my veil. I have to admit I was stunned that they had created the image I was seeing in the mirror with what little I provided them to work with. For once I was grateful my sisters were so fashionable.
How weird it felt to call them sisters. They had always seemed like family to me, since I have no siblings but it felt weird acknowledging them as my sisters. I looked at my soon-to-be-sort-of-already sisters. They looked gorgeous in their navy blue bridesmaids' dresses, big surprise. That was one of the few things Alice let me help her pick out. They were floor length with an empire waist and simple beading on the halter strap.
Just as Rosalie and Alice were finishing fussing over my jewelry, a pair of diamond studs with the diamond heart Edward had given me as a pendant around my neck – I had insisted I wear it even though Alice thought she could find something more fitting – we heard knocking at the door. Esme entered in an elegant baby blue pant suit smiling when she saw us fussing in front of the mirror.
"Edward has a message for you," she told me. "He says that you need to take a deep breath and not be nervous. He knows you'll be beautiful," she said with a smile. "Even though he hasn't seen anything," she quickly added seeing the sharp look on Alice's face. She had tried so hard to make it a surprise.
"Thanks, Esme." I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. When I opened them my father was standing in front of me in his suit. He looked pretty handsome. That was when I knew it was time. I grabbed my bouquet of baby's breath, forget-me-nots, and white lilies surrounded by daises picked from Edward's and my meadow.
I headed down the ornate stairs and to the backyard where Carlisle was waiting under a white arch covered in vines. To his left stood the man I was to marry, the man of my dreams; next to him stood his best man, Emmett and his groomsman, Jasper. I could see the nervousness in the tension of his posture and his closed fists, until he looked up to see me enter and he grinned, making my knees weak. I had to clutch my father's arm so I wouldn't fall over. I looked up at him, shocked to see a tear rolling down his cheek. Although I was his only child, getting married, I didn't expect this amount of emotion from my father. I suppose the time we spent together over dinner really softened him up.
As we proceeded down the aisle, a permanent blush on my face due to the many people staring at me, I looked to the west to see the sun just setting on the horizon. Twilight, because I'd wanted to have the wedding on a warm day, so we planned for summer and we had to be safe, in case it was sunny.
When we reached the end of the aisle, I hugged my father and kissed him on the cheek. I saw my mother and Phil in the front row, my mother already dabbing her eyes with tissue. I turned and stepped toward the altar with Alice, my maid-of-honor, and Rosalie, my bridesmaid, falling in line behind me. I took Edwards hands and gazed into his beautiful topaz eyes. "Twilight, again" I muttered to him.
He looked at me seriously, "Another end." I could see the sadness in his eyes.
"Every ending is just another beginning." He looked at me with such intensity I could hardly keep my knees stiff so I wouldn't collapse.
Carlisle interrupted, beginning with our own vows, ladies first, of course. My vows had taken me 2 weeks to perfect. It could be that nearly every free moment I had was either spent being with Edward or planning the wedding with Alice. I cleared my throat and began.
"How can I possible describe what Edward is to me? He is my universe. Somehow he always seems to know what I'm thinking. He is the peanut butter to my raspberry jelly, the cheese to my macaroni." I could see Edward laugh silently at my food analogies. "My love for him is never ending, and I can't wait to spend forever with him." I began to tear as I spoke the last line and Edward's grasp on my hands tightened as my eyes brimmed with tears. Now I awaited the moment I had been looking forward to since Edward proposed.
"Bella. In that word I find so much comfort. She understands me on a level I never thought another person could. She knows me in a way that is beyond explanation. I am eternally grateful to her for saving me and for bringing me back to life. I love you, Bella." As the guests clapped at Edward's vows, which they could never possibly understand, I noticed the other people present for the first time.
After that, we went through the traditional vows:
"Do you Edward Cullen take Isabella Swan to be your lawfully wedded wife…"
"Do you Isabella Swan take Edward Cullen to be your lawfully wedded husband…"
"To have and to hold from this day forward,
For better or for worse, for richer, for poorer,
In sickness and in health, to love and to cherish;
From this day forward until death do us part?"
I couldn't help but smile inwardly at the irony of the last line.
"I do," Edward pronounced.
"I do," I confirmed.
Carlisle continued, "Edward, repeat after me. Bella, wear this ring,"
"Bella, wear this ring,"
"as an undying symbol,"
"as un undying symbol,"
"of my love and faithfulness to you, my wife."
"of my love and
faithfulness to you, my wife."
Carlisle turned to me. "Bella
repeat after me. Edward, wear this ring,"
I cleared my throat, I didn't want to falter, to show any sign of hesitation. This was what I wanted, in a sense. I didn't need it to be formal, but Edward did, so I couldn't argue.
"Edward, wear this ring,"
"as an undying symbol,"
"as an undying symbol,"
"of my love and faithfulness to you, my husband."
"of my love and faithfulness to you, my husband."
Carlisle placed his hands over our entwined ones and spoke to Edward, "You may now kiss your bride."
This was the part I was waiting for. It was still hard for me to believe that Edward actually wanted me, unremarkable me, as his wife. His kiss would put away any thoughts of myself; in fact it put away any thoughts except those about his lips on mine or my trite necessity to breathe.
His cold hands grasped my face as my stomach did flips. I couldn't understand why I was so nervous. Had I not kissed him a thousand times before? His face approached mine and his eyes burned with something I had never seen before. But before I could analyze it any more, his stony lips were one with mine in the most passionate kiss we'd ever shared and I was lost, all former preoccupations dissipated.
Finally we both had to resurface. I turned to an applauding audience and grabbed Edward as we planned to take the first of many steps together as husband and wife. "I now present, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Cullen," Carlisle announced. My heart fluttered at my new title. Mrs. Edward Cullen. How long I'd waited to have that title.