Ludwig stood at the head of the church, his heart fluttering within his chest and his palms sweaty. He held his hands together before him neatly;his fingers fidgeted a bit from his nerves.
Today was the day they'd waited for, the day he'd longed for. Ever since he'd known her, a part of him knew she was the one, and now that he'd pushed all his doubts and fears aside, it was finally happening. She was to be his bride, to have and to hold, all his and no one else's. It was something wonderful to think about, but also honestly a bit terrifying. He was about to be married to the love of his life, and though he couldn't be happier, he knew life was going to be very different from now on, and a part of that fact scared him a little.
The music played, flowing yet rhythmic, and the first of the couple's chosen bridesmaids and groom's men emerged from the doorway.
First came Ludwig's brother, Gilbert, arm in arm with Elizaveta, who was clothed in long dress of lovely red, one of Laura's favorite colors and the one she'd chosen for the theme of the wedding. Smiles lit up both their faces as they stepped along with the music.
Gilbert was obviously happy to be accompanying miss Hungary down the aisle, and though she tried to hide it a bit, Elizaveta was enjoying the situation herself. As they walked, Gilbert subtly brought his hand from his side and up to his arm, where Elizaveta's hand lay, and very gently rested his hand upon hers for the rest of their small trek up the aisle way. As they parted off to the bride and groom's sides, Gilbert snuck his brother a thumbs up and Ludwig chuckled slightly. His brother and miss Elizaveta had been getting along quite well, and sometimes Ludwig wondered if one of the next weddings he attended would be theirs.
The next set to enter was Belgium's best friend, Ukraine, and Spain, who had agreed to accompany her, seeing as they both needed to be in the wedding.
Ukraine blushed slightly, feeling a bit out of place in her dress, though she looked lovely, and also feeling a bit embarrassed holding on to Spain's arm, but Antonio just smiled contentedly and led her up the walkway. Both were thrilled to be at their friend's wedding, knowing Germany would take good care of Belgium.
Following them was an odd pair. There hadn't been enough girls to pair up with the boys, and since Germany thought Italy deserved to be in the wedding and Belgium wanted the same for Romano, the brothers had to walk in together. They had been told there was no need for locking arms, but in all his glee Italy ignored that and happily latched on to his rather annoyed brother.
Italy couldn't be happier for Germany if he tried and his face showed it. As for Romano, though he'd had his fair share of quarrels with the groom standing ahead of him, he cared a lot for Laura. She had always been very sweet to him, and she was in love with ole' potato breath so if he made her happy, he was happy, and although he wouldn't dare admit it aloud, deep down he knew Germany was a good guy.
As they all entered in, Japan snapped picture after picture. He'd offered to do all the photography for the wedding, free of charge. He loved to take pictures and what better to photograph than the wedding of his good friend, Doitsu.
Following close behind the couples, a somewhat nervous Liechtenstein entered. She held a small basket of flowers and her dress was also red, but a bit more girlish to compliment her small frame. In her bouncy blond hair she wore a rosy ribbon to match.
She stepped out onto the aisle,a bit unsure. She looked over at her big brother, Switzerland, who stood nearby, and he gave her a reassuring nod. She smiled and fell into step with the music, reaching into her basket and spreading rose petals all along the aisle, when she was done she took her place by Ukraine and Hungary.
Belgium had nicely suggested that she be the flower girl, seeing as there were no little ones to do the job, and she had accepted.
Belgium was a good friend of Liechtenstein's, and she thought that her and Germany made a very nice couple.
As the music faded, Austria took his place at the piano and began playing the wedding march.
The crowd stood, and Germany gulped. His heart nearly stopped at the beautiful site that appeared in the doorway. There she stood, his love, his darling, on her arm was her brother, who had a look few had ever seen him bear. He was smiling, a hint of joyful sadness in his eyes.
Ludwig had always known Laura was beautiful, but now she appeared simply radiant. Her dress was long and the color of fresh snow. It shimmered slightly in the sunlight that shown through the windows. As she began to walk, Austria changed the march into a beautiful tune that Belgium had requested. It made the moment all the more surreal as Germany eyed her, unable to wipe the smile off his face.
Belgium beamed at him, her eyes a bit watery, and both of their cheeks a bit rosy.
Her short hair was styled in waves and gathered up, laced with ribbons and small flowers that went with the beautiful red and white roses within her gorgeous bouquet. She wore a heart shaped necklace, one that Ludwig had given her for Valentine's Day shortly after they had first gotten together. A small, joyous tear dripped from her eye as she came steadily closer to him, and a sniffle or two, maybe three, could be heard from the almost silent crowd.
The bride and her brother reached the front of the church, and Ludwig held back sweet tears of his own as Belgium smiled up at him, her green orbs full of joy and glistening with emotion.
"Who is it that brings this woman to this man?" Came the voice of the minister.
"Her brother." Netherlands answered. His gruff voice possessing a slight choke.
He took his sisters hand and guided it to Ludwig's, who helped his bride up the small step.
Ludwig looked at her with his soft, blue eyes and she smiled up at him, her cheeks glowing. They took each other's hand and turned to face the minister as he began.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…"
Germany listened as the minister spoke of the commitments of marriage, and although before, the monumental steps of marriage had made him quite nervous, he felt no such thing as he stood there, holding her much smaller hands in his. She was to be his wife, and everything about that felt simply perfect. He loved her more than he ever thought he could love someone, and he was content to spend the rest of his days by her side, holding her hand, just as he was now.
~
"Would you please face each other and take each other's hands."
They did as instructed, looking into each other's eyes, and remaining focused on each other as the minister spoke.
"Do you, Ludwig, take Laura to be to be your wife? Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect her, forsaking all others and holding only to her forevermore?"
Ludwig smiled down at his bride, and after taking a second to find his voice, he answered. "I do."
Laura smiled under his gaze.
"Do you, Laura, take Ludwig to be to be your husband? Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect him, forsaking all others and holding only to him forevermore."
Belgium's beamed and answered, a tear dripping down her face."I do."
Ludwig repeated these lines after the minister, meaning every word, and finding a small tear had formed on his own cheek:
"I,Ludwig,take thee Laura, to be my wife. To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, and I promise my love to you forevermore."
Laura repeated the same lines to Ludwig, squeezing his hands slightly, and blinking back a few more tears.
"I now pronounce you, Mr. and . You may kiss the bride."
A grin crept upon Ludwig's face and he quickly wrapped his arms around Belgium's waist as she lay hers about his neck. With an extra dose of love and passion in their lips, they kissed.
The crowd cheered and clapped, Prussia's voice above all others could be heard whooping someone along the lines of "Ja, West, get some!" followed by an "umph", provoked by Hungary's elbow in his side.
The couple turned and faced the crowd, cameras capturing their beaming faces.
The reception was filled with dancing and hilarity, not a face in the room wasn't smiling. Congratulations and comments came from person after person, and Prussia even gave a speech, his soapbox being the surface of a table:
"Ladies and gents, this is the awesome brudder of the almost as awesome groom speaking! So, listen up, ja!? I always hoped someday mein brudder would find himself someone and, after man years of failure, here he is! Married! Shocking isn't it?"
Ludwig shook his head and grumbled slightly and Laura laughed.
"And as the best man and his totally awesome older bro, I have to say I've never seen him happier, though I'm sure his face'll be a whole lot brighter in the morning kesesese."
Both Laura and Ludwig blushed a bit and France winked at the couple.
Gilbert's tone became a bit more serious as he continued. "And I couldn't have asked for anyone better to make him so happy. Laura's almost as awesome as I am, and I-" his face was surprised for a moment when he heard his voice choke. "I can't wait to watch them spend the rest of their lives together." He held up the nearest glass, gathering back his loud attitude. "To West and his woman!"
The crowd gave a cheer of agreement and drank from glasses of their own.
Ludwig smiled at his brother as he hopped off the table and struck back up the party.
The night went on for awhile, and then France took up the mic and the music faded a bit.
"Alright ladies." He said with a wink. "All of you without a ring on your pretty little finger gather behind miss Belgie, whoever catches the bouquet gets a date with me!"
Belgium glared at him and he sighed.
"Fiiiine. Whoever catches the bouquet is going to be the next lovely bride, but if any one of you are interested in an evening with mua, just let me know." He winked at the crowd of girls, a few of whom blushed.
Belgium shook her head at France, chuckling a bit before she closed her eyes and tossed her bouquet behind her. She heard laughter and cheering behind her and turned to see who had caught it. She smiled when she saw Elizaveta standing there with the flowers in her hand, blushing. She looked over to Prussia with a laugh to find his face just as red as hers.
Ludwig wrapped a brotherly arm around Gilbert.
"Well would you look at that." He said to him quietly. "Maybe you won't be the only one who gets to give an embarrassing speech."
Prussia gulped. "Uh…ja…who-who knows, heh heh. Welp I'm just gonna-"
Germany took his brothers shoulders and turned him around to face the group of girls, leaning in close to his brother's ear.
"You made me make a move, now it's my turn. Go ask her to dance and maybe I'll keep a few statements out of my speech." He told his brother with a teasing scowl.
Prussia nervously made his way over to Hungary as a slower song began to play. Ludwig watched with satisfaction as the two began to dance along with many other couples. Belgium appeared beside him, smiling, and led her husband onto the floor to join them.
The party went on until the stars shown brightly overhead, and finally the couple drove away, the crowd cheering as they sped off into the night, embarking on their journey as husband and wife.