Chapter Four
News about our engagement spread quickly. For the next 2 weeks people were coming up to us with congratulations. Since I still had a year of University, we decided to get married the following June. Throughout the year, plans were made. Flowers, guests, dresses, cake, table settings. A lot of the time my head was spinning. Logan found a job with a company that manages magazines. I came home every weekend and worked on the wedding.
The following May I graduated with honors and a degree in Teaching. Before I knew it it was the night before the wedding. The bridal party gathered in the church for the rehearsal. The bridal party consisted of Dawn, Kristy, Kerry, Hunter, Austin, Lewis, and Emily Michelle. We practiced the ceremony and then went out to Chez Maurice.
"Attention! Attention!" Kristy called, standing up. Everyone quieted down and she raised her wine glass.
"I'd like to propose a toast. To Mary Anne and Logan. You two are so perfect for each other, and I'd like to wish you a life of love and happiness."
"To Mary Anne and Logan." Everyone said as they clinked glasses. Logan and I clinked glasses and smiled at each other and then we kissed.
"Can you believe we'll be married tomorrow?" Logan whispered to me.
"No. Can you?" I asked. He shook his head.
"God's been good at blessing at us, Mary Anne."
"I know. I love you, Logan."
"I love you, too."
We all had a great time. When we got home, I went to bed fell into a deep sleep, much to my surprise. I thought I'd be awake forever that night.
The next morning, I woke up with a start.
"I'm getting married today." I said to no-one in particular, adrenaline surging through my veins. I got up quickly and showered. I shoveled in some breakfast and Dawn, Kristy, Kerry, and I went to the hair salon. We spent 3 hours there getting our hair, nails, and make-up done. We went back home after that and got dressed.
I should stop here and tell you what we all looked like. The bridesmaid's dresses were a soft maroon color. They were made out of a satin material. The bodice was simple, with a neck line that was a square shape. The gowns were long and full and had sequins on it. Kristy grumbled about having to wear a dress, but I knew she felt beautiful in it. Her hair was curled and pinned half-up. Kerry's hair looked the same as Kristy's. Dawn's hair was curled but her curls hung free-just like prom. My hair was curled and pinned up, a diamond tiara fixed in the middle of it. My veil was attached to the tiara and fell half-way down my back. My dress was a cap-sleeved and had a plunging neck-line. My skirt was also full, and the train was long. The train could be pulled up and connected to the skirt for the reception. Emily Michelle looked very adorable in her little white, flowing dress. She had a wreath of flowers in her hair. We were finally ready. All the bridesmaids pilled into Sharon's car. I stayed behind with my dad. We stared at each other for a long time.
"Mary Anne. Honey, you look absolutely beautiful. Your mother would be so proud of you." he said, as a tear slid down his cheek. "As am I."
"Oh Daddy." I said, giving him a hug. Of course I was crying, too. We hugged for a long time and then we went to his car and drove to the church.
We pulled up to the church and Kristy and Dawn helped me out and straightened out my train. The doors to the sanctuary were closed. Dad joined me and the bridal party got in order. Kerry and Lewis, Kristy and Austin, and Dawn and Hunter. Dawn was the matron of honor and Hunter was the best man. Emily Michelle was before all of us. The doors open and I could see into the sanctuary. All the pews had white bows tied to them and a white cloth had been put down the middle of the aisle. The wedding party proceeded and then the wedding march began. I took a deep breath and Dad gave me a reassuring squeeze. All my life I've thought of what would be going through my mind at this exact moment. I thought I might cry, I thought I might be too nervous to walk, I thought I'd be missing my mother immensely. Well, I did miss my mother at that moment. I wished she could see how good God had been in blessing me with Logan. I wish she could've seen my dress, and the church. My mother had never even met Logan. Other than that, I had a calm smile on my face and felt like an angel.
We started down the aisle. I looked forward and saw Logan waiting at the alter, with a huge smile on his face. My eyes met his and I felt a tear drip down my cheek. Much to my surprise, Logan's eyes were brimming with tears too. I watched Logan the whole way down the aisle. He, and all the other groomsmen were in black tuxes. For some reason my mind flashed to an add I had seen in the newspaper earlier. It was for a Tuxedo shop and it went something like this:
With a wedding, everything is about the bride.
Her hair, her dress, her flowers.
However, when everyone is looking at the bride,
The one thing she'll be looking at is you.
Dad and I reached the end of the aisle and Dad lifted up my veil and kissed me. He answered the minister that he and Sharon gave me to Logan. Logan and I joined hands. We listened to the meditation on our wedding passage-1 Corinthians 13. It was a beautiful meditation about how God was and is Love and how with Love in our relationship was saying that we had God in our marriage. Then we exchanged vows. We had chosen to write our own vows. Logan went first:
Mary Anne, today I choose to take you as my wife.
I promise that I will stand by you no matter what we go through.
Whatever life throws at us, I know we can handle it because the Lord is on our side.
Mary Anne, I promise to love you for who you are and love you with an ending love.
Mary Anne, I promise to care and provide for you to the best of my ability.
Mary Anne, these are the promises I make to you in front of God and the people here today.
It was so sweet and by the time he was done, tears were streaming down my cheeks. I waited a moment and then I began what I had written for him:
My dear Logan, today, in front of God and these people, I declare my commitment for you.
I commit to be with you through everything that happens.
I promise I will be there for you and take care of you.
I promise that I will love you always.
These are my promises to you, Logan.
When I had finished, Logan also had tears streaming down his face. We squeezed hands while the minister asked for the rings. Hunter handed them to him and the minister handed a ring to Logan. As he slipped it on my finger, he said,
"Mary Anne, this ring is a symbol of my unending love for you."
The ring was beautiful. It was white gold and had 3 small diamonds across the top of the band. It fit perfectly. I took Logan's ring, which was also white gold with a single stone embedded in and slipped it on his finger, saying that the ring was a symbol of my unending love for him.
After the rings, the minister pronounced us husband and wife.
"You may kiss the bride." he added, smiling. Logan and I smiled and Logan took me in his arms and gave me a long kiss, tipping me backwards. The crowd cheered and I heard Kristy whistle.
After our kiss, we signed the resister and then, finally, the minister said, as Logan and I stood holding hands in front of the congregation,
"It is my pleasure to announce to you for the first time, Mary Anne and Logan Bruno!"
Logan and I kissed again as the crowds applauded. Then we ran out of the church together.
Outside, we must've hugged a million people, but I didn't mind. Finally, I got to Dawn. We just looked at each other and burst out crying. We hugged for a long time.
"I'm so happy for you, Mary Anne." Dawn whispered in my ear. I just hugged her harder.
There were refreshments outside so we went and joined the rest of the BSC for some goodies. Soon after we had to go for pictures. Finally, just Logan and I were left at the church.
"What do you say we go?" Logan asked me, offering his elbow. I took it.
"I say that sound great."
"Perfect."
Logan helped me into the convertible that was parked for us-it was decorated with streamers. We drove to the hall where the reception was being served. Before we went in, we went on our walk.
Logan and I walked around the grounds of the facility, talking about the ceremony and our new life together. We made it around the grounds and it was time to go in. We told the doorman and he said he'd let Kristy know. Kristy was the MC for the evening.
The doorman reappeared and held open the door for us. We entered and we heard Kristy call into the mike,
"For the second time, Mr. and Mrs. Bruno!" Once again, everyone cheered and I blushed. Logan and I sat at the table and the party began. The food was excellent and someone-I'm betting the BSC-had put together a slideshow of pictures of Logan and I. After dinner, more toasts were given, similar to the one the night before. Hunter, Kristy, Dawn, Mr. Bruno, and my dad all gave one. Finally, the tables were cleared for the dance floor. The DJ put the lights down and the disco ball came on.
"It's time for the bride and groom's first dance." she said, and she turned the music on. Logan and I danced to our song, which was You and Me by Lifehouse. After our dance was done, the DJ said that I'd like to share a dance with my dad. Dad came out and we danced.
"Oh honey. I'm so proud of you." he whispered to me.
"Thanks Daddy." I whispered back. That was all that we said to each other during the dance, but it was more than enough.
After our dance, the DJ put some real music on and the party grew to life. In between other songs, we did the hokey-pokey and the chicken dance. I'm sure Kristy arranged that, in fact, I'm positive she did.
Around 11:00, Logan and I went to get changed for our honeymoon. We were going to Paris. We came out in our traveling clothes and as we ran for the car, people cheered and threw rice at us. It was perfect.
That was my wedding day and I'll never forget it as long as I live.