Emma and Neal returned home a week later since Emma had to get back to work, a week was a long time to be off since one of the other dancers would have to fill in for her causing many problems, and the Basketball team season was starting up along with school so Neal needed to be back to coach and teach PE. However, it wasn't long until they were sitting down in a small café near their house opposite a 32 year old woman with wild red curly hair, blue/grey eyes and a large, welcoming smile.
"Hi," she smiled warming, reaching across the table to shake their hands. "Neal, it's nice to finally meet you in person. I'm sure Emma told you that I'm Sarah Contreras, your wedding planner."
Neal knew Emma had been corresponding with Sarah for a few weeks now over the phone and through email; they'd been given a questionnaire to fill in from her so she could get an idea about them, but he hadn't known they had actually met before. He raised a questioning eyebrow at Emma as he returned Sarah's sentiment but just received an innocent and loving smile in return.
"But before we get into stressful planning, how about we order some lunch, maybe a sandwich or something?" Sarah suggested brightly and Neal could see why Emma liked this woman so much: Emma gravitated towards happy people without really meaning to. "I would love to get to know you both more, although that questionnaire you filled out for me really gave me an idea."
"Excellent idea," his fiancée beamed happily and Neal nodded his head along with her.
He reached forward and picked up the two menus stood in the middle of the table and, after handing one of them to Sarah, bent over with Emma to think of something to order. They quickly ordered and the two women, although Emma was only 19 so she may not fall into the category of a woman, fell quickly back into conversation, which Neal only half-listened to as he added a few comments here and there.
They continued chatting about insignificant things as the food arrived but it soon feel quiet as they started eating and needed their mouths for things other than talking.
"So Neal, you said you worked at the high school?" Sarah said between bites, looking over at him.
Neal had never actually said a thing about his work but he had written it in the questionnaire she had sent a few weeks before.
"Yeah," he nodded, lowering his drink which he had just taken a sip from. "PE teacher and the Basketball Coach."
"Are they good this year?" Sarah asked. "I heard last year's had a perfect season."
"Yeah, they did," Neal nodded in agreement, knowing how stressed the team was about this fact, "but they're just as good, even if they won't believe it."
"You have high faith in them," Sarah observed causing Neal to chuckle.
"Well, someone has to. Let's just hope they don't let me down."
Emma rolled her eyes with a small smirk before the table fell silent again as they continued eating. Five minutes later the food was cleared away and their drinks had been refilled.
"Now on to the stressful bit," Sarah smiled as she drew a pen and a notepad out of her oversized handbag that was placed on the seat behind her.
"So, what first?" Emma asked, after taking a drink of hot chocolate and cinnamon: a little habit of hers she had for as long as she could remember that Neal could never understand.
Sarah pursed her lips in thought.
"Well," she said, "have you got your lists of bridesmaids, Emma? And Neal, groomsmen?"
Neal looked over at Emma after he responded with a "yep" to see his fiancée rummaging in her own bag for the list Sarah was asking for.
'Here we are,' she sung, pulling a sheet of neatly folded paper out of her bags front pocket. "3 each."
"Including the maid of honour/best man?"
"Yeah," Neal nodded as he watched Sarah write something down.
"I'm going to need their details then? Have you asked them?" the second questions tone implied they shoulder have.
"Of course," Emma replied to both questions as she handed Sarah the paper, which Neal knew the bridesmaids/groomsmen details on.
"Have you any idea when you'd like it to be? Summer or winter? Spring or autumn?"
"Spring," Emma and Neal both said at the same time, having discussed this fact in probably a little more depth than it specifically required.
"What about a setting?" she asked, although this time she didn't sound like they really needed to have. "Do you have any ideas? Spring weddings are beautiful outside but …"
"Forest," Emma grinned before Sarah could say her 'but'.
"What?" Sarah asked, looking surprised.
"Emma has a … um … thing for forests," Neal chuckled earning an annoyed look for Emma for his tone that suggested that, once again, he couldn't understand why though his mind always jumped to the Enchanted Forest when she spoke of it - sometimes it seemed as though Emma really was in tune with her heritage, that somehow she knew it subconsciously. He often wished though that she wasn't as much because he couldn't stand hearing about that place with the memories it brought up.
"She always has," a cheerful voice said causing Emma and Neal to spin around. "We really need to stop meeting like this, Emma."
"Fallon!" Emma beamed, standing up and hugging her. "Would you like to join us? Sarah, this is Fallon Owens, she's my maid of honour. Fallon, this is Sarah Contreras, our wedding planner."
"It's nice to meet you," Sarah with a slightly laugh. "Have a seat. Anyway, forests are beautiful settings for weddings, very natural if you do them right."
She noted that down and then looked up at us again.
"Not many couples do at this stage," Sarah began, "but do you have a colour scheme in mind?"
"Ems?" Neal asked.
"Red, yellow and blue?" she questioned to him, squinting her eyes trying to picture it. "Maybe."
"I'll write it down," Sarah smiled. "Nothing is set in stone yet."
"We have an appointment at noon," Fallon said kindly, smiling at the small woman, no taller than 5 foot with layered brown hair, a full fringe and subtle but pretty features, who had come over to them with a cheerful smile on her face.
"Name?" The lady inquired cheerfully.
"Emma Swan," Emma replied, it was just her and Fallon dress shopping since it was the kind of thing they used to do when they were fifteen – just without the wedding part.
"That's the Cassidy-Swan wedding, isn't it? Right this way," she said as she led them into one of the side rooms.
The boutique was mainly empty even though it wasn't an expensive one that not many people could afford. However despite that the room they entered was beautifully decked out: beautiful flower arrangements were everywhere; there was a carpeted, circular raised area that had three full length mirrors in front of it; there was also several sofa's and chairs along with a coffee table.
"My name is Carol Dawson. Which of you two is the lucky bride?" she questioned kindly, gesturing them to a comfy looking, cream sofa.
"I am," Emma grinned, sitting down next to Fallon before introducing her. "This is my maid of honour , Fallon."
'It's a pleasure to meet you both,' Carol grinned while she perched on the table, 'and welcome, Emma, we have around 6 months to till the wedding so there's a slight rush. First things first, any styles in mind - dress or wedding?'
Emma's lips twitched as she pulled out a notepad from her pocket.
'Um, not really,' she replied, smiling sheepishly. 'I haven't really though that much about it -'
'The wedding is Snow White themed,' Fallon grinned at Emma, knowing Emma didn't agree on that fact. 'Red, yellow and blue colour scheme; setting in the forest.'
'That doesn't mean it's Snow White themed,' Emma disagree laughing slightly.
'That sounds lovely,' Carol smiled quickly, while writing, trying to avoid a playful argument between the two girls. 'Let me ask you some questions to get us started. Do you want a long or a short dress, maybe something in the middle?'
'Definitely long,' Emma answered before smirking slightly. 'I want the wedding to be kind of traditional.'
"Do you have a preference for colours? White, off-white, ivory?" she continued.
"White," she replied. 'Maybe with some colour on but I'm not sure.'
'Alright!' Carol laughed lightly. 'Okay, Emma, what size are you?
Emma replied after a pause to long. It had been a while since she had been shopping – it wasn't something she usually enjoyed.
'Did you bring anything with you?' she now asked. 'Jewellery, heels?'
'Yes,' Emma nodded, pulling a simple box that held the jewellery Fallon had given her years ago out of her bag; Fallon's family was very well of and she had constantly brought Emma expensive presents. 'The dress has to go with them and some heels around the size I'm going to look for.'
Kathleen leaned forward as Emma opened the box so she could see what was inside.
'They're gorgeous,' she gasped causing Fallon to grin widely – she was still, after all these years, very proud of her purchase.
'Thank you.'
"Right, that's given me inspiration: I have a few gowns in mind. Do you want to begin trying on?" she asked receiving a nod from Emma in return. Just before she left she turned, 'would you ladies like something to drink - water, champagne?'
'Champagne would be great, please,' Fallon replied, planning to go through the whole motion of wedding dress shopping and Emma began to object. "Emma, I'll pay for it."
'Let me bring the dresses and drinks. Make yourself at home,' Carol added kindly disappearing through the door.
She returned a while later, pushing a rack full of dresses with one hand and carrying champagne and two flutes in the other. Once Emma and Fallon had poured themselves drinks, Emma began trying the dresses on.
The first dress had a duchess bodice with a flowing organza skirt. Stunning bust pleat detail with ruched waist, decorated with encrusted rubies and diamantes. Emma loved it and Fallon thought she look perfect but something just wasn't right, it wasn't the dress she was looking for.
The second dress, going off how much she loved the first one, was a ball gown with a sweetheart lace covered neckline and a romantic lace overlay. Light yellow roses were around the waist. Something wasn't right with this dress either.
It was almost two hours later before Emma found the dress she was looking for and Fallon had agreed it was the best. It was another ball gown with net over the satin. It had a lace bodice of organza apple blossoms with shimmering rubies and crystal centres and the skirt had scattered blossom detail. A lovely satin sash and back bow made a graceful finish.
'Neal, c'mon!' Emma yelled up the stairs to her fiancée. 'Get up or we're going to be late.'
Neal was a deep sleeper, she thought looking at the dream catcher, but she could remember a time when he hated to sleep back when they lived in the car. There were times when he had nightmares and every night was different. Some nights she would wake up to him screaming and shouting to an invisible, "coward" of a person, others she would wake and find him gone from her side – the first was far more common but much more frightening. She could remember nights were he would refuse to sleep at all or when she would find him sitting straight up next to her, shaking. It didn't happen anymore, something she was grateful for, but she still wondered who he was yelling at and where he had gone when he disappeared.
'Alright,' his voice, groggy with sleep, called back to her from their room. 'I'm coming. Are we going to have cake for breakfast then?'
'Might as well,' Emma shrugged although he couldn't see her.
Half an hour later, just in time, they entered a small bakery which Emma assumed was meant to be cute but seemed too so for her liking. It was painting in pastel colours mainly pink and yellow, and had paintings of flowers and cakes hanging everywhere. The bakery was nearly empty since it was such an early appointment.
'Are you Emma and Neal?' a woman, who looked like the image of a perfect mother with an apron (which she was wiping her hands on) and frizzy brown hair, said walking over to the two of them by the door
'Yeah, we are,' Neal replied, glancing down at Emma who was trying to keep her opinion about the bakery hidden.
An hour later, Emma and Neal happily exited to 'cute' bakery with an order.
'Fallon!' Emma yelled letting herself into her best friends house. 'I'm here, are we ready to go?'
'Yeah, we're all here and Marie brought Rachel since she's your flower girl,' Fallon's voice said as she appeared in her lounge doorway. 'So let's head out.'
'Great,' Emma grinned as her other bridesmaids, Rosie Kenery who was a backing dancer at the hotel with light brown curly hair and blue eyes and Marie Fox the hotel secretary who had brilliant straight red hair and blue eyes, filled into the hall way with her flower girl, Rachel, hanging on to her mother's hand who had blond wavy hair and her mother's blue eyes.
'What do you have in mind then, Ems?' Marie asked smiling as the left the house and walked down the road toward the shops, Fallon lived walking distance from the centre of Tallahassee.
'Honestly, you'll find out when we get there?' Emma smirked at them. 'I've already chosen the dress now I just want to know if you agree and get the sizes. Though, Rach, we'll have to decided on a dress of you.'
The five year old grinned at her, seeming extremely excited, bouncing on the balls of her feet and almost skipping along.
'She's never been to a wedding,' Marie laughed coming up next to Emma. 'Let alone been in one, she's so excited.'
Emma smiled knowing how the girl felt . They entered the dress shop not long after and the sales assistant, seeing Emma, held up a finger to signal she would be with them in a second. Emma led the way to some seating the five of them sat down to wait. They weren't waiting long and soon the sales assistant appeared with the dresses, Emma had been in only yesterday to tell the shop that they would be dropping in.
'Good morning,' the sales assistant smiled. 'I'm Marissa. Emma, it's nice to see you again, I take it these are your bridesmaids.
'Yes, Fallon, Rosie and Marie,' Emma gestured to each of her friends. 'This is Rachel, Marie's daughter, she's my flower girl who needs a dress.'
'It's lovely to meet you all,' Marissa said, the smile still on her face and she received several greetings before she held up a brilliant red dress. 'All of these three dresses are the same expect for the colours - according to Emma, this dress is the maid of honours. They're grosgrain, the bodice is fitted and the shoulders are of the shoulder, as you can see. The skirt is mid length, voluminous and therefore looks great with pretty peep toe shoes. So if you want to go and try these on over there, I'm going to go help that customer but just call if you need something.'
Emma had had a guess about the sizes but she really had no idea what size the girls were with the expectation of Fallon. She took the dresses off of Marissa, who disappeared immediately towards a customer who was looking around panicked. She gave Fallon the red one, Rosie the yellow and Marie the blue one which hopefully wouldn't clash with her hair. They disappeared into the changing room and Emma wondered nearby in the shoe section with Rachel at her side. Finding shoes she thought would look really good with the dresses. She was so busy studying a pair of shoes that she didn't hear Fallon come up behind her.
'Well, at least your fashion sense has improved,' she grinned and Emma spun around in shock. 'They're pretty.'
'Yeah,' Emma agreed, placing the shoe down. 'Spin.'
Fallon complied and spun around, Rachel oohed and ahhed at how pretty she was, 'I love this, Emma, it's so pretty and well done it fits! Those shoes would be perfect.'
Emma picked up the shoes she had been looking at. They see sandals with a toe crossband - the top one in bright red glitter, like the shoes in the Wizard of Oz, and the bottom one in sparkly red leather - it has cross front straps as well in the same way, glitter on the top band, leather for the bottom. The heel with skinny and made of the leather and there was no platform. By some luck of fate their were blue and yellow ones as well - he pointed this out to Fallon.
'It's meant to be,' she laughed. 'Pass me a pair.'
Emma rummaged for Fallon's size as Fallow herself kicked off her normal shoes as the other two came over.
'Mama, you look so pretty,' Rachel grinned bouncing away from Emma toward her mother causing Emma to look up.
Rachel was right, the dress did look great on both her bridesmaids and Emma was surprised the actually fit.
'Well?' she asked.
'Perfect,' Rosie laughed.
Once they had changed back into their normal clothing and chosen the shoes, which Emma had decided she would get, they went to find Rachel dress which took no time at all.
The dress they found was tea length, pretty and elegant. The sleeves were like t-shirt sleeves puffed up a bit and the white dress have metallic embroidery, rhinestones, crystal beading and sequins. It also wasn't too expensive - Emma was trying to keep the wedding as cheap as possible whilst also making it really pretty - that was why she had spent a bit of money on a wedding planner. She and Neal still weren't that well off, a too extravagant wedding would probably put them out of house and home. Emma knew they could have just got married at the registry office but part of her wanted that day of celebrating her and Neal's love for each other.
