Max and Zoe walked out into the hotel bar area, their guests gathered behind them.
"I can't believe it Zoe! I thought you couldn't get pregnant!" Max said excitedly.
"Me too, I don't know how it's happened but it has, you are happy aren't you Max?" Zoe asked.
"Of course I'm happy, this is the best day of my life." Max kissed his new wife.
"Mine too." Zoe smiled.
The wedding photographer had come over to them, "do you mind if I get some pictures with you meeting your guests and then we can go into the grounds and get some just the two of you?" He asked.
"Sure, no worries." Max replied.
The guests had been organised to exit the bar to congratulate the happy couple.
"Congratulations! On both counts!"
Charlie and Tess were amongst the first to see them.
Zoe hugged Tess, "I'm over the moon for you, you deserve it." Tess whispered to her.
Half and hour later Max and Zoe were outside, posing for pictures. "How much longer?!" Zoe had said to Max, "It hurts to smile right now!"
"I know, I think it's just plastered on my face right now." Max replied.
The photographer sensed they'd had enough and let the go back inside, he would take some natural shots back in the reception.
The day was flying, it was soon time for the speeches before the meal.
"Ladies and Gentleman," the wedding coordinator said, "it's now time for the speeches, first up, the father of the bride, Richard Hanna!"
The guests applauded, Max helped Richard to his feet, "are you going to be ok?" Max asked.
"I will, thanks son." Richard said, Max smiled.
"Thank you all for coming to share Zoe and Max's special day," he started, "I'm going to keep this short and sweet, I don't know how long I'm
going to be around, I certainly don't want to waste my left over time trying to make you all laugh, that's far too much pressure!" This was greeted by laughter, Zoe held her dads hand.
"No, really, I don't know where to start, firstly Zoe. I don't think I've seen you look more radiant. Absolutely stunning, you make a wonderful zbride and you're going to make an even better mother. I said to your mother last week that you were glowing and I knew something was going on!" Zoe raised her eyebrow at her dad.
"Ok, it may have been your mother that said that, surely on your wedding day I'm allowed to take credit?!" Zoe shook her head.
"No?" Richard asked. "Oh Max, I'd like to offer you my commiserations, turns out Zoe is just like her mother! You'll never get to wear the trousers!"
Everybody laughed. "Nothing new there then!" Zoe said.
"On a serious note, I've seen my only daughter grow into the woman she is today, I've seen her happy, I've seen her unhappy, but I've never seen her this happy, and that is down to Max. I'd officially like to welcome you to our family Max."
He leant over to shake his hand.
"I'll be honest, Max was not the guy I was expecting. Out of the blue one day I got a call from this stranger who I'd never even heard about asking for my permission to marry my daughter. On one hand, as a father in thinking "yes at last!" I mean it's been 40 years!"
"Dad!" Zoe cried.
"On the other I'm thinking, "oh Zoe what have you done now?" I've got some rascal on the other end of my phone, what has she got herself into?! It was clear as soon as my wife and I met Max just how much he loves Zoe and how he'd do anything for her. Admittedly, he wouldn't have been my first choice for son in law but Steven Gerrard was taken, so Max, thank you for taking her off our hands!"
"Zoe, your mother and I are so proud of everything you've achieved, you worked so hard to become a doctor even from a young age, tending to your friends when they had scrapes, even if you did cause them! All we ever wanted for you was for you to be happy and it's clear for everyone to see that you genuinely are. I may not have long left but I can die a happy man, the realisation that everything has fallen into place for you and I couldn't have been more proud walking you down that aisle today."
There were tears around the room, Zoe was desperately trying to hold back.
"So ladies and gents, I'm going to have to stop now, I haven't got much energy left, but if you could all raise your glasses to Mr and Mrs Walker, Max and Zoe." Richard toasted.
"Max and Zoe!" Came the chorus from the room.
"And now, over to my new son in law, Max!"
"Thank you Richard." Max began. "Thank you for your kind words, I know how much Zoe looks up to you and it was important to us both that you could be here today. I promise I will always be there for her and I will never do anything to hurt her."
Richard nodded and smiled.
"So everyone, on behalf of my wife and I...!"
There were cheers and applause from the guests.
"I would like to thank you for joining us for our big day. I just have a few thank yous, I'd like to thank Linda and Robyn, you both look lovely, I'd also like to personally thank you for making sure Zoe turned up!"
"It was worth the tears and tantrums from her!" Linda joked.
"I'd also like to thank Zoe's parents Richard and Anne for producing such an amazing daughter and my mother for being here today, it's not always being plain sailing but I hope I've done you proud today." Max smiled at his mum who was beaming at him.
"Lofty, what can I say? You almost managed to have no mishaps! Thanks for being my best man, we may not have been friends for years but I can honestly say, you are one of the best, we would also like to thank Mrs Beauchamp, Connie where are you?" Max asked.
Cal pointed next to him where Connie was sat. "Me?" She asked.
"Of course, without you allowing the majority of our friends to have the day off we'd be sat in an empty room!" Max joked, luckily Connie saw the funny side.
"My biggest thanks of the day obviously has to go to my wife and now baby mumma, Mrs Zoe Walker."
Max turned to Zoe, "I don't know what else I can say but thank you. Thank you for taking that chance on me, thank you for making me the happiest guy in the world. It's not often I'm lost for words but seeing you walk down that aisle did it. You make me a better person and I can't think of anyone I'd want to spend my life with. I just hope in thirty years we are as happy as your parents
have been."
Zoe smiled, she loved him so much, this really was the perfect day.
Max finished his speech handing over to Lofty who had been a nervous wreck. He'd dropped his notes as his hands were sweating but managed to get through it, reminiscing how he'd thought Max's secret girlfriend had been the digital individual, how Max had got through life charming people even if it didn't always turn out well, like the time he'd pretended to be Cal to pull a Spanish girl who rightly had played him at his own game.
Before Max and Zoe knew it it was evening and time for their first dance. They'd chosen I'm Yours by Jason Mraz, it had been the first song on the radio they'd heard that morning they'd woken up when they'd spent their first night together.
It had gotten to 9pm when Zoes mother came over to her. "Zoe, I'm going to take your dad up to bed now, he's exhausted, I think he's overdone it."
"Ok mum, I'll come up with you and help." Zoe replied.
"Oh no Sweetheart you stay here, come and say goodnight, you need to be with your guests."
"Only if you're sure?" Zoe asked.
"I'm certain." Anne replied.
Zoe went to see her father and wish him good night.
"Good night dad, I love you. Thank you for today it's been perfect, I hope you've enjoyed it." Zoe told him as she hugged him.
"I wouldn't have missed it for the world. This has been the proudest day of my life, it's being everything I could have wished for and more. Now, you enjoy the rest of your night, you deserve this day, just don't keep that grandchild of mine up too late!" Richard said.
Max had arrived by Zoe's side. "You ok gorgeous?" He asked.
"I'm more than ok." Zoe replied happily.
The party went on into the late evening, Max, Lofty and Robyn reunited as their makeshift band "The Lodgers" giving a one off performance, they all went outside about 11pm as a firework display had been arranged.
"I love you Zoe." Max told her as he wrapped his arms around her waist as they watched the fireworks.
"I love you too, this has been an amazing day." Zoe said as she snuggled into him.
They had retired to bed just after midnight, they could use Zoes pregnancy as an excuse for their early exit. She had been worn out, she'd fallen asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow and hadn't stirred until the next morning when Max was trying to wake her.
"Zo, Zoe wake up." Max was insisting.
"Why, what is it?" Zoe sat up.
"It's your dad Zo..."