"Anything your heart desires, Ace – name it," Logan whispered as they walked into the upscale jewelry store in the heart of London. Logan had pulled some strings to get a private appointment at Harry Winston, and that was only the beginning of what he had up his sleeve for Rory. He was over-the-moon happy that she had agreed to marry him, and he wanted to ensure that everything was exactly as she'd always dreamed.
After breakfast, he had slipped into the study while Rory took a shower and got ready for the day. He'd first placed a call to his father to ensure that he could have the weekend off and then had gone into action arranging other details. They'd immediately decided that they wanted the people they were closest to with them when they wed, so he'd made arrangements to have Tristan, Paris, and Steph fly in at the end of the week. Chris and Lorelai would fly in on Wednesday so they could help see to final details, and Colin and Finn were going to stay until after the wedding as well. Logan didn't care to have his parents present for the wedding, and Honor and Josh couldn't make the trip out on such short notice. Their little wedding party of seven would be perfect for them.
The newly-engaged couple was shown to a private VIP room where they were shown a countless number of rings until they found just what they wanted. Rory's face lit up when she saw the Belle Round Brilliant Diamond Micropave engagement ring with the matching band and Logan knew instantly that was the one. While she snuck out for a quick restroom break, he also purchased the matching Belle pendant and earstuds to match as a wedding present. For Logan, they chose a thick platinum band with a single diamond in the center that mirrored the style of Rory's rings.
Fresh off of their success at the jeweler, Logan took Rory to a quiet lunch at a nearby pub and then had the driver drop him at the flat before taking Rory to London's premier designer bridal boutique to look for a dress. His mission while she was finding the perfect gown? Look for a wedding venue and begin to make arrangements for other details.
Rory took a deep breath and walked into the exclusive London bridal shop where Logan had managed to get her a same-day appointment. She had insisted that she didn't mind just going to a local department store to pick out an evening gown, but Logan was adamant that she have the experience that she deserved. Seeing how important it was to him, she had finally agreed.
Rory was greeted by her consultant, Chelsea, and quickly taken to a private area where she could try on dresses without being seen by the local paparazzi or public. She and Logan knew that they wouldn't be able to keep their marriage a secret – and really, neither of them wanted to – but they were hoping to keep it under wraps until after they'd tied the knot in order to avoid the circus that would come with family and the media knowing beforehand.
"So Rory," Chelsea began as they sat down, "I'm delighted to help you find your dream dress. I understand from your husband-to-be that we'll need to find something off-the-rack or that can be altered by the end of the week and that we don't need to be respectful for a budget?"
Rory laughed and took a sip of the champagne in front of her. "Yes, it's rather impulsive, but we're very excited. Logan and I are both from Hartford society back in the States, and with him being the heir to the Huntzberger empire as well, we garner quite a bit of media attention. Then you add in well-meaning but overbearing family…well, we'd rather just get married quickly and quietly with my parents and a few friends in attendance and then let the chips fall where they may when the word gets out. We want to do this on our terms. And as for budget, he's correct there as well," she explained. Her mom and dad had instantly insisted that she use her American Express Black Card to purchase whatever dress and accessories she fell in love with, regardless of cost. She had initially put up a fuss, but Chris had been firm.
"So, how did you and your fiancé meet?" Chelsea asked, and Rory immediately began laughing even harder.
"I guess you could say we do everything on our own terms," Rory began with a smile as she thought about the beginning of their relationship. "Both of our families, minus my parents, wanted to con Logan and I into a fake relationship for the sake of business. We ended up getting to know each other in order to get our families off our backs, and it just fit. I was determined not to fall for him, but he won me over every single day. He had never had a committed relationship in his life, but if you ask him he'll tell you that I made him want to settle down. It's just…it's perfect. So many people in our situations don't marry for love, and we feel so lucky that we found each other and get to spend our lives together."
Chelsea smiled and sighed, obviously enjoying the story of the young couple. "So romantic! So tell me, Rory, what do you see yourself in for your wedding?"
Rory pulled a face and giggled. "Honestly, I'm not really sure. I know that I want to take his breath away when he sees me. I'm thinking something classy but sexy. I know that my grandmothers and his mom would push me into something huge and fluffy and elaborate and grand, and that's the last thing I would want. Anything you would expect to see at one of the stuffy society affairs is completely out!"
"We can absolutely find you something. I'm going to go grab a few dresses, and you can change into the robe that's hanging inside the dressing room. I'll be back before you know it," Chelsea said before walking out the door.
Rory changed into the white silk robe and then sat down and picked up her phone. She didn't even think about what she was doing and within a few seconds she was Googling for local venues, photographers, restaurants, and ideas. She was so engrossed in her searching that she jumped when Chelsea walked back in the room.
"Sorry, I guess I got engrossed in looking at ideas for the wedding," Rory explained sheepishly when Chelsea raised her eyebrows at her.
"No need to apologize," Chelsea chuckled. "Now, I have several different styles of dresses here in different silhouettes so we can narrow down what you're looking for. Don't write a dress off just because of how it looks on the hangar - we have as much time as we need in order to find your perfect dress."
Rory nodded and walked over to where Chelsea was hanging up dresses. She ran her hands reverently over the fabric of the gowns and gasped suddenly.
"Everything okay?" Chelsea asked.
"Yeah, it's just...I'm getting married," Rory whispered. "It just got real."
"It's about to get even more real. You ready to try these on?" Chelsea asked. Rory nodded her assent and allowed Chelsea to help her into the first dress, a beautiful cream colored A-line with a plunging neckline and black and a flowing chantilly lace skirt. She stepped to the mirror once she was fully situated in the dress and turned from side to side, appraising herself. She wrinkled her nose and shook her head.
"It's beautiful, and it certainly fits the criteria of being classy but sexy, but it just feels like it's too much dress for me. And it doesn't make me feel anything special," Rory observed.
"Alright, we'll move on. Let's stick to a silhouette that's more fitted and see what you think," Chelsea offered.
She helped Rory out of the first dress and into a fit and flare. It was a bright white and its beauty was in its simplicity and the way it fit her body tightly, like a second skin.
"This feels too formal," Rory said with a frown.
"I agree - we need to find something that really fits your personality," Chelsea added.
Dress number two went back on the hangar and Chelsea helped Rory into a daring lace mermaid style dress that had cutouts and see-through panels. Rory instantly laughed when she saw herself in the mirror.
"Logan would love this, but I don't feel comfortable wearing it in public," she giggled. "I'm certain these pictures will end up in the society pages and our families will see them."
Chelsea nodded along and smiled broadly. "I think I have the perfect gown, but I don't want you to see it until it's on. Close your eyes for me," she commanded softly and Rory instantly complied.
She felt the dress as Chelsea slid it on her body and almost couldn't breathe as the anticipation built. The dress hugged her body tightly and felt so decadent against her skin. Chelsea pulled her hair into a low chignon and then placed a veil on her head before turning her toward the mirror.
"Alright, open your eyes," Chelsea whispered.
Rory opened her eyes and gasped when she saw herself in the mirror. Her eyes took in the vision and tears flooded her eyes. The dress was a beautiful, delicate white lace fit and flare with a cream silk lining. It had a low V neck that was just low enough to draw interest without being obsene. The back plunged to a deep scoop right at her bottom and had delicate pearl buttons. There was a small, unlined train that felt perfect - enough to be soft and romantic but not excessive. The veil was a simple, single-layer, floor length white tulle that was soft and beautiful against the lace of the dress.
"This is it," Rory whispered. "It's absolutely perfect." She turned from side to side, looking at herself in the mirror with a huge smile.
"I thought it might be perfect for you," Chelsea replied with a smile. "You look absolutely stunning."
"Thank you so much for your help. Whatever else I need - I trust you completely."