Emma smoothed a hand down her dress, took a deep breath, and then reached for the sheet she had draped over the mirror that morning. She had read somewhere online about a bride who hadn't seen her reflection until she was ready for her walk down the aisle, and Emma had completely fallen in love with the idea. Her mother thought she was insane. If she didn't like the combination of her chosen hairstyle and makeup by the time she was in her dress, then it would be too late to change anything. But Emma would not be swayed.

Screwing her eyes shut, she gave the sheet a harsh tug and listened as it fell to the floor around her feet with a soft whisper.

The gasp that followed it had Emma's eyes flying open, and she turned to see who had intruded upon her moment.

"I don't think you've ever looked more beautiful than you do right now," her father praised, as tears began filling his eyes.

Emma swallowed hard around the lump that had formed in her throat at the sight of his obvious display of emotion. "I wouldn't know," she said teasingly. "I haven't seen it yet."

David hurried forward to grasp his daughter's shoulders and then turned her slowly so that she was facing the mirror.

"Oh… wow!"

"Yeah," he agreed, taking a few steps back to give her some space.

Emma had wanted to keep things as simple as possible for her big day. They were getting married on a boat, in the middle of the ocean, and the last thing she wanted to worry about was tripping over an elaborate train and falling overboard. While it had been tough to avoid the big, princess-style gowns she'd always dreamed of wearing, eventually she had found something she thought would be perfect for the day. Now that she was looking at her reflection, Emma was certain she'd made the right choice.

"Do you think Killian will like it?" she worried. "It's not exactly traditional."

"It's perfect," David assured her. "He'd be a fool not to love it. Besides, your groom isn't exactly the traditional type."

Emma chuckled as she smoothed her hand down the soft tulle of her skirt once more. She twisted to her left and then to her right, checking that everything was in the correct place. She'd opted to leave her hair down for the day, not wanting the biggest moment of her life to be ruined by the inevitable headache that would come from a sophisticated updo. But she had followed her hairdresser's advice and allowed the woman to pull back a section on either side, just to stop the wind from blowing it all over her face while she was reciting her vows. Her makeup had been kept light and simple, enhancing her natural beauty without being so dramatic that it would become a distraction.

And then there was her gown.

The thin straps that rested over her shoulders and fell to the middle of her back were laying perfectly flat against her skin. The lace cutouts that formed the bodice of her dress seemed to hug her body perfectly without revealing too much, and the hem of the dress felt like it was floating around her feet. Her seamstress had worked wonders with the limited amount of time she'd been given, and Emma couldn't have been happier with the final result.

"Okay. I think I'm ready," she declared.

"Do you need anything else?" her father worried. "Bag? Shoes? Flowers?"

"How many brides have you seen carrying a handbag down the aisle?" Emma snorted out.

David shrugged slightly in response which only seemed to make his daughter laugh harder.

When she'd calmed back down, Emma reached for the skirt of her dress and lifted it slightly so that her father could see her feet. "Shoes are on," she assured him, as she flashed her white, strappy sandals in his direction, "And my bouquet's on the dresser behind you. Could you grab it for me, please?"

David gave a stiff nod of his head and then twisted around to grab the small bunch of flowers. He lingered over them for a moment, his eyes glued to the soft pink and white blooms, before he finally handed them to his daughter.

"I guess it's time," he said, although he remained standing firmly where he was.

Emma offered her father a sweet smile before she crossed the room to press a soft kiss to his cheek. "I love you, Daddy. That's never going to change."

"I love you too, sweetheart." He wrapped his arms around her tightly for just a second before quickly letting go and pulling back to hold her at arm's length. "I didn't crease your dress, did I? Your mother will kill me if I end up being the one who makes you look bad on your wedding day."

"It's fine, Dad." Emma gave him another kiss on the cheek before she reached down to gently gather the fabric of her skirt in her hand. "Let's go get me married," she declared, looping her other arm through her father's.

David brought his hand down to cover his daughter's, which was resting in the crook of his elbow, before he nodded his head firmly and reached for the door to the cabin.

The boat had been quite busy and full of activity when Emma had boarded it earlier that morning, but with most of the staff now gone and the crew busy navigating the open water, the walk from the bedroom out to the deck was much quieter than Emma had expected. The noise of her heels clicking against the floor and the sound of the waves lapping at the yacht was a steady, comforting rhythm as she made her journey towards the rest of her life.

Almost like magic, the moment she stepped onto the deck and felt the ocean breeze against her skin, soft music began to fill the air. Emma kept her eyes focused on the floor, making sure to keep her steps as even and careful as she could – because that fear of tripping and falling overboard was no joke – but even with her attention focused elsewhere, she still heard the distinct intake of breath that came from somewhere just in front of her, followed by a softly uttered, "Fuck me."

"Later," she couldn't stop herself from whispering back, as she lifted her head to meet her groom's eyes.

Emma could sense her father's slight disapproval from beside her, but he said nothing as they made the final few steps towards where Killian was waiting for them, with the officiant standing just behind him.

David's grip on Emma's arm tightened for a brief moment before he relaxed it enough to take her left hand into his own.

"Don't make me regret this," he told Killian, fixing a firm look on his face before he placed his daughter's hand into the other man's.

"Never," Killian promised. He held David's gaze for a moment and when the older man's head gave a sharp bob and a smile began curling at the edges of his mouth, Killian finally turned his full attention towards his bride.

Tightening his hold on Emma's hand, the two lovers turned to face each other, their smiles almost as bright as the setting sun behind them.

"You look stunning," Killian leaned in to whisper, pressing a soft kiss to Emma's cheek.

She flushed beautifully under his praise and then dropped her gaze down his body to take in his appearance. "And you look… like you're already preparing for the World Championships," she teased, as her eyes climbed back up the soft, grey trousers he was wearing, over the matching grey of his waistcoat and the white shirt that was underneath it, to linger around his collarbone. The only difference between the uniform her groom usually wore for a game and what he was wearing that afternoon, was the absence of sponsorship logos and a missing bowtie.

Killian shrugged his shoulders in reply and Emma chuckled once more before leaning in to press a kiss to the corner of his mouth. "You look perfect," she assured him, because in all honesty, she had never imagined him wearing anything else for their big day.

As she pulled back, Killian squeezed her hands tightly in his own. He took a deep breath in to try and calm his racing heart, and then offered their officiant a small nod of the head. It was the last time he would look at another person as an unmarried man.

"Friends and family," their officiant began loudly and clearly, "We are gathered here today to celebrate the love that Killian and Emma share."

If you'd like some visuals for Emma's wedding gown, you can find those over on AO3 and Tumblr.

Thanks so much for reading and reviewing.