A string quartet, consisting of a harp, violin, cello and guitar, idly strummed Pachelbel's Canon in D as the guests were seated, whispering polite greetings and waiting anxiously for the elegant ceremony to begin.
The groom and "priest" were already front and center, Joey wearing a simple black tux and Ross wearing a tux with coattail, similar to the one he'd worn with Emily.
"Nervous, buddy?" Joey whispered, smiling and patting Ross encouragingly on the back. Ross smiled stiffly, obviously very nervous, but didn't tear his eyes from the door of the pool house several yard away. He knew Rachel was inside, and when she exited, in a matter of minutes, both of their lives would change forever. He shook his head, realizing that he was really only thinking one thing at this moment.
"I just want to see her."
Inside the pool house, Monica wiped tears from Rachel's eyes and smiled proudly.
"Honey, your mascara's going to run," she warned. Rachel nodded and grabbed a tissue, shaking her head.
"I know, I just…ah," she sighed, unable to finish. "This is just so…"
"We know," Phoebe finished for her, nodding understandingly and rubbing her back. She and Monica did know. Everyone knew. She was marrying Ross. Ross—the only man any of them had been able to see her marrying for the past 10 years. This was huge. It was almost surreal, it was so long-awaited.
In the back of Rachel's mind, the news from last night was still haunting her. She wasn't regretful or even doubtful of Ross' decision-making, but she was anxious about their future. She knew without a doubt that, wherever they ended up, they'd be together…and she supposed that was all that mattered, in the end.
She'd told both Monica and Phoebe about the call Ross had received, and they could tell she was distracted, undoubtedly thinking about it.
Sweety…" Monica cooed, "don't worry. Everything's going to be fine."
Rachel felt guilty, not only for being so obvious about her worrying, but for worrying in the first place.
"No, I know," she assured. "It's not really that. I guess I'm just, you know…flustered," she laughed, wiping one last tear away and throwing aside her tissue.
"Rach," Phoebe intervened, resting her hand on the bride's arm, "today's not for worrying, okay? The only thing you should be thinking about is the fact that your best friend's about to meet you at the end of that aisle. I mean, how lucky are you?"
Upon hearing this, Rachel let out a soft noise that was half laugh, half sob. She nodded and hugged both of her best girlfriends, whispering giggled "I love you"s and taking a deep breath before she linked an arm with her father and stepped outside of the pool house, the inaugural notes of an acoustic version of "With or Without You" humming through the dusk.
When she came to the beginning of the aisle, the guests at their feet and watching the precession begin, she locked eyes with Ross for the first time that day…and her breath was literally taken away.
Staring back at her from underneath the flowered arch of the gazebo, Ross' mouth fell open. For all the years he'd spent drooling over Rachel, he'd never seen her look more beautiful. The dress was not a conventional, conservative wedding dress, but was slender and sleek to match the warm weather. It was simple—a satin bodice and a sheath skirt, spaghetti straps and a low neckline. Her hair was down and wavy, framing her face in soft blondish ringlets. She was barefoot, as were all the girls in the wedding party. Her skin glowed, tanned and soft and almost sparking. Tears moistened his eyes.
Rachel waited for Jill, Amy, Phoebe and Monica to be escorted to their places by two of Ross' colleagues, Jack Geller and Chandler, respectively, and for Ben to hold Emma's hand as he helped her scatter the flowers to the front. She bit her lip and smiled widely at her daughter and step-son. Once at the front, Ben went to stand beside Chandler and Monica held Emma. The wedding party at the front made a picture perfect scene, the girls in simple, short summer dresses of variant pastel colors, and their corresponding male counterparts in tuxes with matching pastel cummerbunds. It was far from the colossal, staggeringly expensive wedding she'd almost had so many years ago to a man she'd never loved…but it was simple, and beautiful, and finally right.
When the Wedding March began playing, her father squeezed her arm tightly and the guests rose to their feet, all smiling in awe at her radiant beauty. Everything was a haze—the guests, the music, the rhythmic rush of the ocean wave, the beautiful surroundings. By the time she reached the front, leaving her father's side to stand before Ross, her vision was blurred by tears. He took both of her hands in his and gave a reassuring squeeze. Joey cleared his throat.
"Friends and family, we're gathered here this evening to celebrate the joyous and long-overdue union of Ross Eustace Geller and Rachel Karen Green." Ross and Rachel smiled between themselves at Joey's inclusion of "long-overdue". Boy, did they know. The crowd also chirped with muffled "really"s and "tell me about it"s. Joey continued with the speech that Ross and Chandler helped him write.
"Because they feel it would be impossible to sum up their history and love for one another, they've asked their friends to do it. So, a little unconventionally, the people closest to Ross and Rachel have written their vows for them, and I will read them now."
It was true—Monica, Phoebe, Chandler and Joey had all gotten together at Ross and Rachel's request a few weeks ago to write a short summary of their relationship. Since some of it was too personal to find a common ground, an objective third-party perspective of their story was decidedly appropriate. So, a short and sweet address was written, cutting to the core of a very complex chemistry.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Joey continued, "this moment has been in the making for, believe it or not, 21 years." He paused while the effects of his statement really sunk in. "Before Ross was old enough to drive, he knew what he wanted with more certainty and devotion than most 40-year-olds, and, as all of you have eyes and are looking right at her…well, you can probably see why he wanted it."
The crowd laughed, including the wedding party…and Ross. He squeezed Rachel's hand and watched her blush in the adorable way that he knew she would. He had to physically restrain himself from reaching out and tucking her hair behind her ear or stroking her cheek. Something warm rose in his chest and welled up in his eyes. He was glad he had Joey read his speech. He knew neither of them would have made it through.
"Alas, it wasn't until 10 years later, after a college graduation and a failed marriage for each, that fate gave these two a real chance. Young and uncertain, no older than 26, but with more love than any of us could have imagined, they finally embarked on what we were all sure would be the last relationship either of them would ever be in.
Sadly, due to…circumstances…" Joey stammered, concealing his grin, as did the rest of the onlookers. Almost everyone present knew just what those circumstances were, and why they'd remain unnamed. Everyone searched for some sort of reaction in Ross or Rachel, but both remained calm and collected, unaware of anything but one another. That particular fight just didn't matter anymore. "…their relationship ended. Their love, however, did not.
Through 7 more years, these two endured fights, break-ups and make-ups, the likes of which most people have even never imagined. Somehow, they even came out on the other side with a beautiful baby girl. And through it all, they were possibly the only two people in the whole world who couldn't see that they were supposed to be together.
Maybe their story isn't the most conventional one. It might not make the most sense. Hell, they really aren't even that much alike! But it has one of the happiest endings imaginable…and we all know that it's been destined from the start."
Though not usually customary at weddings, the crowd clapped after the "vows", causing both Ross and Rachel to lose it. Both began crying freely, and didn't stop until the ceremony was over. Ben presented the rings for exchanging, and Joey capped it all off with a few words to make it official.
"Now, with the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife," he beamed, smiling from ear to ear and placing a hand on Ross' shoulder. "Kiss her!"
And he did. He placed his hands on her waist and hers around his neck and they kissed slowly for a few guests, the guests looking on in silent envy.
"I love you," he mouthed, almost silently, against her ear when he pulled away, squeezing her stomach to emphasize. She giggled and nodded, taking his hand and walking quickly with him down the aisle as the exit song bellowed loudly. The guests threw graffiti on the wedding party as they processed.
Back in the pool house, they took a few minutes alone for themselves while the guests headed towards the reception and the camera crew set up for pictures. Ross closed the door quietly and slowly behind him, turning to face, for the first time, not only his Rachel…but his wife.
She seemed to float towards him, throwing her arms around his middle and kissing him deeply, the way she'd wanted to but hadn't in front of all their friends and family. She practically backed him up against the door with her force.
"We did it," she whispered, her voice filled with contentment but also amazement. He nodded, stroking her back.
"I know."
He allowed a few moments for this to sink in, during which he kissed her forehead and swayed with her to silent music. Then, he answered the question that had been in the backs of both their minds, this whole time.
"I think I've decided on something."
She pulled away and looked intensely at him, searching for an answer. She was confident in him, but also curious.
"And…?"
"I think I'm going to take the job…" he began slowly, his eyes never wavering from hers. He didn't even blink…but she did. Her heart dropped a little. She was happy for him, but…
Before she had time to really dissect his decision any further, he finished his sentence.
"…in Paris."