~1 year earlier~

Santana hadn't wanted to go at first, but after a little talk with Quinn and some convincing from Mercedes and Rachel, she had decided to attend, she was after all a bridesmaid.

"I couldn't have done this without you by my side." Santana was fixing Brittany's veil. She smiled at hearing these words. "I wouldn't have left you hanging." Brittany looked like a Disney princess. "How do I look?" Santana couldn't lie, she looked amazing. Stunning. "B, you're beautiful. You don't have to be all dolled up, because you're always beautiful to me." Santana Lopez, was still quite the charmer. "Second time around, they say it gets easier. Are you ready for this?" when she had asked the question, she hadn't really meant anything by it, it was more to calm Brittany's nerves, it had instead made her panic.

"What if I'm not ready? Collin is the one, at least I think he is. But how do I know fo sure?" Santana shrugged. "I don't know B." she said and pinned a strain of hair behind her best friend's ear. "I think you just know. When it's right, it's right and you just feel it." They hugged and Brittany didn't ever want to let go. "Maybe you and I weren't right for each other at the time being. But that doesn't take away the fact that I think we're soulmates. Everything is about timing, Britt." she squeezed a little tighter.

"If I tell you a secret, promise not to tell anyone?" she could feel Santana nod, so she took a deep breath before she continued. "Even if I give my heart away to a stupid boy, it will always belong to you. No matter the distance, you are my best friend and I am yours, nothing is ever going to change that. Okay?" Brittany smiled with tears in her eyes, this was supposed to be the happiest day of her life, yet she looked so sad.
Santana placed her hands on each side of Brittany's face. "I love you, I have always loved you Brittany and I will continue to do so. You are the pillar that props me up and I am so proud of you, of what you've become and of what you have yet to accomplish. You make such a beautiful bride. You are absolutely astonishing, mesmerizing and I am still in love with you Brittany Susan Pierce. I am so in love with you."

Quinn, Rachel, Mercedes and Tina suddenly burst into the room. "Here comes the bride indeed! Brittany, you look gorgeous! Your future hubby is waiting, are you ready?" asked Mercedes. Brittany didn't take her eyes away from Santana, she couldn't. "Say something." Santana whispered.
The girls knew about their past, and they also knew not to get in between them, especially not on this day, but the wedding was happening whether Santana wanted it to or not.

"San. I can't." Brittany let herself get pulled away from Santana by Quinn and Rachel. They left Santana and Mercedes behind. "Come on girl, it's showtime! Look, I know you're hurting and I know this may be a bit awkward, but you don't do this for you, you do it for her. Doesn't she deserve to be happy?" Mercedes pinched her shoulders. "Of course she does. she deserves all the happiness in the world."
Santana had always looked out for her best friend. Everything she had done, she had done with the best intentions in mind. "Fuck my life."

The ceremony came and went. 'I now pronounce you husband and wife.' Santana had many reasons why Brittany shouldn't marry Collin, reasons that had nothing to do with her. Still she hadn't objected, instead she swore to forever hold her peace. She was a bridesmaid and standing right next to Brittany, had made her realize that this wasn't about her. She saw how happy Brittany was and she wasn't going to be the one to take that away from her.
Unknowingly then, that Collin would be the one to do just that.
'You may now kiss your bride.' the attendees cheered and clapped the newlyweds on as Collin kissed his bride.
Santana stood frozen as her best friend and her new husband walked out of the church, followed by their convoy of loved ones. Even when the church was empty, she still stood put, she couldn't move, her feet felt like lead and her entire being was being weighed down.

'And I wish you all the love in the world. But most of all, I wish it from myself' when they were in glee club together, they'd gone from best friends to friends with benefits, but without feelings - even though with feelings it's better, to girlfriends, to actually married. They had been married and now Brittany was married to someone else, someone that wasn't Santana. How did that even happen? She couldn't even think back of the time where it all went wrong, no matter how hard she tried, she could only remember the good. With heavy steps, Santana too left the church.

"Ain't that a shame? You always want what you can't have." Mercedes accompanied her on her way to the reception."This isn't even about that. Okay fine, I want her, so what? She made a decision, quite like the one we made when we decided to get a divorce. Brittany chose to marry Collin. He makes her happy and I want that for her." The reception was beautifully decorated. Tradition meets romance, meets pretty in pink. Each table had a sign with 'Love is patient, love is kind' written on them, the centerpieces consisted of Cherry Blossom Wishing Trees.
"Even if you're not a part of that happiness?" Santana bit her lip. Of course she wanted to be the reason Brittany smiled in the mornings, the reason she sang in the afternoons and danced in the evenings. "Yes. Even if I'm not a part of her happiness."

Wishing Trees are a Dutch tradition. Instead of signing a guestbook, guests are asked to write their wishes and greetings on wish tags. They then hang their wishes on the wedding tree using clips, ribbon, hooks, or string.

'It is with honor that I introduce to you, Mr and Mrs Collin.' Brittany beamed as she walked out onto the dancefloor, arm in arm with Collin.
Her hair was braided in a sloppy side braid, and she definitely resembled Elsa from Frozen.
Santana had always found weddings to be a bit cheesy, somewhat tacky even. All of these people coming together to celebrate two people? What was the big deal. As Brittany greeted their guests, and walked by Santana, she winked at her, that's when she understood what the big deal was. "You look beautiful." Santana whispered, they hugged each other briefly. She needed a drink, or three.

It seemed like people were having a great time, it was like a family reunion, people who hadn't seen each other in a very long time were hugging, talking, laughing and coming together. Santana knew them all, yet she didn't really care that they were all gathered under one roof for the night.
She saw Sam, he was there with his girlfriend Ophelia. Apparently she was a model from Ukraine. He had gone backpacking through Europe and it had been love at first sight, she would drink every time Sam mentioned how travelling had been such an eye opener for him. Mike and Tina were there too, she would drink every time the two would stare lovingly at each other and eskimo kiss. Puck had come as Quinn's +1,even though they technically were on a break. And after listening to all the 'he shaid- she said' bullshit from the two, Santana was on her fourth rum and coke.
Sugar was the official wedding planner, which she had been for Brittany and Santana's wedding as well. Kurt and Blaine had made a dazzling entrance appearance. They were sat showing everyone their pictures of their baby Harriet and Rachel beamed with joy. "I've changed my mind." said Tina. "I want one." Hearing this, Mike lit up. "I'm sorry, but I am personally so happy that I'm not being held back right. Kudos to you for being able to balance everything, I just don't think I'm that kind of person. Look at Will and Emma, how many kids do they even have now? Pretty sure they've lost count as well." Santana wanted to throw up. Everyone was so incredibly happy, everyone except for her. "Screw this." she had had enough, she stood up, raised her glass and made direct eye contact with Brittany.
"It's time for a toast!"