Alright, so I'm attempting to get this one finished off. Look how long it's already taken (Hovering around the year mark) and it's not even that long!
I have all of today off to relax and get ready for tonight, so I'm having a fan fic day in the sun. Fingers crossed it all goes well. And sorry in advance for the extra long details. Just couldn't help myself!
"I really can't believe this is happening," Rachel Rafter admitted openly. Sammy and Libby laughed, before Melissa came over to join them again, champagne in hand.
"Love has its ways," Sammy agreed.
"Yeah, but she hated me," Rachel replied, adjusting her necklace slightly. "Grace flat out hated me."
"Because she was having to let her boy go," said Libby, as if she were stating the obvious.
"Still can't believe I'm here though," repeated Rachel, looking at herself finally in the full length mirror. A year ago to the day he had proposed, Rachel was here marrying Jake, the man she thought she'd never have a future with. But somehow, just as Sammy had just said, love found a way.
Rachel was wearing a white, strapless dress with a diamante encrusted bodice, while the bottom half of the gown flowed freely. Her blonde hair was straight, with a little volume, and her make-up had been completed. She looked gorgeous.
Bridesmaids Libby, Melissa and Sammy were in light purple dresses, knee-high and strapless, with a gathered middle.
"Knock, knock," Julie called out as she and Dave stepped into the room. Little Ruby Rafter, who was now old enough to be able to walk, was holding one each of her parent's hands, wearing a light purple dress, to match the bridesmaids. Her mouse brown hair was it pigtails. "Oh darling, you look gorgeous! Are you nearly ready?"
"Um, yeah I think so," replied Rachel nervously with a smile, she flattened down the part of the dress near her hips. "Aww Ruby. You're not supposed to upstage your sister on her big day!" declared Rachel, reaching down to pick up the toddler who giggled. Rachel laughed along with her, as Dave and Julie watched the interactions between their two daughters.
With Ruby back down on the floor, standing back next to her mother, Rachel turned to her father, who she realised hadn't said anything.
"Dad? What do you think?" Rachel smiled, and picked up a piece of her dress to twirl a little.
"Like a princess," Dave eventually answered, the sight of his eldest daughter in a wedding dress making him the slight bit teary. "You look beautiful." Rachel smiled, before turning back to the mirror.
"Well, this is it!" she declared. "I'm ready."
"Hang on, tradition check," announced Libby. "Something old?"
"Ah, necklace. Was Gran's, then Mum's. Now mine," Rachel answered with the nod of her head, hands indicating the diamond drop necklace.
"Something blue?" chimed in Sammy.
"Garter," confirmed Rachel.
"Borrowed?" said Melissa next, getting in on the act.
"Mum's earrings," Rachel revealed as she pulled back her hair to the diamond earrings.
"And we'll cover the new," announced Dave, stepping forward with a white and silver, elegant box. He pulled open the box to reveal a small, dainty tiara. "For my princess." Rachel opened her mouth to say something but found herself unable. She was speechless. Dave simply smiled, stepping forward and placing it on her head. Rachel touched the tiara and allowed it to settle on her head, smiling at her parents.
"Thank you," Rachel finally managed, tears forming.
"No crying darling," Julie warned. "Mascara." Rachel laughed, hugging her Mum tightly, then her Dad.
"Shall we get this show on the road?" asked Dave. Rachel nodded. The bridesmaids picked up their pink frangipani flower bunches, set out neatly on the table by the window. Sammy handed a small bunch to Ruby, giving her a smile.
"Let's go!" said Libby excitedly.
"Just give me a second," said Rachel. "You guys head down to the cars." They nodded before the bridesmaids, flower girl Ruby and Julie stepped out of the suite. Dave remained, waiting for Rachel.
"You want a minute too?" he asked, watching as Rachel looked yet again in the mirror.
"No," replied Rachel. "It's okay."
"You nervous?" asked Dave knowingly.
"No," answered Rachel. "Yes." Dave laughed. There was another knock at the door, and Melissa stuck her head back in the door.
"Grace is here. Should I let her in?" Rachel nodded in reply, as Melissa opened the door more to allow Grace back in. She closed the door behind her.
"You look beautiful Rachel," Grace smiled, stepping over further. Dave stepped towards the window, allowing them some space. "It's nearly time."
"It's nearly time," repeated Rachel. "Grace, thank you."
"I haven't done anything," she simply replied.
"For Jake," said Rachel. "For giving me a chance." Grace stared at Rachel, before smiling and nodding. She held her arms out and gave her soon-to-be daughter-in-law a hug. As she thought back to when she and Jake had first announced their engagement to Grace, Rachel laughed silently at her own reaction.
"We're engaged!" Jake announced to Grace. Grace didn't say anything, and Rachel couldn't work out what she was thinking.
"Congratulations," Grace eventually said, stepping over to hug her son, then Rachel. Rachel stood stunned, shocked by Grace's reaction. Sure, things had improved between herself and Grace in recent months. But still, she was surprised.
"I didn't think he'd get the courage up to ask," laughed Grace, patting her son on the shoulder. "But I'm happy he did. Congratulations." Rachel didn't know what to say.
"You're a good person Rachel," said Grace over Rachel's shoulder. "I'm glad you're joining our family."
"And I'm glad you're joining ours," added Rachel as they drew back. Dave had watched the whole encounter, smiling to himself before he walked back to join them.
"Should we get you going?" he asked. Grace and Rachel both nodded. Rachel took her father's arm, and they left the room.
Outside church
Jake was waiting, not so patiently, outside the church in which he and Rachel were to be married. Alex and Camel were standing on his right side, while Ben, Carbo and Nathan were on the other.
"I wish she'd hurry up..." muttered Jake. Nathan heard the words, prompting him to glance down at his watch.
"There's still five minutes before she's meant to be here," he told the nervous groom with a laugh.
"And then she'll probably still be late anyways." Jake turned to look at Camel.
"Not helping," said Jake.
"It's tradition!" Carbo added. Jake threw back his head, attempting to ignore them all. A car pulled up. The driver climbed out to open the door to reveal the mother's of the bride and groom, and the flower girl. Grace stepped out first, brushing down her outfit, smiling as she saw her son's waiting. She turned back as Ruby took her turn at stepping out, offering her hand if the little girl wanted which she did. Julie then stepped out, taking Ruby's other hand and the mother's walked towards the waiting line.
Julie walked along to see her boys, while Jake left his groomsmen to see his Mum. Alex followed him over.
"You look good Mum," Jake told her as he wrapped her in a hug.
"So do you darling," Grace replied, fixing the collar of his suit. "You both do," she amended, looking at her son's standing side by side.
"How far away is she?" Jake finally asked. He knew his mother had been to see Rachel at the hotel just before.
"The bridesmaids were getting in when Julie and I left. I believe Dave and Rachel were behind them." Jake nodded, breathing out.
"You've got nothing to be nervous about," Grace told him, patting his cheek.
With Jake now back to waiting out the front of the church with his groomsmen, he knew that the five minutes Nathan had told him about before had surely passed.
"How late?" Ben and Nathan both turned to face him.
"Ten minutes," Nathan finally had to say. Jake took a deep breath.
Limousine, driving
Meanwhile, in the white limousine a little way away, Rachel and Dave were on their way.
"Have we done enough laps now Dad?" asked Rachel. "Surely I'm late by now."
"Twelve minutes. That'll do," said Dave with a cheeky grin and a glance at his watch. He leant forward to talk to the driver. "We can head there now." The driver, watching through the rear view mirror nodded while Dave turned back. "Your mum told me you had to be late. So did Sammy."
"Tradition," replied Rachel sarcastically.
"I wasn't going to argue with those two about traditions to keep. Scary women they can be," defended Dave.
"Wuss." Dave scoffed. Rachel relaxed deeper into her seat and took a deep breath.
Outside church
Jake looked up straight away as he saw another limousine pull up. He sighed slightly at realising it wasn't Rachel. A driver opened up the door, and Melissa stepped out. Ben smiled at seeing his wife; she looked beautiful. Libby was next out, followed by Sammy. As the driver shut the door and prepared to move the car to make room, the girls headed towards the boys.
"She's coming," Melissa immediately said when she joined them, hugging her husband.
"I never asked!" Jake threw up his hands.
"But you were going to," Libby retorted. "And trust me, she looks hot."
"Oh, seriously," added Sammy, before laughing. Standing next to Nathan, he leant forwards to give her a kiss before she put her hand up. "Lipstick!" He shook his head, putting his arm around her waist.
After what felt like an eternity, the final limousine pulled up. As the driver went to go around and open the door, the bridal party began to move.
"Get him inside," Sammy told the boys before she went to move towards the limousine. Camel pushed Jake towards the church, as he turned around to catch a glimpse of his partner. Unfortunately for him, he missed it as Carbo pushed him in.
"You can see her after," declared Alex.
The girls had joined at the limousine as Dave stepped out. He offered his hand inside and Rachel took the hand, stepping out. Julie smiled again, as did Grace, before they left to the inside of the church together to take their seats. Ruby was holding Melissa and Sammy's hands.
"I'm so nervous," Rachel admitted, her laugh nervous.
"Don't be! This is everything you wanted," Melissa told her.
"Come on," said Dave, stepping forward as Rachel linked her arm in this. She took a deep breath.
"Let's do this."
Inside church
Jake was standing next to the celebrant , his groomsmen lined up on the other side. Julie and Grace were sitting next to each other in the front row, waiting. The couple's family and friends were in the other rows, leading right back. The doors opened and everyone looked back, or forward in the bridal party's case.
Ruby walked in first, holding Melissa's hand. Ben smiled and watched his wife walk down with the little girl.
Libby came through next, walking steadily up with her pink frangipani bouquet out in front.
There was a slight pause before Sammy entered, given she'd stopped to hug a nervous Rachel in the entrance. She stepped through the doors, spotting the bridal party smiling and waiting, before smiling and looking lovingly at Nathan.
Everyone stood as Rachel and Dave stepped through. Rachel's own bouquet of frangipanis were traditional yellow and white, and she held them in her right hand. Her left was linked with her father.
As they took the steps down the aisle, Dave smiled proudly as he lead his 'princess' down the aisle. He'd always known this day was coming. But he was amazed at how time had flown.
Rachel smiled and glanced at the people watching her descent down the red carpeted aisle. Finally she looked at Jake, locking glances and smiled even more. His face matched hers.
Rachel only broke her gaze with Jake to glance at their mother's in the front aisle. Melissa had stopped to let Ruby sit with the mother's before taking her place, and Ruby was currently sitting closest to Rachel's edge. Julie was sitting next to Ruby, and Grace was on Julie's other side. They both looked thrilled.
Finally, stepping carefully up the step, Dave kissed his daughter's cheek. Rachel had opted not to wear a vale, it being one tradition she had canned. Then he looked up at Jake and nodded, before stepping down to sit in the front row. He sat on the other side of Ruby.
Rachel reached out and took Jake's waiting hands, looking at him one more time, before they both turned to the celebrant and the proceedings started. No one stood when it came to the objections, much to Rachel's delight. And then it came to the vows. Jake was asked to recite his first.
"Rachel, today I take you as my wife. I promise to love you, whether in good times or in bad. In sickness and in health. If you look back to how we met, I never would have thought we'd make it anywhere near marriage. Yet here we are. Complete opposites, yet so meant to be together. We can never be sure where life will take us, but I know that I can't wait to find out with you by my side."
The celebrant then called for Rachel to read hers.
"Jake, today I take you as my husband. I love you and you mean everything to me. Today, I give myself to you in marriage. I promise to encourage and inspire you, to laugh with you, and to comfort you in times of sorrow and struggle. I promise to love you in good times and in bad, when life seems simple and when it seems hard. When our love is seems easy, and when it is an effort. I promise to cherish you, and to hold you in the highest regard. As you said, rewind to when we met, I never would have predicted we'd make it this far. But, thankfully we have. We've overcome every obstacle and I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life with you by my side."
Grace, Julie and Dave watched as Rachel finished her vows, all smiling equally big. That pretty much accounted for everyone else in the church also, the bridesmaids and groomsman watching intently.
"Jake and Rachel, with the exchange of rings, you are acknowledging your love for each other," the celebrant announced. "If we could have the rings." Nathan stepped forward to hand them over. Jake didn't have an official 'best man' but Nathan had been the smartest choice to hold onto them for safe keeping; he was unlikely to lose the rings.
"Rachel, I give you this ring as a symbol of my undying love for you," Jake said, looking down into Rachel's eyes as he slid on the ring. Rachel's ring was to match her engagement ring; a band of diamonds. After smiling at him, Rachel accepted the ring from Nathan, as he took his place back in the line.
"Jake, I give you this ring as a symbol of my undying love for you," Rachel recited, sliding the white gold band onto Jake's finger, her engagement ring on the opposite hand catching the light as she did so.
"Friends, family and everyone gathered here today. I am very happy to announce Jake and Rachel husband and wife," declared the celebrant. "Jake, you may kiss your bride." And he did just that.
The gathered people to watch stood and clapped. As they drew apart, Jake and Rachel gave each other one big smile, before the stepped forward to their bridal party. Jake was shaking the hands of his groomsmen, Rachel kissing her bridesmaids cheeks. They swapped, Jake hugging the bridesmaids and Rachel with the groomsmen.
They came back together in front of their friends and family, both looking down at Rachel's parents and Jake's mother. And the smiles on all three of their faces said it all; they could not be happier.
And there we have it! Hey presto.
Thank you must go to everyone that reviewed. Cannot even begin to say how thankful I am that people enjoyed reading it.
Yes, this story took ages. And it's no secret that I had a really difficult time with updating this. But I appreciate all the support my readers showed me. Thank you so much. As for why a wedding, it just seemed the best place to sum it all up.
Again, thank you. Especially to quonoeye and aussiebabe290. xx