"I'm getting married," Abbey said to her reflection in the mirror. Her wedding dress was hung up behind her, looking dazzling with all the white silk and lace. Abbey took a shaky breath in and let it out in a sigh.

She turned to look directly at the dress. It was a bit difficult to turn her head too much, as her hair was piled up on her head in enormous rollers. The beautician had told her not to move so as not to disturb the setting process. It annoyed her to no end, but this was what was required to get the style she wanted. Abbey smiled to herself. A month earlier, Elvis Presley had gotten married, and when Abbey saw the pictures of Priscilla in Life Magazine, she instantly knew she wanted her hair and makeup just like that for her wedding. The modern look would be a nice contrast to her traditional dress. Hopefully Jed would like it. Though, really, it didn't matter if he liked it or not. He would be marrying her anyway.

Kate Barrington entered the old Sunday School classroom that had been set up as the bridal dressing room. She was carrying the dress bag with her bridesmaid's dress inside it. She had intended to just hang up the dress and leave, but instead Kate found her sister standing in the middle of the room, staring at her wedding dress.

"Abbey? Are you okay?"

Abbey jumped slightly, not having noticed Kate enter the room. "I don't know. I'm getting married."

"Yeah, that's why we're all here," Kate pointed out. "What's wrong?" She instantly regretting asking the question, because she honestly didn't want to get dragged into whatever feelings her older sister was wrestling with at that moment.

"Am I doing the right thing?" Abbey asked in a quiet voice.

Kate's jaw dropped. "Are you serious? Are you seriously asking if getting married to Jed is the right thing? You've been dating for almost two years. You've been in love with him for longer than that. Neither one of you can do better than each other. You're moving to England together. Doubting this wedding would be the stupidest thing you've ever done."

"I know all that! I just can't stop feeling like this is a really big deal."

"Well yeah, you're getting married. It is a big deal," Kate pointed out. "Haven't you been excited about getting married for the last six months?"

"I was, yeah, but right now I feel mildly ill and I can't make my heart stop racing!"

Kate bit her lip, thinking. She did know a great way to get Abbey to calm down. It was a great way for anyone to calm down. "I think I can help you feel better…"

Abbey's eyes went wide. "Oh my god, did you bring a joint to my wedding!?"

Kate shrugged. "I bring one almost anywhere I go, just in case."

After a moment's pause, Abbey nodded. "Give it here. And open the window."

Meanwhile, Jed was pacing back and forth in another vacant classroom. "I'm getting married," he said to himself. He kept repeating it under his breath, as if repetition would make it sink in. But it wouldn't. Despite knowing how much he and Abbey loved each other and trying to remember how excited he was to start his married life with her, this day, their wedding day, didn't seem quite real to him.

Father Cavanaugh entered to find Jed quietly agitated. "Jed, are you alright?"

Jed stopped pacing and looked at the priest. He gave a sad smile. "I don't know if you can help me here, Father."

He sat down at the desk and gestured for Jed to take a seat. "Try me."

"I don't know what I'm doing here."

"You don't know why you're getting married?"

"No, I know why I'm getting married. I love Abbey more than anything, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her."

"Then what seems to be troubling you?"

Jed furrowed his brow. "I have no idea."

Father Cavanaugh smiled. "Are you perhaps feeling guilty for abandoning your plans to join the priesthood in favor of being with Abbey?"

Jed considered for a moment before shaking his head. "No. I did initially feel that guilt before Abbey and I started dating, but no, I'm perfectly confident that this is God's path for me."

"I quite agree," the priest replied.

Before either of them could say anything else, Jonathan entered. "Sorry to interrupt, but I've got our suits, and it's time to get dressed, brother of mine."

Father Cavanaugh stood up. "I think you'll be fine, Jed. Just keep in mind the things you just told me. You're doing the right thing." With that, he left the Bartlet brothers alone.

Jonathan frowned. "Are you having doubts?"

"Not exactly," Jed said, trying to dismiss the conversation. Jonathan was certainly not the right person to discuss this with.

"Well if I know you, Jed, you're probably feeling annoyingly righteous and worrying if marrying you is the best thing for Abbey to do, seeing as she's putting off medical school to go to London with you."

"I wasn't worried about that before, but now I am. So thanks for that."

"Shut up. That woman adores you. As she should. You're a great man, Jed, but you just have to have faith in the fact that being together is what's best for both of you. You changed your whole life for her, and she wants to be with you no matter what. Can you get that through that big head of yours?"

Jed stared at his brother, unsure of how to respond. Rare were the times that Jonathan Bartlet took anything seriously.

While his brother absorbed what he had said, Jonathan added, "Oh by the way, I changed my major. Business. No med school for me. We only need one doctor in the family, and in a few years, Abbey will have that covered."

"You what?! Did you tell Dad?"

"I thought I'd wait until your honeymoon for that delightful conversation," Jonathan replied with a wink.

Jed made an incredulous sound. "Just put on your suit. I'm getting married in half an hour."

With only slightly over thirty minutes before the ceremony, Millie arrived to help Abbey get into her dress. The guests were already starting to trickle into the church. She had come with her hair and makeup all done, but she still had to change into her bridesmaid's dress. One of the altar boys directed her to the room where the bridal party was getting ready.

Millie opened the door to a curious sight. Abbey, wearing a robe and a head full of rollers, was sitting beside an open window with a joint in one hand and reaching for Kate's lighter with the other.

"Oh my god stop!" Millie cried.

"Close the door, Millie!" Abbey hissed. "I'm just going to take a couple tokes. I can't seem to calm down any other way."

Millie rushed over and took the lighter and joint out of Abbey's hands and shoved them at Kate. "Put those away. Ignoring the fact that it's illegal and we are in a church, the smoke is going to make everything smell. I am not letting my best friend smell like pot during her wedding ceremony!"

Abbey sighed. "Yeah, alright fine. But what would you suggest to calm my nerves?"

Millie considered for a moment. "I've got an idea." She turned and left the room.

She quickly went out to the church pews to find Aunt Betty. She wasn't hard to pick out. She was wearing a pale pink suit and red lipstick. Innocuous enough. But she was currently flirting with Jed's widower grandfather in the back of the church. They were both laughing loudly.

"Excuse me, Aunt Betty?"

Betty turned to the young blonde asking for her attention. "Yes?"

"Can I borrow your flask for a moment?" Millie asked quietly.

Aunt Betty frowned. "Why?"

"Abbey is a little nervous and I'd like to give her a shot of something."

"Oh sure," she said happily. "Will whiskey do? It's all I brought today." She handed Millie the silver flask out of her purse.

"Perfect. I'll bring back in just a second."

Millie took the flask to the bridal room. Abbey was sitting on top of the desk, her hands fidgeting as she waiting. "There you are!"

"Here. Take a big swig. I promised Aunt Betty I'd get it right back to her."

Abbey grinned widely. "Perfect. Why didn't I think of that?" She knocked back a huge swallow of whiskey and handed the flask back to Millie. "That should do the trick."

Millie took a swallow for herself and rushed out to return the liquid courage that had hopefully done its job.

By the time Millie got back, the beautician had come to finish Abbey's hair and makeup. The rollers were coming out of her long, dark hair, and being teased back, creating the volume that Abbey had wanted. It only took about twenty minutes to finish the hair and the flawless makeup.

"How do I look?" Abbey asked after the beautician left. "Do I look like Priscilla Presley?"

Kate narrowed her eyes as she looked at her sister. "You don't really look like Priscilla Presley." Abbey's face fell.

Millie shook her head. "No. You look like Elizabeth Taylor."

Abbey brightened considerably. "Oh. Well I'll take that!"

"You look wonderful, Abbey. Let's get you into that dress."

Ten minutes later, the ceremony was ready to commence. Jed walked into the church with Jonathan, his best man, and Dave, his groomsman. Jed's whole body felt spiked with electricity. The whole church was staring at him, which didn't bother him much, but his gaze was fixed at the back door. The double doors opened and the strains of Ave Maria played as Millie, looking like an angel in the pale blue dress, walked down the aisle. Kate came next, looking distinctly uncomfortable.

As if far in the distance, Jed heard Father Cavanaugh ask everyone to rise and the organ began playing The Wedding March. Dr. Barrington appeared with an ethereal vision on his arm. The world stopped and Jed felt like his whole being was emitting light. Abbey looked more beautiful than he could have ever imagined. The dress was perfect. She had said it was her mother's dress, but this wasn't what he'd had in mind. This was a gown fit for a queen. Abbey looked like a queen. Not a princess, a queen. As young as they were, Jed always appreciated Abbey's maturity and strength. She had a commanding presence that he had been drawn to since day one. And now, as she walked down the aisle of the church toward him with everyone's eyes on her, she had never looked so in control. Her head was held up high, even under the weight of the voluminous veil and all that incredible hair. She grinned at him, causing her nose to wrinkle joyfully. Jed thought he would melt into a puddle right then and there.

As Abbey walked down the aisle with her father, she suddenly felt all of her nervous anxiety fall away. She kept her eyes locked on Jed, focused on his happy smile. Even from far away, she could see his blue eyes twinkling happily. Abbey had known all day that this, their wedding, was the most important moment of her life thus far. And when her father had squeezed her hand as they approached the altar, she felt it all sink in. But it didn't scare her or overwhelm her; no, she felt the enormity of the moment and was comforted by it. Marrying Jed was likely to be the most significant thing in her life, possibly ever. It was the beginning of everything, she knew. And it felt more right than anything she'd ever experienced.

They broke eye contact for the first time when Abbey's father hugged her and kissed her cheek before sitting down. Jed held out his hand to help Abbey up the steps to the altar. She felt his thumb brush along the back of her hand affectionately, giving her butterflies.

Father O'Donnell performed the Mass, which Jed and Abbey both went through on autopilot. They snuck looks at each other the entire time, sharing winks and secretive smiles. It seemed an age before Father Cavanaugh returned to the pulpit to perform the marriage ceremony.

And then suddenly, the moment arrived. "Josiah Edward Bartlet, do you take Abigail Ann Barrington to have and hold, love and cherish, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health so long as you both shall live?"

"I do." Jed's voice was strong and sure, though he said the two short words through a big grin.

"Abigail Ann Barrington, do you take Josiah Edward Bartlet to have and hold, love and cherish, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health so long as you both shall live?"

Abbey felt her heart pound in anticipation. "I do." She felt tears well up in her eyes.

"Place the ring on her finger and repeat: with this ring, I thee wed."

Jonathan handed Jed the wedding band and he slipped it onto Abbey's finger, settling it just in front of the Bartlet diamond ring. "With this ring, I thee wed."

Millie handed Abbey the other ring and she put it on his finger. "With this ring, I thee wed."

Father Cavanaugh beamed at the couple. "By the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Jed thought he was about to burst with pure happiness. He pulled Abbey into his arms and kissed her. It was a struggle to remember that they were in a church and therefore needed to maintain some sense of decorum. The kiss was long and passionate but as chaste as they could manage. When they broke, Jed whispered in his wife's ear, "Valde te amo, nunc et in perpetuum."

Abbey said the English translation of the Latin back to her husband. "I love you very much, now and forever."