Here it is! The wedding is here!

Elizabeth woke up, stretched and opened her eyes. She looked around her room and saw her wedding dress hanging on her closet door. She let out a little squeal, realizing that this day had finally come. It was June 18th and she was marrying the man she loved, her best friend and partner for life. Suddenly, a knock came at her door.

"Come in, Julie!"

"Happy Wedding Day, Sister!" As Julie bounced into the room. "I heard you squeal a couple of minutes ago. I hope it was a happy one knowing you have finally reached your wedding day."

"Yes, it was, Julie." She reached over to hug her sister. "I can't wait until I become Mrs. Jack Thornton!"

"You know, Sister. I don't think I have ever seen you this happy, not even when we were growing up. I mean, you were a happy child, but here in Hope Valley with your students, the town's people and Jack, you just glow."

"I now know without a doubt that my life path was always to come here. I love this town and the people in it, especially Jack."

"Well, Sister I have some more presents for you." She pulled a box out from behind her and handed it to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth took the box, having a good idea what was in it. "Is this really a gift for me or it is for Jack?" She winked at Julie who winked back.

"Open it and find out."

Inside were two negligees, one looked to be floor length and was dark green with a lacy bodice. "Try it on, Elizabeth. I want to see what it looks like."

Elizabeth pulled off her simple cotton nightgown, and pulled the negligee on over her head. It fit perfectly, hugging her every curve. The neckline was lower than Elizabeth liked, but she loved the length and the color. She knew she would pack it for her honeymoon. She had decided to try to do things that were out of her comfort zone now that she was getting married. After all, being with Jack was going to be a new experience. She reached back into the box and found a black negligee completely covered with lace and falling to just above the knee. She put both negligees back in the box and set it with some of the things she had already put aside to pack. Then she hugged her sister. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Julie smiled and then started to giggle.

"What's so funny, Julie?

"Oh I was just thinking about how not to long ago I would have been standing here begging you to tell me everything that happens on your wedding night and honeymoon. How I would not have given you a moment's peace until you told me. Now, I have come to realize that life is not about romance novels and that there are things people need to keep to themselves."

"Julie, once again you amaze me at how mature you have become. I really like this new side of you, not that I didn't like the old you. Now you are simply amazing."

Julie felt tears in her eyes, "Thank you, Sister. That means a lot." They embraced again only to be interrupted by a knock at the door.

"That must be Mother, Aunt Elizabeth and Abigail." Elizabeth said as she made her way downstairs to open the door. Sure enough, they all came through the door as well as Charlotte.

Abigail set a basket on the table. "I brought over some biscuits, scones and muffins, if anyone is hungry." She then went to the stove to put a kettle on for tea.

"I don't know that I can eat anything. I am nervous." Elizabeth said.

"It's normal to be nervous on your wedding, Elizabeth." Grace said. "You really should have a biscuit or something. Just to have something in your stomach."

"I will, Mother."

After having breakfast, the ladies sat around the table talking. It was too early to start getting ready for the wedding. At one point, Grace stood up and went for her suitcase that she brought with her with her dress and other things for the wedding. She opened it and pulled out a big box.

"Elizabeth, this is for you." She handed the box to her daughter.

Elizabeth tugged at the ribbon and lifted this lid. She pushed back the tissue paper and found a beautiful travel suit. "Oh, Mother, thank you. This is lovely." It was blue and just holding it up to her body brought out the blue in her eyes.

"I thought you would like to wear that when you leave on your honeymoon." Grace said.

"I will, Mother. Thank you."

Aunt Elizabeth pulled a small box out of her bag. "Beth, my sweet, dear Beth. Here is something that can be your something borrowed and something blue." She opened the box to reveal a beautiful sapphire necklace with matching earrings. Elizabeth gasped when she saw them. "Beth, my grandmother, who was also named Elizabeth, wore these on her wedding day. She gave them to me when I married my Wynn. Grandmother told me that she wanted to start a tradition with these jewels. She was hoping Elizabeth would become a family name, used in generation after generation. She never let her own daughters wear them because they were not named Elizabeth. She said that I should keep them until the next Elizabeth in the family gets married. After you take them off, put them in a safe place until the next Elizabeth takes her turn down the aisle." She leaned down to give her niece a kiss."

"Thank you, Auntie. They are so beautiful. I would honored to wear them today." She reached up to give her Aunt a kiss.

Charlotte took Elizabeth's hand and put something in it. "I have a tradition of my own to pass down to you, Elizabeth. Tom's mother gave me that when on my wedding day. Her mother-in-law gave it to her on her special day."

Elizabeth opened her hand and saw a sixpence, for her shoe as the old saying went.
Elizabeth leaned over to give Charlotte a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you!" She whispered with tears in her eyes. "All these gifts mean something special to me. I am so happy you are here to share Jack's and my special day."

"Ok, let's go over the saying to make sure Elizabeth had everything." Julie said. "Something old would be both the jewels and the sixpence, which is also the something borrowed. Something new would be your wedding dress, Elizabeth." Elizabeth nodded. "The jewels have triple duty as something blue as well as old and borrowed. And last but not least, the sixpence for her show. We have everything." The ladies nodded. "Now sister, let's go up to the bathroom. I brought some bubble bath that smells like a summer garden. Let's get you into the tub for a relaxing bath."

"I don't know if I can relax, but a bath does sound nice." Elizabeth said as she stood from the table. Julie put her around her as they walked up the stairs.

At the jail, things were not going as smoothly for Jack. He was so nervous. He didn't know why; he knew without a shadow of a doubt that Elizabeth was the woman for him. Things had gone so well with the plans for the wedding. A part of him felt something might go wrong and it would be on their wedding day.

Bill, tired of seeing Jack pace around the small jail house, stood up and stopped Jack in his path. "Jack you need to calm down. The wedding isn't for a couple of hours and you are going to wear yourself out with this pacing. That isn't going to do you any good at the wedding or the wedding night." He said with a wink.

"I don't know what's wrong with me, Bill. I love Elizabeth and she loves me. I know she is the one for me. Yet I still feel like something might go wrong. Especially since we haven't had any issues before."

"That's normal, Jack." Bill said. "We all feel nervous on are wedding day. There is no real explanation for it. The only thing to do is to try and calm yourself down."

"I have an idea." Jack and Bill looked at the door to see Wynn Delany standing there. "I can tell you some stories from my time as a Mountie in the Northern Territories. I have lots of them."

Jack nodded his approval to the idea, then pulled out a chair for Wynn to sit on. He took a seat on the cot. He hoped the stories would take his mind off the wedding until it was time to get ready. Amazingly it worked because before he knew it, it was four o'clock. The wedding was in one hour. Time to get ready.

Back at Elizabeth's, it was time to get ready. Julie had changed into her dress in her room before allowing Charlotte to go into to get ready herself. Aunt Elizabeth had used Elizabeth's room while Elizabeth was taking her bath. After Charlotte had changed, it was Abigail's turn, followed by Grace. Now, all the ladies were in Elizabeth's room helping her get ready. Julie worked on her hair. Clara, who had come over closer to the wedding time, was double checking Elizabeth's dress for winkles or anything else that was out of place. She found nothing wrong.

"Ok, Sister! Let's get you in that lovely dress. You have a date at the church with a delectable Mountie in less than an hour." Julie reminded her.

"As if I could forget." Elizabeth said and Julie and Abigail pulled the dress over her head. Julie helped bring it down her body in the front while Abigail worked the buttons in the back. Once the dress was completely in place, Elizabeth turned around so that her mother, aunt and Julie could see the final look. Grace gasped and tears formed in her eyes.

"Mother! What's wrong?"

"Oh, darling! I am fine. You looked so beautiful in that dress. It looks like it was made just for you. Clara, you did a spectacular job on the dress. You have real talent. You could open a dress shop in one of the big cities and would give the other dress shop owners a run for their money!"

"Thank you, Mrs. Thatcher." Clara blushed at the compliment.

"Yes, very talented." Aunt Elizabeth concurred as she walked over to her niece with the necklace in her hand. "Let me help you put the necklace on, just like my grandmother did for me when I married my own handsome Mountie." Elizabeth moved to her mirror to look at herself, while Aunt Elizabeth fastened the necklace. "So beautiful." Her aunt murmured.

"I hope Jack likes my dress."

"He will, Sister, he will. He will be blown away when he sees you."

"Abigail said the same thing last week after I had my final fitting,"

"And mark my works, Elizabeth," Abigail said. "Julie and I will be right." She picked up both bouquets of flowers and started towards the bedroom door. "It's time to leave for the church."

The ladies organized themselves and headed downstairs. Outside, William was waiting in a coach for his daughter along with another one for his wife, other daughter, sister and Abigail. When he saw the door open, he stepped out of the coach and walked up to Elizabeth.

"Elizabeth, you look so pretty today. More beautiful than I have ever seen you. Being in love suits you and I am so sorry I ever tried to keep you from Jack." He felt a tear come to his eye.

"Shhh, Father. There is no need to talk about that. It's in the past. Today is about the future."

William helped her into the carriage then settled in next to her. He took her hand in his and said. "You are right, Elizabeth. Nothing should come in the way of you and Jack's happiness." He signaled for the driver to head to the church.

At the church, Jack was still a little nervous, but as the time grew closer to when the wedding would start, he found the butterflies in his stomach were lessening. Especially when he heard Elizabeth had arrived. Soon, Frank was motioning him and Bill to come stand at the altar. The music began playing and Abigail started down the aisle. He saw Frank give her a quick smile, then his face resumed its serious expression. Jack looked back down the aisle and then he saw her. A vision so beautiful he forgot to breath for a moment. He felt a tear come to his eye. He found it hard to keep from rushing down the aisle to meet her. Somehow he was able to contain himself and wait for William to finish the walk.

Elizabeth couldn't believe how handsome Jack looked in his new suit. She kept finding herself wanting to move faster towards him, but her father continued to move at a slow pace. It seemed like hours before she reached Jack at the altar. She smiled at him through tears of happiness and noted that he had a couple of tears in his eyes.

The music stopped. "Please be seated." Frank told the guests. "Today we are gather here to see Jack and Elizabeth become husband and wife, a family. I don't think anyone here is too surprised that this day has come. From what I have been told from the time before I got here to what I have seen for myself, Jack and Elizabeth were meant for one another, even if they were too stubborn to realize it for themselves." Chuckles were heard throughout the church. "Who gives this woman to be joined in matrimony to this man?

"Her mother and I do." William said. He kissed Elizabeth on the cheek, wished her well in her marriage, and then turned to Jack. "Take care of her, Son." He took his daughter's hand and brought it to Jack's, who held it tightly in his own.

"I will, Sir". William turned to go sit next to his wife and daughter in the front pew.

Elizabeth and Jack stared into each other's eyes. It was as if no one else was there. Truth be told they couldn't remember saying their vows to one another. It was almost as if God was marrying them out in a beautiful field. Before they knew it, Frank had declared them husband and wife.

"You may kiss the bride, Jack."

Jack pulled her face towards his and leaned down for a sweet, gentle kiss. "I love you." He whispered as they parted with their foreheads still touching.

"I love you, too." She whispered back.

They turned to go down the aisle. The guests all jumped to their feet and applauded. As they walked out, they stopped to hug their families, then walked down the steps to the coach that was waiting for them. Jack held out his hand to help Elizabeth into the coach. Once they were settled, he threw his arms around her and gave her a passionate kiss. When he pulled away, he looked at her with all the love he had for her in his eyes. "You look so beautiful; breathtaking."

"Thank you, Jack. You look so very handsome. You took my breath away." She reached up to touch his cheek with her hand. "I am so happy, Jack. So very happy."

Before they knew it, they were at the saloon. It looked beautiful. The tables all had white tablecloths with bouquets of wildflowers in the center. Cat and Molly, who had stood at the back of the church watching the ceremony had rushed over to the saloon right after the kiss to get things started. They were putting out some appetizers Abigail had made for people to eat while Elizabeth and Jack greeted their guests as they walked in. Cat motioned for them to come over.

"I save a plate for you to have a quick bite before the crowd comes in." She handed Jack a plate with cheese and crackers with some fruit. "The wedding was beautiful. You make a beautiful bride, Elizabeth."

"Thank you!" Elizabeth said as Jack handed her a piece of cheese. Soon, they heard people walking up to the café. They moved to take their place near the entrance.

The evening went by quickly. Before they knew it, it was time to cut the cake. They fed it to each other nicely. Toasts were made, the bouquet tossed (Abigail caught it) and then it was time to leave. The night was filled with anticipation and love.