Chapter 121

Bella

I woke early on Saturday morning after a surprisingly good night's sleep. I think I was just relieved that in a few hours I would never be separated from Jasper again. Alice and Esme had sat with me until I fell asleep although they were tight lipped about the wedding, I couldn't get any details from them at all, not even about my honeymoon. All they would say was it was somewhere far from anyone, vampire or human which sounded good to me.

Alice was waiting with a tray containing breakfast, toast, cereal, boiled eggs, coffee and I groaned. I had no appetite but Esme insisted I eat something and when I started to eat I found I was hungry after all. When I finished Alice took the tray downstairs and Esme ushered me into the bathroom to shower.

When I came out Esme and Rose grabbed me painting my nails and doing my make up before Charlotte got the dress out. I had seen it during my fittings but not in its finished state and I gasped, it was so beautiful. White satin with pale pink lace at the neck, sleeve caps and hem. Slipping into it I couldn't help smiling but I wasn't allowed to see my reflection until Rose had finished my hair.

She twisted fresh flowers, pink and white carnations, in as she curled it so it fell over my shoulders like a waterfall. My shoes were low heeled pale pink satin pumps and when Charlotte brought in my veil I could have cried. It was simple made of the same pink lace as the dress held in place by a tiara of the same flowers. Then I was allowed to look and I didn't recognise the beauty who stared back at me. Handing me my bouquet of the same flowers tied together with pink and white twisted ribbon which hung down to my knees.

Charlie knocked and Esme let him in kissing me on the cheek and disappearing followed by Alice and Charlotte leaving me with my dad and Rose who then also slipped away to get changed herself.

"Bella you look so beautiful. I thought I'd never see this day at one time and I'm so proud of you."

"Don't dad you'll have me crying and then Rose will probably kill the pair of us."

"Oh I will, no probably about it."

We turned and she stood in the doorway in her dress holding hands with Skye and Kat who looked beautiful in pink dresses with white lace trim, the opposite of mine. Kat carried a posy of pink and white flowers and Skye a pink ball on a white ribbon and both looked really sweet.

"Wow Bella you look like a real princess."

Charlie turned and winked at her,

"Every girl is a Princess on her wedding day."

"Really? Will I be one too when I get married? Peter calls me princess now but he's only joking."

"Of course you will, Skye too."

Further conversation was halted by the sound of the wedding march being played,

"Your cue I think Bella."

Rose stepped aside and I took Charlie's offered arm allowing him to lead me out onto the landing and down the wrought iron stairs which had been wound in pink and white ribbons adorned with balloons and flowers and at the bottom the French doors were thrown open and sunlight flooded in from the garden where our friends waited. My path to Jasper was marked out by pink and white petals and balloons and white and pink ribbons adorned the arbour they had built with a small raised platform.

Carlisle stood smiling at me as I made my way to Jasper's side. He too had turned and I could see his love for me reflected in his eyes. He looked so handsome in a black suit with a pink tie that matched the bridesmaids, Peter looking almost as good at his side but he was concentrating on Kat like a proud father.

Charlie handed me to Jasper with a smile, lifted my veil and kissed me on the cheek then stepped aside to join Esme. Carlisle coughed discreetly to get our attention from each other and started the ceremony. We had written our own vows, short and sweet, after all everyone present knew of our commitment to each other.

Jasper turned to look at me and I gazed into those perfect gold eyes as he spoke,

"Bella, I give you my promise to be by your side forever more. I promise to love, to honor, and to listen as you tell me of your thoughts, your hopes, your fears, and your dreams. I promise to love you deeply and truly because it is your heart that moves me, your head that challenges me and your hands I wish to hold through all eternity.

Because your love means so much to me, I offer you my heart. As your partner in life, I will share your joys and your sorrows, your laughter and your tears. Through all the changes that life will bring, I promise you this: I will always love you."

There was a lump in my throat hearing his words and I found it difficult to speak my own vows,

"I Bella, take you Jasper, to be my husband, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our union and love you more each day than I did the day before. I will trust you and respect you, laugh with you and cry with you, loving you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we may face together. I give you my hand, my heart, and my love, from this day forward for all eternity."

We exchanged rings, identical gold bands with our birthstones in them, and then Carlisle spoke the most important words of all,

"Love comes from humble beginnings, and through a combination of serendipity and effort, imperfect beings shape it into something extraordinary. It's the process of making something beautiful where there was once nothing at all.

As you look at these rings over the years, I hope you remember that. You've created something invaluable, and just as I know you'll protect these rings, I'm confident you'll protect the commitments you've made to one another today. I now pronounce you man and wife, you may kiss your bride."

It was the sweetest kiss binding us as partners for eternity and I only heard the cheers of our guests as a distant hum. Of course once the ceremony was over everyone wanted to congratulate us and Edward took his place at the piano once more so we could dance. By the time I had danced with everyone, including Kat and Skye my feet were aching and I was happy to sit with my husband and eat.

Esme and the others had gone to great lengths to provide a buffet meal for the few humans in attendance and I noticed a lot of mini pizza's and cocktail sausages that the girls headed straight for followed by jelly and ice cream and then Jasper and I cut the cake. The bottom tier was made of plastic iced and decorated with the same pink and white colour scheme by Kat and Skye. Only the top tier was real and it tasted divine although Skye ended up wearing most of hers as she licked the cream off first!

There were no official speeches everything had been said already but Carlisle did offer a toast as I drank some champagne and the girls had glasses of mountain dew. The others had silver goblets and I could guess what was in there but it didn't disgust me and soon I would be joining them.

May your marriage bring you all the exquisite excitements a marriage should bring.

May you need one another, but not out of weakness.

May you want one another, but not out of lack.

May you look for things to praise, often say, "I love you!" and take no notice of small faults.

May you have happiness, and may you find it making one another happy.

May you have love, and may you find it loving one another."

I went upstairs to change helped by Esme and Charlotte who promised to pack my dress away carefully for me and we went back downstairs to see Peter bring the car round for our drive to the airport and we had to laugh. There must have been a whole shoe shop dragging along behind the car interspersed with tin cans and pink and white balls of different shapes and sizes.

Ribbons adorned every inch of protruding bodywork and "Just Married" was written on the windows and the trunk in what appeared to be foamed cream. Jasper opened the passenger door for me as everyone started throwing confetti and I climbed in smiling and waving. Kat who had caught my bouquet much to Peter's consternation shouted that she loved me and good luck as we drove away on our mystery honeymoon.