Beck and Jade keep their engagement to themselves the night that it happens. The following day, they begin to tell their friends, families and co-workers the exciting news. Everyone offers them nothing but congratulations and warm wishes, although Beck's parents do admit to each other once they hang up the call that they hadn't realized their son's relationship had progressed to that point of seriousness. Nonetheless, they're happy that he's so happy, and they're excited about gaining a new daughter-in-law.
The day after they share the news with everyone close to them, both Beck and Jade share the same photograph to each of their social media accounts. It's a close up of Jade's hand on Beck's chest, the ring clearly visible, as he rests his hand gently on top of hers. The caption reads 'yes to forever' and has over ten million likes combined between the two accounts within a week.
Not long after, promotions for Jade's new show, now renamed to be called 'Beyond the Innocent' and set to premiere in mid-January, begins. A press release goes out with the names of everyone who will be involved and despite the fact that she's currently only part of the supporting cast and not the main, her name still catches quite a bit of attention given everything that is going on. Within a matter of weeks, most of the country is enthralled with Beck and Jade and everything that has to do with either one of them.
Going out in public becomes harder. Everyone, fans and paparazzi alike, want to know all of the wedding details. Other than the fact that there will be a wedding at some point, there aren't many other details for them to give. Not that they would be giving them out to strangers on the street if they had them, but they really don't have much planned. Beck and Jade don't feel as if anyone can blame them for that fact either, they've barely been engaged for a month. Who would have an entire wedding booked and planned in a month?
"Someone who isn't involved in the actual planning process themselves." Jade answers her own question out loud "God, can you imagine handing everything off to a planner and not giving any real input on how the biggest day of your life turns out?"
They're laying in bed, side by side, each of them with their pillows propped up behind them as they read through their respective material. Beck is looking at his lines for the next episode of Manhattan Med and making notes in the margins, while Jade is scrolling through various wedding blogs on her iPad.
There's so much to consider when it comes to planning a wedding, and even more to consider when trying to plan a wedding in the public eye. Jade is afraid to reach out to any venues or vendors to start inquiring about information with the fear of the individuals she talks to turning right around and giving all of the information they had discussed to the press. She knows it's a bit narcissistic to think that anyone out there really cares that much, but there are non-stop inquires from almost everyone around them it feels like.
"No." Beck sighs, not looking up from his script "I feel like that would take all of the personality out of it."
"Exactly." Jade shakes her head "I dunno, someone at work suggested I just have someone else do it all for us so our names aren't attached to anything and no one tries to invade our privacy."
"Is that what you want to do?"
"No." Jade answers quickly "No, of course I want to have a say in our wedding day. Don't you?"
"Of course I do." Beck sets his script down on his lap and turns to face her "I just feel like this whole thing is stressing you out already and we haven't even really planned anything yet."
"I'm sorry." Jade apologizes "I just want our wedding to be our wedding, you know? I don't want the whole world invading our privacy because we're on TV and they think we owe them the details. Our wedding should be about us."
"I know, I want that too." Beck nods sympathetically "Regardless of what happens or what choices we make, our wedding day will be special. It'll be special because it'll be the day we say our vows to each other and the day we agree to be together for the rest of our lives and thereafter."
"That was sweet." Jade admits as she leans over to kiss him quickly "God, I wish we could have met a few years earlier so that we could have done all of this before anyone gave a shit."
Not that she would trade her career or Beck's at this point, they're both extremely fortunate to be doing what they love every single day.
"I wish we could have met earlier too so that I could have spent more time loving you, but otherwise I wouldn't change a single thing." Beck shrugs "You know, we could always elope. Not tell anyone? Just head down to the courthouse first thing on a weekday morning as soon as they open and do it before anyone realizes we're there."
"Not without my family." Jade shakes her head "I would feel so guilty. Not to mention it would be a very short marriage because Cat will murder me if I get married without telling her. You'd be a widower. The simplicity of it sounds nice though, and the anonymity of it."
"You don't need the big white wedding?" Beck raises an eyebrow at her
"The term 'white wedding' typically implies virginity. So no, I don't." Jade smirks "But if you're talking about the big huge party...I could take it or leave it. Would it be fun? Probably. Would it also be stressful though? Probably yes as well. If we're being honest, I don't really care where, when, or how it happens, so long as we're married when all is said and done."
"I couldn't agree more." Beck smiles "Alright, I think I have an idea."
"What's your idea?"
"We're both going to get close to three weeks off from filming at the holidays, right?" Beck asks, and Jade nods in confirmation "Okay, so what if we put our families on a plane the week between Christmas and New Year's and fly them somewhere beautiful, and get married then? Small, romantic, and sure it might be a bit stressful to plan last minute, but we could go somewhere that no one would think to be looking for us. Not quite eloping, but still personal and private."
"I dunno..." Jade sighs "Logistically it-"
"Ignore the logistics, we can figure out the logistics later." Beck cuts her off "And ignore your brain for a second too. Don't let your head get in the way. We won't be standing up there on our wedding day promising to think about each other for the rest of our lives, we'll be promising to love each other for the rest of our lives. Ignore your head, what does your heart say?"
"My heart says I want to marry you, that's all that matters." Jade smiles "Where were you thinking of running off to?"
"Is that a yes?"
"Yes."
"Really?" Beck perks up "You want to get married next month?"
Phrasing it that way makes it sound sooner than it would really be, but it is the reality of the situation.
"Like I said, it doesn't matter where, when or how." Jade reminds him "So long as we're married, and our families are there. I do have one more condition though..."
"Okay, what is it?"
"Cat and Robbie have to come too." Jade tells him "I...Cat's my best friend, and I can't get married without her there."
"Of course." Beck nods "What if I bring Andre too? And Tori as well, most likely. We can bring our families, and the people we want to serve as our maid of honor and best man. How about that?"
"Sounds perfect." Jade agrees "We're not going to have a whole lot of turn around time though. We'll have to start planning, like...yesterday."
"Well, let me go grab my laptop." Beck tells her "And we can get to work."
To say their families are shocked by Beck and Jade's requests for them all to travel during the holidays so they can basically elope would be an understatement. While most of them had figured the couple would want to get married sooner rather than later, they expected 'soon' to be no earlier than the summer when they both had extended breaks from their filming schedules...not by the end of the calendar year. Of course they want to be supportive, so everyone agrees...but the shock lasts for quite a while.
Multiple different wedding destinations were discussed. At first Beck and Jade has discussed going international, to and island perhaps or somewhere exotic. However, there would be a lot of paperwork involved given that they wouldn't be citizens of whatever country they would be getting married in, paperwork that would not be able to be processed in time, and the idea was quickly nixed. After exploring a few different options, they settled on Kohala Coast on the island of Hawai'i. It's an a warm and exotic island, but technically US soil. Although she feels Hawaii is a bit cliche for a wedding destination, Jade can't deny that it's beautiful. Their wedding will be memorable, and that's all she can wish for at this point.
John West refuses to let his daughter and her fiancé pay for everyone's flights as they had originally intended. Long standing tradition says that the bride's family pays for a majority of the ceremony, and even though Beck has made more than enough from Manhattan Med to pay for the wedding by himself, John wants to uphold tradition. In the end, John books and pays for everyone's airfare, Beck's parents agree to pay for the meal following the ceremony, and Beck and Jade agree to take care of everything else.
"This place is gorge-ous!" Cat singsongs as she hugs her best friend from behind "I can't believe you're getting married here."
They're staying at a beach resort, their rooms booked under the name of Beck's agent, Craig, so no one would suspect anything. Beck and Jade had traveled to Hawaii on Christmas Day in baseball hats and sunglasses, and admittedly had quite a bit of fun trying not to get recognized. Everyone else joined them the next day on the 26th, and they've been mostly spending time around the resort since then.
The idea of getting married on either New Year's Eve or New Year's Day also sounded a bit cliche to Jade, so they settled on December 30th for the ceremony. It will be on the beach, off resort property so that they have some privacy, with just their friends and family and the officiant that they hired. Private, personal, and perfect for Beck and Jade.
"Neither can I." Jade admits "Are you guys enjoying yourselves?"
"Yeah, this place is great." Robbie tells her "Or at least what I've seen of it. Andre and Cat haven't wanted to do much else other than talk about music."
"He works for a record label, I'm trying to get a recording contract." Cat points out "We've found quite a bit to talk about."
If she's honest, Jade regrets not introducing Cat and Andre to each other sooner. Her friend makes a good point, they're both in the same line of work and could probably help each other out quite a bit professionally.
"You're staying with me tonight, right?" Jade asks Cat, changing the subject
"Of course." Cat nods
Adhering to the superstition that the bride and groom should spend the night before their wedding apart and not see each other again until they meet at the alter, Beck will be staying with his parents tonight. Cat will stay with Jade and the following night, Beck and Jade will move themselves into the honeymoon suite for the remainder of their stay.
"Speaking of, I should start moving my bags." Beck stands up, stretching his arms with a sigh "S'getting late."
"S'not that late yet." Jade says, desperate for a few more minutes with him "We could-"
"We need our rest, babe." Beck smirks "Tomorrow is the most important day of our lives, and s'going to be a long one."
"Alright..." Jade nods in agreement, standing up as well "I'll walk you back?"
"Sounds great."
They leave Cat and Robbie, with Cat's promise to be at Jade's room with her own bag in a short amount of time, walking hand-in-hand back to their room together as fiancés for the last time. Tomorrow, as long as everything goes accordingly, they'll become husband and wife; a major life change, but an exciting one at that.
"This whole 'spending the night apart' thing is stupid." Jade admits, sitting cross-legged on the bed as she watches Beck pack up his bag "What difference will it make?"
"I think it's so we don't make each other nervous." Beck shrugs "I dunno, s'an old tradition."
"I don't like sleeping without you."
"S'just one night." Beck reminds her, moving towards the bed and resting his forehead against her's "Next time we see each other, we'll be getting married. How exciting is that?"
"Pretty exciting." Jade manages to smile as Beck presses a kiss to her lips "I love you."
"I love you too." He tells her, grabbing his bag "I'll see you at the alter."
"See you at the alter..."
Beck blows Jade a kiss and turns to leave the room, passing Cat as he opens the door.
"You okay?" Cat asks, dropping her own bag and crawling onto the bed to sit next to Jade "You look upset."
"I don't like sleeping without him." Jade repeats the comment she had previously said to her fiancé "I've gotten so used to it now."
"You can survive one night." Cat assures her, much as Beck had "Not to mention it's your last night as an unmarried woman. How do you want to spend it? I vote for drinking wine and watching Mamma Mia, what do you think?"
"I think that sounds perfect." Jade laughs "Great idea, Cat."
Jade had expected herself to toss and turn all night, feeling nervous for the next day's events much like Cat had when she and Robbie got married. This isn't the case though, Jade sleeps fine...and wakes up feeling an overwhelming sense of calm. She soon realizes that she isn't nervous because she has absolutely no reason to be. Beck is the love of her life, she's sure of that, and marrying him is exactly what she's supposed to be doing.
However, there is a small big of sadness that pulls at her all morning. She misses her mother, and she wishes more than anything that she could be there with her on the day that she gets married. Jade knows in some ways, her mother is there, because she likes to believe that her spirit is always with her in some sense...but she wishes she was there to hold her hand while she has her makeup done, or help her with her hair, or carry the excess fabric of her dress. Her grandmothers fill in for her beautifully, as do Cat and Priya, but Jade still wishes things were different.
"She would not be able to stop telling you how beautiful you look." Judy, her maternal grandmother, tells her with tears in her eyes "She would be so proud."
"I know." Jade touches the hand that Judy has placed on her shoulder "She's here with us. I know she is."
Her dress is an a-line style and strapless, with a tule skirt and lace bust. She had purchased it from a New York-based designer during a secret shopping trip with Cat one day over Thanksgiving week. Keeping it hidden from Beck had been a challenge, but she had been successful, Jade only hopes that he thinks she looks as beautiful in it as she feels. She'll go barefoot, not wanting to risk heels of any kind sinking into the sand or flats getting full of it.
"God, what happened to my little girl?" John sighs as Cat and Jade approach the section of the beach partitioned off for the ceremony
"She's all grown up." Cat smiles, squeezing Jade's hand "I'll see you down there. Okay?"
"Okay, thanks." Jade nods, then turns to her father "Don't cry. Please, if you cry then I'm going to cry."
"I can't promise you that..." John laughs, his voice already catching "My daughter, my only child, is getting married. I'm going to be emotional."
"Dad..."
"I wish your mother was here."
"Me too."
"She would have loved this whole thing...the spontaneity." John admits "She'd be reveling in it. God, I wish she was here."
"She is." Jade assures him "Maybe not here physically, but she is with us. I know she is."
"I'm sure she's found a way to be, she wouldn't miss this for the world." John agrees "You look beautiful, Jade. I'm very happy for you."
"Thanks, Dad."
"Now..." John offers his arm for her to take "Enough emotions, let's go get you married."
Jade can't help but smirk as she loops her arm around her father's, even the emotions of his own daughter getting married can't overtake the lawyer inside of him. He had his moment to be emotional, but now it's time to get down to business.
From his spot next to Andre, Cat, and the officiant, Beck can see Jade and her father approaching...but he can't see a whole lot of details yet. They stand beneath a simple white wooden arch in the sand, in front of only fourteen chairs. All of them are currently occupied except for two; the one that John will sit in once he gives Jade away, and the one that Jade had asked remain vacant and be reserved in her mother's honor.
When he finally gets a good look at Jade, walking arm-in-arm with her father as they make their way closer to him, Beck begins to tear up. It feels like not all that long ago his life was full of uncertainty. He didn't have consistent work, he was living in an RV in his parents' driveway, and he didn't have a partner. New York changed all of that for him. His work brought him there, and it brought him to Jade. She has made his life so much better, so much brighter, since she stumbled into it that night at the bar. At one point he thought that there was nothing he could love more than acting, and he realizes now that he had been wrong about that. He would give up his entire career in a matter of seconds for Jade, he loves her more than anything else in the world.
John stops at the end of the aisle and hugs Jade tightly, then presses a kiss to her cheek before sitting down in the front row of chairs. They had opted to omit the 'who gives this woman away?' line typically spoken as the father of the bride leaves his daughter at the start of the wedding, as Jade felt it was just a tad bit too old fashioned for her liking. She's her own woman, not anyone's property to be bartered.
"You look absolutely beautiful." Beck whispers to Jade, a huge grin plastered across his face as the two of them stand face-to-face for the first time that day
"Thank you..." Jade smiles "You don't look half bad yourself."
"Dearly beloved and honored guests..." The officiant greets them "We are gathered together here to join Jade and Beck in the union of marriage. This contract is not to be entered into lightly, but thoughtfully and seriously, and with a deep realization of its obligations and responsibilities. The bride and groom have each prepared vows that they will read now, and Jade I believe you've asked to go first?"
"Yes, please." Jade nods, turning to their family members "If I don't go first, I'm not sure I'll be able to get it all out without crying."
This earns a laugh from everyone who has gathered, and Jade feels a bit more at ease.
"Beck..." She begins, smiling as she takes a deep breath "When I met you, I started falling instantly...and that scared the shit out of me. Anytime that I had fallen for someone, I fell flat on my face. This time though, when I was falling...you caught me, and ever since then I've known that you will always be there to catch me. You are my safe space, you are my home. You accept me for who I am and whenever I am spiraling, for any reason, you are there to bring me back to Earth. You keep me grounded, you keep me centered, always. You have shown me more love than I have ever known, and it is my promise to you that I will give you just as much love back. All day, every day, for the rest of our lives and thereafter. I love you."
"I love you too." Beck responds, but loud enough for only her to hear
"Beck?"
"Jade, you are my light." Beck says proudly "You brighten every one of my days, no matter the circumstances. You make me smile, you make me laugh, you make me feel loved, and you make me feel safe. I swear to you that I will continue to dedicate all the days of my life to filling our days with love and laughter. I will celebrate your spirit and all of your accomplishments, work to inspire you, and be here to remind you of your beauty and strength. You are my partner, my confidant, my other half, and I will love you for the rest of my life."
"You're a better writer than you think you are." Jade tells him as she brushes away a tear "That was beautiful."
"Thank you."
"Jade, do you take Beck to be your husband?" The officiant asks Do you promise to love, honor, cherish, and protect him forsaking all others, and holding only unto him/her forevermore?"
"I do."
"Beck, do you take Jade to be your wife?" The officiant turns "Do you promise to love, honor, cherish, and protect her, forsaking all others, and holding only unto him/her forevermore?"
"I do."
"Beck and Jade will now exchange rings as a symbol of love and commitment to each other. Rings are a precious metal; they are also made precious by you wearing them. Your wedding rings are special; they enhance who you are. They mark the beginning of your long journey together. Your wedding ring is a circle—a symbol of love never ending. It is the seal of the vows you have just taken to love each other without end. May I have the rings, please?"
Andre steps forward, proudly removing the rings from his pocket. Both are white gold, Jade's thinner and encrusted with small diamonds while Beck is the standard, smooth, metal.
"Jade, please place the ring on Beck's left hand and repeat after me: as a sign of my love that I have chosen you above all else..."
"As a sign of my love that I have chosen you above all else..." Jade repeats
"With this ring, I thee wed."
"With this ring, I thee wed."
"Beck, please place the ring on Jade's left hand and repeat after me: as a sign of my love that I have chosen you above all else..."
"As a sign of my love that I have chosen you above all else..." Beck nods
"With this ring, I thee wed."
"With this ring, I thee wed."
"And now by the power vested in me by the state of Hawaii, it is my honor and delight to declare you married. Go forth and live each day to the fullest." The officiant smiles "You may seal this declaration with a kiss."
He barely has enough time to finish the statement before Beck has taken Jade in arms, dipped her, and is sharing in one of the most romantic and passionate kisses the couple has ever experienced. For all they care, they're alone in their apartment back in New York and completely lost in each other, not in front of their closest family on a beach.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Oliver!"
"Mrs. Oliver..." Beck grins as they break their kiss "What do you think of that?"
"I think it sounds weird." Jade chuckles, scrunching her nose up "Good weird though."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." She nods "You're my husband."
"And you're my wife." He adds "Crazy, isn't it?"
"So crazy." She agrees "I love you."
"I love you too." He says before kissing her again