december 3rd, 2020
two days before the wedding
Austin and Ally walked hand-in-hand to the venue, smiles etched on both of their faces. Since the day Ally had gotten her dress, they had kicked the wedding planning into high gear, with Trish's help. They now had the venue completely booked, a cake ordered, a DJ hired, and a full guest list solidified, among the many items on their to-do list. They were going to the venue a few days before the ceremony to help Trish get some things set up before the rehearsal dinner the following night, and neither of them could contain their excitement.
"So... you ready for this?" Austin asked, pausing to put his mask on before entering the building.
"Totally," Ally responded, putting hers on as well. "I'm so excited for all of these nitty gritty details to be squared away so I can just get up there and marry you, already."
"I feel the same way." Austin opened the door and they entered the ballroom to find Trish running around, placing name cards on the tables. She noticed them walk in and waved.
"Hey guys! Glad you could make it. I need your help setting up," she said bluntly, throwing a stack of name cards at each of them. "Take these and put them where you want them. The seating chart you created is over by the table where the wedding party sits." She pointed to a square table off to the side, and Austin started looking over the seating chart. "Oh, you can take your masks off, by the way," she added, shooting them a sideways glance. "You guys both tested negative, right?" Ally nodded.
"Yeah, we did," Austin said. "Otherwise there wouldn't be a wedding to go to," he joked. Ally shot him a look, then turned back to Trish. She ripped her mask off and went over to where Austin was standing to help him place the name cards.
"So, we have your parents sitting over here at table six," Austin said, not taking his eyes off the chart, "And mine at seven, right?"
"Right," Ally confirmed. "Where did we put our other friends? Like Dallas, Elliot, Kira...etcetera?"
"Why'd you invite those guys?" Austin asked, frowning. "I didn't think that you still kept in contact with them."
"Of course, I invited them. Elliot's one of my oldest friends, and so is Kira."
"What about Dallas? Why'd you invite him?" Austin furrowed his brow. Ally could tell he was suspicious of her inviting her former crush to their wedding.
"Because we're friends," Ally laughed, grabbing his hand reassuringly, "You don't have to worry about me getting feelings back for him. You're the one I love." She pecked him on the cheek and continued placing the cards on the table.
They worked for the next few hours getting the centerpieces set up (bouquets of lilies and orchids, as Ally requested) and eventually finished up for the night. They were going to have a lot to do the following night, as well, and of course the day after that would be pretty hectic. Nevertheless, everyone slept soundly that night, looking forward to the days ahead.
/
december 4th, 2020
the day before the wedding
around 4:00 p.m.
The next day, Ally arrived at the venue with Penny and Lester, who had made a speedy recovery and had since tested negative. Ally felt her hands become clammy as they walked into the building. Austin had insisted on keeping the dress code for the rehearsal dinner casual and comfortable since they'd be spending the following day getting 'fancified,' as he put it. Ally had agreed because if she was being honest, she didn't want to spend two whole days in her dress.
The venue was exactly how they'd left it last night, except Austin's six-layer white chocolate cake had arrived and was sitting untouched on a table off to the side. Austin had warned Dez multiple times not to touch it, but Ally was still worried something would happen. She had to admit it was impressive that the cake made it there in one piece, cake toppers and all. They'd requested that the cake shop make replica wax figures similar to the ones that Austin had carved for their fake wedding in high school, for old times' sake and because Austin had begged for them. One of her many flaws were not being able to resist his puppy-dog eyes.
"Ally, Penny, Lester! You made it!" Trish greeted them as they walked in the door. She was sporting a comfortable, deep purple vest with a black long sleeve shirt underneath and black leggings. Ally could tell she'd touched up her curls, because they looked more defined and a little shiny. Dez was setting up his video camera equipment on the other side of the room, wearing a bright green shirt with a llama that had a unicorn horn, fittingly labeled 'llamacorn.' His pants were wacky and tacky (Trish had come up with this saying) as usual; bright-colored zigzags of every color imaginable covered them front and back. They'd decided to confine the rehearsal dinner to just the bride and groom's families and the wedding party. They didn't need the other guests present for this part; plus there was less risk of transmitting the virus this way. As for the wedding party, it was just Dez and Trish. Ally was worried enough about having a wedding during a global pandemic as it was, and evidently, nobody else had made such a significant impact on both of their lives.
"Yep, we did!" Ally exclaimed with what she hoped wouldn't come off as fake enthusiasm. "We're here...for rehearsal dinner...the night before my wedding..." her voice trailed off. "Where's Austin?" she asked, snapping herself back to reality.
Austin crept up behind her as she looked around, motioning for the others to keep quiet by holding a finger to his lips. He wrapped his arms around her torso and spun her around, making Ally squeal and burst into a fit of giggles. She turned around, hugging him tighter and planting kisses all over his cheeks.
"It's nice to see you, too," he joked, returning the hug. As she tightened her grip, his smile faded. "Woah, hey, it's only been a day since I've seen you."
"I know," Ally whispered, her voice cracking, "I just missed you so much." She buried her head into his chest and he wrapped his arms around her.
Austin frowned. What was this all about? "You okay?" he asked her, already getting the feeling of what her answer would be.
"Yeah," she said as she pulled away, wiping a stray tear. "No... I don't know. I'm really excited, but these past few days I've just been a bundle of nerves. Every time I think about tomorrow, my hands get all sweaty, and my heart starts racing a million miles an hour..."
Austin grinned, placing a delicate kiss on her hairline. "Everything will be fine, Als. I promise."
Ally faked a laugh. "Yep. That's what I've been hearing for the past... month or so. Not sure if I believe it."
"Hey," Austin pulled away from the hug, cupping her face in his hands. "I'll be right there with you the entire time. You don't have anything to worry about."
"This is why I love you," she murmured. "You always know the right thing to say."
Austin smirked a little. "I do, don't I?"
Ally rolled her eyes, reaching up to peck him on the lips. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Let's go rehearse this thing, shall we?"
"The faster we get this thing over with, the faster I get to marry you."
"I'm excited for that part."
"Me, too."
The beginning of the rehearsal dinner went about as smoothly as it could go. It was weird sitting in the big open room with only about fifteen people present, but Austin and Ally both knew it would feel different tomorrow night. Butterflies settled in both of their stomachs and stayed there throughout the night; Ally knew hers weren't going away anytime soon. After the opening remarks, it was time for the best man and maid of honor to practice their speeches. Dez squirmed uncomfortably in his seat and Trish gave him a weird look.
"You okay?"
Dez glared at her. "Yeah, why?"
"You're acting like someone put a thousand ants down your pants."
He furrowed his brow. "How do you know someone didn't?"
Trish rolled her eyes and stood up. "Okay, it's time for the wedding party, aka me and Dez, to say some stuff." She cleared her throat and looked in Austin and Ally's direction.
"Ally Edgar Dawson," her middle name earned some snickers from people in the room, including Austin.
"It's a family name, alright?" Lester interjected, looking slightly hurt.
"I can honestly say the biggest honor of my life has been being your best friend. We've helped each other through so many ups and down that I can't even count and I"— she stopped short as her voice started to crack, wiping a stray tear from her eye, "I can't thank you enough for being there for me. You're probably the most important person in my life and I can't believe that you're getting married already!" Ally squeezed Austin's hand with one hand, and Trish's with the other. "I want you to promise me one thing after you and Austin move in together, though..." Ally's gaze met Trish's, "Just...call me, okay? Call me whenever you need me...or whenever you don't...or when Austin's driving you crazy or when he isn't. Promise me that?"
Ally's eyes started to fill with tears now. "Promise." Trish pulled her in for a hug and everyone clapped. The ladies in the room frantically started looking for Kleenex to dab their eyes with.
"Who's chopping onions in here?" Penny asked jokingly. Dez looked up from his table, where he had been trying and failing to cut an oddly shaped vegetable with a plastic knife.
"Uh, it's not an onion, it's a scallion." He glared over at Penny, who was now very confused as to why Dez carried vegetables around in his pocket.
Trish gave him a hard glare and motioned for him to come up on the small stage. Dez grabbed the microphone and waved awkwardly. "H-hey, everyone. Uh, I'm Dez, Austin's best man—but more importantly, the wedding videographer." A few people laughed and he continued. "I've known Austin since kindergarten, and we've been best buds ever since. We've helped each other through lot of things, like lady problems," he nodded towards Ally and she gave a small smile. "Looks like my job is done in that department," he joked, which earned a few more laughs. "And helped each other along in our careers...but mostly what we've done is have fun. But the best part about being Austin's friend is that I know when those fun times end, we'll be talking about it for years. That's how epic our adventures are." He paused and the room fell silent. "Now you're going on a new adventure: being Ally's husband. And my one word of advice for you is to embrace it. Take it by the reigns and trust where you're going, even if it's foggy and you can't see the road ahead...or if there's a traffic jam because of a sudden zombie apocalypse." The last part made Austin chuckle.
Dez rose his glass. "Here's to all of our adventures, and the one that lies in front of you. I love you, man."
"I love you too, Dez." They shared their handshake and a 'bro hug,' Everyone took a sip of their wine, and the sound of clinking glasses filled the ballroom. A few hours later, everyone started to trickle out and Austin approached his soon-to-be wife, pulling her in for a hug without a word.
"Are you going to be okay tomorrow morning without me?" he asked, fiddling with her hair.
"Probably not," she admitted, pulling away, already feeling tears start to sting her eyes. Austin wiped them away and gazed into those hazel eyes he adored so much.
"It's just like I said earlier: after tomorrow, I'm not gonna leave your side. Ever." She allowed a small smile and reached up to kiss him. He leaned into it and when they pulled away, tears were streaming down her cheeks.
"I should probably go," he said, immediately feeling guilty and swallowing hard. A tear slipped out of his eye and she wiped it away this time.
"I know."
"So, I guess I'll see you tomorrow then, huh?" he smiled gently, cupping her face with his hands.
"I guess you will." Austin pecked her on the lips once more and grabbed her hands, slowly letting them go as he backed away and disappeared from sight.
/
december 5th, 2020
the big day
12:07 p.m.
Ally paced the floor of the room that she, Trish, Penny, and Mimi were using to get ready for the ceremony. Mimi had gone out to get lunch for everybody so it was just the three of them in the room, waiting to get their hair and makeup done. She hadn't gotten a wink of sleep last night because she'd been so worried about everything going perfectly. If she was being honest, missing Austin was a factor in that, too. There was still a while to go before she could see him; they'd gotten their pictures taken earlier that morning and had bid each other goodbye afterwards. In approximately five hours, Ally and Austin would be married.
Ally felt like she was going to hurl.
"Ally, you've gotta stop pacing like that," Trish said gently. "Everything's going to be fine."
"But what if it isn't?" she asked, stopping to look at her best friend, worry evident in her eyes.
"It will be," Trish cooed, "Trust me."
Penny entered the room with the hair stylist, smiling gently. "How's she doing?" she asked Trish.
"Still on the runway," Trish muttered lowly, so the bride couldn't hear. Ally had since taken a seat on one of the couches and had her head in her hands, trying to hold back tears. Penny approached her daughter where she was sitting on the couch, as the stylist stood awkwardly behind her.
"Ally, sweetie, this is my friend Brenda, the one that owns the hair salon. She's going to do all of our hair," Penny said. Ally looked up, allowing a small smile.
"It's really nice to meet you, Ally," Brenda stated, bending down. "If you want to follow me over to the mirror, we can get started with your hair." Ally nodded but didn't move from the couch and instead squeezed her eyes shut, feeling tears trail down her cheeks.
I need to move, she thought, I need to get out of here. Ally still said nothing as she felt her breathing become shallow. Brenda looked over at Penny helplessly, who came back over to the couch quickly, worry filling her eyes.
"You know what, Brenda, why don't you work on Trish's hair first?" she asked. Brenda nodded and went over with Trish to the mirror, where she sat down and started giving instructions to the stylist. Trish couldn't help but worry about Ally as Brenda started to work on her hair, though. She remembered how excited Ally was the night she got engaged. Was she having second thoughts?
Penny sat down next to her daughter and rubbed her arm. "Breathe, honey."
Ally focused on inhaling, then exhaling. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. When that didn't calm her down, she excused herself to the bathroom and locked the door behind her.
Ally leaned up against the back of the door, now gasping for air. She could feel the tears streaming down her cheeks and when she looked down at her hands, they were shaking uncontrollably. She paced the length of the bathroom, remembering something her therapist had told her would help when she used to have panic attacks as a kid. Focus on your breathing, she had said, wiggle your fingers and count backwards in threes from a hundred.
"Okay," she muttered to herself, shaking out her hands and closing her eyes. "A hundred, ninety seven...n-ninety four...ninety..." she paused, trying to focus. "Ninety...o-one..." Ally started to shake her hands out harder, letting each finger go limp as tears rushed down her cheeks.
"Nine...ninety..." Ally paused again, shaking her head. "N-no. That's wrong. It's... it's all wrong. It's all wrong!" she yelled, choking out a sob and steadying herself with the sink. She heard a knock at the door, followed by her mom's voice, but ignored it.
"Ally, talk to me. What's wrong?"
Ally squeezed her eyes shut and felt her breakfast threatening to make its way back up her throat. She ran over to the toilet and let it all out in between muffled sobs. She reached out with a shaky hand and flushed the toilet, sliding down the wall beside it. Ally felt miserable and completely helpless. She wanted nothing more than to be wrapped in Austin's arms.
Trish got up from the makeup chair and pounded on the bathroom door. "Ally! Let me in!" Penny stood beside her, growing increasingly worried.
"Do you hear anything?"
Trish shook her head. "No, it's completely quiet. Ally, it's Trish! Please let me in!"
Ally gulped, feeling the tear after tear land on her dry fit blue t-shirt and black leggings.
"Aus-Austin..." she choked, breaking into tears again.
"What did she say?" Penny asked, "I couldn't hear."
"I think she said 'Austin'," Trish said, feeling her heart drop.
Penny knocked on the door lightly. "Ally, it's mom. Please let me in."
"Au-Austin..." Ally whimpered a little louder this time, and Trish looked over at Penny.
"Should I call him?" Penny nodded and Trish pulled out her phone.
/
A few doors down, Austin, Dez, Lester, and Mike were fully dressed in their suits, sitting on the couches and casually chatting, when Austin's phone rang. His eyebrows narrowed when he saw that it was Trish.
"I've gotta take this." Austin frowned, standing up. "Hey, Trish."
"Austin, something's wrong," came Trish's shaky voice from the other end. "Ally locked herself in the bathroom and she's crying, and she keeps calling your name... I don't know what to do. I know there's this thing about the bride and groom not seeing each other before the wedding but—"
"Screw that," Austin said. "I'll be right there." He hung up the phone and shoved it in his pants pocket. "I'll be right back, guys." He hurriedly rushed out of the room and down the hall, pounding on the door when he reached the girls' dressing room.
"Trish, it's Austin." The door opened from the other end and Trish yanked him inside by his left arm.
"Wha-what's wrong with Ally?" he panted. Beads of sweat had started to form on his forehead from sprinting so fast down the hallway. Trish led him to the bathroom door, which he tried to open, but couldn't.
"Ally, are you in there?" Ally frantically wiped the tears from her face when she heard the sound of Austin's voice.
"Y-yeah," she managed to get out. She closed her eyes, wishing she could crawl over and unlock the door. Her body refused to move, no matter how much her brain told it to.
"Can you open the door?" he asked, exchanging worried looks with Penny and Trish. She didn't say anything in response. Austin turned to Trish. "We're gonna have to pick the lock."
"How?" she asked. "I don't know how to pick locks!" She paused, looking around for something that could help them get the door open. "Bobby pins!" she exclaimed suddenly, going over to the dresser and grabbing one. She handed it to Austin, who managed to get the door open within the next two minutes. Trish wondered how Austin got so skilled at picking locks as he threw the door open and ran over, sitting down beside her. Trish shut it behind him, figuring the couple needed a bit of privacy.
"Ally," he whispered, pulling her trembling figure closer to him and wrapped his arms around her. "It's okay. You're okay. I'm here now." He watched as her tears dropped onto his suit, one by one. "What happened?" he asked, stroking her hair. "Can you talk to me? I'm here." Ally opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out.
Austin's heart dropped and his stomach churned. He hated seeing her like this, but he knew that it would be useless to try and get any answers out of her. It was better to calm her down and let her talk when she was ready. Austin kissed her hairline gently and thought he felt her relax a little in his arms. It took a while, but eventually her shaky breaths turned into regular, even ones and the tears subsided. Ally buried her head in Austin's chest and he kissed her forehead again.
"Are you okay?" he whispered gently. He felt his heart sink to his stomach when she shook her head. "Can you tell me what happened?" She looked up at him, her eyes puffy and red. She sniffled and exhaled deeply.
"I..." she paused, feeling more tears come on.
"It's okay," he whispered. "Take your time."
"I-I was... sitting on the cou...couch..." Austin nodded, noticing how she squeezed her eyes shut. "I was about to g-get my... my hair done." He nodded again. "And then I was... I was here." She leaned into him more, a stray drop sliding down her cheek. He rubbed her shoulder soothingly.
"Shhh... it's okay, baby." Her cries shook her body and Austin whispered soothingly, unaware that they were being watched through the slight crack in the door.
Trish pushed it open gently, her heart swelling as she took in the sight of Ally being consoled in Austin's arms. Ally's eyes were closed and she was resting her head against his right shoulder while he stroked her hair with his left hand. Austin looked up and when saw Trish and Penny at the door, he motioned for them to go back out. They both did, shutting the door completely behind them.
"Wow," Trish said after a second of silence. "I've never seen her like that."
Penny nodded, looking worried. "From what I saw in there, that was a full-blown panic attack."
"Has she had those before?" Trish whispered as they stepped toward the couches.
Penny nodded. "They were really bad when she was younger, but I thought they were kind of a thing of the past. She hasn't had one this bad since before she met Austin."
A few seconds later, Mimi walked in cheerfully, multiple bags full of Subway sandwiches in hand. "Who's hungry?" she chirped. Her cheery smile faded when she saw the grim looks on Penny and Trish's faces. "Wait, is everything okay? Where's Ally?"
"Ally had a panic attack," Trish said. "Austin's in there calming her down. It'll be a few minutes before they're ready."
"Aw, well I hope she feels better." Mimi set one bag down on the table. "I'll just leave them right here. I'm gonna go bring these sandwiches to the boys. I'll be right back."
Penny nodded as Mimi exited the room with the other bag. "Thanks, Mimi."
/
about ten minutes later
"Do you remember," Austin said softly, "when you conquered your stage fright? Ally nodded. "When I said I knew I could do anything, as long as I was with you?" Another nod. He cracked a smile. "That was a good day, huh?"
"Yeah." For the past few minutes, Austin had been taking Ally on a short walk down memory lane to try and keep her mind distracted. So far he'd talked about when he and Dez had competed to see if one of them could break the world record for longest time spinning a basketball on his finger, the trial where he'd admitted that he still had feelings for her, and the night at the Jungle Café. From what Austin could tell, it had been working. And even though his legs were starting to go numb, he had to remind himself not to rush her. When she was ready to go back out, she would tell him.
Austin racked his brain. Think, Austin, think. "Do you remember junior prom?" She looked up at him, and for the first time in twenty minutes, she managed a smile.
"Yeah," she whispered. Her voice was hoarse from crying, but her brunette eyes still sparkled under the fluorescent bathroom lights.
"We had our first official dance as prom king and queen," he said, reflecting on the memory. "I can't wait to have our first dance as husband and wife. It'll be so perfect." He smiled, looking down at Ally, whose expression had changed. "You okay?"
Ally nodded. "Just nervous." Austin rubbed her back as she fiddled with her hands in her lap.
"You don't have anything to worry about. I'll be there with you the whole time, remember?" Another nod. Austin glanced at his watch. "Um, I probably should get going," he said quietly. Ally looked back up at him, her eyes desperate. "Do you want to get some food? My mom brought sandwiches." She nodded and he helped her sit up, standing himself and grabbing her hand to pull her up. He held both her hands and pulled her into a hug one last time.
"Everything will turn out fine," he assured her, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear. Their sweet moment was interrupted by Austin's stomach letting out a loud growl. Ally smiled. "Let's go get some lunch."
Austin grabbed her hand and led her out to the main room where everyone was already eating. They were met with lots of sympathetic smiles and hugs from everyone in the room. Again and again, they asked if she was okay, and every time she said yes, but everyone still made sure to keep an eye on her for the next few hours. Though Austin was originally planning to leave right away, he stayed by her side until the time came for the girls to get their dresses on. He stood up and Ally followed him to the door, their fingers still intertwined. Austin bid her goodbye and kissed her on the cheek.
"I love you, Ally."
"Love you, too." She rubbed his shoulder and looked into his deep brown eyes. "Thank you," she whispered. "I know I already said it, but... I'll say it again."
He grinned. "Hey, no need to thank me. Just doing my job." Ally blushed. "I'll see you out there." She nodded and watched him walk out the door. He snuck one more glance at her before disappearing from view.
Ally was snapped out of her thoughts when Penny beckoned her over to the makeup station. Brenda was already waiting to do her hair and makeup; then it would be time to get her dress on. Ally walked slowly over to the station and sat down in the chair.
It's showtime.
/
an hour later
Ally intently watched in the mirror as Brenda made the finishing touches to her mascara (waterproof, she had insisted, knowing she would most definitely cry during the ceremony). Her dress was already on and looked amazing on her, according to Mimi, Penny, and Trish. The moms were wearing matching black dresses with fun designs on them, and Trish was wearing a deep purple dress with lace across the middle in a slightly darker shade. It was simple, but it was all that they needed. Plus, it saved them money.
The alterations came out much better than Ally had expected. Instead of the awkward gap in the back like there had been when she tried it on, it had been covered with the same material all the way up to her shoulders. If you hadn't seen the dress beforehand, you couldn't tell there had been anything done to it at all.
Penny walked over slowly and felt a tear slide down her cheek at the sight of her daughter. "Honey, you look gorgeous."
Ally smiled and looked at the floor. "Thanks, mom." Penny put her hand on Ally's shoulder. Trish had left minutes earlier to take her place in the processional, right in front of the flower girl and ring bearer, which meant that Ally would be leaving shortly. Traditionally, the bride's mother would have already left as well, but Penny would instead be leaving with Ally and Lester. Her parents might have been split up, but there was one thing they both wanted to do: walk their daughter down the aisle.
When the time came, Lester peeked his head in the room, letting the girls know that it was almost their turn. Ally's stomach tied itself into knots, but she gulped and linked arms with her both her parents as the three of them exited the building and made their way toward the beach. Ally cautiously put one foot in front of the other, careful not to make herself trip on the front of her dress. She could hear the instrumental version of "Two in a Million" playing as they got closer and already felt herself getting teary-eyed.
Before they rounded the corner, the music swelled in volume, signaling that the bride was coming down the aisle. The guests stood up and all of a sudden, all eyes were on Ally. She focused on putting one foot in front of the other, trying to look up and prevent herself from falling over at the same time. When her gaze met Austin's all time stood still.
Austin's jaw dropped when he saw Ally coming down the aisle and immediately put his hands up to his face. He couldn't help when his eyes started to water—he'd never seen anyone as gorgeous as her. Ally saw him crying and she immediately started too, but she couldn't help it. They just had that effect on each other—ever since high school.
As she got closer, Austin found it harder and harder to think straight. His stomach tied itself into knots. He was seriously about to marry the love of his life. His smile grew bigger as Ally planted a kiss on each of her parents' cheeks and walked up to join Austin.
"Hey," she breathed, clutching his hands for dear life as the knots in her stomach became bigger.
"Hey," he chuckled, "You alright?"
She nodded, giving him a small smile and they didn't break each other's gaze until their officiant, Pastor James, started speaking.
"Good evening everyone, and thank you for joining me on this very pleasant evening to celebrate Austin Monica Moon and Ally Edgar Dawson's special union." Their middle names gained some snickers from the audience and Austin whispered, 'still can't get over the fact that they named you after your grandpa.' Ally rolled her eyes.
"My parents wanted a boy."
"And mine wanted a girl, so..." Ally giggled as Pastor James went on to talk about the importance of marriage and what it would mean for the two of them. She felt bad that she didn't hear any of it because she was too busy getting lost in Austin's eyes, but she was eventually snapped back to reality.
"We come now to the words Austin and Ally want to hear the most today... the words that take them across the threshold from being engaged to being married." Austin grinned at his fiancée and all she saw on his face was pure love and lust. She glanced down at the ground again as she recalled the events from that morning and how he'd been so quick to comfort her. She thought about how patient he'd been when she couldn't say she loved him and mean it right away. How it hadn't affected how he'd felt about her and stuck by her side until she could say it. That was all the evidence she needed that she was ready— though, even if she wasn't, the way Austin looked at her when she walked down the aisle would have been convincing in and of itself.
And also, it was kind of too late to back out at this point.
"A marriage, as most of us understand it, is a voluntary and full commitment. It is made in the deepest sense to the exclusion of all others, and it is entered into with the desire and hope that it will last for life," Pastor James paused momentarily, "Before you declare your vows to one another, I want to hear you confirm that it is indeed your intention to be married today. Austin, do you come here freely and without reservation to give yourself to Ally in marriage? If so, answer 'I do'."
Without hesitation, Austin answered, "Damn right, I do." This made the audience chuckle and Ally gave him a 'was that really necessary?' look. He just shrugged.
"Ally, do you come here freely and without reservation to give yourself to Austin in marriage? If so, answer 'I do'."
She grinned. "I do."
"Austin and Ally, having heard that it is your intention to be married to each other, I now ask you to declare your personal marriage vows. Austin, you have the floor."
Austin exhaled shakily. "Ally Dawson, I can say without hesitation that you are the single greatest thing that has ever happened to me. I might not have known it at first, but playing the drums with those corndogs was the best decision I ever made." Light chuckles came from the audience. "Aside from deciding to propose, of course." A single tear made its way down her cheek and Austin wiped it away without hesitation. "We've had some of the best times together, and some of the worst. I can't imagine my life without you, Ally. You've made me a better person, a better musician...heck, I owe my entire career to you." Ally nodded and glanced out at the audience.
"That's true, he does."
"You are the most beautiful, quirky, nerdy, adorable, funny, and talented human being I've ever met. I could go on and on, but that would just delay the process of us getting married even more, so..." More laughs from the audience. "I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you... create a home and a family together, make music together, and go on adventures." Austin paused, feeling tears sting his eyes. "I love you so, so, so much." He exhaled and Ally rubbed his arm.
"I guess that means it's my turn now, huh?" she joked, clearing her throat. "Austin Monica Moon, I never thought I would say this— but thank you so much for stealing my song."
"You're welcome," he whispered, earning him an eye roll.
"It was clear when we met that we had a connection. Everyone around us could feel it: Trish, Dez, even my dad. We just clicked. And that's one of the things I love most about you. Even though we were opposites, you rubbed off on me and even helped me conquer my stage fright." She paused, taking a moment to collect her thoughts. "That night, we also had our first kiss. That was when I realized that I never wanted to let you go."
"Uh..." she cleared her throat again, "I wasn't originally going to include this part, but I feel like it's important. This morning I wasn't feeling the best. I was a complete wreck until you swooped in, like a literal superhero, no questions asked, and held me until I felt better. And only when I was sitting on the floor of the cold bathroom, being held in your arms, did I realize how damn lucky I really am." Another pause. "Austin, thank you for always being there for me, whether we were friends, or boyfriend/girlfriend, even after we got engaged. Thank you for putting up with me and being patient with me. It meant the world, and it still does. I can't wait to have a home and a family with you. Our kids are going to be so freaking lucky to have someone as strong, funny, kind, handsome, and talented as you in their lives; someone they can truly look up to. Austin Monica Moon, I love you from here, to the moon and back."
By the end of Ally's vows, there wasn't a dry eye in the audience. Even Pastor James got teary-eyed at the sight of the happy couple.
"It doesn't happen very often that I cry after a couple reads their vows," he mused, wiping his eyes. "Good job, guys."
Austin and Ally then took turns giving each other their rings and reciting the promises that went with it, both longing for the ceremony to be over:
"I give you this ring.
Wear it with love and joy,
As this ring has no end,
My love is also forever."
The officiant offered his words of advice, blessing their marriage with prosperity and good health, among many other things. He had Austin recite what he and Ally referred to as the 'boring and predictable' vows:
"I Austin, take you, Ally, to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, for as long as we both shall live," and Ally did the same. Finally, Pastor James said the magic words that they'd both been dying all day to hear.
"And so now, by the power vested in me by the constitution and the laws of this state, it is my honor to pronounce you husband and wife. Austin, you may kiss your bride."
Austin wrapped his arms around Ally's waist, dipping her and planting the most loving, passionate kiss on her lips. Cheers erupted all around them and their kiss broke soon after, but only because of the growing smiles on both of their faces. Austin gave her another peck on the lips for good measure and leaned his forehead up against Ally's whispering, "We did it, Als."
"It is now my pleasure to introduce to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Austin Monica Moon!"
Austin grabbed his wife's hand and raised it up in the air, letting out a triumphant cheer. They stood there for a second, taking in the sound of the waves crashing against the shore, before Austin picked her up and carried her back to the venue, where there was still a lot more celebrating to do.
/
Once inside the building, Austin set his bride down. The smiles hadn't disappeared from either of their faces since the kiss.
"Hey, hubby," Ally elbowed him in the side and he chuckled.
"Hey, wifey." He placed a delicate kiss on top of her head and she let her eyes close, breathing in that familiar scent she adored so much.
"Well, that's not going to get old anytime soon," they heard a familiar voice say behind them.
"I think it just did," said another. Austin and Ally turned around to find none other than their maid of honor and best man, waiting to congratulate the happy couple. Austin and Dez did their handshake and Trish embraced Ally in a tight hug.
"So? How's it feel to be Mrs. Moon?" Trish exclaimed, beaming from ear to ear.
"Amazing," Ally sighed, leaning back up against Austin, who wrapped his arms around her.
"And Austin? How's it feel to be Mr. Moon?" Dez questioned with the same level of excitement as Trish. Austin stifled a laugh.
"Nothing changed for me, Dez...I've always been Mr. Moon."
"Oh..." Dez frowned, his voice trailing off.
"You guys should go in the other room so you can enter after the guests...they'll be coming in soon," Trish informed them. They walked down the hall to the same room where the girls got ready. Austin sat down on the couch and let out a big sigh.
"What a day, huh?" he laughed, completely relaxing his body. "Who knew getting married would be so exhausting?"
"I know," Ally agreed, sitting down next to him, "I wish we could just go back to the apartment and sleep...whose idea was it to have the wedding at night, anyway?"
"Um, yours," Austin replied with a laugh, "And also, it's only 6:30."
"It is?" Ally checked her phone. "Huh. It feels so much later than that."
"Yeah, it does." There was silence between them as they were lost in each other's eyes again. Austin leaned in and captured her lips in a kiss, gripping both sides of her face and they both deepened it, never wanting to let go. Just then, there was a knock at the door. He immediately pulled away and cleared his throat.
"Come in!"
Dez cracked the door open and yelled, "It's go time!" then shut it again, probably afraid of what he would see if he opened it any more. Austin sighed.
"I guess that's our cue." He grabbed Ally's hand and they made their way towards the entrance to the ballroom, where the guests were either getting food or sitting at their tables, chatting casually.
When they heard Trish announce them, the newlyweds sauntered into the ballroom to take a seat at their table, which was raised and placed off to the right side of the room. They were met by endless amounts of cheers coming from the guests, which made Ally smile. Once seated, Ally placed a kiss on Austin's cheek.
The venue was now fully decorated with a white and purple color scheme, balloons and streamers every which way. To the left was the buffet table, where they had a variety of regular foods and a pancake bar (which Austin had begged for). There were about ten tables appropriately spaced around the room, a DJ table behind the food bar, and a dance floor in the back of the room. In the middle of each table sat a bouquet of lilies and daisies, along with numerous pictures of Austin and Ally through the years.
"I've gotta hand it to Trish— she did a really nice job with this place," Ally observed as they filled their plates with food.
"Yeah," Austin agreed, "I'm glad we're not on the cleanup crew, though." Ally rolled her eyes. They sat down at their table and conversed with Dez and Trish until it was time for the best man and maid of honor toasts. Though they had made their speeches the night before at the rehearsal dinner, Ally still bawled her eyes out. She wondered how other brides made it through their weddings without waterproof mascara.
"Alright, now we're going to switch gears, here," Trish said, wiping her own eyes, "It's time for the bride and her father to have their father-daughter dance!" Ally kissed Austin's cheek before meeting her dad on the dance floor. For their song, Ally had chosen "Cinderella" by Stephen Curtis Chapman, a song she and her dad would always dance to when she was little. There was no hesitation when it came time to pick the song; she'd always known this was the one.
Lester held out his hand and Ally grabbed it gratefully, placing both her arms on his shoulders. He wrapped his arms around her waist and they swayed to the music, soaking up every moment.
"You looked amazing out there, honey," Lester finally said, looking down at his daughter happily. "It was a beautiful ceremony."
Ally blushed for what felt like the thousandth time that day. "Thanks, dad. You did pretty good too, getting me down the aisle safe and sound."
Lester chuckled. "Well, what else are dads for?" Ally smiled. "I don't think I got the chance to tell you how proud I am of you, Ally."
"Oh, not again..." Ally felt that familiar stinging feeling in her eyes and reached up to wipe them. Her dad just smiled.
"I remember when I used to dance with you to this song when you were little. You'd hold your arms up and say 'Daddy, daddy! Can we dance to Cinderella?'" She grinned.
"I guess we've come full circle, huh?" she asked. Lester nodded.
"It's exactly like the girl in the song. You're all grown up, but here we are, dancing to 'Cinderella' again." Neither of them said anything for the next few minutes, and when the song ended Ally kissed her dad's cheek.
"I'm always here for you if you need me, just remember that." Ally squeezed his hand.
"Thanks, dad." She pulled him into a tight hug and made her way back to where Austin was sitting. Next he and Mimi danced to their mother-son song, "I'll Stand By You." There was a bit more discrepancy between Austin and Mimi as to which song they should pick, but when they listened to it, they both agreed it was the perfect fit.
Before long, it was time for Ally and Austin's first dance as a married couple. Trish brought them back onto the dance floor in the same dramatic fashion that she'd used to introduce them and they made their way down, hand-in-hand, as "From Here to the Moon and Back," started to play. Austin backed up and held out his hand in true gentleman fashion.
"May I have this dance?"
Ally giggled. "Sure. You're kinda cute, I guess."
Austin rolled his eyes as he swayed her back and forth.
"I'm so glad I married you," he finally said, looking down at her. He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"Me, too."
"I can't imagine spending my life with anyone else."
"Likewise." Ally leaned her head on her husband's shoulder and he wrapped his arms around her back as they gently rocked to the sound of Dolly Parton's voice.
I want you to know you can always depend
On promises made and love without end
No need to wonder how faithful I'll be
Now and on into eternity
"I love you so much," Austin whispered, feeling a tear prick at his eyes.
"I love you too, Austin."
Austin reached down and kissed her gently, with no intention of letting go, as the song came to an end.
From here to the moon and back
Who else in this world will love you like that?
Forever and always, I'll be where you're at
From here to the moon and back
From here to the moon and back
/
EEEK! They're married now! :D Tell me what you thought in the comments! Was it what you expected from an Auslly wedding? Also please don't forget to vote if you're enjoying this! It means a lot! - Ej