"Oh my god, it's me now. Isn't it?" Leah blurted out to me, her hands beginning to shake.
"You don't have to do this, it's okay!" I said, worried that she was about to start crying.
"I want to though, why can I not do anything without feeling like I might die?" She said, frustrated at herself.
"Look at me, okay?" I said, taking her cheeks into my hands and placing a kiss on her head. "You can do this, I'm right here holding your hand."
"Don't ever let go." Leah pleaded, the vulnerability in her voice making my heart expand with love for her.
"I wouldn't dream of it, Le."
Leah looked down at our hands together, pecked my lips and stood up. She had her speech on some sheets of card, numbered at the bottom which was unsurprising considering she has always been the organised one. She set the cards on the table in front of her and held the microphone in her left hand. I kept a firm grip of her right hand light enough to not hurt her but tight enough to remind her I was there, brushing my thumb over her knuckles and reaching it to my lips to plant a kiss on them. Leah smiled towards me as my lips touched her skin and she seemed to gain confidence, clearing her throat to begin her speech.
"Firstly I would like to thank everyone for coming today. From the moment Alex and I began discussing our wedding plans we knew we wanted to keep it to our families and closest friends. We were both in agreement that we didn't want the typical fancy celebrity wedding, we just wanted an intimate ceremony that allowed us to enjoy the moment and I think today we have both done that.
I want to thank my Mum and Dad for giving me the best life possible. The opportunities you have given me, the sacrifices you have made and the belief you have always had in me has been the reason for any successes I have had so far.
I want to thank my little brother, Jacob. You have no idea how proud I am of the man you have become. You have been my partner in crime from the moment you were born and you will continue to be my partner in crime forever.
To my bridesmaid Holly, you have supported me through anything that life has thrown at me. You have helped to guide me with no judgement since we were old enough to talk.
To Ellie and Lydia, thank you for accepting me into your lives with open arms. The support you have shown myself and Alex has been heartwarming and I hope we can continue our traditional of Lydia rolling her eyes at Ellie and I as we cry watching Alex perform.
Peter, without a doubt you have been the biggest influence in the success of the relationship Alex and I have had. You made me part of your family from that very first meeting and I am eternally grateful for the guidance you have given us. The sacrifices you have made to allow Alex to be the person she longs to be are so selfless and if I can be half the parent you are, I know I'll be doing a good job.
To Alex's mum, who I know is watching from her seat in the sky tonight, thank you. Thank you for watching over Alex and keeping her safe. Thank you for the memories you have given her, the ones that make her face light up when she talks of them. Thank you for raising Alex, alongside Peter, to be the most selfless, caring and kind person I have ever met. I promise that wherever Alex and I go from here, we will always think of you.
And lastly, Alex. My Alex.
Most of you may know that I first met Alex on a plane, travelling from Alicante to London. We were diverted to Scotland due to a storm that had appeared suddenly but despite the diversion, we still had to fly through conditions which meant our flight was bumpy and the plane felt like it was a piece of paper floating through the air. The part of this story that a lot of people don't know, is that Alex held me. Despite only meeting as I had sat beside her several hours before, she pulled me into her and held me like she had known me her whole life. She promised not to tell anyone and she kept it, just as she has done with every promise she has made to me since then.
After our flight experience, I couldn't get Alex out of my head. I longed to feel as safe as I had felt in her arms that day and I couldn't understand why I felt this way about someone I had met once. As I stand here today, I can now say that the reason for that was that Alex was my soulmate. That's why my body ached to be held by her again, my heart knew that she was my forever before my head did.
We haven't had a straightforward relationships, we have - I have - made mistakes that almost ruined our hopes but I will be forever grateful to Alex, and her Dad, for allowing me that second chance at showing her just how much love I could give her.
There are no words that can be used to described the amount of love I have for you, Alex. I have tried so many times to find a way to communicate it to you but no sentence I could say is enough. You make me feel a way that I didn't know was possible. You make me smile a smile that I didn't know existed. You make every experience I have better. You make me the happiest I have ever been.
I made you a promise, that first night we got back together after months apart, that I would love you for the rest of my life and I am promising you that again tonight.
So please raise your glasses to toast my best friend, soulmate and now my wife, Alex Ryan-Williamson."