Connecting with Christmas in Cincinnati
"Zoe! Let's go! We're going to be late!" Alana yelled. Zoe sighed and walked downstairs.
"Alana, the wedding isn't until 4. It's 9 am!" Zoe said.
"You need to do hair, makeup, nails, dress, photos, and that's before we have to get there!" Alana said. Zoe groaned.
"Why so much? Don't we have to have photos onsite? After the ceremony?" Zoe asked.
"Well yeah-"
"And isn't my dress already there?" Zoe asked. Alana nodded.
"Your logic is flawed babe. Sorry." Zoe said. Alana sighed.
"Fine. You're right." Alana said. Zoe smiled.
"You still need hair, makeup, and nails done. You haven't completely won this Murphy." Alana said. Zoe pouted and there was a knock at the door. Alana opened it and Meredith walked in.
"Oh Zoe! Today's the day!" She said happily. Zoe smiled.
"Let's hope you don't go into labour while I'm saying my vows." Zoe said, putting her hand on Meredith's baby bump.
Meredith and Connor had found out shortly after Christmas that Meredith was pregnant. She was almost 8 and a half months pregnant and this was the last flight she'd be allowed to take.
"That would be something else." Meredith said laughing.
"I'm excited to be an aunt but maybe not today." Zoe said as if she was talking to a baby. She smiled and Alana forced her to sit in one of the chairs.
"Zoe, you need your hair done. Now sit and stay while I do your hair." Alana said. Zoe smiled and Meredith grabbed Zoe's makeup bag.
"I've got her makeup Alana." She said. Alana smiled.
"Perfect, this will be done in half the time!" She said happily. Meredith smiled and started doing Zoe's eye makeup.
"You're going to look like a queen when we're done." Alana said.
Zoe smiled as Alana started the slow process of curling her hair.
+++
Almost two hours later, Zoe's hair and makeup were done. She opened her eyes and saw Cynthia in the doorway.
"And there's my baby girl! Oh honey, you look so beautiful!" She said. Zoe smiled. Cynthia wiped her eyes and Zoe looked at her.
"Mom, don't you start crying, or else I'll start crying and I'll ruin Meredith's masterpiece." Zoe said
"If you ruin it, I'm not redoing it." Meredith said. Cynthia hugged her daughter.
"You look beautiful sweetheart." Cynthia whispered.
"Thanks Mama." Zoe said. Cynthia kissed the top of Zoe's head before smiling again.
"I'm going to find your father." She said.
"Okay! The dress and the shoes are on site already and your nails are getting done here at 11:30. So it looks like we've got time to kill!" Alana said. Zoe looked at her phone. It was almost 11.
"And you were rushing everyone." Zoe said. Alana sighed and smiled.
"Well, would you rather have extra time and look absolutely flawless, or be rushed and not look as flawless?" Alana asked.
"Alana, everyone knows that Zoe could wear a trash bag down the aisle and have no makeup, and messy hair and Evan would still think she looked stunning." Meredith said. Zoe smiled and blushed.
"She's right. Evan is so in love with you." Alana said. Zoe smiled.
"Well that's good. I would hope he is. He is choosing to marry me after all." She said. Alana and Meredith laughed.
So we were thinking. You have something new, something blue, and something borrowed." Alana said. Zoe looked at them.
"What's blue?" Zoe asked.
"Your nails are getting painted light blue. Evan's favourite colour." Meredith said. Zoe nodded.
"Okay, so you were saying." Zoe said.
"You don't have something old. So Alana and I did some digging on both sides of your family. And we found this." Meredith said, pulling a box from behind her back. Zoe opened it and gasped.
Inside the box was a silver necklace with a sapphire pendant and a matching set of earrings.
"Oh my god, you guys. They're beautiful. I don't know what to say." Zoe said. Meredith clipped the necklace on and Zoe put the earrings in.
"It matches your engagement ring perfectly." Alana said. Zoe smiled and hugged both Alana and Meredith.
"Thank you! You guys have made this day absolutely perfect and the best part hasn't even happened." Zoe said. Alana smiled.
"You deserve the best Zoe. And Meredith and I are the best." Alana said smiling. Zoe smiled and hugged them both again.
"I love you guys." Zoe whispered.
"We love you too Zo."
+++
"Okay pumpkin, lets do this." Larry said. Zoe adjusted her veil and turned to her father.
"I love you Dad." Zoe whispered.
"I love you too pumpkin." He said. The music started and Zoe watched as Meredith and Alana started walking down the aisle.
"Here we go pumpkin." Larry said. Zoe smiled and the pair started walking down the aisle towards Evan.
Once they got there, Larry kissed Zoe on the cheek and squeezed her hand.
"I love you." He whispered.
"I love you too Dad." Zoe whispered back. She stepped up to be level with Evan and handed her bouquet to Alana before grabbing Evan's hands. She wiped away Evan's tears and smiled.
"Oh my god you look absolutely stunning." Evan whispered.
"Says you." Zoe said. The officiant, Evan and Zoe's friend Lillian smiled and cleared her throat.
"We are gathered here today, to celebrate the union of Evan Hansen and Zoe Murphy. When I first met Evan and Zoe, they had just started dating, and I honestly wasn't sure they would last. Yet here we are, 6 years later. And these two crazy kids are getting married. If anyone knows of any legal reason why these two may not be married today, please speak now."
The room was silent and Lillian smiled.
"Wonderful. Evan, Zoe, do you stand here today to give yourselves to each other in marriage." Lillian asked. Evan and Zoe looked at each other and nodded.
"We do." They said simultaneously.
"Okay, now for the vows. Evan, you'll be going first." Lillian said. Evan smiled and turned to Zoe.
"Okay, Zoe, I promise to love you, to cherish you, to take care of you, to listen to you, and to get you chicken nuggets when you need them. You are my rock, the light of my life, and my soulmate. I've always had dreams and things I've aspired to do. But then I met you. You are my dream and every single day I thank God, or science, or the Force for giving you to me. I love you so much and I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life with you." Evan said. Zoe smiled and Evan wiped away her tears.
"Wow okay, my turn. I remember when we first met and I told you I didn't believe in soulmates. I remember the look on your face and how hurt you were. You were shocked because you thought we were soulmates but I didn't. But time went by and the more time I spent loving you, the more I knew I could never love another person as much as I love you. I know we are soulmates. Every time I look at you I see my soulmate. I see the love of my life. I see the only person I want to spend the rest of my life with. I see the only person I want to love." Zoe said.
Evan smiled and went to kiss her when Lillian stopped him.
"Ah ah ah, not yet." She said. The guests and Zoe and Evan laughed.
"Rings first." Lillian said. Alana and Connor handed Lillian the rings and Lillian handed them to Evan and Zoe.
"Okay, Evan first. Take the ring and repeat after me. I, Evan Hansen,"
"I, Evan Hansen,"
"Take you, Zoe Murphy."
"Take you, Zoe Murphy."
"To be my wife."
"To be my wife."
"For better or for worse."
"For better or for worse.
"In sickness and in health."
"In sickness and in health."
"For richer or for poorer."
"For richer or for poorer."
"As long as we both shall live.
"As long as we both shall live." Lillian nodded and Evan slid the ring on Zoe's hand.
"Now Zoe. Repeat after me. I, Zoe Murphy."
"I, Zoe Murphy."
"Take you, Evan Hansen."
"Take you, Evan Hansen."
"To be my husband."
"To be my husband."
"For better or for worse."
"For better or for worse.
"In sickness and in health."
"In sickness and in health."
"For richer or for poorer."
"For richer or for poorer."
"As long as we both shall live.
"As long as we both shall live." Zoe slid the ring on Evan's finger and they smiled. Lilian smiled at them.
"Well now, in front of your closest friends and family and by the authority given be by the state of Ohio, I pronounce you husband and wife! Evan, you may kiss Zoe!" Lillian said.
Evan grabbed Zoe and kissed her passionately. There was clapping from the guests and Zoe pulled away gently and smiled at him.
"I love you Mr Hansen." Zoe said softly.
"I love you, Mrs Hansen." Evan said smiling. Zoe laughed and kissed him again. The pair smiled and walked back down the aisle together.
+++
"And now, for the first time as a couple, I present, Mr and Mrs Hansen!" The emcee said. Zoe and Evan walked into the reception hand in hand as their guests clapped. They sat at the head of the wedding party table between Connor and Alana.
"Okay, lets call up our best man, Connor Murphy for his toast." The emcee said. Alana froze.
"What's wrong Lonnie?" Zoe whispered.
"I forgot to write my speech!" Alana said. Zoe smiled at her.
"It's okay. I know you're going to kill it." Zoe said.
"When I first met Evan, I was almost positive he wasn't good enough for my baby sister. Almost positive. I was also sure that he wouldn't be able to keep up with Zoe's vibrant personality. Anyone who knows my sister well, knows that she can be insane sometimes. She's outgoing, and she has a vibrant personality, and she's loud, and opinionated. Evan, on the other hand, is quieter and more reserved. I didn't think they'd last because of how different they are. But here we are. They're married. They've agreed to spend the rest of their life together. I love you both, and I can't wait to see where you two go next. To Evan and Zoe!" Connor said.
"To Evan and Zoe!" The guests echoed.
"Okay, now for our maid of honour! Let's welcome Alana Beck!" The emcee said. Alana stood and walked to the mic.
"Okay. So I've known Zoe since we were very little, back when we played dress up in my basement. I met Evan a while after, meeting him in freshman year of high school. After I met Evan, my first though was 'ooh, Zoe should go out with him!' And so every time Zoe and I would hang out after meeting Evan, I'd drop subtle hints about him. One day Zoe finally said 'Alana, you can stop dropping hints about Evan. We've been dating for almost a month.' And I was shocked. Zoe Murphy, finally had a boyfriend. What shocked me even more was when she told me it was Evan. I had planned on introducing you two but fate had brought you together before I could. I hope fate keeps you two together for a very long time because you two deserve it. To Evan and Zoe!" Alana said.
"To Evan and Zoe!" The guests repeated.
"Okay that was great! Now for Mr and Mrs Murphy and their speech!" The emcee said. Cynthia and Larry stood up and walked towards the mic.
"This is one of the proudest days of our lives. We're sure you'll all agree to how stunning Zoe looks today. She's grown from a beautiful little girl into a beautiful young woman and we know she is going to have many happy years together with Evan." Cynthia started.
"We know Evan will be a good husband. We know this because...because we're adults. We know things. Like how to hunt somebody to the ends of the earth."
There was laugher from the guests including nervous laughter from Evan.
"But in all seriousness, our daughter could not have picked a better person to marry." Larry said. Evan looked at Zoe who grabbed his hand and smiled.
"Zoe, we love you so so much and we look forward to the woman you become. And Evan, we love you like a son and we are so lucky that our little girl found someone as amazing as you to love her. To Evan and Zoe!" Cynthia said.
"To Evan and Zoe!" The guests echoed. The emcee got up to the mic again and smiled.
"Alright, next up, Ms Heidi Hansen! Followed by the bride and groom. After speeches we'll have dinner and cake and then our dances! But for now, give it up for Ms Heidi Hansen!" The emcee said smiling.
"For almost Evan's whole life, it's just been the two of us. It was never easy but that's how we did things. Just Evan and I, fighting anything that came towards us. So then one day, Evan brings home Zoe and says 'Mom. This is Zoe. My girlfriend'. Girlfriend? There was no way that my sweet, shy, son was grown up enough to have a girlfriend. So I convinced myself that it wouldn't last too long, because high school relationships never really last. But here they are! And I for one, am so happy this relationship lasted. To Evan and Zoe!" Heidi said.
"To Evan and Zoe!" The guests echoed.
"Okay! And last but not least, Mr and Mrs Hansen!" The emcee said. Zoe and Evan stood up and walked towards the mic.
"To start off, we want to thank all of you for coming and sharing our special day. It truly mean more than we can say. We've gone through a lot to be able to stand up here in front of all of you and legally become married and we're so happy to have you all on this journey with us." Zoe said.
"If you had told me when I was in high school, that I'd be marrying someone as perfect as Zoe, I'd have told you there was no way, anyone would be marrying me. But I am so happy and lucky that I have ended up with someone as perfect as Zoe." Evan said. Zoe smiled.
"We're both so lucky to have amazing family members and friends. Thank you for turning this into a beautiful night we'll never forget." Zoe said. Evan smiled.
"And that about sums it up." He said. The audience clapped and they both sat down.
"I love you Mr Hansen." Zoe said. Evan kissed her.
"And I love you Mrs Hansen."