Milkshake Hearts

Chapter 119: Perfect

Shayne and Courtney turn to face the audience, arms looped around each other's waists and sides pressed together. It gives Shayne the first assurance that it's not only them getting teary-eyed - he can see the tell-tale signs of joyful tears on all four of their parents' faces, and Ian's, too, when he meets his boss' eyes from the second row. They lead their recessional back down the aisle, hands linked tightly together. When they all step back out into the foyer, Shayne and Courtney confirm that large sections of their wedding party - especially Damien and Kari - have tell-tale signs of tears, too.

They all fall into the grooms' suite, this time, Shayne and Courtney completing the formality of signing the marriage license - the same document that officially changes both their names - with Damien and Kari signing as witnesses. They quickly move across to the main courtyard, the blinds between it and the reception area closed over to keep the spaces separate as they take photos while their guests move into cocktail hour. Jessie rushes off to collect the rest of their families, and Ian, for the photos, as the photographer balances a careful mix of instructing them into groupings and poses and letting them do their own thing. His instruction to Shayne and Courtney for their photos by themselves is simple: just interact honestly. So, they embrace softly, they kiss, and they remain close together and let their unabashed affection shine.

The photograph of their family is the largest by far, with all their nieces and nephews, their siblings and their siblings' partners joining them and their parents. It's followed by a much smaller family photo as their actual families start moving out to join the cocktail hour: their Smosh family.

"Ah, that was so wonderful!" Ian greets them with clear excitement, and Courtney can't stop herself from pulling him into a quick hug that he happily accepts. Shayne gives him the side-hug, wary of the flowers on his lapel at least until they finish the photos.

Unsurprisingly, the five of them - Damien and Olivia included - fall easily into relaxed poses for the photograph, more than used to posing together - although this time, Shayne and Courtney are much closer than they'd ever be in work photos.

"You look really good, Court," Ian tells her, as they fall out of their last - a little silly - Smosh family photo.

"Thanks, Ian," she answers, brushing it off a little, although Kari and her bridesmaids quickly appear to back him up.

"Oooh, important question - did Shayne cry when he saw you?" Olivia asks, having not had the chance to pry before the ceremony. Courtney shifts her eyes to meet Shayne's, but Damien answers before either of them can.

"Mm, you could say that."

"Okay I mean... yeah, I cried a lot, and I was kinda speechless for a bit because I mean..." Shayne trails off, deciding he doesn't want to pretend or be ashamed. He presses against her side to finish his statement, head tilting to lean on her shoulder for a moment. God, he's so in love with her.

"You're adorable," Courtney tells him, softly.

"I love you," he whispers his response.

Following the photos, the cocktail hour ends and their guests move into their seats before dinner. The wedding party has yet another formal entrance, then, although this time they walk much more excitedly into the reception space from the foyer to the applause of their guests, finding their own seats for dinner.

They had decided not to keep the wedding party on one table - instead, they were sat with their own partners on tables near the front. Their main table, instead, was a close family table: their four parents, themselves, Kari, Chris, Julie, and their two children (most of their tables were of ten, but they'd made an exception to fit the two kids on their table). The rest of Courtney's family are spread over tables nearby, as are Brian and Josh. The dinner is the first part of the day where Shayne and Courtney are able to settle in with everyone else, and they happily do so, chatting excitedly to their family over dinner as their hands remain linked together under the table.