Mad Woman✓

39. Champagne

   POV Joe

Weddings make me feel weird.

Two human beings promising each other to always stay together. And then they actually bind themselves to each other with a ring. Or any other ornament.

They make me feel weird, but I also really love them.

Because they are beautiful. A human promising the human they love most to always stay with them and then being bound to them with a ring - or any other ornament. It's special. It's a beautiful decision to spend the rest of your life with that one person.

I can't believe that I am in the building where my parents got married thirty years ago. I can't believe I am wearing a tux and a flower on my chest. I cannot believe how beautiful Taylor looks right now. She looks at me also and grins. "I bought this dress last night", she says. "I couldn't find anything that felt right until Selena and Grace pulled me in this small boutique and made me try on pretty much every dress in the shop."

"You look perfect", I tell her. And I mean it. Her dress isn't super white, but it's a softer kind of white. The long sleeves are see-through and the upper part of the dress hug her body closely. Just below her waist, the dress flares out. Subtle lace and silver glitter adorn the fabric. Her hair is curly and in a half-updo. Her makeup is light and her lips are red. She looks like a bride.

She is a bride. My bride.

I almost grab her and press my mouth on hers, but I won't kiss her until we are finally married.

"You look dazzling yourself", she smiles. My grin grows even bigger and we probably look like crazy people, staring and grinning at each other. But I can't take my eyes off her.

Patrick rushes towards us and laughs. "Okay, stop making sex-eyes and stand ready. The doors open in like ten seconds."

I grab Taylor's hand and softly squeeze it three times. She squeezes back.

And then the doors open. Everyone who came gets up from their chairs to look at us. A pianist plays a song that Taylor wrote just for tonight. Our videographer and photographer are already busy capturing every moment.

My mom is sitting front row on the left side. My uncle is standing next to her, holding her hand. She's smiling so brightly and the tears in her eyes make me tear up myself a little bit.

We start walking down the aisle until we reach the alter.

Our wedding officiant silently points out where we need to stand. Patrick is standing beside me as my best man. Selena and Grace are Taylor's bridesmaids and are giggling softly as they look at us.

Everything is perfect.

The officiant starts talking and the bustle fizzles out.

"Taylor and Joe met on the eleventh of May, 2016. They met at the wedding of two people they are both very close to; Draven and Grace. Taylor showed up unannounced and Grace did not have a room reserved for her. But she came up with a brilliant plan; Taylor could just stay at Joe's room! Why not put two strangers in a room together, right?" Everyone laughs. The officiant continues his story about us, but I don't pay much attention. I find my mom's eyes in the audience and smile at her. She doesn't smile back, but the shimmer in her eyes says enough.

I look away from her and scan the rest of the faces. All my friends from here are sitting on the third row. A few friends from college flew over and even two people from work came. It's a small group though; I invited about twenty people and Taylor invited about ten.

"Taylor, please repeat after me", the officiant says and my focus is back. "I offer you this ring to wear as a symbol of our unbreakable bond. It is a reminder of my eternal faith and unwavering love. I will cherish you forever more."

Taylor repeats the words as she looks at me. With shaking hands, she places the ring on my finger.

When she is done, the officiant turns to me. "Joseph, please repeat me."

I look at Taylor and smile softly at her. "This ring is a token of my love. I offer you all that I have, all that I am, and all that I will be. I will cherish you forever more." I slide the ring on her finger and I grin. "I love you, baby."

The officiant tells the guests that we are going to sign and leads us towards a table. We both sit down. The officiant quickly explains where we need to sign and as soon as we are done, he calls out: "I now pronounce you wife and husband. You may seal your promise with a kiss."

I quickly pull her into me and press my lips on top of her. I hear people cheering and shouting with joy, but all I focus on, is her soft fingers on my jaw and her body pressing against mine as her mouth channels her love to me.

We break apart, both grinning.

The officiant chuckles and says, "Thank you all for coming. There will now be a photo session."

The rest of the night goes by in a haze. Taylor is drunk, dancing with her friends and family. I am drunk too. I am sitting next to mom at the table, helping her eat a piece of cake.

She looks at me and opens her mouth to say something. I stop her. "I know, Mom... She really makes me the happiest man alive. And I know you're proud of me."

She smiles and whispers, "I love you, honey."

"I love you too, Mom." I press a kiss on her cheek before getting up. "I am going to ask my bride for another dance."

I walk up to Taylor. She's wearing the same dress, but she got rid of all the skirts and it is way shorter now. I love it, I love seeing her long legs.

I place my hands on her hips and she wraps her arms around my neck. "How do you feel, hubby?" she slurs.

"I feel perfect, Mrs Alwyn-Swift."

She giggles and pulls me closer. She stands on her tiptoes and whispers in a low voice, "I can't wait to spend forever with you, Joe."