Fated (A Chris Evans Series)

New Beginnings

June had those in Boston flying out to Los Angeles for Donovan and Erica's big day. After two and a half years of engagement, they were finally getting married at The Old Ranch Country Club; the same exact place they'd met six and a half years ago at a BioMedical conference. After an evening of just missing each other, they ran into each other outside while respectively trying to escape small-talk with a particularly arrogant professor at Harvard. Funnily enough, they invited him to their wedding just to say 'thank you' because if it hadn't been for him- they never would've ran into each other and fallen in-love.

Donovan and Erica's wedding was relatively small compared to Chris and Denise's, with just a hundred and twenty-one people. It was simple and romantic with a rustic, woodland vibe that matched the couple to a tee. All their guests agreed upon arriving at the venue that their wedding was a perfect depiction of who they were as individuals and as a couple. Their love for the outdoors displayed through the location they'd chosen, as well as the theme, decor, and color scheme. Where the ceremony was held, where they'd set up for reception- both areas: laced with garlands of ivy and white roses; candles sat in geometric terrariums littered along pathways and stairwells; strings of fairy lights dangled like a scooped net, creating a roof of twinkling dots in the dark night; and tables set up with empty photo albums, gold Sharpie markers, and numerous Polaroid cameras for guests to utilize and leave the bride and groom with a sweet message.

Everyone was appointed a spot at a dinner table where the center pieces were vases of wildflowers and tea light candles, their place cards held by miniature tree stumps. The wedding favors chosen pleased all the men, women, and children at their wedding; shots of Donovan and Erica's favorite whiskies for the men and women who drank, beautiful hand crafted soaps for the men and women that didn't, and tubes of M&Ms arranged to form a rainbow for the children. As entertainment, Donovan managed to hire his favorite band as well as the first concert he took Erica to- Simple Plan. They played a few of their hits, then moved onto the list of songs the bride and groom had requested upon hiring them. It was a wedding after all, they needed to keep things light and romantic, especially when it came to their first dance. For a punk rock band like Simple Plan, they were pretty good at slowing things down. Their rendition of Elvis Presley's 'Can't Help Falling In-love with You' brought tears to even the die-hard Elvis fans in the crowd.

Donovan and Erica's wedding feast was truly a feast with a catered buffet, serving dishes from countries the bride and groom had visited together and loved. And if that wasn't enough, they had arranged for bars of various types to be scattered throughout their reception venue, an unnecessary precaution taken to make sure all their guests were fed and quenched of thirst. The whiskey lovers made full use of the whiskey bar, whereas the young and the sweet-toothed took advantage of the never-ending pile of cookies and donuts at the dessert bar. Despite all the confectionary and pastries that were around, the wedding cake was irresistible. It was simple, like everything else at the wedding. A French vanilla cake nakedly iced, dressed with deep red roses and edelweiss- to match the bride's bouquet as well as the simple watercolor art they had on their 'Save the Date' cards and wedding invitations.

All in all, the wedding was truly beautiful. From the ceremony to the reception, it made for an incredibly memorable day. However, there was one particular event that stuck out for a lot of the guests. Sadly it was not the exchange of vows, rather the shooting of a bow and arrow. It occurred after the bride and groom kissed, and it took everything in Denise not to roll her eyes at her brother when he announced he and his wife were going to take turns shooting an arrow. He had a story, definitely made up, to claim that the event had some sort of significance. But everyone who knew him well knew he was just aching to shoot something on his wedding day. Luckily for him, the girl he married was used to his eccentricities and had taken a liking to archery as well. Together, they each shot a golden arrow at heart shaped target then said something along the lines of "you are the reason I have a heart of gold." Which was pretty sweet, if one looked past the real reason why Donovan had arranged something like that.