Hearts and Rockets | Hutchpoppe

Chapter 43

(A/N: This is my third update today, so if you haven't yet, be sure to read the two chapters before this one! There are two chapters left of this story. I already have a lot written of the new hutchpoppe fanfic, so I will post that as soon as this story is finished! Thank you for reading!)

Maddie's POV

Today is the day. Mine and Caleb's wedding day. After our five years of being together, and today we will finally be husband and wife.

My mom, sisters, Piper, Jurnee, and Catie helped me get ready. Now, I'm physically ready. But I'm nervous. Maylee is ready, with her little white dress and basket of flower petals in her hand. My sisters, Jurnee, and Catie are wearing matching light pink dresses, as my bridesmaids. My other friend from college, Sarah, that I've known since Kindergarten- I've asked to be my maid of honor.

It's time for the wedding to start now. I feel my heart beating out of my chest as I try to control my breathing. I'm extremely nervous now, but I can't contain my smile. Eventually, it's my turn to go down the aisle. My smile grows when I see Caleb at the end of the aisle.

He whispers to me, "You look beautiful."

I smile at him, and the priest begins.

"Dear family and friends, we are gathered here today to witness and celebrate the union of Maddie and Caleb in marriage. Today is the day that they will formally and publicly make their promises and commitments to each other. And although this ceremony is definitely a high point in their relationship, marriage is a journey, not a destination. It's more than any one event or promise. It's a way of life. It's a series of decisions that have been made, and will continue to be made, over and over again, every day, that reflect each person's care and concern for the one they love most in the world. As we begin the ceremony this afternoon, let us take a moment to reflect on the role we each play in their lives. You were all invited here for good reason. Maddie and Caleb have chosen you. You're special and important in their lives. They love you, they respect you, and they trust you. And although today is obviously reserved for celebration, it's also important to understand that by being here today, we each accept a certain responsibility to support them as they build their new life together. Of course, I'm sure most of you have been to other weddings before. But for Maddie and Caleb, this is it! This is their wedding day. It's one of the most important days in their lives and they're sharing it with all of you. Life is all about moments, and this is definitely one of them, so thank you all for being here today. And now to bride and groom, the time has come to forget all the stress of planning this day, and to soak up the love from each other and also from your family and friends. During the time that you've been together, your love and understanding of each other have grown and matured and now, you've chosen to live your lives together as husband and wife. As you know, marriage is so much more than a legal bond or a status for filing your taxes. It's an extraordinarily special union shared by two people who both see that their own potential, their own goals, their own aspirations, as individuals, are greater when they share their lives with each other. It's a public acknowledgement that they are truly better together than they were as individuals. And over the months and years ahead, it's the achievement of that potential, those goals, those aspirations, together as a couple, that will strengthen your marriage. You'll develop your very own "secret alliance", an alliance where you can always speak honestly with each other, confide in each other, laugh with each other and share moments of peace and love with each other. Caleb, take a moment and think about the quality you love most in Maddie. And Maddie, think about the quality you love most in Caleb. When you meet with challenges in your new life together, as you undoubtedly will from time to time, try to always remember those qualities you love so much; the qualities that brought you here today. In every minute of every day, we have a choice. We can focus on the positive or we can focus on the negative, and that simple rule of always focusing on the positive can make a huge difference in your relationship. One of the best things you can do for your marriage is to brag about your spouse. Focus on the things you love and share that pride with everyone you know. We all know people in our lives who have been married for 30, 40 or even 50 years, and their lives are so completely intertwined that you could hardly imagine one without the other. I sometimes wonder if those couples realize how their enduring love for each other inspires everyone else around them. True love is inspirational. Love radiates! When you two love each other, you inspire all of your family and friends at the same time. You set an example for them to live up to. And so I encourage you to love each other publicly. Take the magic of this day, where your love for each other is on full display, and keep it alive; carry it with you as you build your new life together. The most important part of a wedding ceremony is the vows. From a legal perspective, the vows represent the Declaration of Intent which is oath you take in marriage. Vows can take a number of different forms and Maddie and Caleb have selected the traditional format which many of you might already be familiar with. So Caleb, please repeat after me: 'I, Caleb, take you, Maddie, to be my lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.'"