Friends with Benefits

Thirty.

"Sarah. Do you take Tyler to be your lawfully wedded husband, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health until death do you part?" The priest, Father Johnson, asked me. I continued to hold back the tears. I knew to plan the entire ceremony quick for this reason. I squeezed Tyler's hands in mine.
"I do." I smiled wider. Father Johnson turned his attention to Tyler.
"Do you Tyler take Sarah to be your lawfully wedded wife, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health until death do you part?" He asked Tyler. Tyler's eyes smiled brighter.
"I do." He nod his head as he said the two words. A few people in the crowd sniffled and awed the moment.

"May we have the rings?" Father Johnson asked the Maid of Honor and the Best Man. I turned slightly to have Mykie put Tyler's ring into my hand. I turned back around to see Jamie reach into his suit jacket, bring out a ring and place it into Tyler's hand. They fist bump each other causing everyone to laugh. "Sarah. As you place the ring on Tyler's finger, repeat after me: With this ring, I thee wed." I held onto his left hand pushing the ring onto his ring finger.
"With this ring, I thee wed." I began.
"And from this day forward." Father Johnson continued.
"And from this day forward."
"I consecrate and commit."
"I consecrate and commit." I said, sliding the ring completely onto his finger and held his hand again.
"My love and life."
"My love and life."
"To you alone."
"To you alone." I said, smiling. I controlled the urge to cry again. I jokingly fanned my eyes with my hand. Everyone laughed, sniffled and awed again. I placed my left hand into Tyler's as he brought the ring to my ring finger. My eyes did a double take to the ring. My mother's wedding ring sparkled in the bright lights. My jaw dropped. I whipped my head to my dad bouncing Bridgette on his knee. He nodded his head and wiped a tear from his eye.

"Tyler. As you place Sarah's mother's wedding ring onto her finger, repeat after me." I couldn't control the tears anymore. As Tyler repeated the same words, the tears rolled down my cheeks uncontrollably. Tyler's gentle voice returned into my ears.
"My love and life to you alone." My eyes met with his to see tears also streaming down his face.
"By the power vested in me, as witnessed by friends and family, I now pronounce you husband and wife! Tyler, you may kiss your bride!" Tyler and I both excitingly locked our lips together. The photographer hastily stepped up to us to catch the moment on camera. Tyler dipped my body back. I held onto his expanding biceps from under the suit jacket. Everyone stood up, applauded and hollered. Tyler returned my body to stand in front of him with our lips still attached. Our smiling lips ended the kiss so we could turn to our friends and family. "Allow me to present Mister and Missus Tyler Paul Seguin!" We held up our arms into the air to yell with everyone. Mykie handed me my bouquet before we walked back down the aisle.

Once we rushed into the one of the back rooms, we immediately locked lips again. His hands cupped my face.
"We're..married. You're..my..wife." Tyler said between pecks on my lips. I giggled into the kisses.
"You're..my..husband." I said, kissing him back with little kisses. I remembered the ring on my hand. I placed my right hand onto his chest to admire the ring, still reflecting any light it came into contact with. "Tyler..how.." I choked back the tears. "..how did you get my mom's ring?"
"I asked your dad if you could wear it for today.." He brought my hand to his lips. "..and the rest of our lives."
"I love you so much."
"I love you so much, baby." He cupped my face again to bring my lips to his.

***

After a few more minutes of kissing, we eventually made it to a chauffeured car to be driven to the location for the reception. If it wasn't for the car having a malfunction with the partition, we would have already consummated the marriage.
The reception was exactly what I envisioned, just like the ceremony. The large dining hall was decorated with gorgeous chandeliers. The tables were decorated with mason jars filled with fairy lights next to tall vases with dropping multicolored tulips. The tulips gave the room the pop of spring colors.
Tyler and I made our way around the dining hall to say our hello's to all the guests. By the time we made it to the head table with our wedding party, I was starving. I was thankful that I scheduled dinner before the speeches.
Tyler must have been as hungry as I was because we devoured the steak with vegetables. I could have asked for a second plate.

"Alright, folks! How is everyone feeling?" The DJ said into the microphone from the dance floor. Everyone applauded, cheered and clinked their silverware against their glasses. Tyler and I giggled as we pecked our lips together. "My name is Dex. I am the Master of Ceremonies for this celebration of Sarah and Tyler tonight. It's time now for the speeches! Maid of Honor? Where you at, girl?"
"Right over here!" Mykie's voice echoed over the speakers. All eyes traveled to the other side of the dining hall along with the spotlight. Mykie waved her hand into the air. "Good evening! My name is Lauren Mykals. Also known as Mykie, Sarah's best friend and now Maid of Honor." I smiled at her grand entrance. I wouldn't expect anything less from her. Tyler sat back into his chair with one hand on my lap. "From the time that Sarah and I first met in high school in California, we always told each other that wherever we go, we would always be best friends. Little did I know at the time that it meant moving to Texas when we graduated!" The laughter from everyone echoed. Mykie began a slow walk toward the head table. "But moving to Texas has been the best thing for our friendship. We have the best memories I will cherish for the rest of my life." I smiled warmly at her again. "Sarah is practically family now. She is my sister. I was with her during the hardest time of her life when.. her mom died.." I inhaled and exhaled slowly. Tyler held onto my hand tightly. Mykie wiped away tears. "..and it broke my heart to watch her go through that." I nodded my head, allowing tears to fall from my eyes. Mykie was now standing beside me. "I know your mom would be so proud of the woman you are today and how beautiful you look on your wedding day. She is here with us." Mykie held up her hands in the shape of a T to put the microphone down. She reached into a bag next to her chair to take out tissues and a compact of face powder to touch up my makeup. Everyone laughed and wiped tears.

"Makeup Artist of Honor." Dex said into his microphone to lighten the mood and help with the awkward silence. More laughter erupted as Mykie set down the makeup and picked up her microphone again.
"Okay. As I was saying.." She wiped away her tears and stood up straight. "..Tyler." Tyler shifted himself in his chair to look past me and smiled at her. "Tyler, you have married the most beautiful, funny, talented, annoyingly independent and incredibly stubborn woman." Tyler nodded his head as everyone laughed. I threw my head back in laughter at Tyler's reaction. "You have also married the most amazing person I know." I smiled and pouted my bottom lip at her. "You have no choice to take care of her because her brothers would hear about it and you would be dunzo." I glanced over at my brothers seated at the table in front of us with their nodding heads and holding up fists. "Take care of each other, love each other and always kiss each other goodnight. Even when you're angry!" She held up her glass of champagne. "Congratulations to Sarah and Tyler!" Everybody held up their glasses and clinked them with one another at the tables. I stood up to hug Mykie.

"Love you." I whispered into her ear. She hugged me tighter.
"Beautiful speech! Thank you, Miss M-O-H!" Dex's voice bounced off the walls. "Now it's time to hear from the Best Man, Jamie Benn!" Mykie fixed my makeup again as we sat down. I smiled up at Jamie standing to my left next to Tyler.

"Thank you, Dex. Thank you to everyone, friends and family of Sarah and Tyler, for being here tonight. If someone asked me three years ago what I would say at Tyler's wedding, I would have told them there would be no way I'd be making a speech at Tyler's wedding." I nodded my head to agree and giggled. "But since I'm here, might as well say everything.." Jamie pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and began to unfold it. Tyler and I exchanged nervous glances.