One Night in New York

Chapter Twenty Four

What does a wedding gown symbolize? It is the color of absolute perfection, representing innocence, purity, light, and even virginity. On your wedding day, you should exude all of those qualities. As Barry White would say; your spouse would be your first, last, your everything. Most people nowadays, however, do it backward, and I was no exception. When it came to marriage, I had done everything backward, with children first, then a husband, but I didn't mind. That was how my life was supposed to go, and I knew my husband would think I was perfect as I walked down the aisle.

So, there we were. It was the day I finally got to see my wedding gown. Of course, Angie was coming over while Liam was hanging out with Andrew and Connie at Andrew's place. The dress designer was making a house call, so I got to see her amazing creation. Melanie Carmichael was her name, and she was a truly gifted woman. She was a designer with some dresses on display, so while she couldn't make one for me, she was going to work her magic with what she had.

She showed up shortly after 1:00 p.m. I greeted her as she steadily held a long bagged gown above her head. Angie clapped as she entered, and I smiled from ear to ear, eager to get into it. We went into my bedroom to try it on, and it all hit me at once. I was about to become a wife and was a little over a month from saying I do. I began to tear up with the thoughts that came flooding in. When I started crying, Angie noticed and came over to hug me. She was my rock, always in my corner, and we embraced as best friends do, being each other's greatest support system. Melanie quickly unzipped the bag and revealed the most stunning gown I'd ever seen.

I quickly undressed as Angie began to laugh, "Jesus, Nat, let her get it out of the bag first."

I stood giddy, clapping incessantly because I couldn't stop myself; that was my dress, the wedding gown I was going to wear when I said my vows. The dress that, hopefully, my daughter would then wear one day. That was one of the moments I had longed for, as most girls did, for that day to come. Although I was overjoyed, it was disappointing that I couldn't shop for a dress the traditional way, hopping from store to store with my closest friends and family, but it ended up being, well, kind of perfect.

"Alright, let's get you in," Melanie directed, holding her masterpiece in front of me.

I just looked over at Angie, eyes wide open as my heart began to race with excitement as I was thinking to myself, "Let's do this!"

I started by putting on my strapless and backless bra, you know, the ones that just kind of cover the front of your boobs, not wrapping to your back but cupping you just right, and then slowly slipped into my dream dress. Angie and Melanie both helped me fasten the numerous small round buttons. It took them over five minutes to finish, but each one was securely fastened. I shut my eyes, turned slowly, and exhaled, hoping to be surprised when I looked in the full-length mirror.

I knew I wasn't the most beautiful woman on the planet, but that dress made me feel like it. As I stood there admiring what that one dazzling garment had created, an elegant woman, I was filled with confidence. That's how everyone should feel when they put on their wedding gown and, for a brief moment, transform into a princess.

So, how did my dress turn out, and was it everything I had hoped for? It was absolutely stunning and would take anyone's breath away. It was a long, silhouette, satin, white gown that hugged me tightly in all the right places, giving me a slimming shape. The front was a low halter style with lace split up the right side to the middle of my thigh, sitting tight at the top and exposing my leg. The back was illusion lace with a low keyhole that exposed my back all the way down to the top where my hips met the small of my back. Little white buttons ran from the top of the illusion lace that sat below my neck, down the center of my spine, and to the bottom of the flowing train. Lace adorned the bodice of the gown and flowed down to the hips, where it faded to plain white satin. The bottom trim of the dress was also embellished with a hint of lace, completing the look.

I stood staring at my dress as Angie covered her mouth with her hands, speechless. Melanie, the designer, smiled as she saw the joy on both of our faces. I thought it was the best feeling in the world for a designer when someone trying on one of your pieces reacts the way we did.

My hair would be styled with an elegant headband adorned with hundreds of sparkling stones. The band was crystal-encrusted all the way around my head. As it faded in size and came around to the back of my head, the top sat more extravagantly. I'd be wearing an updo to make the entire band visible, sparkling as the light hit each gem just right.

I went with a simple yet elegant look for my heels. I didn't want them to be too garish with the dress's design. It had a four-inch heel, an open toe, and a satin strap across the top of the foot. A string of crystals ran up the middle of my foot and wrapped around my ankle. With our wedding's fall theme, every other small stone was a burnt orange, adding a pop of color to my ensemble.

I was completely smitten by my bridal gown and all of the details that went with it. I spun around in my dress for a little while, as any girl would. Melanie would make minor alterations to the dress, which would mean I would have it back in my possession in no time.

So what was the next step? The venue, DJ, menu, limo, decorations, invitations, flowers, photographer, and videographer were all already in place. The only thing that remained was to, well, show up. I knew it wouldn't be an issue for me, and I hoped and prayed it wouldn't be for Liam. I knew he loved me, so I had no reason to be concerned. We'd soon be Mr. and Mrs. Liam Taylor. All that remained would be for us to live our happily ever after.