When we said we didn’t want to wait long and were looking at an early September wedding, Bailey immediately said she understood. With her having top-notch wedding planners take over the extravaganza that’s going to be the Banks-Salvatore wedding, she really wanted a new project to get her hands on.
Our wedding was the perfect project for her.
Starting with the dress, which thankfully took no time at all. Bailey rented out an entire boutique for me to try on dresses. Tonya, Tess, Jane, April, Donna, and Maeve came along to help me choose, and when I found it—the dress—there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. Even April and Jane, who usually remain so composed, were passing tissues to each other.
It was a soft, romantic fairy-tale dress. Off the shoulder, slightly puffed sleeves, fitted bodice, and a long train. I felt beautiful and feminine in it. Maybe a little too formal for our backyard, but after everything I have been through, I simply did not care.
When you’ve facedThe Big C,things really get put into perspective. I’m only getting married once, to Callum, and I want to look beautiful.
I want the fairy tale.
And unbelievably, I got it.
Sasha came to do my hair and makeup, styling my now mid-back waves into soft curls, pinning a few pieces back from my face. I decided against a veil—the dress did not need embellishment, and I wanted simplicity.
Plot was disgruntled with all of the invaders in his house. He was hiding in one of his many cat trees in the home, but I still managed to coax him out, put a bow tie on him, and take some pictures. He was given many treats for his sacrifice.
For my something blue, I slipped into a pair of Cinderella-blue flats gifted by Jane, so light, comfortable, and easy to walk in.
Donna gave me a pair of pearl earrings that she had worn on her own wedding day, my something borrowed.
My something new was the white lingerie I wore under my dress that Callum would tear off me later.
And the something old was something I will always cherish—a delicate scrap of fabric from Maeve’s dress from her weddingto William.
For their special day, they had gone to the courthouse to get married. Maeve wore a thrifted, vintage white lace dress, and William had told her that he had never seen anything more beautiful. I was in awe as she explained where the fabric came from. Maeve tied the fabric around my bouquet of peonies. It was such an intimate, precious gift to give me.
“I wish he could be here,” I choke out, gently dabbing my eyes with a tissue to not ruin my makeup.
“He is,” Maeve assures me, squeezing my hands. “When you walked into the store, I knew you were destined for us in some capacity,” Maeve murmurs, gently brushing an errant curl away from my face. “I am only grateful it ended up being for my son. You have changed all of our lives, Sophie. Thank you. I love you, my little dove.”
“I love you too, Maeve,” I collapse into her waiting maternal embrace, hearing the click-click of a camera, and I knew that this photo would be cherished forever.
Bailey transformed our backyard into a dream. Twinkling lights hung from the tree branches, one long table for our family to sit, dine, and celebrate, and delicious food catered through the Salvatores' connections. April had taken on our wedding cake, baking and designing it for us down to the very last detail, even making little cupcakes with fondant books on the top.
Rows of chairs faced our mighty Maple tree, and as the sun dipped toward the horizon, it bathed the world in gold.
Then there was Callum, waiting for me at the end of the aisle. Tears already shimmered in his eyes, tracking slowly down his cheeks the second he saw me.
My breath catches in my throat as I take him in, looking so devastatingly handsome in a dark suit. Callum’s beard was only trimmed slightly, his hair neatly pulled back, but with a couple ofthose pieces hanging loose across his forehead, just like how he knew I liked.
Parker plays his keyboard, accompanied by his friend Kia on violin, as the two create a melody while I walk down the aisle.
As I walk, I can’t help but smile when I pass our friends. Bailey and Michael, Jane and Atticus, with little Leo nestled protectively into Jane’s side. April mouthed, “You look beautiful.” Donna and Rich stood together, Donna crying happy tears and Rich smiling proudly.
Claire and Grant had even come, sitting beside Bailey. Claire presses a gentle hand to her chest as she watches me pass them, and there is a look in her eyes that says she understood the journey—the loss, the rebuild.
Tess stands at the very front, discreetly wiping away tears she will never admit to. I had thought about asking her to walk me down the aisle, but in the end, I realized I wanted to walk toward Callum on my own because Tess wasn’t giving me away.
I was choosing Callum myself.
Tonya is at the front with Callum, having gotten herself ordained online to marry us. She looks incredibly sharp in her crisp dress shirt, unbuttoned at the top and rolled up to reveal her tattooed arms, and fitted black pants.
I can tell that my sister appreciates the sight from the looks she kept shooting at her. Tonya winks at me when I finally get to them, and I place my hands in Callum’s.
“Hi,” I whisper to him, voice trembling from the adrenaline coursing through me.
Callum’s eyes trail all over me, like he’s trying to memorize this moment forever. He swallows hard and shakes his head as if he can’t believe that I’m standing here, in white, ready for forever. He leans down to kiss my cheek while whispering, “My beautiful girl.”
