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sf-raleighhale-blog · 8 years ago

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Nervous excitement had been a constant feeling since Quintin had popped that question. All the way through the hurried packing that I hardly had to contribute to due to the fact that Q had done it all while I was still reeling from the question he had popped on me. Of course I said yes. Yes. Absolutely. I do. I do. Two words had never excited me so greatly in my life. Knowing I’d be soon saying them to the love of my life. Knowing I’d be hearing him say those same words to me before we were declared husband and wife. Wife. I was going to be his wife. As I sat there, already tucked into the beautiful form fitting little white cocktail dress, hair done partially up, one side down in perfect ringlets of curls I didn’t keep anything that popped into my mind to myself. As a matter of fact, the woman who had come to help me into my dress had been all but held hostage by me as I rambled on and on speaking each little thought that came to mind.

“We met at a bookstore, I have this guilty little pleasure, and no it is not picking up unsuspecting men at bookshops.” That got a laugh out of her, at least my companion before I was to walk down the aisle was enjoying my incessant babbling. “It’s horror stories, that’s my guilty pleasure. Romance and the like, never really was my thing. I think now that maybe I never enjoyed it because I didn’t understand all those bubbly happy emotions they went on about in those books. I didn’t know what it was like to be in love. Not until I literally ran head first into my soulmate. Q had his nose in a comic, mine was pressed against the inside cover of this R.L Stine book; Don’t judge, he’s amazing no matter what age you are.” Another laugh. “Anyways, we collided and it was like the entire world had flipped upside down and inside out. Like the fog had lifted to reveal my whole entire future in the form of a man.” I’d have kept right on going, babbling away until the sun had set, I’d have kept talking right on through the night into the next day and through that day. Except the faint knock at the door interrupted me. “Miss, it’s Paula.” The wedding director’s voice came through the door. “It’s unlocked.” I said and the door was soon being pushed open. Paula peeked her head into the opening a bright smile on her face.

“It’s time.” She informed me. Really? The hour given to us to write our vows and prep had flown by. I hardly noticed that the paper meant to hold my vows was still void of the ink from the pen in my hand. I hadn’t written a single word. I had spoken way more than a single word, though, probably a million. Glancing down at that paper, seeing that it was still blank staring back at me I looked back to Paula. “But I haven’t even written anything.” I admitted, my cheeks felt hot indicating the blush that was surely prominent upon them. “Do you need a few more minutes, Darlin’?” She had hardly had the question out of her mouth before I shook my head. Putting the pen down on the blank paper I stood straightening out my dress and taking the floors that my chatter buddy had been holding for me. “Absolutely not. I know exactly what to say.” Quintin I was running on pure adrenaline by the time we arrived at the chapel. The rest of the day feels like a lifetime ago or maybe even a dream. It wasn’t until we had arrived at the Bellagio and Raleigh found the dress I had ordered for her when she was sleeping at the gate before our flight in the closet of our room that everything really began to sink in. Neither of us are traditional by any means, but my girl is definitely a Princess and despite the unconventionality of our union I still wanted her to feel as such when we exchange our vows. Vows I should be writing but my hands are shaking so damn much everytime I put pen to paper my handwriting looks more like polygraph results than words. Why didn’t I just bring my iPad? Oh, that’s right, because I’m getting fucking married and who brings their iPad with them to do that. I rose from the small end table I had been hunched over and took a lap around the small dressing room I had been sequestered too, trying to center my thoughts into coherency. Standing before the full length mirror, I messed with the Windsor knot on my tie, though I had perfected the technique when I was 9 and training to be the next Bill Gates. Taking a deep breath, I gave myself a much needed internal pep talk while staring pointedly at my reflection. This is it, Hale. You and your girl and the rest of forever. It’s not coding, there’s no wrong answer, go from the heart. Another slow exhale and sat back down, put pen to paper, and before I knew it Jon was knocking on the door and letting me know it was time. As I stood at the end of the aisle in the kitchy chapel all of the nervous energy immediately dissipated. I was overwhelmed with a sense of calm that confirmed that this was the right thing and I was exactly where I needed to be. It wasn’t until my bride rounded the corner in her white dress and perfect blonde curls that my heart rate sky rocketed. Overcome by the knowledge that the beautiful creature walking in what seemed to be slow motion towards me was on her way to commit to a lifetime at my side brought burning tears to my eyes.

Raleigh

Just breathe. Breathe. Breathe. It wasn’t until I turned the corner to stand in the open archway of the chapel and saw the man I was going to marry at the end of the aisle that the mantra I was repeating in my way was no longer necessary. The moment I laid eyes on Quintin all my nerves faded away. He had always had a way of doing that, making me feel such a deeply rooted calm that no matter how big they were all my problems just faded away until only he and I remained. As I made my way down the aisle, hardly hearing the wedding march playing as I made my way down, I focused on Q, seeing the tears burning in his eyes brought about my own tears. Somehow my tears didn’t yet fall as I reached the altar standing there with the man I was soon going to be calling my husband. The large excited smile on my face was probably bigger than any smile I had ever cracked before.

“We are gathered here today to celebrate one of life’s greatest moments, the joining of two hearts. In this ceremony today we will witness the joining of Quintin Eugene Hale and Raleigh Rose Thomas in marriage.” I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing when I received that look I knew so well from Q. Of course I had shared his middle name with Paula who had been in charge of setting up the Ceremony. No way was I going to let the opportunity to add a little humor into the best day of our lives.

“Today we have come together to witness the joining of these two lives. For them, out of the routine of ordinary life, the extraordinary has happened. They met each other, fell in love and are finalizing it with their wedding today. Romance is fun, but true love is something far more and it is their desire to love each other for life and that is what we are celebrating here today. So, let’s get on with it already.” At those words, I handed my bouquet off to Paula so I could join hands with Q. I hoped they didn’t feel as disgustingly sweaty as I thought they had while holding onto the beautiful flowers I had handed to Paula. Not that it mattered, our hands could have been covered in slime, dirt, and whatever else and we’d still have stood there smiling like a couple of goons.

“A good marriage must be created.

In marriage the “little” things are the big things.

It is never being too old to hold hands.

It is remembering to say, ”I love you" at least once a day.

It is never going to sleep angry.

It is standing together and facing the world.

It is speaking words of appreciation, and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways.

It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.

It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow.

It is a common search for the good and the beautiful.

It is not only marrying the right person – it is being the right partner.”

Quintin

I was going to pass out if I didn’t stop breathing so erratically, but I was anxious and impatient. Was this aisle a mile long or was Raleigh moving in slow motion? For a moment, I had convinced myself I was dreaming and that this couldn’t possibly be happening. It was though, because she finally made it to the end of the aisle with the most radiant smile lighting up her face. I took her hand in mine, anchoring us both to reality as we focused on the words being spoken. Wait, did she just say Eugene? My eyes focused on my bride and the proud grin on her face confirms that she went out of her way to ensure our middle names were used in the ceremony. God, I love her.

When Paula finished speaking, she looked at me with a curt nod, encouraging me to continue the ceremony with my vows. Clearing my throat, I caught Raleigh’s gaze with mine and held it, making sure my words were clear. My vows heard. My promise eternal.

“I’ve had my life mapped up for as long as I could remember. Outlined every step of the way. Cal Tech, internship, start up. It all worked out exactly how I planned. Fate had to balance me out though, I ran into you in that bookstore and it’s been a roller coaster ever since. You constantly surprise me in the best ways, with your brilliant mind and vivacious spirit. You’re so full of life and wonder and always bringing me out of my shell. Teaching me to be spontaneous, to stop living in the future and focus on now. Which is why today, I promise to take every twist and turn life has to offer us together, as husband and wife. To love you just as fiercely each and every day, to support you in all of your grandiose ideas and endeavors, and to maybe one day, when we’re both really old and wrinkled…I’m sure you’ll still be hot, though, teach you the trick to beating me in Mario Kart.”

Raleigh

I knew I wouldn’t make it through the entirety of our wedding ceremony without crying. Quintin’s vows had the tears that had been welling up in my eyes slipping down my cheeks. My smile never once faltered and when he reached the end my overwhelming sense of joy coupled with his words about Mario Kart caused laughter to bubble out of me. My heart swelled and I swear in that moment I only fell in love with him even more than I already had.

“I promise I have vows prepared, I just need to stop crying long enough to say them.” This caused a laugh from Paula who was smiling happily at the two of us, ensuring me that I could take my time. No I could not. I was so beyond ready for this, ready to officially begin my forever with Quintin. Finally my tears settled enough that I could speak.

“I never really pondered the day I’d be getting married, not until I met you. You’re the first and only man I’ve ever loved. The only man I can ever see spending my life with. I couldn’t ever really see what my future held before we met and I know now that was because, until you, I didn’t have one. You’ve helped me grow in so many different ways. You’ve opened my eyes to what love really is. To what life truly is. That day when we first met I remember thinking ‘Wow, this incredibly beautiful man probably thinks I’m some airhead who got lost on her way to the mall.’, Which is actually how I found that particular bookstore to begin with, but that’s beside the point. From the very beginning you saw me for me. The me that I could be and I can’t thank you enough for always being there for me, for loving me even when I’m insufferable, and for wanting to share your forever with me. I promise to always love and support you in each and every one of your brilliant ventures. I promise to continue to tease you for being a nerd even though your nerdiness just makes me fall harder and harder for you each and every day. I would also promise to continue to be the best girlfriend you could ever possibly ask for, but I can’t promise that. But I can promise to be the wife your mother would be proud of her son to have.”

Quintin

I was one hundred percent sure that I looked like an idiot with how big my smile was in that moment. It didn’t even falter when she mentioned my mother, because she was absolutely going to kill us both for doing this without her. She would understand, I’m sure, but she’s definitely never going to let us live it down. Paula interrupted my brief panic by asking if took Raleigh to be my wife in which I immediately replied with a hell yeah, forgetting for a moment that it was actually my wedding. The look my soon to be wife gave me caused me to chuckle, but I hid it by clearing my throat and amending with an “I do.” Raleigh smiled and it lit up the room when she agreed to take me as her husband and then Paula spoke my six new favorite words. “You may now kiss the bride.” Cupping her face between my hands, I kissed the crap out of my wife.

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