Chapter 12

Jamie and Brandon stood at the altar waiting for the ceremony to start. Jamie was still quite nervous, but he held his head high. He was bound and determined to keep his composure, reassuring himself that this was the one thing in his life he was THE most certain of.

The double doors opened, and Marlene started to walk down with Andrew. She smiled as she made her way to the front, mouthing hello to some of her family members. She saw Jamie at the other end and winked. He smiled as her nephew sat her down in the first pew, then walked back to hold one of the doors open while his brother, Rob, held the other.

Denise held one single calla lily as she started to walk down the aisle, and Brandon's eyes lit up. He lightly tapped Jamie on the small of his back, which made Jamie start to laugh to himself. He looked back at Brandon with a smile, then shook his head. Denise thoughtfully grinned at both of them, then made her way to her side of the altar.

The doors closed as "The Wedding March" began to play, and everyone stood up in anticipation of the bride.

"Well, are you ready?" Brian asked a nervous Lynn.

Lynn let out a long breath and nodded her head, a wide smile on her face.

The ushers opened the doors, and everyone was smiling and whispering to themselves how beautiful Lynn looked.

Jamie took a few steps forward so he could see her, and when he finally did he was awestruck. She was wearing exactly what he had envisioned her to wear in his mind before he proposed to her, only he couldn't have imagined her being this unbelievably stunning. His mouth opened slightly, and he could barely catch his breath as she came closer to him.

Lynn saw Jamie's reaction and almost immediately her eyes began to fill with tears. She took a deep breath to try and keep herself from breaking down and smiled at him lovingly.

When she and Brian reached the altar, the pastor let everyone know they may be seated.

"Dear friends," the pastor began, "We are gathered here today to celebrate one of life's greatest moments, to give recognition to the worth of beauty and love, and to add our best wishes to the words which shall unite Jamie and Lynn in marriage. Who is it that gives this woman to this man?"

"I do," Brian said, then kissed Lynn on the cheek and sat down next to Marlene. Lynn handed her bouquet to Denise, and turned around to face Jamie, holding both of his hands in hers while they gazed into each other's eyes.

"Jamie and Lynn," the pastor continued, "life is given to each of us as individuals, and yet we must learn to live together. Love is given to us by our family and friends. We learn to love by being loved. Learning to love and living together is one of life's greatest challenges and is the shared goal of a married life."

"All present here today-and those here in heart-wish both of you all the joy, happiness and success the world has to offer. As you travel through life together, I urge you to remember that the true key to success, the true avenue to joy and peace, is to be found within the love you have in your hearts. I would ask that you hold that key very tightly in your hearts. As your lives continue to interweave as one pattern, remember it was love that brought you here today. It is love that will make this a glorious union, and it is love which will cause this union to endure."

"At this time, Jamie and Lynn would like to recite the vows they themselves have written as a true expression of their love and commitment."

Jamie smiled at Lynn and started to read from his paper:

"My dearest Lynn, if someone had told me a year ago that I would be standing here today marrying the woman of my dreams, I would have never believed them. I have been to many places, seen many things, but have never been anywhere that I could truly call home. Then the day came when I first looked into your beautiful green eyes, and I knew my home was in your heart the entire time. Your beauty, spirit, and loving nature captivated me from the very instant we met. Today, as I stand here before you in the presence of loved ones and friends, I pledge my life to you. That woman who stole my heart last August, who everyday continues to bring me more happiness than I could ever ask for. Now and throughout all eternity, I will love you without ceasing. I ask that God bless our marriage and provide us with the wisdom and strength to endure all the challenges and triumphs that life will most certainly bring us. It is with absolute confidence that I say to you now, and every day thereafter, 'I do'."

Lynn wept quietly throughout Jamie's declaration of love, and was barely able to keep her voice from cracking as she read her own:

"Jamie, my darling, there hasn't been one day in my life since we met that I haven't felt like the luckiest woman alive. In this crazy world we live in, where there are so many things we find ourselves unsure of, you are the one and only thing I am positively sure of. I have loved you with my whole being, and will continue to love you as no other woman could ever possibly love any man. I have often wondered what it will be like many years from now, when we are old and gray. Will we share extra blankets to keep warm? Will we count the stars from our front porch rockers? Dream older, wiser dreams, or be contented with the memories we have made? Of course I can't predict the future, but I can tell you what I do know. If we use extra blankets, I will still need to hold you close to me. If we sit in our rockers, mine will be right next to yours. And no matter how old or wise we become, I'll still want the feel of your hand in mine. I look forward to whatever the future may hold, as long as my future holds you. I love you now, and will love you until the end of time."

Jamie's heart was aching after Lynn's reading, and tears were running down his cheeks. Lynn put her hand on his face and wiped them away.

The pastor motioned for Brandon to give him the rings. Brandon took them out his pocket and handed them to him.

"Wedding rings are an outward and visible sign of an inward spiritual grace and the unbroken circle of love, signifying to all the union of Jamie and Lynn in marriage."

Jamie took Lynn's ring, and said while placing it on her finger, "I, Jamie, take you Lynn, to be my wife. To have and to hold. For richer, for poorer. In sickness and in health. And forsaking all others, keep only unto you as long as we both shall live. Amen."

Lynn took Jamie's ring, and said while placing it on his finger, "I, Lynn, take you Jamie, to be my husband. To have and to hold. For richer, for poorer. In sickness and in health. And forsaking all others, keep only unto you as long as we both shall live. Amen."

They then walked up the steps and stood on opposite sides of a table with a unity candle in the center.

"Jamie and Lynn," the pastor said, "these two separate candles symbolize your separate lives, separate families, and separate sets of friends. I ask that each of you take one of the lit candles and that together you light the center candle."

They each took their own candle and lit the center one, uniting their lives as one.

They then stepped back down and stood together, facing each other once again while holding hands.

"Let us pray," the pastor said.

"Dear God, look mercifully upon your children, Jamie and Lynn, and be generous with them. Give them a sense of joy, excitement, possibility, and challenge about what they are undertaking here, the ever-unfolding and beautiful work of refining their spirits in the presence of each other's witness, of becoming bearers of your love. Give them peace of heart and strength of spirit so they may honor the vows they make here today. Temper their hearts with kindness and help them to be sweethearts, helpmates, friend and guide, and together may they meet the cares and problems of life more bravely. May their home truly be a place of love and harmony where your Spirit is ever present. Bless their wedding day, we pray, and walk beside them through their life together. Amen."

"Amen," Jamie and Lynn said together.

The pastor then looked over the congregation and lifted his hand up to consecrate, "The Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord shine his face on you and be gracious to you. And may the Lord look upon you in this favor and give you his peace. Amen."

"Amen," the crowd said quietly.

"Jamie and Lynn, in so much as the two of you have agreed to live together in Holy Matrimony, have promised to love each other by these vows, the joining of hands and the giving and receiving of rings, I now declare you to be Husband and Wife. They whom God have joined together, let no man put asunder."

Jamie and Lynn both smiled excitedly, and the pastor said, "Congratulations, you may now kiss your bride."

Jamie took Lynn in his arms slowly, looked deeply into her eyes, and kissed her tenderly.

"It is indeed my privilege to present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Jamie Wyatt!" the pastor exclaimed.

The crowd stood up, applauding and cheering. Jamie and Lynn were ecstatic, and were all smiles as they started their recession, stopping a few times for hugs from their friends and family.

After an hour of the customary photos inside and outside of the church, the newlyweds, his parents, and Denise and Brandon all started to walk to the limousine. Lynn squealed with laughter when she saw "Just Hitched" painted on the back window, and strings of cans and old shoes attached to the back bumper.

"Okay, who did this?" she said, looking suspiciously at Denise and Brandon.

"What?" Brandon said. "Don't look at us. We were inside the whole time!"

The limo driver approached them and said, "Well, the guilty party threw an extra twenty bucks my way so I can safely say it was me."