Chapter 181 – Bonus – Wedding Part Two

Chapter 181 – Bonus – Wedding Part Two
Zander’s POV

I was standing under the ornately decorated flower arch with Nathan standing beside me. Sure, I could have asked Niles or Devo to be my best man, but it seemed right to pick Nathan. He was my brother and my brother-in-law, but he was more than that. Nathan was the person I turned to for advice when I couldn’t go to Amelie. He was the man I trusted more than anyone in my life, my father figure, a safe place to land. Most importantly, he was the reason I met Isabella.

“Wow,” Nathan exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear, as Amelie walked down the aisle with the Quints. All five of the Quints were throwing flower petals on the grass that served as the aisle. “Sorry, Amelie still takes my breath away.”

“I completely understand, brother,” I smirked.

“Zan!” Hailee squealed and took off towards me.    The guests started giggling. I lifted her up, and she hugged me, then she released the petals in her hand and showered both of us with them. “Surprise! Happy birfday!” Now there was loud laughter, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. This day was about family, about the joining of two families into one. No, scratch that, I thought, as Morgan, Dutton, Kimmy, and Dante came up to each take a Quint. It’s more than one family. I had grown up with only Amelie, but now I had more family than I could ever dream of. Blood didn’t make family, heart did, and today my heart was overflowing with love and family.

Amelie took Hailee out of my arms and kissed my cheek. “Enjoy one of the biggest moments of your life,” she whispered to me with a smile. Then she headed to the front row.

A minute later, Marcella walked down the aisle, beaming with a smile. She had shrieked and squealed for 10 minutes after Isabella had asked her to be her maid of honor. Marcella stood in her position, then the music started, and the guests stood.

I can’t explain the feeling that overcame me when I saw Isabella at the end of the aisle. I think my heart stopped. Isabella was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my life. Even if I lived another 100 lifetimes, nothing would compare to her at this moment. I started crying, I couldn’t help it. I wanted to run to her, and her walk down the short aisle with her parents was the most agonizing minute of my life. When they arrived at the natural altar, I was grinning like an idiot.

Father Francis stepped forward. Nonna had worked her magic, speaking to the Bishop to arrange a ceremony outside of the church. In the Catholic religion, for your marriage to be recognized, you need to be married in the house of God. If you are married outside the church, you have to make a special request to the Catholic Bishop. I’m not exactly sure what Nonna did or said, but I knew that our wedding, officiated by the Catholic Church, was incredibly important to Isabella and her family. I even took the pre-wedding courses with Isabella.

“Friends and family, we are gathered here under the eyes of God to join two of his children in marriage,” Father Francis advised. “Who gives this woman to be married to this man in the eyes of God?”

“We do,” Salvatore and Nina said at the same time. Salvatore placed Isabella’s hand in mine.

“Hi,” Isabella whispered, blushing.

“Hi, beautiful bunny,” I grinned.

“Isabella and Zander, have you come here to enter into marriage without coercion, freely and wholeheartedly?” Father Francis asked.

“We have,” both of us said.

“Since it is your intention to enter into the covenant of Holy Matrimony, please join your right hands and declare your intentions before God,” Father Francis declared.

“I, Zander Alexander Cavanaugh, take you, Isabella Sophia Carmela Aventini, to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times, and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you with all my heart and honor you all the days of my life.”

“I, Isabella Sophia Carmela Aventini, take you, Zander Alexander Cavanaugh, to be my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times, and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you with all my heart and honor you all the days of my life.”

“The couple, as a sign of their love and dedication, will now exchange rings and say their own vows in the eyes of God,” Father Francis explained. “Can I please have the rings?”

Eliza stepped forward with the glass ring box and handed it to Father Francis.

Father Francis raised the box and spoke: “God, bless these rings as a symbol of your everlasting love. May the love of this couple be found in your light and be never-ending like the circles of gold that bind their fate. May their love grow and honor each other.” Father Francis opened the box and handed each of us the rings.

“Isabella, I have loved you since the first second I saw you,” I grinned. “You are my everything, and I promise to give you all of my love from now to infinity, plus one.” Isabella giggled. “Isabella, receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” I slipped the ring on her finger.

“Zander, everything I am and everything I have belongs to you. You are my love, my life, and my favorite football player of all time,” Isabella giggled. “Zander, receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Isabella slipped the ring on my finger as well.

“What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder,” Father Francis stated. “I now pronounce you husband and wife. Zander, what are you waiting for? Kiss that beautiful wife of yours,” Father Francis chuckled.

I smiled the largest smile of my life. “I love you, bunny,” I whispered, placing my hand on her cheek and leaning in to kiss Isabella. It was the most amazing kiss ever. The love, the devotion, and passion we had for each other poured between us. I deepened the kiss.

“No! Izzy mine!” Little Dante screamed.

The guests laughed again.

“Sorry, little man,” I chuckled. “Izzy is my wife, and I’m never letting her go.” I bent down and kissed Isabella again.

“Whoa, save it for the honeymoon,” Twerkley called out.

Isabella and I separated. “I love you, Zander,” Isabella breathed.

“I love you, too, Izzy,” I grinned.

“Friends and Family, I present to you Zander and Isabella Cavanaugh,” Father Francis said, smiling.

Isabella and I raised our intertwined hands in celebration. I couldn’t wait to start forever with her.