The Moment I Knew

Speak Now

Chapter Fifteen

Today I marry my best friend, my soul mate, my prince charming, the one that I’ve dreamed of for years, the one I have written imaginary songs for explaining tales we encountered. We finally get to create our own journey, together. My fairytale ending. I'm standing in front of a long golden mirror. My dress is gorgeous, it's a floor length ivory white strapless dress with sparkly swarovski crystals trailing from the top left of the dress to just above my right hip. My hair was it's naturally curly self pinned up into a gorgeous up-do, my bangs framed my face in the front alongside a few pieces that fell to the front. My makeup was very light for the day, good thing because I will probably be crying all day long.

My mom walks in the door behind me and stops short, her mouth dropping open. “Taylor, you look so beautiful. My baby girl is growing up!” her eyes fill with tears and she reaches for a hug. Seeing her so emotional kick starts the tears rolling down my cheeks as well “Aw, mom, don't cry your going to mess up the both of our made up faces.” I push her back and kiss her cheek. There's a soft knock at the door and Ed's mom peeks her head in the door. “Oh, I'm sorry I didn't mean to interrupt anything, I'll just be going now.” she starts backing out the door. “Don't be silly, you are just as much her mother as I am today!” my mom turns to me “Dear, I should go check on your father, make sure he isn't talking any ears off. You know him.” Mom kisses my cheek one more time lingering near my ear. “You're going to be a beautiful wife, Taylor, and a great mother.” She whispers before leaving out the door. Tears sting my eyes as I turn my gaze to Ed's mom “You look gorgeous, dear.” Tears brimming in her eyes she reaches out to hug me. “I just wanted to thank you for putting up with Teddy and loving him even when it's so hard. He has never been happier and I see it in his eyes, in his smile, and in his music. You make us all so happy, Taylor, and I couldn't be more pleased with the beautiful young woman Teddy has chosen to be my daughter-in-law and the mother of my grand children. Thank you, dear girl.” I extend my arms pushing her off of me knowing the tears running down my face must have ruined my makeup but I couldn't care less. “I should be the one thanking you! You have made me feel so welcome in your family. You act in place of my mother when I'm hurt or sad. You're proud of me when I do something great and you have been so welcoming of Ed and I's baby plans.” I pull her in one last time whispering into her ear “I love you, mom.” I hear her gasp as I finish the last part of the sentence. “Okay, enough of all this crying! I need to escort this young lady to her future husband.” My dad says bursting through the large wooden door, stopping short when he gets a look at me. Okay, now I can handle the basic woman tears both of my mothers have just laid on me but the look of disbelief on my father's face, the tears welling in his eyes, and the whimpering lip as if he's going to lose it all but sends me over the edge. “Daddy...” I run to him engulfing him in a giant hug, tears streaming down both of our faces. “You are absolutely stunning, Taylor.” My father chokes out “I am so proud of the woman you have become, I love you darling.” He kisses my forehead and bends his elbow looping my arm around it. “Are you ready for this?” He asks me. “I've been ready my whole life.” I say wiping away my tears smiling at him.

Opening the double doors I watch as the bridal party walks through the door and down the isle. First the maid of honor and the best man, Abi and Matthew, followed by Selena and Austin, Dianna and Harry (we had actually become good friends after the breakup thanks to Ed), Caitlyn and Rizzle, and Kellie and Sylvester. I hear the wedding march play on the grand piano, and the butterflies flutter in my stomach. I have never been more ready for this moment. My father tugs at my arm gently and we walk to the entrance door. My eyes lock onto Ed, he looked amazing in his classic black tuxedo. He had a charcoal gray vest on under his slightly darker gray suit and his bow tie was crooked, but he could not have been any sexier standing there. He was staring down at his feet shuffling his feet from side to side. Matthew nudged his arm and his head snapped up, his eyes locking onto mine. His mouth dropped open as he looked me over, and a grin formed across his face. My father tugs me forward as we march slowly down the isle, our gaze never breaking, it feels like forever before we reach Ed. My father takes my hand and places it in Ed's and whispers “Take care of her for me.” into his ear patting him on the back. “Always” Ed promises.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join in holy matrimony, Edward and Taylor, as husband and wife...” I could hear the minister rambling on the same speech you hear at every wedding but I couldn't break my gaze from Ed. It was finally happening, my forever ever after was finally starting. “You are so beautiful” He mouths to me. A grin spreads across my face “I love you.” I mouth back. Ed smiles at me and I see Matt pat him on the back as in a big brother 'job well done' kind of way. Ed shoots him a grin over his shoulder. I can imagine my mother in full blown tears in the front row, but force myself not to look knowing the tears I’m holding back will surely overflow at the sight. “And now for the vows. Edward and Taylor have elected to prepare their own vows instead of the traditional vows. Edward would you please share your vows with Taylor.” the minister bellows shaking the both of us from our daydream. “Mhhhmmmhhmm.” Ed clears his throat pulling the folded letter from the inside of his jacket pocket. “Taylor, I love you as I love no other. All that I am and all that I have I share with you. I promise to never hurt you. I promise to love you with every ounce of my being. I promise to be there for you and for our children until the day I die. I will love you when we are together and when we are apart. I promise to always laugh with you and only occasionally at you. I'll try my best not to hog all the covers and smother you while you sleep. I will try not to snore too loudly. I promise to stop stealing most of the food you make for yourself, or try anyway. I look forward to being a married man and beginning this new chapter of my life with you. For starters, I will no longer refer to it as 'my life' but 'ours'. I look forward to being the best father I can be and helping you to be the best mother. This is my solemn vow to you today as I make you my wife.” He chuckles to himself and tucks the paper back into his jacket. Tears are streaming down my face at this point, that was so beautiful, so charming, and so 'Ed'. The humor he added described our relationship perfectly. We were truly just two best friends marrying each other and bringing two beautiful babies into the world, together. “Taylor, would you please share with Edward, your vows?” I look back at Abi and hand her my bouquet and in return she hands me my vows. “Edward Christopher Sheeran, you make loving easy. For starters, you are undoubtedly my best friend. I knew from the first moment sitting on my trampoline with you, we would be together forever. We have had one hell of a whirlwind romance and have dealt with so much drama, and yet here you are. You have so many annoying habits that drive me insane, but strangely I have fallen in love with each and every one of them. You snore, very loudly, all night long, but last night being away from you I realized how much I missed it. You steal all my covers, but I don't mind because you smother me in my sleep literally becoming my blanket. You drink too much, but you're an adorable cuddly drunk after you stumble into bed. You steal food off of my plate because I order better than you. You also have many things I’m crazy about. Like you're accent, who could ask for more than waking up next to a sleepy British accent every morning. How you feel the need to remind me that I'm beautiful and how much you love me hourly. How gorgeous you are when you rough up your ginger hair. How you tell our unborn children that you love them, the look on your face when you feel them kick, and the way you read stories to them. You have become an amazing cook and you surprise me with breakfast all the time. I love how you always can find my keys and my phone when I lose them and enter panic mode. When we first met everything literally had changed 'Cause all I know is we said hello, and your eyes looked like coming home... All I know is you held the door' and now 'you'll be mine and I’ll be yours'. When I'm scared, you make me feel safe. When I'm sad, you make me smile. There has yet to be a day where we haven't laughed together, and I never want there to be one. I take you to be my husband, the father of my children, and my very best friend from this day forward.” Ed's eyes fill with tears as mine have and he squeezes my hand a little tighter. “May we have the rings please?” Ed and I took turns slipping the rings on the others finger as the minister said a few words. “Now if anyone has any reason why these two should not be married, please speak now.” Ed smiled sweetly at me and I at him. I am so close to being his wife, Mrs. Taylor Alison Sheeran.

“I DO!” Shouted a shadowy figure bursting through the curtains at the back of the church.