“Please be seated,” the pastor instructed, as Alec took my hands. We stood side by side.

“This ceremony isn’t like others I’ve performed in my past.” The pastor smiled warmly at Alec and then at me. “You’re so young, yet you’ve both lived — extraordinary lives. Not only have you conquered demons, you’ve come through your own battles beaten and bruised, only to discover that you’re stronger than you thought.

“Strength is a funny thing.” He paused for a moment to clear his throat. “We assume it’s solely from within ourselves — and forget that a lot of times, it takes someone else holding our hand to pull us through it. Alec.” His gaze left mine. “She’s not just your wife. Nat is your partner. When you’re weak… She’s strong. When she’s weak, you’re her rock. Marriage isn’t just a union — it’s a partnership. Never again will you have to walk through life’s trials alone — because you have each other.”

Tears streamed down my face. How did this guy know exactly what to say?

“Nat.” The pastor’s warm smile put me at ease. “You are the crown of creation. You were created not only to be a complement to your husband, but to be his encouragement, his beauty, his pearl, his most treasured part of himself. For when you marry, you become part of him. Your souls no longer traverse the world independently, but interdependently — entwined with one another. With that being said, I have a question for each of you.”

By now the tears were flowing freely. I could hear Alyssa sobbing behind me and Demetri was wiping something from his eye as he squinted hard at the ground. But Jaymeson, Jaymeson’s face was perfectly impassive — as if the pastor hadn’t just made the most beautiful speech any of us had ever heard. It was almost like he wasn’t affected.

“Alec, do you take this woman—”

“—I do.”

The pastor chuckled. “I wasn’t finished.”

“I do,” Alec said again. “I take her.” He turned to face me. “I’ll take her when she’s sick, if she gets cancer, if she gets in a terrible wreck and doesn’t even remember my name. I’ll make it my purpose to convince her again, every single day, that she’s the love of my life, that she’s the reason I even want to live. I promise to provide for her, to take care of her always. I promise to put her needs above my own. I swear to never leave her side — ‘til death parts us.”

Sniffling was heard among the guests. I dabbed my eyes.

“Nat?” The pastor turned to me.

“Oh great,” I said in a wobbly voice. “I can’t compete with that!”

Alec’s warm chuckle soothed me, his eyes dripping with desire and love.

“Do you take this man to have and to hold—”

“—I take him.” I interrupted just like Alec did. “I promise to be his voice of reason when someone thinks it’s funny to un-alphabetize his music. I’ll stand by his side when people may criticize him. I’ll always encourage him, love him, take care of him when he’s grumpy and sick.” Demetri coughed out a laugh. “I’ll kiss him every morning and every night — I’ll be true to him and only him. I’ll take care of his heart, but mostly, I’ll swear my life to his, until the day we die.”

“Well then.” The pastor’s voice was warm with emotion. “I think that about covers it.”

Confused, I looked away from Alec only to feel his hands leave mine. He grabbed a nearby guitar. It was set up so that microphones were around us but nobody could see them, so I knew if he sang it would be loud enough for people to enjoy, but still… He hadn’t said a word to me. Not one word.

“Nat,” Alec’s voice croaked in the microphone. “This is for you.”

I wanna tell you, but there’s so many words to say. I wanna tell you, but the words get in the way. It’s all there on the tip of my tongue. My heart’s so full, brain goes numb. So I’ll just ask you. Do you? I do, me too.

I promise I will be there as the years go by. And I’ll be faithful to you till the day I die. Just to have and to hold your hand makes me the luckiest man, so now I’ll ask you, do you? I do, me too. So now I ask you, do you? I do, me too.

So many pieces of paper, crumpled up and thrown away. So many I’ll do it laters. Gotta get the nerve… Why such crazy behavior? Gonna say my vows today. I can’t wait.

Oh baby, I do. I do. I love you.

The chords changed and then he started another song.

I’m never giving up on you — I’m loving you forever — here’s my heart, take my soul and my body too. I live and breathe for you — want to die right beside you — hold my hand as we walk through this journey into eternity together.

I was just learning to love, when you walked in my life.

Now my greatest accomplishment will be to have you as my wife.

I’m sorry I’m so undeserving of your love — but I’ll promise you Forever and pray it’s enough.

Yes, I’ll promise you Forever and pray it’s enough.

The first song I recognized from Lovestruck, a musical I’d been obsessed with during all the wedding planning. We’d basically memorized it together. But the second part? That was all Alec. Correction. That was all AD2 perfection.

“I now pronounce you…” The pastor’s voice echoed as Alec strummed the last few chords then handed his guitar to Demetri. “Husband and wife. You may kiss your—”