Chapter 183 - Bridal Preparations and Final Moments
Hazel's POV
Friday passed in a blur of pre-wedding chaos, though I somehow survived Chloe's carefully orchestrated schedule. She kept teasing me about having an unfair advantage since I'd spent the night with Liam, claiming I was glowing while she looked exhausted from all the planning. After our morning session with Father Benjamin, Liam and I went our separate ways. The women whisked me off for final preparations while the men disappeared with Liam for their own mysterious agenda. By evening, I collapsed into bed completely drained.
My wedding day arrived with Chloe bursting through my door at dawn, carrying a tray laden with my favorite breakfast foods. The room quickly filled with excited chatter as my friends, my mother, Miranda, and Evelyn gathered around the small table. We were getting ready at what used to be Liam's family home and would soon become our shared sanctuary.
The drive to the house felt surreal. Everything looked the same yet completely different, knowing this would be my home now. Chloe had transformed the study into a professional salon overnight, complete with mirrors bordered by Hollywood-style lights and enough electrical outlets to power a small city. Soon the beauty team arrived, rolling in suitcases and equipment like they were preparing for a fashion shoot.
The transformation began immediately. Hair dryers hummed while brushes flew through my hair, creating an elegant updo that somehow managed to look effortless. A server appeared periodically with champagne flutes and delicate finger foods, keeping our energy up through the hours of primping. The atmosphere buzzed with excitement as the stylists worked their magic, their infectious enthusiasm making even the longest procedures feel like a celebration.
When the final touches were complete, I stood before the full-length mirror hardly recognizing myself. The only thing left was the dress. My mother and friends formed a careful circle around me, lifting the ivory silk creation over my head with reverent precision. Each button, each fold of fabric fell into place like it was always meant to be there.
Once I was fully dressed, everyone quietly filed out except my mother. She stood behind me in the mirror, her hands resting gently on my shoulders, tears already streaming down her cheeks despite her earlier vows not to cry.
"My darling girl, you are absolutely radiant," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
"Mom, please don't start crying or I'll lose it completely," I pleaded, though my own eyes were already welling up as I turned to embrace her.
"Hazel, I know you're going to find incredible happiness, but remember that marriage requires wisdom. You need to learn when to speak your mind and when to listen, which battles deserve your energy and which ones you should let go. It's no longer just about what you want, but what you both want together. Do you understand what I'm telling you?"
"I understand completely, Mom. I love you more than words can express. Thank you for standing by me, especially when things got complicated."
"Sweetheart, I will always be in your corner because my love for you is unwavering and infinite, a bond that nothing in this world could ever break." Her words broke down my last defenses and I sobbed openly, grateful for waterproof mascara.
A gentle knock interrupted our moment. We called out permission to enter, and my father stepped through the doorway. His face lit up with pure joy, though his eyes immediately filled with tears he tried unsuccessfully to blink away.
"Hazel, my beautiful daughter, you look absolutely stunning," he managed, dabbing at his eyes with his handkerchief. "Seeing you this happy, watching you build a life with such a good man and join a family that has become an extension of our own, fills me with overwhelming pride and gratitude for the privilege of being your father."
"Dad, you're going to make me cry all over again," I laughed through my tears as I fell into his arms. The embrace lasted only moments but felt like capturing forever. This feeling would live in my heart always.
"Hazel," my father said as he released me, "your mother and I wanted to give you something special." I noticed he was holding two small velvet jewelry boxes. "We hope you'll love them."
The first box revealed exquisite pearl drop earrings. Each pearl hung gracefully from a gold hoop embedded with three perfectly cut diamonds. They were elegant and timeless, exactly my style.
"Dad, Mom, they're absolutely gorgeous! Will you help me put them on?"
My mother carefully fastened each earring, and they complemented my dress flawlessly.
The second box contained a stunning rosary made of luminous mother-of-pearl beads that seemed to glow in the afternoon light.
"This rosary has special meaning. I would be deeply honored if you carried it with your bouquet. It belonged to my mother, who carried it on her wedding day. Now it belongs to you," my father explained, his voice heavy with emotion. The weight of family history in my hands moved me to tears again.
"The honor is entirely mine, Dad," I said with absolute sincerity.
Another knock came at the door. Damian entered with his characteristic grin, surveying the emotional scene before him.
"They sent me to check if you're crying in here," he announced, then turned toward the hallway. "She's got tears flowing like Niagara Falls, but give me two minutes alone with her first."
Damian closed the door and looked me up and down before letting out his signature whistle that never failed to make me laugh, reminding me of countless similar moments throughout our friendship.
"Hazel, I don't have adequate words to describe how beautiful you look," he said with genuine admiration. "I'm here as Liam's messenger since he's forbidden from seeing you before the ceremony, but he wanted you to have this."
Damian handed me an elegant box and a small cream envelope. I opened the note first and read Liam's familiar handwriting.
"Please don't feel pressured to wear this. I simply want to share a piece of my parents with you. If they were here today, they would adore you like their own daughter and celebrate that I found you. This belonged to my mother and now it's yours. With all my love, Your Liam."
My heart swelled as I opened the box to reveal the most exquisite tiara I'd ever seen. The delicate gold work resembled rose vine branches and leaves, with perfectly sculpted roses throughout. Tiny diamonds covered every flower and leaf, with pearls nestled among the foliage like morning dew. It was breathtaking.
I thanked Damian for delivering something so meaningful, precious not for its monetary value but for what it represented to Liam and now to me.
Damian escorted my mother out, explaining she would make her entrance with Allen, then sent the beauty team back in for final touch-ups. They refreshed my makeup and positioned the tiara perfectly in my hair.
Taking my father's arm with a radiant smile and my heart hammering with anticipation, we walked slowly toward the ceremony. French doors opened onto the garden where Chloe had hung curtains to keep me hidden until the perfect moment.
"Girl, you look like a goddess descended from heaven," Chloe exclaimed, pressing her hands to her cheeks. "Liam walked in with Evelyn, Stella managed her entrance with Adrian despite being emotional, and little Felix has the wedding coordinator practically swooning. I already made my entrance with my prince, but I ran back because I needed to give you your bouquet personally."
Chloe presented me with a stunning arrangement of white and red tulips bound with white satin ribbon that wove elegantly through the flowers. She'd kept the bouquet design secret, calling it her special surprise.
"Chl, it's absolutely perfect," I breathed, feeling emotion rising again.
"Sweetheart, this is it. When those curtains open, everyone will see you and Liam will be waiting at the altar. He might actually faint because he's incredibly nervous and you're the most gorgeous bride in existence," Chloe teased before pulling me into a fierce hug. "I'll be right beside you through everything, for the rest of our lives," my sister-like friend whispered.
Chloe departed and I returned to my father's steady arm. He asked if I was ready, and after taking a deep, centering breath, I nodded. He signaled the ceremony assistants to draw back the white curtains. The music began immediately. I looked at my beaming father, then forward with my brightest smile, seeing the love of my life waiting for me at the altar.