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He holds both my hands in his, his eyes never moving from mine as he recites his vows to me. "I, Nikolaos, take you, Charlie, to be my wife; to have and to hold, from this day forward; for better, for worse; for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish; until we are parted by death."
I can’t stop the smile that’s beaming from my face. I feel giddy, almost silly with excitement. I can’t wait to say the words, to make him mine. Joy flows through my voice as I repeat the same promises back to him. "I, Charlie, take you, Nikolaos, to be my husband; to have and to hold from this day forward. I vow to accept your leadership over our family. To obey your word. To accept your discipline. For better, for worse; for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish; until we are parted by…” My throat closes, thinking of that damned curse I’d promised to leave behind, but I swallow back my fear and finish. “Death."
Nikolaos gives me a kiss and leaves me on the deck of the boat with Rockland. He steps up onto the concrete, going to one of the brothers to get the box and the candle.
This is the part that most brides would be nervous about, their first time experiencing the family ceremony, their belly in knots, not knowing what to expect. For me, I’ve been to dozens of these ceremonies, so it’s nothing but pleasant.
I’ve always loved the way we cut the lights. The luminarias and floating candles still offer a soft glow but the white lights overhead as well as the ones down in the waterway go out.
We stand in the dark, in a reverent silence for a few moments while candles are passed around. Nikolaos walks back over, carrying a tall, flickering white pillar candle in one hand, a small red leather jewelry box in the other.
He lights Rockland’s candle and from there, the flame spreads, dozens of candles fill the boathouse with light, their flickering flames reflecting off the water. When all of the candles are lit, Nikolaos hands his to Rockland so he can open the little box.
I’ve been so calm, so peaceful this whole time, but when he goes to open the little red leather jewelry box with those scrolling gold letters spelling Bachman across the top, I’m terrified. My heart pounds, my breaths come too fast. The memory of my husband’s death, the fear of losing him…
It all comes rushing over me at once. I feel lightheaded, swaying on my high heels.
"All Bachman women wear this necklace. It is a symbol of our creed, the way we live our lives, the eternal care of a man for a woman. For as long as the stars have lit the sky, men have cared for and loved the women they have pledged their lives to. And women have loved and obeyed those men, accepting them as the headship of their family. Choosing to give the gift of their submission to these men—men who would lay down their lives for the ones they love. The sword is our symbol — the length we are willing to go to, the sacrifice we would willingly make.
"Charlie, I freely give you this symbol, and pledge my very life to you. Do you accept?"
“Yes, of course.” My fingers go to the little charm. It hangs just below the flower pendant I’ve still not taken off.
"Fire,” Rockland says, “also as timeless as the Earth, symbolizes the Bachman family’s pledge to one another. To guide, care for, and protect one another above all others. Bachmans, do you accept the union of Charlie and Nikolaos?"
"We do."
"And Bachmans, do you pledge to care for and protect this bride and groom, as you would your own blood?"
"We do."
"And how long will you hold these two in your care?"
"Forever."
I dab the tears from my eyes as Nikolaos hugs me tight, kissing the top of my head. Hand in hand, we leave the room to make our way to the castle. Our reception will be the first to be held in the castle’s ballroom. I can’t wait to see what Ashely’s come up with. The family follows us into the cool air of the night, light laughter and chatting swirling around us as we navigate the path.
Single brothers dressed in black tuxes stand on either side of the big, wide doors.
Ashely’s there too. She offers me a quick hug, then steps back. She gestures to the doors like a game show attendant. "Welcome to your happily ever after, Charlie."
The young men swing the doors open in unison, revealing our celebration.
I knew Ashely would make it beautiful, but this is breathtaking. I give a little gasp. “Oh my gosh! It’s incredible.”
Nikolaos squeezes my hand, guiding me around the room to take it all in. His touch grounds me, makes my earlier lightheadedness dissipate.
The room has been transformed into a garden. Fat globe lights fan out, strung from the center of the ceiling. Beneath them hangs clear netting holding hundreds of white roses and pale pink Peruvian lilies, giving the effect of flowers floating above our heads.
There’s a stage set up at the front of the room. Tall, blooming rose bushes cover the stage, standing proudly in their huge wooden planters. A band waits at the corner of the stage, their matching green tuxes and gowns dotted with pink bow ties and sashes or cummerbunds.
I’m looking forward to that first dance, ready to relive the feeling of our first dance together at Kylie’s wedding. The band will play our song, “Falling Like the Stars.” We chose it because it reminds us of nights spent on the veranda of the castle, the sky a blanket of a thousand stars above our heads.
My chocolate and flower wall inventions are here, chocolates floating amongst big bright pink begonias and lush greenery. The cake we chose from the bakery sits on a dessert table in front of the chocolate walls, a three-tiered classic white cake with white frosting. The cake topper is a sweet surprise, a tiny little man and woman, the woman holding one hand to her adorable baby bump. There’re mini cupcakes, pink and green sprinkles dotting their white frosting, as well as white trays of pink and green macarons.
My one request was, with this being my second wedding, I wanted it a bit more casual. No announcements, no speeches, no sit-down dinner.
Flowering trees were brought in, forming a wall behind the long tables of food. Remy did all the food. An army of helpers worked under his direction for the past week. Each dish is plated on small white plates, dotting the tabletops, ready for people to grab. Scallops, lobster, duck foie gras, green salads, thin slices of smoked salmon, and delicate cuts of beef tenderloin.
