All Your Life

Marliegh

"I love this dress." Rylan smiled, smoothing out her dress.
"I knew it was a good pick." I smiled, walking over and hugging her, "What a gorgeous maid of honor."

"And what gorgeous flower girls!" Ry beamed, walking over to the playpen where Val and Evie were sitting. She reached in and picked up Val, smoothing out her the little girls dress too.

"Knock knock." Milan chuckled, opening the door,"You're not dressed? Not having second thoughts are we?" He asked, frowning and I chuckled, shaking my head.

"No cold feet, I just don't want to get anything on the dress." I sigh and he laughed.

"Brad asked me to being this to you." He smiled, handing over the bag and my heart fluttered as I took it and sat down on the couch in the bridal suite.

I pulled the card off from where it was taped to the bag and pulled it out of the envelope.

For my bride on our wedding day.

To the Future Mrs. Bradley Marchand,

I love you, honey. There is no one in this world that I would rather see walking towards me today. What we have together, you, me and our gorgeous Evie, is all I've ever wanted. You are a fantastic mother and I cannot wait to have more children and live this crazy life of ours together for the next 50, 60, 80 years. The next time I see you, you'll become my wife. The next time I get to kiss you, you'll be Marliegh Marchand. You have no idea how happy it makes me to write that. I am so thankful that fate brought you into my life. The distance between Vancouver and Halifax is 6,143.4 km, without hockey and Milan there is no way we would be here today.

I can't wait to see you,
Your future husband.

I sniffled, tears welling up in my eyes as I closed the card and pulled the tissue paper out of the bag.

"Oh my goodness."

I smiled, running my fingers lightly over the glass of the framed map of Canada, tracing the dotted line from Halifax back to Vancouver.

"That's so cute!" Rylan smiled as she leaned over my shoulder to see.

I chuckled, nodding in agreement as I started to cry. I'm marrying the perfect man.

Milan

I turned to look at Rylan, whose focus was on Marliegh as she opened the gift. Val was staring up Rylan, taking in the new face. She reached a hand up and grabbed a fistful of Rylan’s hair.

“Hey, that’s not very nice.” Rylan frowned, carefully pulling her hair back and off her shoulders. Val babbled a bit and then started laughing, “You think that’s funny?”, Rylan laughed and began to poke at Val’s stomach, making the toddler squirm and laugh even harder.

When Rylan stopped, Val looked up at her and reached her hands up to grab more hair, but Rylan poked her again, figuring out Val’s little game. Rylan then started to place kisses all over Val’s face, causing the baby to laugh and squirm again. My heart swelled at the scene in front of me.

“Oh my goodness.” Mar exclaimed as she marveled at the picture frame in her hands.

“That’s so cute!” Rylan smiled, leaning over to get a better look at it, while also dipping Val back making the baby squeal and laugh again. My smile widened at the sight of my daughter and the woman I love, hamming it up until Rylan stopped smiling.

"Awe Marliegh, honey don't cry." She cooed, turning back towards me and handing me my daughter as she crossed the room to get Mar a tissue, "You're going to ruin your make up, silly."

"He's perfect." Mar choked out chuckling as she set the frame down and stood up, turning to me, "I better get dressed, I'm getting married in half an hour. Can you tell Marshy how much I loved it?"

"Of course, Mari." I nodded, smiling as I crossed the room and handed Val back to Ry, giving both of my girls a quick kiss, "You look beautiful, by the way."

Ry blushed and shooed me away, making me laugh as I left the girls to get ready in the bridal suite and headed back to Tree Tops. The second I stepped through the door, Brad came running down the stairs, half dressed.

“Well?” he asked, nervous about Marliegh’s reaction to his gift.

“Well, she loved the gift, it seriously brought her to tears, but I think she's getting cold feet. She won't put her dress on."

“What?! I knew this would happen! She was so nervous I was going to leave her and now she’s going to turn around and leave me?!” he started freaking out, pacing the short length of the foyer and running a hand through his hair.

“I was just kidding, Marshy.” I chuckled as his panic faded and he stared at me in shock.

“Fuck you!” he shoved me and we both started laughing it off, “Go get ready, you dick!”

Brad

"You sure about this?" Tyler smirked as I nodded, trying not to fidget impatiently. We didn't have too many guests, mostly just family and a handful of the guys from the team.

"I can't imagine wanting anything more, Ty." I chuckled, thankful my sleeves were already rolled up to my elbows. Marliegh didn't want our wedding pictures to look like it was a game day, so we're all wearing two pieces of a three piece suit with the sleeves rolled up instead.

"I think that was the sign you were waiting for." Bergy chuckled, pointing over to the back doors and I smiled as Milan popped his head out and gave us a thumbs up. I took a deep breath and nodded to my sister who started the music.

Jovan waited for the lyrics to start before coming out carrying Evie, at four months old she was a little young to get throwing petals, so she had a burnt orange tulip in hand instead. She looked around wide eyed at all of the people and I chuckled, waving to her once I caught her eye.

It's always been about me, myself, and I
I thought relationships were nothing but a waste of time
I never wanted to be anybody's other half
I was happy saying I had a love that wouldn't last
That was the only way I knew 'til I met you

Just as Jovan reached the front row, Milan came out with Valentina and grabbed a few petals from her basket, tossing them. She screamed laughing and everyone laughed with her as she grabbed one and threw it too.

You make me wanna say
I do, I do, I do, do do do do do do doo
Yeah, I do, I do, I do, do do do do do do doo
Cause every time before it's been like
Maybe yes and maybe no
I can't live without it, I can't let it go
Ooh what did I get myself into?
You make me wanna say I do, I do, I do, I do, I do, I do,

Everyone laughed again as Milan sat down with Val and Marleigh's youngest brother, Nikola, came out with a ring bearer's pillow despite being 21 years old. This was the only way Mar could think of to include him in the ceremony since we agreed on just a best man and maid of honor.

Tell me is it only me
Do you feel the same?
You know me well enough to know that I'm not playing games
I promise I won't turn around and I won't let you down
You can trust I've never felt it like I feel it now
Baby there's nothing, there's nothing we can't get through
So can we say

Ty chuckled with Niki, grabbing the rings from him as Rylan came out next, looking gorgeous in a long dress with a bouquet to match Evie's. I smiled when I saw the charm bracelet Marliegh was stressing about on her wrist. Mar is a sentimental sap and hand picked every charm to have a special meaning, then spent the following two weeks worried Ry wouldn't like it or get the meanings.

I do, I do, I do, do do do do do do doo
Oh baby, I do, I do, I do, do do do do do do doo
Cause every time before it's been like
Maybe yes and maybe no
I won't live without it, I won't let it go
What more can I get myself into?

Ry reached her place up front and threw me an encouraging smile as I took a deep breathe and glanced back at the doors. Marliegh stepped out arm in arm with her dad. Tyler patted my back as I smiled wider at my gorgeous wife to be. Marliegh wasn't one for the Cinderella dress and instead wore a just beyond the knee length pristine white dress with 3/4 sleeves and her hair pulled up. She beamed and I swallowed back tears as my mind raced. I get to spend the rest of my life with Mar, a year ago I didn't think I'd be so lucky.

You make me wanna say
Me, a family, a house, a family
Ooh, can we be a family?
And when I'm eighty years old I'm sitting next to you

And we'll remember when we said
I do, I do, I do, do do do do do do do
Oh baby, I do, I do, I do, do do do do do do do
Cause every time before it's been like
Maybe yes and maybe no
I won't live without it, I won't let us go
Just look at what we got ourselves into

Her dad smiled at me, shaking my hand before giving her a kiss on the cheek and giving me her hand. He sat down with her mother and brothers and I smiled. One day, that's going to be me. I'm going to be walking Evie down the aisle and giving my baby girl to some undeserving idiot.

You make me wanna say I do, I do, I do, I do, I do, I do,
Love you

"Hi." She smiled and I chuckled, feeling the tension of my nerves crack now that she was up here with me.

"Hi."

We turned towards Bergy - who jokingly offered to ordain the wedding when we announced our engagement, not expecting us to take him up on his offer.

"We are gathered here, not to witness the beginning of what will be, but rather what already is! We are gathered here to celebrate with Mariana and Bradley - and the beautiful little Evelyn - the wondrous and joyful occurrence that has already taken place in their lives, and the commitment they make today."

Mar gave my hand a squeeze and I smiled wider at her excitement.

"Now Mar and Brad would like to invite Soupy - I mean Greg - to give the reading." Bergy chuckled as Soupy walked up to the front and stood beside us.

"Before I start, I'd like to mention that neither Mar or Brad know what I'm going to say. They let me pick my own reading in hopes that as a married man I could give them some advice. I hope I did them justice."

"Big mistake!" Thornton chirped and everyone laughed as Soupy rolled his eyes and pulled his reading out of suit jacket.

"When things in your lives seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous “yes.”

The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

“Now,” said the professor as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things–your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions–and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.

The sand is everything else–the small stuff. “If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

“Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first–the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented. The professor smiled. “I’m glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a few beers with a friend.”

"Thanks Soupy." Mar smiled as he kissed her cheek then shook my hand and sat back down.

"Now it's time for Mar and Brad to share their vows with each other, they chose to go with poems instead of writing their own or using the traditional vows. Mariana?" Bergy prompted and Mar turned to grab a cue card from Rylan.

"Yes, I’ll marry you, my dear, and here’s the reason why; So I can push you out of bed when the baby starts to cry, and if we hear a knocking and it’s creepy and it’s late, I hand you the torch you see, and you investigate.

"Yes I’ll marry you, my dear, you may not apprehend it, but when the tumble-drier goes it’s you that has to mend it. You have to face the neighbour should our Labrador attack him, and if a drunkard fondles me it’s you that has to whack him.

"Yes, I’ll marry you, you’re virile and you’re lean, my house is like a pigsty you can help to keep it clean. That tasty little dinner which you served by candlelight, as I do chipolatas, you can cook it every night!

"It’s you who has to work the drill and put up curtain track, and when I am in a mood it’s you who gets the flak. I do see great advantages, but none of them for you, and so before you see the light, I do, I do, I do."

I chuckled, pulling her hand up and kissing it because I know I can't kiss her. Leave it to Marliegh to find something funny to keep everyone laughing.

"Bradley?" Bergy prompted and I pulled my own cue card out of my pocket, making Mar chuckle.

"I carry your heart with me I carry it in my heart. I am never without it. Anywhere i go you go, my dear and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling.

"I fear no fate, for you are my fate, my sweet. I want no world, for beautiful you are my world, my true. And it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you.

"Here is the deepest secret nobody knows. Here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud, and the sky of the sky of a tree called life. Which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart.

"I carry your heart, I carry it in my heart." I smiled as Mar gave my hand a squeeze and sniffled.

"Who knew the Honey Badger was a softy?" Bergy joked and everyone laughed again, "Tyler, can we have the rings?"

Tyler patted his pockets and looked over at Niki who threw the empty ring pillow at him, making him smirk as he pulled out the rings, "Just kidding!"

I rolled my eyes as he handed me the rings and smiled up at Mar as she held out her hand with spread fingers, "With this ring, I thee wed." I slipped the ring one and beamed at the sight of it as I held out my ring for Mar.

"With this ring, I thee wed."

"And now, by the power vested in me by the province of Nova Scotia, I hereby pronounce you husband and wife. Marshy, go ahead and kiss her." Bergy beamed and Mar grabbed the back of my neck, pulling me into a kiss before I had the chance. I could hear our guests laughing and joined in as we pulled away.

"I'm glad to see you're taking this name change thing well." I smirked and she rolled her eyes, smiling despite herself.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Bradley Marchand!"