I stood off to the side where I could watch everyone walk down the aisle without Jasper seeing me.
I could see Jasper standing next to Esme, fidgeting with his sleeve. He was nervous, but so was I.
"You look beautiful, Emma." I turned around to see Sam walking up to me with Carlisle. Both wore matching suits, and I was so happy they were with me.
"Thank you, Sam," I told him, a smile on my face.
"You ready?" Carlisle asked me.
"I'm ready," I responded, turning around to watch everyone walk.
As the music started, Esme took Jasper's hand in her own and began to walk down the aisle. The two walked peacefully as everyone in the audience smiled at them.
We had invited a lot of people that the Cullens knew. The entire Denali coven was here, along with two vampires who were Jasper's friends. I had invited some people from the Rez who I knew. There were a few normal people in the audience, like Charlie, who was ecstatic when I had invited him along with Bella. No one from the school was invited, and I only realized that after Bella had brought it up a few days prior.
I focused back on the aisle as Jasper and Esme made it to the alter. Esme hugged Jasper before sitting down. Jasper took his spot up in front and turned to watch everyone else walk down the aisle. The setting sun behind him made everything look picture perfect.
We both watched as Rosalie and Noah walked down the aisle with Emmet, Edward, Seth, Alice, Bree, and Emily following. They all looked so at peace as they smiled up at Jasper. They made it up to the front one by one, and they all took their places.
Then Quill and Embry walked down the aisle with Paul trailing behind them. None of them were arguing like they had the day before. Instead, Quill and Embry threw flowers down the aisle as if it were their greatest joy in life. The three made it to the end and sat down.
"Alright, Emma," Sam told me. "It's time."
Both Sam and Carlisle placed their arms out for me. I interlocked both my arms around theirs. "Don't let me fall," I told them, suddenly very nervous about walking down the aisle.
"Never," Carlisle told me, tightening his grip on my arm.
The music changed as the three of us walked to the end of the aisle. We rounded the corner as everyone stood up, but all I cared about was Jasper.
His golden eyes locked with mine, and I felt a pulling sensation in my gut.
There he was, standing at the end of the impossibly long aisle that Alice had insisted on. I had seen him from the side, but this was different. All else faded away as I looked at Jasper's face. His blonde hair was styled like it was every day, and I was glad he hadn't changed it for today. He had an unmatchable smile, and I don't think I had ever seen him happier.
I could see him glance down to look at my dress when his eyes caught my shoe choice. He looked back up at me, trying not to laugh at what I had decided to wear.
I continued to walk down the aisle until we reached the end. As we did, I turned to Sam first and hugged him before doing the same with Carlisle. Both of them smiled at me before taking their seats.
I moved to take my place across from Jasper as he took my hands in his.
"Cowboy boots and a tiara?" he asked me jokingly.
"In my defense, you chose the tiara without me knowing," I told him, squeezing his hands in mine to make sure this was real.
"You look beautiful."
"You look perfect."
Eleazar cut off any other conversation we could have by officially starting the ceremony. "Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to witness the union of Jasper Whitlock Hale and Emma Cullen."
Jasper and I smiled even wider at our ridiculous last name conundrum. We had spent a few hours the day before trying to figure out what our last names were so it didn't sound weird to others that we were getting married.
I was so focused on Jasper that I had missed some of what Eleazar had said. Before I knew it, we were to the vows.
"Jasper, will you repeat after me," Eleazar said, continuing smoothly. I tuned Eleazar out for a second, just focusing on Jasper's words.
"I, Jasper.... take thee, Emma.... to be my wedded wife.... to have and to hold, from this day forward..... for better, or for worse, for richer, or poorer..... in sickness and in health..... to love and to cherish.... till death do us part."
A chuckle rose from most of the audience since we all knew death would not come naturally for either of us. I smiled up at Jasper as he spoke with a smile.
Eleazar turned to me and asked me the same thing, "Emma, will you repeat after me."
"I, Emma.... take thee, Jasper to be my wedded husband .... to have and to hold, from this day forward..... for better, or for worse, for richer, or poorer..... in sickness and in health..... to love and to cherish.... till death do us part."
"Now," Eleazar said, taking over. "Jasper, would you like to share your own vows?"
"Yes," Jasper replied, not looking away from me. "Emma, when we met, I was not ready for the adventure we were about to go on, but there is nothing in the world that would make me regret our journey. Through trials and tribulations, we have preserved, and I know we will get through anything together. You've always been my puppy, but from today on, I promise to treat you like the queen you are. I've loved you for years, I love you today, and I'll love you for forever." His eyes flicked up as he said, 'queen,' letting me know that was why I was wearing a tiara, and I was touched.
I could feel tears welling up in my eyes, but I didn't want to cry just yet. I had to make it through the ceremony without ruining my makeup.
"Emma, would you like to say something?"
"Yeah," I told him, smiling up at Jasper. "From the moment I saw you, I knew you were it for me. I knew we would have our challenges, but nothing we have or will ever go through will change how much I love you. No matter who we were, we are now each other's perfect halves. You are my idiot, and you'll always be my cowboy, but you're so much more than that. I know with you by my side, nothing is impossible, and everything will be okay. I promise you; I'll always be here by your side, annoying you and loving you."
Jasper smiled down at me, shaking his head at my ridiculousness, but I knew he loved it.
"Alright," Eleazar said, "It's time for the rings."
Jasper and I looked into the audience for the first time to watch Paul. As we looked out, I saw Esme, Carlisle, and Sam smiling at us. Sam had tears falling down his face, making me chuckle quietly to myself.
Paul walked up to the two of us and handed us the opposite rings. Before he left, he leaned in and whispered, "I thought you would like to know that Seth is crying again, but he's smiling, so I think he's okay."
We both glanced back behind Jasper, where Seth was crying with a smile on his face. Before we moved to make sure he was okay, he gave us a thumbs-up, saying, "I'm okay," quietly. We both sent him a smile before turning back to Paul.
"Thank you, Paul," I told him just before he walked back to his seat.
Jasper and I turned back to each other. He picked up my hand gently and repeated what Eleazar told him to. "With this ring, I thee wed." He slipped the ring on my finger, adding one last sentence. "And I promise to love you forever."
I smiled as I took his hand in mine, placing the ring in my hand on his finger. "With this ring, I thee wed. And I promise to love you always."
With a smile, Jasper took both my hands in his. I squeezed them, grounding myself in the moment with him.
"Jasper, do you take Emma to be your wife?"
"I do." He didn't hesitate for a moment, and his smile never left his face.
"Emma, do you take Jasper to be your husband?"
"I do."
"Then it is my pleasure to pronounce the two of you as husband and wife." Eleazar's words were everything I was waiting for. "Jasper, you may now kiss the bride."
Jasper gently pulled me closer. I wrapped my arms around him as his lips met mine. We had kissed plenty of times before, but never as husband and wife, and never with so much love. As we pulled back, I looked into his beautiful honey eyes, soaking up every moment.
"Ladies and gentlemen, for the first time ever, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Whitlock-Hale-Cullen."
"We've got a long last name," I told him quietly.
"That we do," he replied before kissing me once again.