The Wedding

My whole life I have never been taught how to love someone properly; love wasn't something that was shown in my house being that my parents were divorced. When I started elementary school I met one of my lifelong friends, Matilda Stone. We grew up together almost all the way through high school. Here, we are now graduated from college and share a photography business. I have always believed that love, at first sight, was possible even though I didn't grow up with it. 

I walk into my joint studio with Matilda.

 “You have a wedding to shoot tomorrow, and girlfriend you need some new clothes,” Matilda said to me while messing with her thumbs.

“Okay, I’ll go after work Mati,” I tell her as I head back to my office to submit my pictures to a journal for a major article. I have no idea what I want to wear to this wedding, maybe I will meet my future husband no one ever knows. I finish submitting my pictures to the Hickory Daily Record and head out to go shopping for this wedding I will be shooting at. I find the closest thrift store and walk-in hoping for success. I hate going shopping it's just long and boring; I never have a need to go shopping because I always buy clothes online. I am searching the last rack in this store when I find the perfect black Sherri Hill jumpsuit. I grab it quickly off the rack and take it back to the dressing room to try it on. I put it on and I feel amazing! Like I’m in high school all over again. Back on the hanger it goes and to the front, I go; I’m on a mission to get home and be able to continue writing my book. 

As I make my way to the front, I get knocked into by a large muscular figure. You could tell it was a male who was not paying attention to where he was going. “Hey! Watch out where you are going man, you made me drop my purse and clothes,” I stated angrily.

“You watch out you were the one not paying attention,” the tall dark-headed man said to me. 

“I was paying attention! You were the one who was on your phone,” I aggressively said to him. He’s taking up my writing time right now. I give up arguing with him and continue on my mission home. Once I arrive home, I hang my new jumpsuit in my closet with all of my other clothes. I sit down in my nice comfy and warm bed with my laptop to begin writing, or at least I tried to start writing. The minute I sat down in bed my eyes couldn’t stay open and asleep I went. 

Buzz Buzz Buzz off went my alarm clock, and I did not want to get out of bed at all. I got up and headed for the bathroom to use the toilet and brush my teeth. I sit at my vanity wondering what I should do with my hair and makeup. I applied light makeup and curled my hair; I picked out my jewelry and put my beautiful jumpsuit on. My hands are going to be full this morning no time to make coffee, but I can stop and get it at Dunkin Donuts. 

I grab my keys, camera bag, purse, and lens backpack. I head out the door for Rhonda my Honda civic car, I unlock it and put all my stuff in the back seat. I get in the front seat and turn my radio on to my favorite songs that I play through my AUX cord. I pull out of the driveway and head to the wedding venue on the other side of town. I arrive at the venue and set up all the materials needed for the wedding. I finally get everything ready and begin walking around to take in the view of this venue. “This place is gorgeous!” I say to myself not thinking anyone was near me.

“That makes two of gorgeous views for me,” a voice behind me states. 

I turn around to see the man from the store yesterday.  “This is a great place to have a wedding,” I say to him. 

“You’re right, it's got some great views too,” he says looking me up and down now standing next to me. 

I look him in the eyes and smile, I guess that yesterday I was too caught up in screaming at him; I never fully realized what he looked like. 

He reaches his hand out gesturing for me to shake his hand. “Joey Mathews. Best man,” He said shaking my hand. 

“Chelsa Wells. Wedding Photographer,” I said shaking his hand back. 

He is wearing a black suit with a bowtie.

“How is being a best man?” I ask him trying to keep a conversation going with him.

“Fun and tiring. Jack has got me running around looking like my head is about the get cut off,” he said grabbing a glass from in front of us. 

I grabbed a glass as well and filled it with water. “Well, I should go finish setting up, It was nice to meet you, Joey,” I said walking back to my camera and stuff. 

“See you around, Chelsa,” he said walking back into the house on the venue where everyone was getting ready. 

I grab my camera and head inside to shoot some pictures before the wedding began. I take pictures of the bride and bridesmaids while they are getting their hair and makeup done. I then head towards the east wing in which the groom and groomsmen were; I walk in and he stares at me. Our eyes meet, I’ve never had this strong eye contact with someone before. It was like there was a firing passion he had in him about me. I wasn't anything special. I was just a plain old wedding photographer and he was the best man.

 I photographed the whole wedding, and I had never seen anything like this! It was sweet and passionate, the bride and groom had something in them I had never seen before. I head into the reception area, where I wait for the bride and groom’s entrance. As it begins I station myself in a corner near the bride and groom table. 

Joey walks out and sits down right next to where I stationed myself. “So we meet again pretty lady,” he said sitting down next to me.

“Hi,” I said softly back to him. He looks down at me and winks. He winked at me! I have never felt the butterflies in my stomach before I just felt for him. I continue shooting the reception, I have pictures from the entrance and first dance. I sit back down in the corner to eat a quick granola bar I packed. 

“Hiding in the corner, I see,” He said sitting down next to me after the best man seat. 

“No, I just grabbed a bit to eat from my bag,” I told him sitting on the floor and taking more pictures. 

“I’ll be right back,” he said getting up and walking away. 

Good, I just scared him away like I always do. 

After five minutes he comes back with a plate of food and hands it to me. “Here, this is better than a granola bar,” he said handing me a fork to eat it with. 

“I think the granola bar would have worked, but thank you. I appreciate it a lot,” I say shoving my mouth full of food. Oh goodness, this food is good. 

“I guess it was good?” he said beginning to laugh.

“Very good!” I said with a mouthful of food. I begin to laugh, we continue laughing together. 

“Would you like to dance?” he asked getting up and putting his hand out for me to grab. 

“Sure, why not!” I said getting up and grabbing his hand. We both get to the dance floor and begin dancing. I have this feeling in my heart something was about to happen, but I just let it go and continued dancing. 

He leans down and whispers in my ear, “If I kissed you how would you feel?” 

I didn't know what to say, I was in shock. I smiled very big and leaned into his ear whispering back, “I wouldn’t stop you.”

He leaned down to my height and began to kiss me. I felt a spark in me something I had never felt before. I knew I had never ever felt like this before with a guy. I knew he was the one, and I was right because here we are four years later getting married in the same spot as that day.