Last Minute Observations

     As the hour approached, I had to laugh as I thought about a condemned man walking the last mile. I kept that little joke to myself. I looked at the Cullen’s home, and how Alice had transformed it into what could only be described as a chapel. The large open main room swam with flowers, as though it were a scene from a lavish movie. The flowers had been done by a well-known florist from Los Angeles, who rumor had it, had created the floral arrangements for the televised wedding of a famous reality show couple. Intricately beautiful swags and cornices of fresh flowers, ribbons and crystals lined the wedding aisle and adorned the windows, so that I felt the scene would have put St Peter’s Basilica to shame. The aisle had been created with white silk upholstered benches, which resembled ornate church pews. The flowers had a strangely beautiful but familiar color. I realized that there were hints of topaz in the flowers. No doubt, Alice had gathered information on my favorite color and gemstone from Edward. It would explain how she chose the gold and topaz headpiece for my veil as well. The colors so enhanced the natural beauty of the Cullen’s home, I felt at any moment, photographers from Better Homes and Gardens would pop up! The staircase was similarly adorned, and a hand painted runner was placed from the top to the bottom of the stairs, where it ran into a seamless curve to the front of the aisle where a white, wrought iron pulpit stood. The runner was painted with delicately winding vines of greens and browns, with amber roses intertwined. The intricate flowers and cherubs adorning the pulpit, reminded me somewhat of the bed Edward had placed in his room for me. Candles lined the aisle along with the flowers, and created a soft, amber light that finished the effect.

      A nighttime wedding seemed the most logical thing, given that the host family would have been just a bit conspicuous if the day had turned uncustomary and the sun appeared. The effect of the decorations had begun at the mouth of the usually benign road to the house. Normally, it appeared unimpressive, and a bit overgrown. Easy to miss for those who didn’t know it was there. When we arrived that day with Alice, Charlie and I were dumbfounded at the transformation. Alice had impressed us with the roads décor for the graduation party, but now she had definitely outdone herself. At the mouth of the road, a large arch, decorated with white lanterns and the same beautiful flowers as the house, welcomed the cars passing under it. The entire length of the road was alight with white, silk-wrapped posts, with the same white lanterns atop them. Strung from post to post, were floral swags, so thick with flowers, ribbons and iridescent crystals, I didn’t know how the posts could hold them up. The crystals swaying with the breeze sparkled, and gave the road a magical dance of light. As we approached the house, we saw a neatly groomed parking area for the guests. Two attendants at the parking area were waiting to relieve the arriving guests of their cars for the evening. They were professionally dressed, and looked down to business. Probably imports from Seattle. Across from the elaborately, similarly decorated entrance to the house, was a series of several huge connected silk tents. No doubt, they contained all the necessary elements of a fairytale wedding reception.