Her grip tightened on the bouquet as she glanced at the far door, contemplating what to do next.
All the other choices were so easy to make, why was this one so hard? She knew she couldn’t delay it any longer. The decision she made would live on in everyone’s memories for the rest of their lives. She knew what she needed to do.
The wedding might have been a year away, but for Allie Livingwater, it felt like mere weeks.
Every time she passed by a bridal boutique, she found herself tearing up with warm memories. She had met Timothy over three years ago, but she knew right from day one that they were meant to be together.
Since he proposed two months ago, Allie had devoured every bridal magazine within a 100-mile radius.
Everything from centerpiece ideas to possible venues was carefully organized in her pristine-white binder – the wedding tome to end all tomes. There was just one problem.
While pictures of invitations were clear in her mind, and the honeymoon was a no-brainer, the wedding dress was turning out to be a bigger headache than expected.
There had already been visits to numerous boutiques, but nothing clicked. Nothing grabbed her heart and made her shed tears of joy as she saw them in the movies. It turned out the answer was only a few blocks away.
Allie sat at her grandmother, Anne’s, kitchen table, sipping tea and chatting about her nan’s own wedding experiences.
To keep true to the “something old, new, borrowed, blue” tradition, she was hoping to borrow the set of pearls she had loved since she was old enough to reach the jewelry box.
Being a thrifty woman, her grandmother suggested they rummage through the basement and attic boxes for anything else that might be added to the decor – things like antique picture frames, or even one of her crystal knickknacks for a cake topper.
They were in the attic when Allie spotted a tuft of white sticking out of a plastic bag. “Oh, don’t bother with that, dear,” Anne said.
But Allie was still curious.
She pulled at the fabric until an entire wedding gown furled out onto the dusty floor. “Best stay away from that style,” her grandma said. “It’s probably very out of date.” But Allie wanted to see how it looked. So, she ran behind a pile of boxes and slipped them on.
She couldn’t believe it! It fit perfectly!
Just a few repairs here and there, as well as some dry cleaning, and it would be ready to wear down the aisle. Her grandmother clasped her hands to her mouth, tears trickling down her cheeks. But when Allie found a hidden pocket and pulled out a crumpled note, her grandmother’s tears grew.
“I can’t believe that’s still there,” she whispered. “After all these years.”
Allie unfolded the note. Her eyes grew wide. She read the words over and over again. Had her grandmother actually spoken these words during her wedding?
The months rolled by, and Allie ticked off the finished tasks one by one.
During that entire time, however, she had never told anyone she had found something in the dress pocket. She simply had the gown cleaned and went about life … at least for now.
When the big day came, Allie sat in the bridal suite, fidgeting with the bracelet she had borrowed from her mother.
It had been an internal, back and forth, struggling as to whether or not she should reveal what was on the note. It wasn’t what anyone would expect. Even as she walked down the aisle with her father, she was torn.
The music ended and she stood before Timothy, his eyes wide with joy and awe.
The officiant talked about love and commitment, and then it was finally time to share their vows. Allie glanced at her grandmother, who looked so proud, but then at the exit at the back of the church. She took a deep breath and pulled out the note.
“I wasn’t sure how to do this,” Allie said, holding the paper in her shaking hands.
“But this note had been hidden away in my grandmother’s wedding dress since the day she was married. It gives one simple piece of advice – run.”
Timothy flashed a look of worry and whispers passed through the congregation.
Allie kept reading. “Run. I run towards you to be with you always. I run beside you while holding your hand and overcoming any obstacle. I run for you when your burdens are heavy. I run. I run to love and for love.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her grandmother burst into tears.
The note had the vows from so long ago – and now they were brought to life again. It wasn’t just a dress she had found in the attic it was a legacy of love passed down through the generations. They were the perfect words, and she was honored to say them.