by Maggie Way
“She’s agreed to work with us, but we haven’t set a meeting yet. I’m waiting for her return call to confirm.”
“If she’s available, let’s see if we can meet with her next weekend.”
“All right,” Bonnie agreed.
Austin asked, “Cassi, can your brother Mikey watch the farm this weekend?”
“I think so. I don’t know of anything that would keep him away.” Her brother was attending the University of Kentucky.
“Good. You and I will go shopping this weekend.” Austin said.
“But,” Cassi said, “the whole point is for you not to see me in my wedding gown.”
“I won’t. That doesn’t mean we can’t go on a trip together. I just won’t go into the store with you.”
The thought of a long weekend with Austin was appealing. “But what are you going to do while I’m doing that?”
“I need to look at tuxes, don’t I?”
“You sure do.”
“Okay then,” Austin clapped his hands. “Cassi and I will go shopping for her new gown. We’ll discuss everything we want for the wedding so we’re ready to talk with the wedding planner when we meet.”
“I’d like to be at the meeting with Jasmine, too.” Bonnie said.
“Of course, Mom. We want to take your wishes into consideration as well. But the final decisions will be made by us.” He pulled Cassi into his arms.
“I guess that’s fair,” Bonnie agreed, shrugging her shoulders.
Cassi grinned. Even though she’d have to get a new wedding gown, things were looking up.
Chapter Six
Two days later, instead of driving to Louisville to go bridal gown shopping, as Cassi had expected, Austin instead surprised her with a trip to New York City.
He arranged for a honeymoon suite at an exclusive bed and breakfast near Central Park. After they dropped off their bags, a horse-drawn carriage was waiting to take them to a nearby restaurant.
Before getting into the white carriage with burgundy velvet seats, Cassi and Austin admired the dappled gray horse whose mane was braided and adorned with pink roses.
Austin held her hand while she stepped up into the carriage. Then he climbed in and sat beside her. He draped his arm around her shoulders, and Cassi leaned into him. A glass vase was attached to the back of the driver’s seat and was filled with more of the pink roses.
“This is a nice surprise,” she murmured. The rhythmic sound of the horse’s hooves on the concrete combined with the slow pace of the ride was relaxing her.
“I thought this would be a romantic way to tour some of the area,” Austin answered.
“It’s fantastic. I love it.” Cassi sought Austin’s lips. Gently they kissed, keeping with the mood of the carriage ride.
Austin’s hand clasped hers and they rode in silence. Cassi loved the juxtaposition of the sounds of the city and the horse whickering as they rode. The carriage veered off the street into Central Park. As they rode farther into the park, the city sounds faded.
Cassi’s stomach growled. “Um, how long is our ride going to be? I’m starting to get a bit hungry.”
“We’re almost there.” Austin replied.
“Really?”
He nodded.
Cassi settled back and waited for this next surprise her wonderful fiancé had arranged for her. The carriage crossed a bridge with a large expanse of water on either side, and in the distance a large stone structure lit up with lamps and twinkling lights came into view.
“Is this...,” Cassi began to ask in wonder.
“It’s the Tavern On The Green restaurant.” Austin smiled.
“Ohmigosh this is so exciting. I’ve seen it in several of the movies I’ve watched over the years, but never thought I’d eat here!”
“I’m glad you like it.”
“I most certainly do.” She squeezed his arm in thanks and excitement.
This was turning out to be the most romantic night of Cassi’s life.
The next morning, they took a cab to the best bridal salon in New York City. Before entering, Austin said, “Cassi, I wanted to let you know how great last night was.”
“It was wonderful,” she replied, brushing an errant lock of his black hair off his forehead.
“I can’t take any credit for today’s events. This bridal appointment and anything else today, my mother did.”
“That was very thoughtful of her.”
“I think she might have been more distraught over the gown escapade than you were.” He grinned. “And she wanted to make it up to you. She told me that every bride deserves the perfect dress—one her groom hasn’t seen. The wedding planner pulled some strings and arranged this appointment on short notice.”
“Well, if this is any indication of the power this Jasmine wields, then I think our wedding day will be pretty special.”
“The fact that we are getting married is what will make it special,” he said, reaching up to touch her cheek. “Everything else will be icing on the cake.”
Cassi leaned up and kissed him, right there on Fifth Avenue, for all the world to see. Now, someone could take that picture and share it with the world, and she wouldn’t mind one bit.
They entered the store, and were greeted by their assigned consultants. Austin was taken to the side of the salon with tuxedos, while Cassi was whisked over pink carpeting past rows of white gowns. There were at least ten separate areas where bridal parties could gather to watch the brides show off their gown selections.
A pang of longing came over her. Cassi wished her best friend could be here to enjoy this experience, and help her pick out the perfect gown.
Cassi and her consultant, Nicole, sat down in one of the large fitting rooms.
Nicole said, “I understand from Jasmine that you like simple, classic gowns. With the photo she provided, I’ve selected several gowns for you to try on. Depending on your feedback, I’ll choose more for you. We’ll do our best to find that special gown for you.”
“Did she tell you I already had a special one, but a photo was leaked?”
Nicole nodded. “Two of the gowns I’ve selected for you are by the same designer, and I selected another gown by a different designer that has the same aesthetic.”
Nicole first pulled a gown from the same designer as Cassi’s first gown. Once it was out of the protective plastic, she helped Cassi maneuver into it.
“I like it,” Cassi said as she looked in the mirror. “It’s the same simple gown, no beading, but it’s strapless. We plan on getting married in our horse barn in December, so I’m not sure that will work.”
“You can always wear a jacket or sweater. I’ve seen a lot of people do that when their weddings are in more rustic or outside venues.”
“Oh, it has pockets,” Cassi said as she slid her hands into the silky folds. “That’s fun.” Like the other dress, it had a rhinestone belt cinched around the waist to keep it from being too plain. This style had a more flared A-line bottom to it, but it was equally simple and elegant.
“All right,” Cassi said, “let’s try the next one on.”
“Oh, not yet. You have to view yourself in the parlor area.”
“But I didn’t come with a group of people.”
“You can get a 360-degree view of yourself in the mirrors out there. Trust me, it’ll help you decide.”
“Okay,” Cassi conceded. She lifted the bottom gently so she wouldn’t trip while walking out to the 360-degree mirror.
When Nicole started to lead her to an area where several people were sitting in the sofa, Cassi hesitated to follow. The consultant must have her confused with another bride.
But then everyone on the sofa turned to look at her. Cassi was surprised to find Eleanor, Bonnie, and her maid of honor, Sandy, staring back at her.
“Oh, my gosh!” Cassi rushed over to them as best she could in the long, full gown. Sandy ran to her first and they hugged.
“I couldn’t believe it when Austin called me Thursday and
asked me if I could make it.” She whispered in Cassi’s ear, “and he’s paying for the whole trip!”
Cassi squeezed her friend’s shoulders. It was her turn to whisper in her friend’s ear. “How cool is that? We had the most romantic evening ever last night, complete with a horse carriage ride in Central park.”
Bonnie interrupted their girl talk and hugged Cassi. “I hope you don’t mind the surprise,” she said as she air-kissed Cassi’s cheeks. “I wanted to make up for the whole debacle with your first gown.” She stepped away and looked at Cassi. “And this gown is a strong candidate.”
Cassi hugged Eleanor, who added, “This is very nice. What do you think?”
“Come on up to the dais and look at yourself,” Nicole said with a grin.
Cassi did as instructed. She swayed to the left and right so she could view the back of the gown, which had a small train.
“I like it,” she said. Turning, she asked the group, “What do you guys think?”
They all gave the thumbs up sign.
“I’ve got a couple more to try on, so I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
This weekend was turning out to be the best of her life. Her best friend and future family had all made the trip just to make the day special for her. She felt very lucky.
The second dress was beautiful as well. It had a fitted, long-sleeve, boatneck top, and the skirt was made up of layer upon layer of sheer material that had flowers scattered near the bottom of the hem. When Cassi showed it to everyone, she got two thumbs up and one down.
The third dress had more of a mermaid shape. It flared out below the knees in layers of organza. Cassi had trouble walking out to the showroom to share it. Once she was on the raised platform, she turned around for opinions. Everyone gave a thumbs-up vote.
“I like it too,” Cassi said, “But I feel like I can’t breathe and I can’t walk.” Comfort was a must, so it was disqualified on those grounds alone.
She changed back into the first gown. It was simple and elegant like her first one, and she loved the pockets. Cassi walked back out again, and this time she felt confident this was the dress.
“It’s gorgeous, Cassi,” Sandy said.
“I love it, dear,” Eleanor agreed.
Cassi turned and looked at Bonnie for her approval. She was surprised to find her future mother-in-law dabbing at her eyes with a tissue.
“It’s as magnificent as the first one. You’ll be the loveliest bride in Kentucky.”
“Thank you.” Cassi was sincere. It meant the world to her that Austin’s mother seemed to have accepted her.
“Now I need to decide on Sandy’s dress,” she said, smiling at her friend. “I want it to be something you can wear again, and, of course, something that doesn’t cost a fortune.”
Nicole said, “I can pull a few dresses. Sandy, why don’t you come back with us? We’ll get Cassi out of her gown and then focus on you.”
Cassi enjoyed the few moments she got to spend alone with her best friend while they waited for Nicole to return. She filled her in on her romantic date with Austin and told her about the wedding planner Bonnie had hired.
The bridal consultant was back in no time with three options from which Sandy could choose from. Two were simple cocktail dresses that could easily be worn on an evening out or to another wedding. The third was a long gown, which neither Cassi nor Sandy wanted to consider.
Sandy tried them both on and chose a knee-length dress with a simple a-line silhouette like Cassi’s gown, with short sleeves, but with a turtleneck. The last choice was color. Cassi was torn between red and black, but she chose black since Sandy looked better in that color. Nicole took their selections to be packaged for their trip home.
Cassi and Sandy giggled like school girls as they made their way to the main waiting area, where Eleanor and Bonnie were waiting for them.
Austin was with them. Cassi rushed up to him and kissed him. “Thanks so much for today.”
“I’m glad it made you happy.”
“You make me happy.” She grinned at him.
“Now, before we go off for dinner, I can’t come to New York City without a trip to Tiffany’s,” Bonnie declared. “I want to look at their latest collection of tennis bracelets.”
Cassi wanted to pinch herself to make sure the life she had now was real. Less than a year ago, she had been mired in debt, facing foreclosure. Now she was getting married to the love of her life, and his family was helping ensure their wedding was the most special day of their lives.
A Town Car waited at the curb and whisked them to Tiffany’s.
Upon entering the store, Cassi was awed by the tall ceilings and the endless display cases filled with sparkling jewelry. There was a grand staircase that led to another level.
They all followed Bonnie as she made her way to a counter in the far corner. The gentleman behind the glass counter removed a small blue box with white ribbon and handed it to her.
Bonnie turned and handed it to Cassi, shocking her. “Welcome to the Keller family.”
“What?” Cassi couldn’t imagine what it could be.
“Austin has told me that you don’t wear much jewelry, but I wanted to get you a little something to welcome you.”
With shaking hands, Cassi untied the satin ribbon and took the top off the box. Inside was a small silver silhouette of a horseshoe with blue topaz stones. “I’ve never seen anything like it!” Cassi exclaimed.
“And you probably won’t. I had it custom made for you. It’s a pin, so you can wear it on a jacket or sweater.”
“It’s so lovely and thoughtful. Thanks so much.” Threatening tears blurred Cassi’s vision. She wished her own mother was here. She wrapped Bonnie in a bear hug, thankful for the touching gesture.
Chapter Seven
The next weekend Cassi and Austin’s family finally met with the “wedding whisperer,” Jasmine.
Cassi had expected some very refined “uber” professional, someone like her future mother-in-law, but Jasmine was more of a free-spirited earth mother. Her long blonde hair fell to her waist, wire rim glasses a la John Lennon perched on her nose, and had silver angel wing earrings. Her outfit was an oversized tunic with brightly colored abstract shapes, paired with black leggings and Birkenstock sandals.
They were seated in the Kellers’ living room, where Jasmine had set up two easels in front of the fireplace, one on either side.
While Cassi and Austin were seated together on one end of the couch, Eleanor sat on the other. Bonnie was in a side chair.
Jasmine had center stage.
“I understand you all have different ideas about what you want for Austin and Cassi’s upcoming nuptials. What everyone needs to understand is this is about love. It’s not about competing with other weddings, or outdoing an adversary. It is about sharing in the joy of Austin and Cassi’s love, and their wedding should reflect their personalities and their dreams.”
Cassi smiled. It was starting to seem as if this wedding consultant was, indeed, the answer to her prayers.
Jasmine continued. “Bonnie informed me that the two of you want to get married at your stables, and you want it to be just close family and friends.”
“That’s right,” Cassi agreed.
“The wedding ceremony, where vows are exchanged and pledges are taken, is such a personal event. I don’t think anyone would disagree with their wishes.”
“But it’s a barn!” Bonnie said.
“It’s their barn, where they’re going to create their business together. It also holds a special place in their hearts. It’s where a spark was created that grew into the love they now share.”
Jasmine moved toward one of the easels that had a blank paper over it.
“A stable can be transformed into something beautiful and special. Thanks to Austin and the photos he sent, I came up with a romantic concept.” She flipped the paper over, revealing several photos of their stable and a variety of seating options.
“As you can see, w
e have several options here that would make the ambiance romantic and elegant. We can bring in benches and chairs instead of bales of hay.”
“That’s lovely,” Bonnie murmured, sounding surprised.
“What do you think Cassi? Austin?” Jasmine asked.
“I like it,” Austin said.
“I do, too,” Cassi agreed.
“Now, I suggest we bring in chandeliers to brighten the setting and add a romantic feel.”
Jasmine flipped another page and the next one had several floral decorating pictures.
“Since it’s a December wedding, we can go with traditional pine garlands and decorate with red and white roses, or just red roses. Or perhaps magnolia leaves and white gardenias, which would add a sweet fragrance.”
Austin laughed. “I think my mother would be comfortable with the added fragrance.”
“And magnolia leaves are very traditional,” Bonnie said.
“I can live with that,” Cassi said and was rewarded with a warm smile from Bonnie.
“See, compromise isn’t so hard, is it?” Jasmine beamed at all of them.
It sounded like something a teacher would say to misbehaving children, a thought that made Cassi smile. She leaned into Austin’s shoulder and slowly began to relax.
“I know you selected your second gown,” Jasmine said.
“And we so appreciate that you finagled an appointment for us last weekend at the salon,” Bonnie said.
“No problem, I was happy to help,” Jasmine said. “I think we have the ceremony site details agreed upon. Let’s talk reception.”
“I was hoping we could have it at the barn at Keeneland or the country club,” Bonnie suggested, “but they’re already booked. I don’t suppose you can pull any strings on that?”
“No, I’m afraid I can’t,” Jasmine said bluntly. “But before we discuss the reception details, we need to talk about how many people will be invited.”
