Being a Hockey Wife
The Big Day
Trying to juggle law school while planning a wedding was very difficult. But now it's summer time and time to get into wedding mode. With the help of my mom, my sister, Jamie's mom and his sister we have everything planned and of coarse Pinterest has been my best friend the past couple months. All the ideas are so cute, its was almost hard to choose. Jamie and I just have to write our vows. We decided to get married back in Victoria and if our friends from Dallas needed help flying out we could help them get there. Jamie's 3 year old cousin, Emily is going to be our flower girl and my 5 year old cousin, Blake is going to be the ring bearer. Jamie has asked Jordie to be the best man and I have asked my best friend from home Lila to be my maid of honour. The Groomsmen are Jordie, Tyler, Cody, Tyson Barrie from the Colorado Avalanche, Sam a friend from back in Victoria, and Liam, my brother. The bridesmaids are Lila, Abby, my sister, Danielle, Mel, Ashley, and Jenny, Jamie's sister.
I am really nervous but also very excited to become Madison Benn. I know Jamie is the love of my life and I am so ready to really start the rest of our life together. I haven't been anymore sure of who I want to be with since I have been with Jamie. Sometimes I look back to the boy girl hockey game and our 'hatred' for each other and I usually laugh because at the time I had never imagined we would be getting married.
Well today is the day I become Madison Benn and I barely slept last night. I felt like I am a kid on christmas morning. I am laying in bed looking at my phone when Lila jumps on my bed and soon all my bridesmaids follow in on my bed. We are all talking and laughing when my iPad is going off on FaceTime I smile knowing its probably Jamie and all the boys in their room. I unlock my iPad and answer.
"Hey Mads." Tyler smiles at me.
"Hey Ty."
"Is Mel there?" He asks.
"Here she is." I hand the iPad to Mel.
"Hey babe." Ty says.
"Hey Ty. Whats up?"
"Jamie's being whiney because he misses Mads when they just saw each other yesterday." Ty rolls his eyes.
"Well they love each other. Maybe when we get married you will know what Jamie feels."
"Can I speak to Mads please?" I hear Jamie ask in the background.
"Jame." I call and Mel passes me my iPad.
"Hi beautiful." He smiles at me.
"Hi are you okay?" I ask.
Jamie laughs. "Yeah I just can't wait to see you."
"Today is the day eh?" I say.
"Yes it is." Jamie smiles.
"That means your bride has to go get her hair done. Sorry Jamie we gotta go." Lila says.
"Love you Mads."
"Love you Jame, see you later." I hand the iPad around for everyone else to say goodbye to their boyfriends or who they would be walking with.
Soon enough our hairdresser and makeup artists are here and we are sit down with our Starbucks my mom bought us and some chocolate covered strawberries. I am going with my hair curled and half pulled back while my makeup is dramatic wings and eyeshadow to bring out my blue eyes. All the brides maids have their hair put up in a braided updo and their makeup looks natural, they all look so beautiful. Today is going to be so perfect, I'm getting married to my best friend and love of my life.
Soon enough 4:00 is upon us and I need to get into my dress and then we can quickly do some pictures with the bridesmaids. Our wedding starts at 5:00 and I start to feel anxious and nervous. I just want to see Jamie, he always calms me down. Jamie and I swore that we will not see each other until we are down the aisle on our wedding day. We weren't going to talk before behind a door or blind folded, we wanted to make the moment special but our decision was torture.
Once pictures were done we took a ride to the church and this is where we would be waiting until the wedding starts. I am running around the room like a wreck trying to remember all of my vows. Jamie and I had also made the choice to write our own vows. I was having troubles remembering all of it, I was stressed that I will get to the alter and forget it all.
My dad comes into the room and I think he might burst into tears. He wraps his arms around me and I start to tear up.
"You're so beautiful Mads." He takes a piece of my hair. "My little girl is so grown up."
"I love you daddy."
"I love you too sweetie. What do you say? Do you want to get married?" My dad asks and I smile and take a deep breath.
I nod. "Yes dad." He takes my hand and we head out of the room and behind the doors to where the alter was. I so excited to see Jamie behind those doors and marry him. All the bridesmaids line up and head out into the church. I take one more deep breath before the doors open and my dad and I walk in. I get shivers and my eyes instantly dart to Jamie on the alter, he has his hands covering his mouth and I think he is starting to tear up, as am I. I am calm and walking down the aisle just keeping eye contact with my future husband. Jamie's smile is so wide and its contagious to me. We get to the end of the aisle and my dad puts my veil behind my face and he kisses my cheek. I hug him and then join Jamie by the priest. We entangle hands and I mouth "I love you" to Jamie. He smiles and mouths "You're so beautiful." I still get butterflies with Jamie after all the years. I love him beyond words and today we get to marry each other.
I barely listen the whole ceremony I am just looking into Jamie's eyes the whole time. They sparkle and always remind me of all the memories we have together. Jamie is home for me, when we are together I feel on top of the world. It comes time to our vows and Jamie goes first. It makes me laugh, cry, smile, blush, happy. It was simply beautiful. Now somehow I have to follow his up.
"I vow to help you love life, to always hold you with tenderness, and to have the patience love demands, to pick you up after a loss, to celebrate with you after a win, to speak when words are needed, and to share the silence when they are not. To always remember that the girls team beat you in grade 10, and that I tripped the Jamie Benn in the opening face-off. I will support you, laugh with you, and lets face it sometimes at you. I promise to love you unconditionally."
Tears are rolling down Jamie's and I's cheeks as I finish my vows. Good thing they are happy tears. We say our "I do's" and then finally after waiting all day.
"By the power infested in me and the province of British Columbia I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Music to my ears as Jamie pulls my face to his and gently presses his lips to mine. We both smile during the kiss and pull away to see all our family and friends clapping. I smile so wide as Jamie and I walk down the aisle holding hands smiling like crazy. I had just gotten married to the love of my life.
We had to take so many pictures, my face almost hurt from smiling but I had so much fun. We have some really cute pictures that I am very excited to put up around our house. We are all in the limo heading to our reception, we have opened some champagne and everyone is starting to loosen up after the long day.
Tonight for dinner we are going to have house salad, chicken parmesan/veal parmesan, and then our cake for dessert. I knew my family wanted a open bar so we decided to do that and everyone seems to be enjoying that. Jamie, I and the rest of the wedding party sits down at our table and not long after our dinner arrives. Jamie and I are talking to each other when the toast start. Jamie and I let everyone else go first before we do our thank you speeches.
Lila is up first. "I first met Jamie at a party where they exchanged their first words off the ice. I always thought they were the same person just Mads was a girl and Jamie was a boy. I was pretty drunk that night... Sorry mom, but I do remember Jamie's pleading eyes to get her to talk to him. Their rivalry brought them together the minute Mads knocked Jamie down the opening face-off. You guys in my eyes are soulmates and almost twins but it works so well with you two. I love you both, and when you have Benn babies feel free to name one after me. I can settle for middle names too." Everyone laughs and we both hug Lila.
Then Jordie. "I would just like to thank Mads for coming into my brother's life. We thought he would be forever alone because someone was WAY too in love with hockey. But look where you are now, you have a beautiful wife and a amazing career. Couldn't be more proud of my little brother J. Mads thank you, oh thank you so much for loving Jamie. We all love you and I know we are all happy that Jamie got hitched with such a great girl. J sometimes I wonder how you kept her but needless to say you two love each other. Love you both." Jordie's makes me laugh more than Jamie. Jordie always pulls Jamie's leg.
My brother is next. My sister is a bit more shy so she didn't really want to say anything. "I have never seen someone as good as Jamie was in grade nine when he came to try out for the team. Many people thought you were cocky, but I knew you were just confident because you were unreal and that hasn't changed. You still amaze me with what you and your team does on the ice. Although I am forever a canucks fan, I am a Benn fan too. Mads you are my little sister and I love you beyond words and will forever be there for you. But I am glad you will also have Jamie around so we can protect you. I know you are independent you have been since you were a little girl trying to play hockey with Damien and I. I think it is very cool that you and Jamie were brought together because of your love for hockey and hatred for each other." My brother always had a way with words.
Tyler is up next and I am just hoping it is appropriate. "You two have been my best friends since I have gotten to Dallas and are always there for me. You guys really love each other and I hope soon enough I will look at my wife like Jamie looks at you Mads. J do not let go of her buddy, she keeps you grounded and makes you a better person. Can't wait to be an uncle and best friend to your "Benn Babies" that will most likely be in the NHL. Everyone loves you both. Thank you guys for all you have done for me." I didn't think Ty could get anymore sentimental.
My parents were up next and I think my dad was going to talk more than my mom, Liam got it from my dad. "Honey when I saw you in that dress for the first time, everything came into perspective that my little girl is getting married. You are so beautiful, you look more like your mother everyday. Jamie is the greatest guy for you, he makes you so happy Mads. Jamie I know you will take care of Mads with every fibre of your being. Thank you for being the rock in my daughter's life. I love you both." My moms up. "I am not much of a talker but I will just say that I am so happy for you two. I love you both so very much and I hope you two have many happy years together as you start and have a family. Everyone keeps talking about the "Benn Babies that are supposed to be coming, but my advice is to enjoy being married before you have to take them to hockey practice four times a week for only one kid! I know you will be great parents as you are beautiful human beings. I love you both so so much. Congratulations." Tears are almost falling from my eyes when my parents are finished, it was simply beautiful.
Jamie's parents were next, his mom started. "I know Jordie has been picking on Jamie for being too in love with hockey, but hockey has brought you both together and I think that its beautiful. Mads you are so loved in our family and I know Jamie is loved in yours. You two were meant to be with each other, you both knocked each other down, blocked a shot, and scored a goal that game. I hope you two get to share a long loving marriage with a family of your own someday. I love you both beyond words." Now Jamie's dad. "Jamie, you did good. I'm so proud of you, I was proud the night you had Mads over when you two claimed to be friends. I saw it coming and I am so glad it happened. Mads you are so good for Jamie, you help him in every way possible. You two are really in love and I hope you a lifetime of happiness." I am next to tears now and I let Jamie talk before me.
"Mads you are honestly so beautiful and everyday I am so thankful for you being in my life. I am a better person with you and I love you so much words cannot describe. I would like to thank everyone for coming and sharing not only today but also this whole process of becoming man and wife. Your love and support has been very appreciated through our journey. Again thank you." I smile at Jamie.
Now its my turn. "Wow I cannot believe I just married the love of my life. I would like to thank everyone here today that made our day run smoothly. I would like to thank Jamie's and my parents for always knowing what to say to us and using their past experience to help us. The bridal party for making our bachelor and bachelorette parties unforgettable... literally. All of you for coming out to spend the day with Jamie and I. Jamie's teammates now and former thank you for coming. Although Jamie somewhat said it, I just wanted to say it again. And now Jamie, I love you so much and I know that 8 years ago I would never of dreamt of me saying that. You are the love of my life and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for the both of us. But do not forget that I still can trip you off the face-off." Jamie laughs and gives me a quick kiss.
"Now lets dance!!" Tyler yells.
No doubt in my mind that this was the best day of my life to date.
Puppppieeees!
4/12/15