Chapter 424: Grand Wedding
As soon as the orchestra started playing Mendelssohn's Wedding March, three figures began to march from the entrance of the chapel. All the people in the chapel stood up and turned their attention to the entrance at the back. In order, from left to right, Mom, Gabrielle, and Mother had made their entrance.
Each one of them wore gorgeous white wedding dresses that were crafted with intricate details. The dresses were long sleeves, and along with the white gloves, none of their arms exposed skin.
The dresses were custom-made, and we commissioned them with Astley's best tailors. The materials were of the highest quality, so they were hella expensive. This was their most important event so far, so we did not hold back with the finances to make everything perfect.
All of us were focused on the main stars of the event as they were slowly walking over the red carpet down the aisle with their arms locked. The family and guests then clapped and cheered for the brides. Even with their veils covering their faces, my mothers got their smiles, displaying how happy they were for this very important and memorable event.
Traditionally on Earth, particularly in western weddings, the bride walked down the aisle with her father, symbolizing the family giving her away to the groom. But none of the brides had a living parent, so it was impossible, and all of them were the brides in the first place.
There were no bridesmaids, groomsmen, maids of honor, or best men in the lineup, as we kept our social lives private. Also, there was not a flower girl or a ring bearer walking down the aisle.
Nevertheless, this was another world with different cultures and dynamics, and we did not have to follow everything on Earth. Actually, this world had no fixed standards for what wedding customs to follow. Noble and royal weddings in this world were traditionally solemn, but we decided to break this tradition and do whatever we preferred.
"This is actually the first time I have personally witnessed a wedding," Iris said. "It kind of makes me excited about ours, Raphael."
"We will eventually come to that moment in the future, Iris," I replied as I held her hand. "But today is their day, and we don't have to think about it for now. To be honest, I really wanted to see Iris and Sophia in their wedding dresses."
"Knowing you, I know that you are planning to make our wedding as grand, if not grander, as this." Sophia spoke her mind. "But I am definitely fine with whatever the cost of the wedding is, Raphael, as long as we are together forever."
"Thanks, Sophia. But I think I am certain to make our wedding extravagant, though I am not sure if it would be as big as this."
As I was having a chat with my fiancees, I could sense that Big Sis and her fiancees were listening to our conversation. Given the event, their minds might have been thinking of their future, such as their marriage and so on.
A moment later, as the music was about to end, the three brides stepped on the raised elevation in front of the altar, where they faced the officiant, the queendom's archbishop.
Since the church believed in Goddess Primaria, the church was not entirely patriarchal; therefore, they had female high-ranking members, so the one the church appointed to us was actually an archbishopess.
Speaking of the church, the church's Priestess, Eisherz Glacier, was present at the wedding as Gabrielle and the other members of the disbanded Myriad Wings invited her.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats."
Once the Wedding March came to an end, the officiant asked the guests to be seated. The guests ultimately stopped clapping and cheering before they took their seats.
"Welcome, family, friends, and acquaintances." The archbishop's voice echoed throughout the chapel. "We are gathered here today to witness and celebrate Mylene, Claire, and Gabrielle in their holy matrimony. Today, they will affirm this sacred entanglement formally and spiritually."
The chapel went silent for a while as the officiant paused to take a breather. Afterwards, the officiant proceeded by continuing the welcoming, then the acknowledgement, and the readings of the words of the holy scriptures.
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"—I promise to cherish the two of you all the time, to honor you in sickness and in health, in poverty and in wealth, and to be true to you in all things until death alone shall part us.
A few minutes had passed since the start of the ceremony, and my mothers had finished exchanging their vows with one another. Currently, the three brides were holding each other's hands, forming a triangle as they exchanged their vows. The first one to vow was Mother, then Mom, and the one who just conveyed her vow was Gabrielle.
After that, the officiant took a glance at the three of them. With the vows done, the ceremony proceeded to the declaration of intent and the exchange of rings.
On the altar, there was an open rectangular box. It was actually a big ring holder that had six rings embedded in it. The rings were actually made out of knightium, a whitish gray metal as durable as adamantite. The design of the rings was clean and simple, other than some engravings underneath.
"Mylene, Claire, and Gabrielle, please take the rings."
As the archbishop told them so, Mother, Mom, and Gabrielle took the rings from the box, two rings for each of them. Afterwards, the officiant took a glance at Mother.
"Do you, Mylene, take Claire and Gabrielle to be your lawfully wedded wives? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and not so good times, for richer or poorer,keeping yourself unto them for as long as you both shall live?"
"I do." Mother responded with a smile.
After that, the officiant looked at Mom.
"Do you, Claire, take Mylene and Gabrielle to be your lawfully wedded wives? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and not so good times, for richer or poorer,keeping yourself unto them for as long as you both shall live?"
"I do."
The archbishop then turned her eyes to Gabrielle.
"Do you, Gabrielle, take Mylene and Claire to be your lawfully wedded wives? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in good times and not so good times, for richer or poorer,keeping yourself unto them for as long as you both shall live?"
"I do."
"Now then," the officiant said. "To seal your love toward one another, Mylene, Claire, and Gabrielle, please place the rings on one another's fingers as tangible symbols of your love."
The brides held each other's hands as they faced one another again, and this time, they inserted the rings onto their left and right ring fingers. Once the ring exchange was done, the officiant proceeded to the next stage.
"Your ring exchange is complete, and you have given your consent to marriage. With the witness of your friends and family, you are now joined together in this most sacred commitment of marriage."
Soon after, the officiant raised both of her hands in the air.
"By the power vested in me by Goddess Primaria and by the power of your own commitment and choice within, I now pronounce you married! You may now kiss your brides!"
After that, my mothers kissed one another before the crowd cheers erupted in the chapel. And with that, they were now officially married.