Trey
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride," the minister declares, his voice ringing through the chapel.
We had planned to get married before our daughter was born, but at twenty eight-weeks pregnant, she tried to come early, and Kiara was put on bed rest for the remainder of the pregnancy.

It was a rough ass time for her, but of course, my amazing wife managed to get through it and successfully deliver our healthy nine-pound baby.
For someone who didn't let her Mama eat much without throwing up, she sure weighed a lot.
Hand in hand, surrounded by our family and guests, we stroll down the aisle, cheers mingling with the soft patter of rice raining down on us.
With 'Lux Temptations' on the same block as the chapel, we decided that everyone would walk there together.
Of course, It only made sense for us to have the reception at our restaurant, the best in Virginia. My staff volunteered their time and effort today to cater my wedding as long as they get free food at the end of the night.
I swear, I owe Alex my life.

As we step inside the restaurant, which has been redecorated for the occasion, I catch sight of Candice sitting at a table with my daughter.
I immediately walk over and scoop her up into my arms and take a deep whiff of her. When I first heard about a "baby scent" it sounded crazy, but now I see what they mean.
It really is addictive.
"I missed you, Magnolia," I coo, unable to contain the grin that spreads across my face as she wraps her tiny hand around my finger.

My heart swells. I love this little girl so damn much, I'd literally do anything for her without a second thought.
Settling into our seats at the front of the room, my staff immediately brings out the delicious spread of food that we spent the last three days crafting together. With precision and grace, they begin serving the mouthwatering dishes, ensuring that my expectations for the night are exceeded.
I'm determined to make this night seamless and unforgettable; my wife deserves to nothing less than the wedding of her dreams.
As the joyful chatter fills the air and everyone begins eating, I carefully pass our daughter to Kiara and rise from my seat. Clinking a spoon against the rim of the glass in my hand, I draw the attention of everyone in the room.
"Good Evening, everyone. Thank you all for gracing us with your presence and sharing in this special night of celebration. I'd like to raise a toast."
Glancing around the room, I meet the gaze of each familiar face, each one a cherished part of our journey. Yet, I can't shake the absence of one important person is missing: my mama.
In this moment, I can almost picture her; she'd have a bottle of wine in her hand while grumbling about why I won't let her smoke in the building. Yet, her infectious smile and enthusiastic cheers would be unmistakable.
Damn. It's almost been a year, yet it still feels surreal that she's gone. I wish she were here with us right now; I know Kiara and my siblings do too.
I swallow the lump in my throat as I continue, "When I first moved back to Virginia, I was stupid. So stuck in my ways, I didn't know what I was missing...how amazing life could be when you open your heart to love. But then I met Kiara."
I steal a glance at her and she meets my gaze with a smile so radiant, it sets her cheeks ablaze.
"I didn't realize it at the time, but it was love at first sight. I fought tooth and nail at first, doing everything in my power to fight the inevitable. But no matter how hard I tried, something kept drawing me back to her. And when I finally surrendered to it, it was her turn to resist. So, I waited and waited. Impatiently, of course." I quip, causing everyone to laugh. "But when she finally opened her heart to me, it became my sanctuary."
I'm not a perfect man, far from it actually, and she knows it too. Yet, she accepts my flaws and loves me for who I am. That kind of love is rare, and I'm so grateful for it. Kiara Thompson, from the depths of heart and soul, I love you more than words can express. You are my other half, and the second best thing that has happened to me, the first being our beautiful daughter. I promise to treasure you both every day for the rest of eternity."
As I finish my speech, there's hardly a dry eye in the building. Kiara is practically sobbing, furiously wiping her cheeks to prevent tears from falling on Magnolia's delicate dress.
"To love," I proclaim, raising my glass of champagne.
"To love," echoes the room.
As I sit back down, Kiara leans over to kiss me. "I love you so much," she whispers, her voice catching with emotion.
"I love you more," I respond softly.
The remainder of the night unfolds beautifully. Following dinner, Kiara and I take to the dance floor for our first dance, swaying to "You Are The Reason" by Leona Lewis and Calum Scott.
After we return to our seats, everyone starts running to the dance floor. Meanwhile, Magnolia peacefully sleeps in Kiara's arms as we watch them dance.
I can't help but smile as a sense of contentment washes over me. The room is filled with laughter and smiles and infectious energy of people just reveling in the moment — exactly what I had hoped for.
"Can I hold her?" Williams asks eagerly, reaching out for his granddaughter with a twinkle of adoration in his eyes.
Kiara beams. "Of course. We're about to go dance anyway, right Trey?"
I nod. She made sure there were multiple songs in our playlist that we could line dance to.
After carefully passing Magnolia into his arms, ensuring not to disturb her sleep, Kiara seizes my hand.
"Let's go, Candice!" she exclaims, her excitement contagious. She then grabs Candy's hand, who in turn grasps the hand of her girlfriend, Cassie. Kiara met her at 'Rhythm and Boots' during our first real date, and later introduced them when Candy was ready to date again. They've been together for a few months now.
I chuckle as I allow my wife to drag me to the dance floor. After all, anything my Cupcake wants, she gets.
As we approach the dance floor, we spot Jeremiah dancing with his girlfriend and Alex dancing with a few of the women on my staff. We join in, falling in line beside them and giving in to infectious enjoyment of the night.
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The great thing about having your reception at your own restaurant is that I control when the party ends. Around 10pm, everyone starts bidding their farewells and heading home, leaving Candice, Jeremiah, Kiara, Alex, the rest, and me to clean up for tomorrow's dinner service.
Once the restaurant is locked up, my siblings follow behind me in their cars as we make our way to the graveyard. Grabbing the foldable chairs from my Toyota RAV4, Kiara makes sure Magnolia is snug in a baby wrap, keeping her warm as she continues to sleep peacefully.
It's dark as shit out, but Mom's headstone is easy to spot. We had her picture put on it so everyone who sees it knows how beautiful she was.
We gather around Mom's headstone, and I pull Kiara into my lap, wrapping my arms around her and our daughter.
"I brought these for ya, Mama. Figured you'd wanna celebrate with us," I say softly, reaching into my pocket and placing a pack of cigarettes on the ground.
We're all silent for a long moment, disrupted only by the rustling of trees and the distant sounds of the night, a backdrop of our private gathering infused with both joy and sorrow.
"I kept imagining how happy she would be today. You know, with her favorite couple getting married," Candy interrupts the silence, playfully rolling her eyes.
"She would've loved you and Cassie too...just not as much as us," Kiara teases with a laugh.
"She definitely would've been obsessed with Magnolia," I add, a bittersweet ache tugging at my heart.
They all nod or mumble "yep" in agreement. I know she would've felt so honored that we named our baby after her. And what's crazy is that both Kiara and I said we wanted that to be her name at the same time.
The air grows momentarily heavy with the weight of our grief until Jeremiah's light-hearted comment breaks through. "I don't even like babies, but Magnolia is like the cutest baby I've ever seen. Do you think Mom would've quit smoking and drinking for her?"
"Maybe," Candy ponders, her voice tinged with sadness. "But she didn't stop smoking and drinking for us so I don't know."
"Do you ever feel angry at her for not keeping her promise?" he asks me.
"Sometimes," I admit softly, "she would still be here if she did."
"She did bring us closer in the end," Candy points out.
That she did.
After another hour of reminiscing and just enjoying each other's presence, we part ways, each heading home in our own cars. But it's far from the last time we'll see each other. We all made a promise to never let petty shit get between us again.
And that's a promise we'll keep for Mom.
I smile as I steal a glance at my little family in the backseat, feeling grateful for the love that will forever bind us together.