Chapter 51
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
Chloe and Jordan’s wedding was held on the beach late the following afternoon, with Matthew standing as his brother’s best man. It was the most casual wedding Rachel had ever attended. The bare-footed, dreadlocked celebrant, was dressed in a pale green linen suit. There were no seats, just everyone standing in small family clusters to witness the nuptials.
“The bride didn’t want chairs in rows, as she said it looked too much like a concert. Chloe just wants to be herself today, not a famous popstar,” explained Vivian.
Rachel stood with the members of Matthew’s immediate family. It was nice to be included in such a moment of happiness. She wasn’t officially one of them, but they had made it clear that if she was Matthew’s guest, she was a de-facto part of the Royal family.
Her floral knee length Carolina Herrera organza gown received several nods of approval from the European cousins, which filled her with pride. Next to her, Vivian who glowed with joy in her tropical print silk halter neck gown, whispered, “I think we have shown them that the Americans can match it with them for style.”
“Family, friends, please come closer. The bride and groom want you all to bear witness to their vows, and to welcome the newest member of the Royal family,” instructed the celebrant.
Rachel turned to Bryce. “But Chloe will be keeping her name, won’t she? Chloe Fisher.”
He shook his head. “No. From today she will be known only as Chloe Royal. If someone marries into the family, they have to legally change their name. Chloe has decided to go all in and no longer use Fisher, even as a stage name.”
That seems a bit medieval.
Holding Vivian’s hand, a smiling Bryce explained. “Every member of the family standing on this beach is a Royal. When you marry into the family you become a Royal. And that goes for both men and women. If a man marries a Royal woman, he has to change his name so that their children are born as Royal.”
That’s a seriously tightknit family.
“Really? But what if someone doesn’t want to change their name, how does that work?”
“Then the wedding is off. It’s the one absolute non-negotiable part of marrying a member of our family.”
So if I married Matthew, I would be Rachel Royal. Huh, well there you go.
Their relationship was still in its infancy, but it was worthwhile knowing just in case things ever did get to the point of them discussing a permanent future together.
“Well I suppose since Chloe is already a pop princess, she may as well be a Royal,” added Vivian.
A professional photographer moved in front of the bride and groom, and everyone else stepped aside, leaving the happy couple to smile at the camera. Of course, that’s another reason why they made us hand over our phones. The only photos of Chloe and Jordan’s happy day would be the official ones. To Rachel’s surprise the photographer only took one photo, then stepped back.
She glanced at Bryce and Vivian, who had become her unofficial wedding whisperers. “One picture?”
“Yep, it’s going to be released tomorrow. They’ve sold it to one of the main media companies in exchange for a hefty fee which they are donating to a charity for homeless youth in Chloe’s home state,” explained Bryce.
Just one photo. No huge magazine spread, or entertainment TV special for Jordan and Chloe. The bride and groom had decided that the rest of their wedding belonged to them and their family. As a Chloe fan, Rachel would have bought a magazine or two if they had taken the route of many other celebrity couples and sold a whole wedding portfolio. It made being here today all that more special.
All the secrecy surrounding the wedding spoke of a couple who wanted today to be about them and their loved ones.
Classy. Private. Perfect.
The sort of wedding that a couple who treasured their love would want. And deserved.
This is a wonderful day.