Things I Have To Do Before Noon:

Get makeup and hair done,

Grab last-minute items,

Go over vows.

You can do this.

You’ve waited twenty-seven years

For today,

And you are not going to freak out.

I might cry,

I will definitely laugh,

I better not freak out

Or I swear to God

 

I will kill myself.

…Okay that’s a drag,

But I would rather everything go wrong

Before I become Bridezilla.

Breathe in for five seconds,

Breathe out for seven.

I n h a l e,

And e x h a l e.

That’s much better.

I feel so much better.

Wait a minute…

Where’s my mom?

I need her here.

If Krista and Danielle go at it

One more time,

I’m going to have an aneurysm.

Okay, good.

The florist is at the door.

And mom is right behind her!

Everything is going to plan.

You can do this, Jess.

T-minus ten hours until

You’ll be walking down that aisle

And marrying the love of your life.

T-minus twenty-one hours until

You’ll be getting on the plane

That’s heading straight for Greece.

And you might actually get tan this time.

Imagine that;

You, your love, on a beach, in Greece.

Ha! That rhymed. You go, Jess.

But stop being so cheesy.

T-minus six hours until

Dad walks you down to Jamie.

T-minus seven and a half hours until

You finally have your father-daughter dance.

I wonder if Dad is nervous at all.

I sure am.

Hell, I’m even more nervous

For the first dance.

Calm down, Jess.

“Have you taken your meds today?”

Danielle asks with a

Large glass of champagne in hand.

“Dani, put the glass down,” I reply.

“I don’t care that today is

A day of celebration,

You’re not going to drink pregnant.”

“Yeah, Dani,” Krista pushes.

“Shut up,” one sister sneers at the other.

Why can’t everybody just get along?

Even for just one day?

“I have a little something for you,”

Mom says, handing me a note.

It’s a letter from Jamie.

It’s just what I needed.

I read the letter,

And it’s short, and it’s sweet,

And I can hear Jamie saying it

With every word I read.

Part of me wishes

That would have just eloped,

But I know that this extravaganza

Means a lot to our parents.

This whole thing is causing me stress,

But Jamie’s letter is shedding

Some light into today.

I have to remember to keep calm.

You got this, Jess.

T-minus three hours until

You see Jamie at the end of the aisle,

Waiting for you.

This dress itches.

I need my lipstick touched up.

I don’t want to turn into Bridezilla,

But you’re all testing my patience today.

“Jess, we need you to be calm.”

Thank God for my best friend.

Nina always knows when to show up,

And exactly what to say.

I hug her for the first time in weeks,

And I don’t give a flying duck

If it does anything to my face.

I couldn’t have done this without her.

Mom is stressing me out,

My sisters are pissing me off,

And my photographer is a moron.

I wish I was already on my way to Greece.

T-minus one hour until

I am no longer just Jamie’s fiancée.

T-minus three hours until

I can shove cake down my throat.

Today is meant to be one of

The Most Important Days of My Life

And I can’t help but think

That I’m forgetting something.

I go over my checklist,

Nina checks the guest list,

The planner looks over the processional,

My mother downs some champagne.

T-minus twenty minutes until

I get to hold Jamie’s hands,

And look into Jamie’s eyes,

And finally calm down.

I’ve always been terrible at waiting.

The anticipation keeps building,

And my anxiety grows with it.

I think I need my medication.

Standing here—at the end of the aisle—

With my dad, makes me realize,

“Today’s the day, and we’re finally here.”

God, please let my worries wash away.

I finally see Jamie

And his smile stretches for miles

And miles, taking me all the way to Greece.

You got this, Jess.

Dad hands me to my love,

And he can’t take his eyes off of me;

The eyes that can take me away

And bring me home, all at the same time.

“You look gorgeous,” Jamie whispers.

“I love you,” I reply.

“You ready?” He asks.

“Let’s do this.”

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Prompt: Write a poem from the point of view of a bride about to say “I do.”