The bouquet toss happened after dessert.
Emma, Dakota, Willa, Elle, Michelle, and Shailene got together near the dance floor. Alex was pulled over by Gloria and joined them reluctantly.
Alex stood at the edge of the group with her arms crossed. "Just so everyone knows," she announced, "catching flowers doesn't mean anything about when or if someone will get married."
Willa looked at her. "Alex, we know the bouquet isn't a legal contract."
Emma smiled and shifted her weight. "I'm mostly here because Haley said she'd embarrass us one by one if we didn't."
Dakota chuckled. "That's a pretty good threat."
Haley stood a few feet away, holding the bouquet with both hands, already having fun.
Cam stood next to the group, looking very serious, like a sports official. "Okay, ladies, give each other some space. Remember, this is a happy celebration, not a contact sport."
Mitchell looked over from a nearby table. "You might want to tell that to yourself before someone throws something for real."
Cam didn't listen.
Manny walked up to the group and looked at the flowers with interest. "Actually," he said, "unmarried men could join in too. It would be a cool way to challenge old ideas about gender roles."
Alex turned to him. "Manny, if you want to catch the bouquet, just say so."
Manny thought about it for a moment, then stepped back into the group with dignity.
Haley looked over her shoulder to see how far away everyone was. "Is everyone ready? I'm not throwing this thing multiple times like Cam made me do in practice."
Cam looked annoyed. "We were just checking the aim, Haley!"
Jack stood with Phil, watching the group with a smile.
Phil leaned towards Jack. "Do you think Alex has a chance?"
Jack looked at the group. "She's trying not to participate, so she'll probably catch it."
Haley lifted the bouquet over her head. "Okay, future brides, here it comes!"
She threw it backward in a surprisingly good throw.
The flowers went over Emma's hands, between Dakota and Elle, and brushed Willa's fingers before heading toward the back.
Alex looked up just in time to see the bouquet flying right at her face.
Her instincts kicked in, and she caught it with both hands.
For a moment, no one said anything.
Then Luke started laughing. "ALEX IS GETTING MARRIED!"
Alex looked at the flowers in her hands with horror.
Haley turned around and saw her sister holding the bouquet. Her face lit up. "Oh my gosh, Alex! That's perfect!"
Alex looked at Haley, amazed. "I stood all the way in the back on purpose to avoid this!"
...
By nine o'clock, the party had become really relaxed and comfortable.
Some guests were leaving, while others were still dancing or heading outside to enjoy the cool evening air.
Woody had gotten Jay to tell a story about his closet business. Matthew Perry was laughing next to Richard while Phil Lord and Christopher Miller argued about whether Phil's curtain incident was on purpose.
Michelle and Shailene were chatting with Sarah about her new clothing lines. Elle and Dakota were helping Haley gather small gifts and notes guests had left for the couple.
Willa was nearby, looking at pictures of the bouquet toss on her phone.
Emma joined Jack by the windows that looked out over the lake.
She gave him a glass of sparkling water and smiled at the dance floor, where Haley was laughing with Gloria.
"You know," Emma said, "I think this is the first wedding I've been to where the bride's dad got swallowed by a curtain."
Jack took the glass and laughed. "Mr. Dunphy is a talented guy. He just sometimes uses his talents in ways nobody expected."
Emma smiled and then looked at him.
"Seriously, Jack. Congratulations."
He looked back at her and smiled. "Thanks, Emma. I'm really happy you came."
"I wouldn't have missed it," she replied kindly.
They watched the party for a few quiet moments.
Then Emma looked at Haley again.
"She looks so happy," Emma said.
Jack looked where she was looking, and his face softened. "Yeah, and that's really all I want."
Emma smiled and briefly touched his arm.
"Then I'd say you did pretty well."
Across the room, Cam had convinced the band to play one last lively song. Gloria was already pulling Jay onto the dance floor again.
Jay protested as she pulled him. "Gloria, I've already danced twice. That's two more times than a guy my age should have to dance at a wedding."
Gloria laughed and pulled him closer. "Ay, Jay, one more song won't hurt you!"
Jay sighed as the music started.
"If it does, that's what I want on my tombstone."
Nearby, Manny was trying to tell Alex that the bouquet had deep cultural meaning. Luke was quietly trying to grab it to do another magic trick.
Alex held the flowers away from him without stopping her conversation.
At another table, Mitchell was helping Lily finish a small piece of wedding cake. Cam was telling her a long story about how swans supposedly have romantic personalities.
Lily listened for a bit, then leaned toward Mitchell.
"Daddy, can Larry come to the next wedding?"
Mitchell wiped some frosting off her cheek. "We'll talk about that when someone else decides to get married, sweetie."
Lily looked at Alex, who was still holding the bouquet.
"She's next."
...
Jack found Haley by herself near the glass doors, looking out at the lake. He walked up quietly and hugged her from behind, putting his hands on her stomach.
Haley leaned back against him, not turning around.
"Hi, husband," she said softly, smiling at the water.
Jack kissed her head. "Hi, wife. Like the view?"
Haley nodded and put her hands over his.
Two swans were still floating on the lake, moving slowly under the lights.
"Today was amazing," she said after a bit. "Except for Alex trying to hit Luke with flowers and my dad getting stuck in some stage equipment."
Jack laughed. "Those were probably my favorite parts."
Haley turned around and looked him in the eyes.
"Did you have a good day?"
Jack looked at her, surprised by the question.
"Haley, I married you today. That makes it the best day ever."
She smiled and fixed his tie, which was a bit crooked from dancing, and rested her head on his chest.
They stood quietly for a while.
The sounds of the party came from inside, mixed with the gentle sound of the lake.
Jack looked at the wedding rings next to Haley's diamond. He took her hand and held it up. "Feels different, right?" he asked.
Haley looked at the rings and smiled.
"Yeah, it really does."
She looked at his ring and turned it on his finger.
"I called you my fiancé for two months and got really good at saying it all the time."
Jack grinned. "Too bad. Now you have to say husband."
Haley looked up at him with a pretend serious face.
"I'm going to be so annoying."
Jack laughed and kissed her.
When they stopped, Haley rested her forehead on his and smiled.
"You know what's funny? A few months ago, I was still pretending I hadn't moved into your house."
Jack chuckled. "You had more shoes in my closet than I did."
"And now we're married, live together, are having twins, and we've gotten through a wedding with swans, doves, both our families, and a magic show."
Jack touched Haley's cheek.
"It's been quite a year," he said.
Haley smiled and put a hand on her stomach. "Do you think we'll be good at being married and having kids?" she asked softly.
Jack looked at her stomach, then back at her eyes.
"I think we'll mess up some things," he admitted with a small smile. "We'll probably forget stuff, get schedules mixed up, argue about who changed the last diaper, and find out that two babies can be louder than a movie set."
Haley giggled.
"But we'll learn," Jack added. "And when one of us gets stressed, the other can just pretend to know what to do until we figure it out."
Haley smiled up at him.
"That sounds like a pretty good plan for parenting."
Jack nodded. "I've been thinking about it for almost..."
She kissed him again before he could finish.
Suddenly, Phil's loud voice came from inside the party hall.
"JACK! HALEY! YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS! LUKE MADE MY WATCH VANISH, AND WE DON'T KNOW WHERE IT WENT!"
Jack closed his eyes.
Haley hid her face in his chest, shaking with laughter.
A moment later, Claire's voice joined in.
"PHIL, WHY ARE YOU LETTING HIM DO MAGIC TRICKS WITH YOUR EXPENSIVE WATCH?"
Jack opened his eyes and looked at his wife.
"Should we go help them?"
Haley thought about it as more shouting came from inside. Then she took his hand and shook her head. "No. We're newlyweds. We deserve at least ten minutes without family chaos."
Jack smiled and pulled her closer.
"That's the best wedding gift we've gotten so far."
They stayed on the patio a bit longer, holding each other under the warm lights. Inside, their families were laughing, arguing, dancing, and sometimes losing things.
Tomorrow, the wedding decorations would come down, the guests would return to their ordinary lives, and Jack and Haley would begin figuring out what marriage actually looked like when there wasn't an audience applauding every kiss.
Soon, there would be a honeymoon, doctor's visits, work, and two babies who would change everything they thought they knew.
For now, Haley was Jack's wife, Jack was Haley's husband, and they had a wonderfully crazy wedding day to remember forever.
And somewhere inside, Phil was still trying to explain how a missing watch was a successful magic trick.
--
AN: I did my best to include all the core characters. Hope it was okay. 👍🫡 And, I'll see you in a week. Gotta stock up again.
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