Keiran and Fiona's Marriage Vows- teaser

Here's an excerpt from the sequel of To Love A Were. I'm still working on the title but it's already edited and should be out by the end of the week latest.

This is the description of Fiona in her dressing room with her bridesmaids:

***

Fiona got up and admired herself in the full length mirror. The lovely princess-cut dress flared down copiously from her waist with its intricate embroideries trailing like vines down to the hemline. The off white duchess satin felt cool over her skin and glided effortlessly when she swayed from side to side.

For a moment, Fiona truly felt like a princess… or to be precise, a Duchess to a Scottish peer. The dark blue and red stripes of Eian’s clan tartan were currently wrapped as a sash around her waist while another was pinned to her right shoulder, flowing down her back.

“I know it’s too late to ask this… but do you think this heart shape neckline is really a good idea?” she asked, daring herself to look down. The seamstress had done a wonderful job ensuring that it wasn’t too low a cut but Fiona was still slightly conscious of her body.

“Honey, you have a wonderful figure. Besides, the lace wrapping around your chest and sleeves ought to give you some coverage. I think you look beautiful,” said Pearl kindly.

“I suppose I do look beautiful,” said Fiona with a laugh. “Oh my god… I’m getting married today!” she suddenly screamed in excitement. “Can you believe it?”

“Only to the most gorgeous man around!” added Erika with a laugh.

“Then we shouldn’t keep him waiting for his bride!” said Amber, opening the door for the others.

***

And here is the description of Eian standing at the altar and the vows that would be exchanged.

However, there was only one face that mattered to her at that moment and he was staring at her, his smile never wavering as she walked closer towards the altar. Fiona blushed slightly at the intensity of his gaze but didn’t take her eyes away from him. He looked truly dashing in his traditional outfit; his tartan kilt with a formal sporran resting neatly in between his thighs and his jacket tapered neatly at the sides to enhance the broadness of his shoulders and lean body. There were silver links on his jacket that matched the silver crest pinning another tartan on his right shoulder. Fiona decided that she liked this look very much.

When they finally reached the altar, Aramis let go of her hand and moved to stand beside Dominic who was the best man for the wedding. Fiona then took her place beside Eian and listened as the priest began the rites of marriage:

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here this morning to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony.

Keiran Alexander MacFarlane, do you take this woman Fiona Reynolds Culzean to be your wife? To love, honour, comfort her and keep her in sickness and in health and forsaking all others for as long as you both shall live?

“I do,” said Eian, squeezing Fiona’s fingers gently in his. He thought it was nice of Aramis to officially allow Fiona’s real last name as her middle name. Apparently she thought so too for she squeezed his fingers back. The followed through with the consent and exchanging of vows, listening intently while trying not to be obvious that they were just brimming with joy and excitement to jump into each other’s arms.

May the Lord bless these rings which you give to each other as the sign of your love and fidelity.

They exchanged their wedding rings and patiently waited for the priest to pronounce them.

I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.

Eian let out what sounded like a sigh of relief before pressing his lips lovingly on his wife’s. His kiss was soft and fleeting but what stirred inside him was a great tornado of emotions, all culminating into the tears of joy that were slowly escaping his eyes.
When he finally pulled away, he saw that she too was blinking back tears. They smiled at each other before she took his arm and walked down the aisle together towards the reception area.

***

Brainstorm time!


Here are some suggestions for the title of this sequel-

'My Hearts Desire' 
'The Other Side of Me' 

'Into the Vampire's Lair' 

'To Love a Vamp'  

'To Warm a Vampire's Heart' 

'To Warm His Heart'

Add on to the list, or vote or spam me whatever. =)

I'm itching to submit the story already....

Random information on Tartans

I completely forgot about the Tartans! However thanks to a reader's comment, I am now readjusting everyone's clothes in the sequel's draft. Once again, I'm just laying out ideas here as I usually refer to my blog musings for inspiration and also as a mockup for settings.

The Culzeans would probably not wear tartans but the MacFarlanes will. Fiona will also wear one around her waist and another as a sash over her shoulders like here:

The woman reminded me of Cho Chang from Harry Potter and she's Scottish too!

Alright, so the traditional colours of the MacFarlane clan in Scotland are as such:




This is the "Dress Tartan" meant for formal occasions that is of a white background with blue and red over stripes.

So to differentiate the groomsmen from the groom, my trusted Scot adviser says to let the groom wear another tartan as a sash over his shoulder. Okay, well I guess that would substitute as a regalia. And of course the clan crest:



So it will look something like the groom in this picture.

And I thought this picture was really cute! I can imagine all the MacFarlane men: Dominic, Mike and Eian fussing with each other like this. Now, isn't this more representative of their age group?









-sigh- I'm having a headache again. Hahaha.

Oh wait, I found a fantastic website!!!!!


The groomsmen look like they're just wearing tartan bow ties and cummerbunds but don't the ladies look sweet? And that little girl too?

Okay... seriously information overload. I'm caught between wanting a fairytale wedding [less tartans] or a truly royal scottish kinda feel. So I did the next thing on my mind- I checked out the Duke of Argyll and holy crap I found this!





His Grace's TitleThe most high, potent and noble prince his Grace Torquhil Ian Campbell, Duke of Argyll, Marquess of Kintyre and Lorne, Earl of Argyll, Campbell and Cowal, Viscount Lochawe and Glenyla, Lord Campbell, Lorne, Kintyre, Inveraray, Mull, Morven and Tyrie in the peerage of Scotland, Baron Sundbridge of Coombank and Baron Hamilton of Hameldon in the peerage of Great Britain, Duke of Argyll in the peerage of the United Kingdom, Baronet of Nova Scotia, Hereditary Master of the Royal Household in Scotland, hereditary keeper of the royal castles of Dunoon, Carrick, Dunstaffnage and Tarbet, Admiral of the Western coasts and isles, and Chief of the Honourable Clan Campbell, MacCailein Mhor.

***
Right, that's a mouthful. Okay Duke of Argyll, you're officially the model template for Eian.

Okay back to writing!


*poof*

The Wedding of Fiona Culzean and Eian MacFarlane

 In the sequel to TLAW [which I haven't found a working title yet] Fiona and Eian are finally having their wedding! Of course, it has to be on a much grander scale than Dominic and Sydney's one since the former are like of noble status. If Aramis was a real person, I'd bet anything that he'd demand for a truly royal affair. Haha.

Right, so let's start with some pictures of wedding dresses. I haven't decided which one I would like to describe for Fiona. Not too much cleavage as royalty don't really dress like that. But lavish enough without looking like a pastry puff. I like the first one here but also the fourth one. Hahaha. Which would Fiona choose? Hmmm

 Next of course we have the men.

Anyway, when I saw this picture I was like... OMG. Eian would look something like that if he ever had a real face rather than just description. Except that Eian has long hair tied at the nape.

 

 On another note, here's what I imagine the men in the stories would look like walking together. Though not necessarily that old but I like this shot a lot. I'd take a photo of them like this:

We have Aramis, Draven, Alaron, Eian, Dominic, Mike and of course little Alex

 This is King Edward VII by the way but I was just thinking Aramis would look very much like this in his regalia. Though maybe not so paunchy eh. Vampire's don't eat that much. -laugh-

 Again, the Danish Royal Family. They are just really good looking and so I am including them here. Notice how the males are always wearing these military dress uniforms in formal shots? I guess the Eian and the Culzeans could go like this as well. Okay I'm biased. I absolutely love men in uniforms. Hahahaha.






Okay the next picture is just so adorable.

Pearl has two daughters, Clara and Mira and in the Fiona later asks them to be her flower girls. So this is how I'd imagine them to be. Aren't they just SO CUTE? =)

So moving on, I've included some pictures of Ashford Castle, Ireland  [as a setting for my brain to imagine] see here. I took some from Leeds Castle also. Just throwing pictures around to get a sense of the image.

Straight lines or circular tables?




Okay... straight tables it is. Something like on the right.
This is like planning for a real wedding.
I'm having a headache!

Alright, I'll do my best to describe the wedding. I'm very excited for them [see too caught up in my imaginary world again]