The planning process was a blend of joy and chaos. The couple had a relatively short timeframe to organize the wedding due to Klara’s pregnancy, and they worked together to make decisions about the venue, guest list, and other details. Klara’s pregnancy bump was growing more noticeable with each passing week, and her radiant smile became a constant fixture as she shared her excitement with friends and colleagues.

One evening, as Jake and Klara sat together in Klara’s living room, poring over wedding invitations, Klara looked up at him with a mix of amusement and affection. “I never thought we’d be planning a shotgun wedding,” she mused, her hand resting on her growing belly.

Jake chuckled, placing his little hand over her giant one. “Life has a funny way of surprising us, doesn’t it?”

And the surprises just kept on coming, starting with Klara’s prenatal checkup the following morning. When their names were called, Klara and Jake entered the examination room. Klara’s obstetrician greeted them with a warm smile and began the check-up. After a thorough ultrasound, the doctor turned to them with a twinkle in her eye.

“I have some exciting news for you,” she said, her voice filled with a touch of mischief. “You’re not just expecting one baby – you’re having twins!”

Klara’s eyes widened, and Jake’s jaw dropped in astonishment. The unexpected revelation sent a wave of shock and joy through them.

“Twins?” Klara exclaimed, her voice a mix of disbelief and excitement.

The doctor nodded, her smile widening. “Yes, congratulations! You’re going to be parents to two healthy babies — a rare set of female-male fraternal twins. Usually in cases like this, only the female fetus is carried to term because the larger and faster growing female fetus outcompetes the male fetus for nutrients. But that would have already happened by now, if it were going to.”

Over the following weeks, Klara and Jake shared the news of their impending twins with their families and friends, who all showered them with love, support, and well-wishes. The excitement surrounding their wedding took on a new dimension as they prepared to welcome not one, but two bundles of joy into their lives.

Amidst the twin-related preparations, another practical consideration began to weigh on their minds: the size of Klara’s apartment. With the news of twins, it became clear that the cozy one-bedroom apartment would not provide enough space for their growing family.

“We definitely need more space,” Klara mused, her brows furrowing in thought.

Jake nodded in agreement. “Yeah, especially with twins on the way. They can share a nursery, but at some point they’ll need their own rooms.”

“I want our kids to have a comfortable and nurturing environment to grow up in,” Klara said, squeezing Jake’s hand a bit harder than she’d intended to as a wave of anxiety hit her.

Even as Jake winced, he was smiling; sometimes his fiance just didn’t know her own strength. “We’ll find the perfect place, Klara. A place where we can build a warm and happy home for our kids to grow up in. And with your huge salary jump, we won’t have to make any compromises.”

Over the next few weeks, Jake and Klara embarked on the challenging yet exciting journey of searching for a new home. But the long hours Klara was putting in since she’d been promoted were making progress difficult; Jake had more time to focus on the real estate hunting, but most of the realtors would only speak to Klara since only women can own property.

One evening, as they sat together in Klara’s living room after a particularly exhausting day, Jake brought up their house-hunting dilemma again. “I know you’re really stressed, Klara, but have you had a chance to look at any of the potential homes I forwarded to your email?”

Klara shook her head, a hint of frustration in her expression. “I barely have time to breathe, let alone browse through listings. I’ve tried to get the realtors to work with you, but most of them only want to deal with ‘the lady of the house.'”

Jake nodded in understanding. “I get it, Klara. But maybe we can set aside some time this weekend to look at a few places together. We’ll make it a fun activity.”

Klara’s tired eyes lit up with a hint of excitement. “That actually sounds like a good idea. A break from work and wedding planning would be nice.”

Over the weekend, Jake and Klara set out on their house-hunting adventure. With a list of properties and a map in hand, they visited various neighborhoods, exploring different options and envisioning their future home. As they walked through empty bedrooms, imagined family gatherings in spacious living rooms, and debated over kitchen layouts, they began to see the life they could have together.

Late Sunday afternoon, they stumbled upon a charming house in a family-friendly neighborhood. The spacious backyard, large enough for a swing set and a garden, sealed the deal for Klara. Jake had a few concerns about it, but Klara waved them off. It was clear that she had her heart set on this place, so Jake wasn’t surprised when she decided to submit an offer.

Klara was tense all day Monday, as she worried whether her offer would be accepted by the seller. Jake did his best to provide emotional support, often reminding her that they were in this together and that things would work out.

Finally, that evening, as Jake was just putting dinner on the table, Klara’s phone rang. She answered it with a mix of excitement and nervousness. After a few moments, her face broke into a wide smile.

“We got it, Jake! My offer was accepted!” she exclaimed, her voice filled with elation.

Jake jumped up from his seat, his own excitement matching Klara’s. She wrapped her arms around him and lifted him off the ground in a tight embrace. They’d made it over one hurdle. And the next hurdle was approaching quickly.

On the morning of the wedding, Klara and her bridesmaids got ready at Klara’s apartment, while Jake and his groomsmen prepared at his childhood home. The air was filled with a sense of excitement and anticipation as the couple made their final preparations. Klara’s dress, tailored to accommodate her growing belly, made her look even more radiant and beautiful.

Because they were operating on such a tight timetable, Klara and Jake had opted for a small and simple outdoor wedding. Fortunately, the sun was shining brightly and the temperature was perfect as the guests gathered at the park along the river. Large wooden chairs were arranged neatly on one side of the aisle for the female guests, while much smaller folding chairs had been set up on the other side of the aisle for the male guests.

At the end of the aisle was an elaborate floral arch full of white and pink blooms. The priestess, a close friend of Klara’s mother, was already in position with her sacred tome open to the appropriate passage.

Once the last of the guests had settled into their seats, soft instrumental music began to play, signaling the start of the processional. The groomsmen proceeded down the aisle first, looking dapper in their matching suits. Each spoke to a different part of Jake’s life: First came his oldest friend Christopher, who he’d met back in grade school. Next came Kai, who he’d met in college when they’d been outnumbered by girls more than 15 to 1. Finally, Shou-Hsia was Klara’s maternal cousin, who he’d only met after they’d gotten together.

Once the groomsmen were in place, the best man walked down the aisle next. Jake had chosen Gary to be his best man, because his quick mastery of the clerical work had made Jake and Klara’s relationship possible. It was clear that Gary was deeply honored to have been chosen.

Then it was time for the mother of the groom to carry him down the aisle, as was tradition. Jake’s mother cradled him in him her arms as she proceeded down the aisle. He felt safe and protected in her strong, muscular arms just like he had as a child.

As Jake’s mother put him down gently at the foot of the floral arch, the bridesmaids made their way down the aisle wearing matching chartreuse dresses. Each spoke to a different part of Klara’s life: First came Cionna, who Klara had been friends with since they were teammates on their high school’s varsity soccer team. Next came Victoria, Klara’s first boss as a working professional. And finally, Jake’s sister Sarah, who had grown very close to Klara over the course of the summer.

Once the bridesmaids were in place, the mistress of honor walked down the aisle next. Klara had entrusted Anna with this honor, since they never would have met if Anna hadn’t created a position for Klara.

The flower boy, Klara’s teenage brother Isak. was next. He looked a bit nervous and overwhelmed as he walked down the aisle, scattering petals along the path as he went.

Emily, Jake’s youngest sister, loomed behind him, marching confidently down the aisle in her charming lavender dress. She carried a small pillow with the wedding rings nestled in the middle.

Finally, the moment everyone had been waiting for arrived. The soft strains of music changed, signaling Klara’s entrance. All eyes turned towards the beginning of the aisle, and there she was, a vision of beauty in her white gown. She walked gracefully, her smile radiant as she made her way towards the arch where Jake stood, his eyes locked onto hers.

Klara cradled her father in her arms as she walked down the aisle, and he looked up at her with a teary mix of pride and nostalgia. Klara’s mother followed closely behind, her eyes glistening with tears of happiness. As they neared the arch, Klara set her father down gently in the seat next to her future father-in-law. Jake’s father winked up at her.

On the other side of the aisle, Klara’s mother was seated in the front row, dabbing her eyes with a tissue as she watched her daughter take her place opposite Jake.

With the entire bridal party now assembled, the priestess began the ceremony with words of wisdom and blessings. She spoke of love, unity, and the journey that Jake and Klara were embarking upon. Her words resonated deeply with everyone present, capturing the essence of the couple’s connection and the new chapter they were about to begin.

As she spoke, Klara and Jake exchanged loving glances. Klara held her pregnant belly, while Jake placed a supportive hand on her upper thigh.

“We are gathered together here in the majesty of Mother Nature to join together this Woman and this Man in holy Matrimony. Let us commence with the vows.”

“Jake, do you accept Klara as your wedded wife? Will you obey her, and serve her, love, honor, and keep her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, remain faithful only to her, so long as you both shall live?”

“I do,” Jake said, beaming from ear to ear.

The priestess, a serene and dignified figure in her traditional clerical robes, turned to Klara.

“And Klara, do you accept Jake as your wedded husband? Will you guide him, and protect him, love him, comfort him, and keep him in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others, remain faithful only to him, so long as you both shall live?”

Klara’s smile matched Jake’s. “I do!”

The priestess then guided them through the symbolic exchange of rings, signifying the eternity of their union. She had Emily bend down so that Jake could reach Klara’s ring, and then raise the cushion high so that Klara could take Jake’s ring. Then she had Jake’s mother lift him up so that he could reach Klara’s hand. Once Jake had slipped the ring onto Klara’s finger, his mother set him back down and then Klara got down on one knee to slip Jake’s ring onto his ring finger. The exchanging of rings symbolized their union and the start of their life together as a family.

The priestess pronounced them wife and husband. “Klara, you may now kiss the groom!”

Klara lifted him up by his armpits and practically smashed his lips into hers. A wave of applause and cheers erupted from the gathered guests.