In the bridal suite, Allyson and her bridesmaids donned their floral-print robes and sipped mimosas as the manicurists tended to their nails.

“To, Allyson, the sweetest, kindest, luckiest, most beautiful bride to walk down the aisle,” Allyson’s sister Janie said, raising her champagne flute. “May you and Josh have the happiest, most fulfilling, truest life of love.”

The rest of the bridesmaids raised their glasses a bit higher and clinked them together in a toast.

“I can’t believe this is happening. This is happening right?” Allyson asked Janie and Shannon.

“Yes, it’s happening, and I couldn’t be happier for you,” Janie said, sticking a loose curl around the back of Allyson’s ear.

“And I think, um, did you have something you wanted to say to me?” Shannon asked, leadingly.

“Yes,” Allyson said with a laugh. “Thank you for making me make a fool of myself. Turns out it became quite the story.”

“It sure as hell did!” Shannon said with a laugh as she grabbed Allyson’s hands in hers. “I’m so happy for you!”

Over in the groom’s suite, JC looked at himself in the mirror and the guys sitting in the lux loungers behind him. “This is really happening isn’t it?” he asked, turning around to them.

“Yep,” Justin got up and walked over to JC. “The last of the *NSYNC bachelors is becoming a husband.” He rested his hands on JC’s shoulders. “It’s been fun, man.”

They laughed before Justin quickly added his congratulations. “You deserve this, man.”

“Thanks.”

“Dude, you have so much to look forward to,” Chris assured him. “Married life is the absolute best thing.”

“I can’t believe after everything, Allyson was there,” JC said.

“Sometimes, love stories are fairytales that you just have to let unfold,” Lance said.

“Yeah, I’ve never seen you so happy with anyone else,” Joey said.

“Plus, Mom and Dad love her!” JC’s brother Tyler chimed in.

“Come on, let’s get you ready for forever,” Justin said.

Over the course of the day, JC and his groomsmen got their tuxes on, while Allyson and her bridal party zipped up and buttoned their dresses. Allyson’s bridesmaids were in a dusty rose blush color that complemented the flowers Allyson had picked out.

The couple had decided they wanted the first look to happen in the aisle, so they met on either side of a wall near the suites to exchange notes they had written to each other. Allyson reached out her hand around the side of the wall, and JC quickly found it, interlacing his fingers with hers as they began reading silently to themselves. All the while, the photographers continued to snap pictures.

Josh, my best friend, I never imagined I’d find myself here, and can’t imagine being anywhere else. We’ve been through a lot already, and I know we’ll have a lot ahead. Together we will overcome every obstacle and celebrate every milestone, leading with love the entire way. I cannot wait to do life with you. Always. Allyson had added a perfect lipstick mark kiss.

My favorite barista, Allyson, I never would have thought our story, starting how it did, would lead to this moment, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. It is perfectly us. I have found a best friend and the love of my life. Looking back, I can’t imagine how I walked through life without you, and I can’t wait to move forward from here with you by my side. I’m always just a heartbeat away.

Their fingers massaged each other’s as they read the short, but sweet notes they had penned. All the anxiety Allyson had been feeling and the nervousness JC had felt was gone. All the butterflies were pure excitement.

            Guests were filing into the venue as cousins from both their families helped escort people to their seats. There was an energy in the space as everyone gathered to celebrate this love JC and Allyson shared.

As the moment arrived, JC took his place, more excited than he had ever felt before, but the nerves had set in again. He was doing this. They were doing this. This was happening. He was getting married!

Then, the piano began, and his head shot up toward the doors. One by one, each of his *NSYNC brothers walked down the aisle with JC’s sister, a couple of Allyson’s good childhood friends, Liz and Shannon before Tyler and Janie took their place as the best man and maid of honor.

JC watched as the doors closed again as Allyson and her dad got into position. Allyson’s dad, Don, had already cried once when he first saw Allyson, his oldest daughter, in her wedding dress.

“You’re beautiful, baby girl. He is lucky to have you, and I couldn’t be happier for the two of you. The love you have for each other radiates. It’s time to share it with the world.”

“Thank you, Daddy,” she said as she squeezed his arm and laid her head on her shoulder briefly.

“Are you ready to marry the man of your dreams?”

“More than ever,” she beamed. Her hair cascaded down in waves under her veil.

“Then let’s go.”

JC’s head snapped up again as he heard the piano begin playing again. The guests all stood as the doors opened again to reveal Allyson.

“Oh my God!” JC said under his breath to where only Tyler could hear him.

Allyson beamed at the man who would soon be her husband. She couldn’t smile any bigger than she already was as she began her walk down the aisle to become Mrs. Chasez, officially.

A small tear escaped the corner of JC’s eye, and as he reached up to wipe it away, Tyler put a reassuring hand on his brother’s shoulder.

As Allyson’s dad presented her and she turned to meet JC’s gaze, he whispered, “You’re beautiful.” Allyson blushed and smiled even bigger.

The wedding went exactly as rehearsed, both making it through their vows without crying. With the exchange of rings, the minister smiled toward the people gathered and proudly said, “By the authority vested in me by the State of California, I now pronounce you husband and wife!”

           Their first kiss was sweet, and Allyson let out an excited yell as they turned to walk down the aisle together hand in hand for the first time as husband and wife. As they reached the other side of the large wooden doors, JC turned to Allyson and kissed her again, this time a little harder as his right hand reached up to pull her head closer to him.

             “You are stunning! I can’t believe it! You’re my wife.”

“And you’re my husband! Ah haha!”

As the guests continued on to a cocktail hour, JC, Allyson, their families and the wedding party stayed back to take photos.

            As the reception began, the wedding party was introduced before the music changed to the Space Jam theme song. “Ladies and gentlemen,” the DJ announced into the microphone, “It is my honor to introduce, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Scott Chasez! Let’s hear it for Josh and Allyson!” JC twirled Allyson as they walked and danced into the reception, both grinning from ear to ear.

Everything was perfect. After some mingling, Allyson and JC took the dance floor for the first time as husband and wife.

            “Hey, give it up for the lovebirds. This is a special song just for them,” JC’s longtime friend and fellow musician Tony Lucca said into the mic as he sat down on a stool with his acoustic guitar.

           JC and Allyson slid into each other’s arms perfectly, naturally and began to sway to a familiar melody that had been specifically arranged for the occasion.

“Whenever I’m weary from the battles that rage in my head, you make sense of madness when my sanity hangs by a thread,” Tony began singing from the stage as JC whisper sang along in Allyson’s ear. “I lose my way, but still you seem to understand, now and forever, I will be your man. Sometimes I just hold you, too caught up in me to see I’m holding a fortune that heaven has given to me. I’ll try to show you each and every way I can, now and forever, I will be your man. Now I can rest my worries and always be sure that I won’t be alone anymore. Had I only known you were there all the time, all this time. Until the day the ocean doesn’t touch the sand, now and forever, I will be your man.”

As he finished the song, JC and Allyson shared a tender kiss.

As the dinner buffet opened, the DJ took over again with fun and romantic mid-tempo songs until people got back out on the dance floor again.

JC and Allyson spent most of their time on the dance floor, dancing with each other, with their friends and family and just enjoying themselves.

Later in the reception, Allyson whispered a very specific request in JC’s ear. He lowered his head and chuckled. “Really? You were serious about that?”

“Please,” she smiled.

“OK,” he kissed her a couple times on her lips.

As “How Sweet It Is” by James Taylor ended, he walked up to the stage and took the microphone. “Hi folks, thank you all for being here. This is an incredibly special day for Allyson and me, and each of you mean so much to both of us. Now, this isn’t a speech or anything, but I’m here with a special request that came from a very special person, namely my wife,” he pointed out into the audience. Everyone cheered at the mention of his wife. “A wise person once said, ‘Happy wife, happy life,’ so I’m here to make my wife happy. Fellas – J, Lance, Chris, Joe – would y’all mind joining me up here?”

The four of them, who had been yucking it up at their table, quickly looked in JC’s direction and made their way to the stage, all asking each other what it could be about.

“So I’ve had a special song request, but I could use y’all’s help. Think you remember this one?” he said as they each picked up a microphone and heard the soft drum and guitar beat begin playing. They all smiled at each other. While it was not necessarily a planned performance, they had prepared for it in advance of the wedding, guessing Allyson might make the request. They made a pact that they would only sing together if Allyson was the one to request it.

As the intro began, each of the guys took their place on the stage next to JC. “When the visions around you bring tears to your eyes,” Justin began singing, “and all that surrounds you are secrets and lies. I’ll be your strength, I’ll give you hope, keeping your faith when it’s gone. The one you should call was standing here all along.”

Then, all five lifted their mics, “And I will take you in my arms and hold you right where you belong. ’Til the day my life is through, this I promise you.”

JC had yet to take his eyes off Allyson and as his verse began, he stared even more intently across the dance floor at the love of his life. “I’ve loved you forever in lifetimes before, and I promise you never will you hurt anymore. I give you my word. I give you my heart, this is a battle we’ve won, and with this vow, forever has now begun.” He closed his eyes and opened them again to see that Allyson had moved to the front of the stage.

JC bent down and reached out his hand to hold hers, as they all began singing again, “Just close your eyes each loving day, and know this feeling won’t go away.”

Looking deeply into Allyson’s eyes, JC began again, “’Til the day my life is through, this I promise you. This I promise you. Over and over I fall – over and over I fall – when I hear you call. Without you in my life, baby, I just wouldn’t be living at all.”

By this point, everyone was mesmerized by what they were seeing. Not only was the performance perfect, but the love between JC and Allyson was palpable as the group continued singing with JC taking his solo moments, never once taking his eyes off Allyson.

“Every word I say is true, this I promise you.” Justin rests his hand on JC’s shoulder to tell him to keep going. Rather than Justin ending the song, JC continued, “Every word I say is true, this I promise you. Oooh I promise you.”

As the music faded out, JC leaned forward to kiss Allyson deeply as she squeezed his face between her hands. Everyone in the ballroom cheered, while some wiped tears from their eyes. It was the perfect moment every couple dreams of having on their wedding day.

By the time 10:30 rolled around, more and more people began leaving the venue, and by 11, the DJ started playing “Last Dance” and “Closing Time.” After running through a tunnel of bubbles, JC and Allyson climbed into a vintage Rolls Royce they had rented for the night, and it took them about five seconds before they shared an intimate kiss in the backseat and waved at the remaining guests as the car drove off.

Allyson laid her head on JC’s shoulder. “This was beyond perfect.”

JC snaked his arm around Allyson’s shoulder and kissed the top of her head. “That makes me happy. We could’ve gone to the Justice of the Peace, as long as I got to marry you. The party was just icing on the cake, literally,” he said, touching Allyson’s nose, laughing as he thought about the icing Allyson had placed on his nose a few hours earlier.

“It was everything I hoped it would be and then some,” she smiled, sitting up again to look at him. “And thank you for singing for me. That was my favorite part, besides actually getting to marry you.”

 “Mine too actually,” he smiled and kissed her again. “I wasn’t sure how I would feel about performing at my own wedding, but when I looked out and saw you, there wasn’t anyone else in the room but you. Having you there by the stage was one of the most special moments I’ve ever had. Thank you for that.”

She didn’t say anything, but simply kissed him hard on the mouth and rested her head on his shoulder again as the car drove along the surface roads.

At their hotel room for the night, JC picked Allyson up and carried her in his arms. “That’s what I’m supposed to do, right?” he looked down at her.

“Sure,” she laughed as her arms wrapped around his neck. “I’ll never turn down being carried by you.”

“Oh don’t tell me that,” he said with a smirk.

JC sat Allyson’s feet down on the ground and ran his hands up her body over her dress as his lips softly kissed the left side of her neck. He began undoing the buttons on the back of her dress before freeing the zipper, and Allyson carefully slid the dress down her body before hanging it up in the closet.

“You’re even more beautiful, if that’s possible,” he smiled, admiring the woman standing in front of him.

She blushed and offered to help JC out of his jacket as he began loosening his tie and together they got JC more comfortable.

Together, they explored each other’s bodies like it was the first time, their touches tender and soft and their kisses passionate. Just as JC’s mom had predicted, the two fell in love with each other all over again.

For the next two weeks, the couple traveled around the Mediterranean, spending time on the beaches, in the villages and in the villas they booked. JC had made sure no one could call him, and Allyson had resigned from her position at the zoo, knowing she would be relocating to LA. It was the best honeymoon they could imagine, and neither of them had any cares other than being with each other and their adventures for the day.

Once they were back in California, the work began again with JC in the studio writing and producing. His career was such that Allyson was able to take her time finding her next job. And soon she did with the City of Los Angeles, specifically as communications coordinator for the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens.