It was a beautiful spring day, the perfect day for a wedding. In a castle nestled snugly in a valley in the French countryside, a girl of about eighteen stood at a tower window, watching the bustling activity in the gardens below. Her thick dark hair was piled on top of her head and crowned with a veil of finest white lace. A few loose curls framed her fair face. Her brown eyes glittered with excitement, and she wore a brilliant smile on her face.

There was a knock at the door. "Come in," the girl called, not turning from the window.

"Belle, it's just about--Oh my goodness, just LOOK at you, dear!" Belle turned to see Mrs. Potts, her good friend and the castle cook, standing in the doorway looking speechless.

"Do I look all right, Mrs. Potts?" Belle asked shyly.

"All right? My dear, you look STUNNING! The Master will be so pleased!"

Belle grinned. "Oh, I hope so. He's been so worried about today. He wants everything to be perfect."

"Trust me, child," said Mrs. Potts with a knowing smile. "If you're happy, he'll be happy."

Belle threw back her head and laughed merrily, twirling around as her silky white wedding gown swirled around her. "Oh, I AM happy, Mrs. Potts! I'm getting MARRIED!"

"Are you ready yet, Belle?" called a familiar voice from the hallway outside.

Belle smiled. "Yes, Papa, ready as I'll ever be. Come in, please. You'll make me less nervous."

Maurice entered the room, a wry look on his face. "Your groom is nervous enough for the both of you," he told his daughter. He chuckled to himself. "Took me, Cogsworth, AND Lumiere to get him somewhat calmed down."

Belle looked at her father and Mrs. Potts and smiled warmly. "Let's go down, then," she said briskly. "I'd hate to be late for my own wedding!"> She took her father's arm and they slowly descended the main staircase, followed by Mrs. Potts.

In the gardens below, everything was in place for the royal wedding of the Prince of the realm. All the guests had taken their seats, and the Prince stood at the altar, along with Lumiere, who would be best man, and Mrs. Potts' son Chip, who was the ring bearer. The Prince's long, golden hair was pulled back fashionably with a white ribbon, and he wore a matching white coat trimmed in gold, striking black pants, and shiny new boots. At a gasp of admiration from the assembled crowd, he turned, and as the band began to play, he locked eyes with Belle.

The flower girl, a small girl Belle knew from when she had lived in the village, started up the aisle, followed by the two bridesmaids the maid of honor, Fifi. At last Belle, escorted by her father, began to walk towards the altar, wearing a dazzling smile and never taking her shining eyes from the Prince's.

For Belle and the Prince, the wedding itself went by in a blur. They were to excited, too much in love, to pay much attention. But they decided later that nothing must have gone wrong, because suddenly they were kissing and everyone else was cheering wildly.

As they parted, the Prince placed his hand under Belle's chin and tilted her face up to look into his. "Well, Princess," he whispered, "shall we go meet our guests?"

Belle smiled up at him. "That feels odd. Me, royalty. Who'd have thought?"

The Prince grinnned back at her. "Just about everyone but you, my love. Come on. Everybody's waiting on us."

The reception was as perfect as the wedding. Everyone seemed to have a wonderful time. There was good food, good company, and LOTS of dancing. When Belle threw her bouquet (of roses, of course!), Fifi caught it, and everyone smiled to see Lumiere put his arm proudly around her afterwards. To Chip's embarrassment and everyone else's delight, his mother made him dance with the flower girl.

Late in the evening, after the last guests had left, Belle and her Prince sat curled up by the fire, alone together at last, reflecting on all that had happened and changed since they met.

"Remember when you ran away?" the Prince asked, his eyes twinkling mischievously.

"And you saved me," Belle supplied with a smile. "My hero. And then there was the library...I decided then that someone who had as many books as you couldn't be all bad."

"My little Bookworm Belle," he teased, kissing the tip of her nose. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she replied, sighing contentedly as she snuggled closer to him. They were silent for a few minutes, and when the Prince craned his head down to look at her face, he saw she was asleep.

"Tired after the big day, love?" he whispered smoothing a few loose strands of hair off of her face. "I don't blame you. It's been a long day for both of us." Cradling her easily in his arms, he carried her upstairs.

Outside, the castle shone with the warm glow of love as the sun set on the wedding day of Beauty and the Beast.