I do!

Recently, I've become addicted to bride shows, Bridezillas and Say yes to the Dress. I don't know why. I was married 29 years ago, and I have no desire to renew my vows. Don't get me wrong, I'm perfectly happy with my hubs, but going through the whole ordeal of a big, Catholic wedding again holds no appeal.

But watching these shows got me to thinking about my characters. What would their wedding(s) be like? In Wild Horses, Jake and Castana have little family. Both of her parents and her only brother are dead. Jake is close to his parent, especially his father. His sister died of a drug overdose a few years ago.

Both of them are Catholic. They plan to get married in St. Francis church, married by Father Thomas, the same priest who baptized Castana. It is early evening, late September, and the church is lit by candelabra. Her Maid of Honor is Patty, a new friend. Her bridesmaid is Eagle, a lifelong friend. Standing with Jake will be Kelso, his partner. His groomsman will be a friend from college.

Castana picks a straight, form-fitting dress that flatters her 5'10", slim body. It's lace over satin.  She wears a floor-length veil, he wears a tux, of course. The bridesmaids wear simple, floor-length dresses of bronze satin. Their flowers are all fall colored flowers...

Okay, I've played with this enough.  But it leads me to my question, how do you picture your characters after the last page? Are they married, or living together, or eventually even splitting up?

Comments

  1. I don't think too much about after the story, because if I did a new story would come to me. So I let my characters live in some ethereal HEA where they can lead a quiet life without me throwing in some drama. LOL Nice post D'Ann.

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  2. So far the only book my characters haven't got married in was The Treasure Hunter's Lady. I think it would be a quiet affair with Abel's family since Romy's parents are dead. And you know how much she hates crowds and getting fancied up.

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    1. Yes, and they are such a sexy married couple, too!

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  3. While I may have a picture in my mind of what comes next, I don't pursue it. I'm like Kary--it would mean writing sequel.

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  4. I picture all of my characters spending a HEA together in all of my books except for Sheriff in Her Stocking in which Rick and Delaney have a HEA for now.I wrote that book for my publisher at the time, Loose ID (pronounced with a short "i") and pushed the envelope, I really didn't write it for myself. It is a good book but I don't plan to write one like it again.

    My first book, Wolf Island, Dev and Abby are definitely up in Maine living an HEA on the island. Those two are so real to me I feel as though I would find them if I actually went up to Maine. Wolf Island is there off the coast in the mist. I just know it. :)

    Sorry to be so chatty :)

    Cheryl G
    cherylgorman.wordpress.com

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  5. They live happily ever after--married with children.

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  6. I write Regencies, all my characters end up married. Some have larger weddings, not necessarily in the church, as that was not really the custom, but large wedding breakfasts. Unless one had a special license, the wedding had to take place between 8am and noon. Some only want a few friends, with family. One couple had a surprise wedding breakfast given for them. I do so love a good wedding.

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  7. I picture them married or at least together...but aside from the living happily ever after, I try not to think about them too much. I figure I've given them enough drama already... ;) Great post, D'Ann!

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  8. HAHAHA...I have become addicted to Say Yes to the Dress too...and also Four Weddings..no clue why because I didn't even have a big wedding because I didn't want one...we eloped.

    Anyway, I always picture my couples married and like Kristi after that image I push it out of my mind. I want to remember them in those beginning stages of romance :)

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  9. I love how we can imagine the future of our characters. Weddings are always fun to imagine :-)

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  10. Nice question D'Ann. It all depends but largely I'd go for them being married, having kids and all that kinda jazz!

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  11. Mine are married and probably have kids--I'm such a traditionalist!

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  12. My main characters always get married. I never decribed Somiar and Malachi's wedding but I picutred it as a small affair. I did mention however at the end of the story they found out they were having triplets.

    Kalyste and Jude had a huge wedding. 10 bridesmaides and groomsmen. She word a white, backless silk sarong style dress with pearls accross the back and in her hair. No children though since their kind can't have kids.

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  13. I write middle grade, so I think the main obstacle my characters have to get through is high school :)

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  14. They are always married with kids and grandkids in my mind. My HEA lasts a life time.

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  15. Always married but kids come much later. I picture two of my characters never having kids at all and that makes my heroine sad because she really wants kids.

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  16. Good question and great comment answers!!

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  17. Ha, I'll have to finish a book first to see where I go with it. Probably going to say married. Nice post!

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  18. Great blog!!!

    Yeah, I do imagine what my characters' weddings would be like. Some of them will show up in the next book in the series. For example, Charli and Dylan (Gambling on a Secret) get married at the beginning of Gambling on a Heart. Tracy and Zack get hitched in the middle of Gambling on a Dream. Wyatt and Dawn elope at the end of the book. Lance and Rachel reluctantly say I do at the beginning of Gambling on a Wish.

    In my Hunter's Dagger books. The weddings are at night and are attended by only a few people. And all of them are officiated by Master Vampire (and ancient early Christian monk) Lucas Pomeroy.

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  19. Thanks, everyone, for coming by today!

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  20. I love a wedding! I used to hate them, but once I got my own out of the way, I am free to enjoy them with abandon. :) (I'm happily married to another introvert who also dreaded a big, public wedding....) So I love to write my characters' weddings. I always end with a wedding. Only way to go, in my sub-genre. ;)

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  21. My hubby and I were married at the Justice of the Peace 20 years ago because both our parents divorced at the same time we wanted to marry so we didn't have a big wedding. I have never written a wedding in any of my books, wouldn't know where to start, lol. But, I always imagine my characters having big weddings and living the dream! Great post, D'Ann!!

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  22. Well, since my characters are in high school, I'm just hoping they last until prom :)

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