Author's note – the title and the italicized lyrics come from the Big & Rich song "Lost in this Moment." I heard it a couple weeks ago and immediately thought it would be fabulous for a Samcedes wedding. Hope you enjoy – please let me know!

~smell the jasmine floating in the air like a love song~

"You nervous, bro?"

Until Puck voiced his question, Sam truly hadn't realized that he was sort of pacing around the cutely named "groom's room" that had been assigned to him for immediate pre-wedding preparation at the event site. The wedding was being held in a historic chapel in a gated community outside of Nashville and they were in a room on the back side of the building. Across a field was the clubhouse where the reception would be held. It also had a pool with some private cabanas, one of which was where Mercedes and her attendants were getting ready. He and Puck were under strict instructions from Quinn to stay put until she came to get them and direct them to their places in the chapel for the ceremony.

Sam shook his head and dropped into the nearest chair.

"Nah," he finally said and then admitted, "Not much anyway. I just – it was weird to wake up without her this morning."

Puck rolled his eyes but refrained from commentary as Sam continued, "It'd just be nice to see her for a second."

"But she's being all superstitious and shit, right?"

Sam nodded and Puck hauled himself off the couch he'd been sprawled on.

"No worries – on it. I'm all about a recon mission."

And before Sam could protest, Puck was out the door.

"Aw, crap," Sam muttered, before shrugging and wandering over to the window to peek through the blinds.

Outside, guests were milling about, making their way down the path to the chapel entrance. He spotted his father greeting a couple of guests and then a flash of blond hair and narrowed eyes looking right at him.

Oops.

Busted.

It wasn't long before Quinn was marching into the room. "No peeking, I told you!" Before she could go any further with her tirade, she realized he was alone. "Wait, where's Puck?"

Sam cringed inwardly just the slightest bit. "I – uh, mentioned wanting to see Mercedes and he disappeared. So – I don't really know?"

Quinn closed her eyes, looking as though she was calling on some inner strength. "That man…" she muttered.

"Are you sorry you moved to Nashville?" Sam asked, partly to deflect and partly out of genuine curiosity. "I mean, since it didn't end up working out with Puck…" His voice trailed off as Quinn raised an eyebrow, her expression clearly indicating she knew he was distracting her from the absence of the man in question.

But she shrugged and answered the question anyway. "No, I'm glad I moved here. It's a refreshing change of pace from the Northeast and it's not like I don't have friends here – you and Mercedes and Puck too, actually." She looked thoughtful. "He and I were always better as friends. I don't know why we thought it would be different this time."

"Well, you never know," Sam said, sitting back down in his chair. "Maybe it'll work out again someday."

Quinn shook her head. "No, I don't think so. But it's okay. I said back when we graduated high school that my romantic past needed to stay in the past. If I can remember that from now on, I'll be alright. Besides," she added with a teasing grin, "it's weird enough that we're all still such good friends. We can't all marry our high school sweethearts – that would be really weird."

Sam chuckled. "You may have a point."

Before either of them could say anything else, the door opened again and Puck returned to the room.

"Oh, thank God I don't have to track him down," Quinn muttered under her breath, cracking Sam up.

"Good news, Evans, I'm happy to report that your bride is looking hot," Puck announced, throwing himself back down on the couch he'd been on earlier.

"Figured that, but thanks for going to double-check," Sam replied sarcastically.

"Not a problem, man, not a problem. Tried to convince her to throw you over and run off with me, but she wouldn't take me up on the offer," he replied cheerfully, making Sam laugh, and then he looked at Quinn. "She's basically ready – we getting this show on the road soon?"

Quinn held up a finger, obviously listening to someone talking in the earpiece she wore. "Thanks, Natalie," she said in reply. "I'll bring the guys around in three minutes." She looked at Sam. "Alright, my friend. This is it!"

At the appointed time, Quinn directed them through a side door into the chapel, where they took their places at the front of the church. They hadn't wanted to overwhelm the small space with a bazillion people at the altar, so the bridal party was relatively small, three on each side. Mike Chang and Sam's brother Stevie were serving as ushers and Sam flashed a grin at his brother and friend as they escorted his mother and Mrs. Jones to their seats, Mr. Evans following behind them and Mr. Jones, of course, waiting with Mercedes behind the closed doors at the back of the chapel. He spotted Brittany and Santana seated on his side of the church and just across the aisle, Finn, Rachel and Blaine. He almost laughed – Finn was already handing his wife a tissue for the tears that were sure to start any moment.

~See your momma, and the candles and tears and roses/I see your daddy walk his daughter down the aisle~

Behind those closed doors at the back of the chapel was a flurry of activity. Bouquets being handed out, dresses smoothed, Mercedes' train being arranged just right behind her and a quick straightening of the tie being worn by her 'man of honor,' Kurt. Quinn appeared in the room and smiled as she stepped over to her friend and fussed with the veil on her head.

"Sam doing okay?" Mercedes asked and Quinn just laughed.

"He's fine, but you know that from Puck's not-so-secret visit."

Mercedes giggled. "Well, yeah, but I trust it more coming from you."

"Thanks," Quinn replied and then added, in a slightly lower voice, "And thank you for trusting me to pull this together. It's my first job on my own – it really means a lot to me."

Mercedes waved a dismissive hand. "Who else would I trust? I knew you could make it the perfect day and it absolutely is. I only wish you could have still been a bridesmaid, but I know it would've been too much."

Quinn nodded. "I know – but still. Thank you. You're a good friend and I'm so happy for you. For both of you."

"Girl – don't make me cry already," Mercedes warned as she pulled the other woman in for a hug.

"No, don't cry yet!" Quinn said before turning to the rest of the group – Mr. Jones, Kurt and the two bridesmaids, Tina and Sam's sister Stacey. "Okay, everyone ready?"

They got lined up, the music started and it was in motion.

~Now my knees start to tremble as I tell the preacher/Don't she look beautiful tonight ~

Sam had been looking down when the first chords of the processional kicked in and he snapped his head up to watch the attendants make their way to the front. His sister – 'good grief, when had she gone and grown up?' he wondered. Stacey was followed by Tina and he couldn't help glancing behind him at Mike, smiling at the obvious look of love and pride on his face as he watched his beautiful wife. And then Kurt, looking dapper as usual, his eyes immediately finding Blaine's in the congregation, the love they shared just as obvious on their faces. Sam had the fleeting thought that if he and Mercedes could be half as happy as their friends seemed to be, they'd be pretty well set. And then the doors, which had closed after Kurt started down the aisle, re-opened and the bride walked in and there wasn't room for any thoughts in his head beyond, 'my God. She's gorgeous.'

Mercedes literally took his breath away. She seemed to practically float down the aisle on her father's arm, smiling at him the whole way, and he knew he had to have the dumbest, dopiest grin on his face but he didn't care. The other people in the room had all seemed to disappear the minute she walked in.

It was both forever and no time at all before she was there beside him, taking his arm, her father kissing her cheek and then shaking his hand before he went to sit in the front pew next to Mrs. Jones.

"You look gorgeous," Sam whispered to her as they took the last few steps to the altar. Mercedes smiled back at him and that was all there was time for before the minister began speaking.

"Dearly beloved…"

The rest of the ceremony passed in a hazy blur. He knew he said his parts when he was supposed to and he would never forget the way Mercedes gripped his hands as they said their vows and the wide grin on her face as she said, 'to be my husband,' and he knew his hands shook a little as he was sliding her ring on her finger and hers might have been shaking a bit too as she put his ring on but before he knew it, the final prayer was being said and they were pronounced husband and wife. And then he was kissing his bride and the congregation was applauding and a wolf whistle came from behind him, so it could have only been Puck, but as far as he was concerned, there was no one in that moment but him and his wife (wife!).

~Lost in this moment with you/I am completely consumed/My feelings so absolute, there's no doubt/Sealing our love with a kiss/Waitin' my whole life for this/Watching all my dreams come true/Lost in this moment with you~

They broke apart from that first kiss as a married couple and Sam felt like he could just explode, he was so happy. Looking at Mercedes, he could tell she felt the exact same way. The minister motioned for them to turn to face the congregation and then announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, it is my privilege to present to you – Mr. and Mrs. Sam Evans!"

Part Two – the reception – coming soon!