Two Mares (And Stallions), One Wedding
Author's Note
The inspiration for this fic was a fan comic taking place prior to Season 8, which showed Pinkie and Maud getting married on the same day at the same time (Maud was marrying a different stallion because Mudbriar didn't exist yet).
Two Mares (And Stallions), One Wedding
It was amazing to Pinkie Pie just how much time had flown since Cheese Sandwich had proposed to her all those months ago! Her wedding was coming up fast, and the excitement of it all gave the party pony even more of a spring in her step than usual. Being close to her special somepony probably helped too.
But planning your own wedding was not just fun and games (aside from the party games at the reception). A wedding and its reception had to be planned just right. And when the wedding was between two top notch party ponies, there were certain expectations that had to be met. Pinkie couldn't let them down.
She'd worked out most of the details already. She knew where to get the dresses from, what food to serve at the reception, what kind of songs to play leading up to her walking down the aisle to be given away, she'd even finalized who was going to be her best mare: Her favorite big sister, Maud. All that remained was to officially recruit her, and see if her boyfriend Mudbriar could be recruited for any kind of position. She really didn't want him to be left out of the wedding if possible, all the other ponies closest to her were playing a role in her big day. And having Maud in such a key position without the possibility of her boyfriend also being involved would be a huge party pooper move. And Pinkie was no party pooper!
So the soon to be wedded pink party pony bounced away to her sister's cozy little underground home in Ponyville adjacent. She couldn't wait to ask Maud to be her best mare, she knew Maud would be the best best mare in the history of best mares!
Maud was apparently in the midst of an important conversation with Mudbriar when Pinkie happened to come bouncing in on the admittedly odd couple. But Maud always had time for her sister, so she put on her best sisterly smile. "Hello, Pinkie Pie. How goes the wedding planning?" She asked in what sounded like a sincere tone. With her often dry way of speaking it was hard to tell.
Pinkie Pie excitedly declared! "Great! Terrific! It couldn't possibly be any better! Actually, yes it could, because I have something I wanna ask you. Something that involves the wedding," And without waiting for a reply she announced her intention. "Maud, will you do me the honor of being the best mare at my wedding?! Please say yes, please say yes, please say yes!"
Yet Maud took only one look back towards Mudbriar, and her sisterly smile began to fade as her happy facade started to crumble like a pile of rocks. "I would love to, Pinkie. But I can't." She admitted in an unhappy tone.
Mudbriar happened to speak up. "Technically, you could. You would just be late for the private ceremony you and I will be having in which we exchange our vows and say our "I Dos". I've been rehearsing. And don't forget that our pets are going to be married as well."
Pinkie let out a gasp when she heard Mudbriar's declaration! "What?! You two were going to have a private wedding, and your pets were going to be in it too, and you didn't tell me?!"
"It was a private ceremony, we did not feel the need to tell you until now since it didn't conflict with your wedding," Mudbriar explained. "We would've still made it for the reception."
"I'm sorry you had to find out this way, Pinkie," Maud explained to her sister. "But kind of like how I always prefer smaller, private parties on my birthday, I don't necessarily want my wedding to be some big thing. I've already gotten Mom and Dad to approve of Mudbriar, just like you got them to approve of Cheese Sandwich marrying you. I didn't think you would ask me to be your best mare. I thought you were going to reserve that honor for Marble."
Pinkie massaged the back of her neck with a hoof. "I was, but Marble said she's not comfortable with such a big role. She said you'd be better at it because you know me so much," And she then pleaded. "Please can you reschedule your not so secret wedding since now I know about it? You know, until a day or two later when it'll be a secret?"
Mud corrected. "It would technically not be a secret wedding no matter what now, because you know about it. For it to be secret it would require even you not to know," And as he looked at Pinkie he told her. "And I don't want you to pretend you didn't hear that. It was my idea to have a private ceremony, I did not anticipate it falling on the same day as your wedding to Cheese Sandwich."
Maud was quick to suggest. "You can just get somepony else to be your best mare, Pinkie. I'm sure any one of your friends could fill the role."
The pink party pony frowned as her happy mood faded. "It won't be the same. And it's not right that I have to miss my big sister's wedding because of my own. If only there was a way I could combine them," As soon as she'd said that, a light bulb went off inside the mare's head! "Of course! The answer's right in front of me, it's so simple! I just need to see if Cheese is on board with! Don't you go anywhere!" She zipped away without waiting for a reply.
Mud was still a little confused to see Pinkie zoom away so quickly, but Maud just smiled. It was the sort of thing about her sister that made her love her so much.
Cheese Sandwich was back at Sugarcube Corner, and was just finishing looking over the R.S.V.Ps for the wedding when his special somepony came bursting through the front door, tackling him into a big hug! The stallion blushed slightly at the rather energetic greeting. "Oh, honey. There has to be a better way of getting my attention." He giggled.
Pinkie just planted a kiss on her soon to be husband's cheek. "Sorry, Cheese, but I just had the most super spectacular idea I've ever had!"
Cheese blinked. "What do you mean? I thought you were going to ask Maud to be the best mare at our wedding."
The pink party pony nodded. "I was, but then I found out she and Mudbriar are going to have a sort of secret wedding that's really not secret now that I know about it. And I didn't wanna miss that, even if I wouldn't be throwing a party or any kind of celebration. So then I started thinking about how both weddings are gonna be on the same day and involve the same family. I'm getting married to you, and Maud's getting married to Mudbriar."
"Pinkie, are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?" Cheese questioned. He needn't have asked, he was pretty sure he knew the answer.
Pinkie nodded her head again and leaped into the air, all but bouncing off the walls! "So what better way to solve all the problems I faced with this discovery, than to combine the two weddings into one super wedding spectacular?! Maud and I can both get married on the same day, at the same time! Two weddings for the price of one! Tell me it's a great idea! I mean, am I a genius or what?"
Cheese paused in silent pondering and contemplation. Though he hadn't done much traveling as of lately (his "Cheesie Sense" had regrettably caused him to be far away from Ponyville and out of reach when Equestria had been in peril, to say nothing of how he hadn't been able to make it back in time for Twilight's coronation as supreme ruler), he still considered himself just as much of a party planning expert as the mare he would soon marry. Though he hadn't done any sort of wedding planning, he still knew from experience that sometimes combining two or more things into one didn't go so well. "Pinkie, are you sure this is a good idea? It would take a lot to change up the wedding plans now."
But the party pony shook her head. "No it wouldn't, Cheese. We've still got enough time to readjust. I know we can pull it off! I can pull it off, or my name's not Pinkamina Diane Pie, which it is!" She practically puffed out her chest at that statement.
Cheese Sandwich folded. He knew that when Pinkie got like this there was no convincing her otherwise. "Well, as long as Maud and Mudbriar are okay with it. But we'll have to inform all of our guests, and probably change up the venue to accommodate everypony."
"Just leave the other bride and groom to me!" Pinkie declared with a salute. "You focus on getting the word out about the Pie Double Wedding Spectacular!"
Although Maud wasn't initially on board with the idea of having her wedding be on the same day and take place at the same time and location as Pinkie's wedding, it only took a little bit of pleading from her sister (and some reassurance from Mudbriar that he supported the idea) for Maud to relent. "Alright, Pinkie. I suppose my wedding is the one exception. It's not like my birthday where I can always do a bigger celebration next year if I really feel like it."
"Indeed, unless one divorces or outlives their spouse, it is impossible to hold another wedding," Mudbriar pointed out. "And I do not foresee either outcome. I believe we shall indeed be together, Maud, 'Til death do us part' as the saying goes."
Pinkie just waved a hoof. "Aw, that's way too far into the future and way too grim. But you're right, Mudbriar. Weddings only come once," Then she smiled. "Ooh, I can hardly wait for it to all come together! I'll have to tell Rarity to make more dresses and suits! She's gonna have to run the orders through all of her boutiques!"
Mudbriar then commented. "I suppose I can take advantage of this opportunity to finally have a talk with Cheese Sandwich. If he is going to be my brother-in-law, I should get to know him better," And he not so silently pondered. "I wonder if he's an only child like I was."
However, Maud still had her concerns even as she saw her sister prepare to leave. Few knew that Pinkie was capable of exhausting herself. Maud was one of the only ones who knew that even somepony as seemingly invincible and full of endless energy like Pinkie couldn't do everything. "Are you absolutely sure you're not taking on more than you can handle?" She not so subtly inquired of her sister, perhaps hoping to talk her out of the extreme option to which she had now dedicated herself to.
Shaking her head quite firmly, Pinkie declared with a puffed out chest! "Maud, do you think I'd be proposing this double wedding if I didn't think I could handle it?"
Maud let out a sigh. "No, Pinkie. But I still don't know if this is a good idea."
"It's totally a good idea, and everypony's on board with it now!" The party pony declared! "You and Mudbriar just relax, and start practicing your vows for the big day. Everything's going to be absolutely, one hundred and ten percent fine. I Pinkie Promise. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!" She repeated the motions with practiced precision.
That settled any dispute the stoic older sister might have had with her younger sister's proposal. A Pinkie Promise was never broken no matter what, and neither could it be violated once a pony had dedicated themselves to it. Still, Maud felt something start to grow deep down inside of her. She hoped it was just pre-wedding jitters, but her Maud Sense told her that it probably wasn't. "I sure hope you know what you're doing, Pinkie." She thought to herself.
And so it came to pass. Word soon went out to all who had already R.S.V.Pd for Pinkie and Cheese's wedding that there would be not one but two weddings to look forward to. The venue was quickly changed since there was no way the town hall could hope to hold all the guests and the combined wedding groups. The nearby park was a much better location anyway as far as Maud and Mud were concerned.
The roles were still largely the same: Twilight would still serve as officiator in her first major act since establishing her friendship council immediately following her coronation. Rarity was still going to design the wedding dresses and help with the bridesmaid and groom hoof outfits. A shared cake that both newly wed couples would cut together was to be baked by the Cakes. Fluttershy was going to have a songbird choir made up of visiting birds to her sanctuary. And while the Wonderbolts were too booked to do a fly by during the wedding, Rainbow Dash was still going to do a solo routine (no Sonic Rainboom though, as she was heard to say: "If I start doing that for every big celebration, it's gonna stop being awesome.").
Applejack was made the chief bridesmaid for Pinkie, while Limestone was all too happy to take over the role of chief bridesmaid for Maud (because she was totally not jealous as she continued to insist). Friends for Pinkie and immediate family for Maud filled the remaining bridesmaid positions, and Igneous would walk both his daughters down the aisle at the same time with them each leaning onto one hoof (Pinkie on his left and Maud on his right).
All of that was born out of the meeting between the soon to be husbands and brother-in-laws. Cheese and Mud hitting it off almost right away when they both learned they had grown up in families where they were the only child. "It's funny how the world works," Cheese Sandwich was heard to say to Mudbriar. "It's almost uncanny."
Mudbriar just smiled. "Indeed, the odds are incredibly rare. But then, considering who we are marrying and what family we are marrying into, perhaps that is not surprising. It would seem that rare and unusual happenings occur almost regularly within the Pie family line."
Cheese simply replied. "Well, I don't care either way. Pinkie's happy, Maud's happy, you're happy, and I'm happy."
"That is all that truly matters at a wedding." Mud agreed with a nod, and he then began to steer the conservation towards discussions about who would do what at the combined wedding.
So days and then weeks passed even quicker than they had before! There was so much that had to be done if both Pies were to be wed as planned and the ceremony and reception were to be successful.
Pinkie Pie wasn't alone in the planning, of course. It wasn't just her wedding. But even with Maud, Mud and Cheese all doing their parts, Pinkie seemed to be taking on the lion's share of work. Day in, day out she was zooming from place to place to check on preparations at one location, and then see if something at another location was coming along as planned.
But whenever the talk came up about possibly postponing the wedding, Pinkie would hear nothing of it! "Everypony knows that parties and weddings are serious! They take a lot of work to pull off! The wedding will go on as planned, everything will be ready on time and it'll all be worth it when Maud and I both have our special day together." And she would say this regardless of who suggested even the slightest delay. It seemed like nothing could change the mare's mind.
Yet the wedding drew closer and it seemed like tasks that should've been completed sooner were only now being rushed to completion so they would be ready in time.
Rarity had drawn, and re-drawn, and re re-drawn all the wedding dresses, bridesmaid outfits and even the suits for the grooms and groom hooves. And when she'd finally settled on the appropriate designs the workload was too much for even her three boutiques to handle on top of their normal workload. The outfits were delayed and only began to arrive just three days before the wedding was to take place!
There were so many R.S.V.Ps from ponies (and non-ponies) far and wide that the local post office was getting swamped fast. Invitations were getting lost or sent to the wrong houses, some guests that wanted to make it had yet to receive word that their offer was accepted and a seat would be reserved for them.
Twilight had gotten so preoccupied with her royal duties that she hadn't had time to write the speech she would give while officiating the wedding. She had to hastily re-write the remarks she had written months in advance when she'd been expecting it to just be for Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich. And even then, no matter how much she practiced to herself in the mirror she couldn't seem to do without looking at the cue cards.
Even Rainbow Dash was getting sore from all the flying practice she was getting in on top of her usual weather and Wonderbolt duties.
None, however, were being strained as much as Pinkie Pie. Her mane and tail looked like they had gone weeks without a proper grooming, loose ends stuck out all throughout her even more curly than normal locks. Her eyes had bags on top of bags to indicate just how little sleep she'd been getting. And often she was all but stumbling in when checking on preparations, scaring the living daylights out of whoever she was visiting.
Two days before the big wedding, Cheese happened to pull his soon to be bride aside and he hoped it would be possible to finally talk some sense into her! "Pinkie, this can't go on! You're a mess! When's the last time you slept?!"
"I'll sleep once everything is ready!" Pinkie protested! "I appreciate you worrying about me, Cheese, but I can handle this. Everything's a-okay, going according to plan. There's just a few not so little things that still need tending to, like the cake and the reception tent, not to mention the rehearsal tomorrow when Mom and Dad get here. Ooh, I hope Maud and Mudbriar have been practicing their vows! Come to think of it, I need to start working on them. I gotta say something at the wedding. It was my idea, after all."
Yet as the pink party planning pony prepared to plonk her way to tend to the last of her "oversights", the last of her energy reserves finally ran out. The many sleepless nights and countless days spent traveling from place to place nonstop had finally taken their toll. Pinkie ceased in her prancing, yawned and began to close her eyes. "Well, guess I'll add a quick nap to the schedule." And it was the last thing she said before she fell into a much needed sleep.
Cheese Sandwich merely bent down and scooped Pinkie up. He hadn't been expecting to do this until the wedding, but it looked like he was going to get some practice now. He carried her to Sugarcube Corner and up to her bedroom, gently depositing her upon her bed. He then gingerly kissed her on the forehead as he tucked her in. "You can rest now, Pinkie. You've done so much to make this a wedding to remember. But it's time you let everypony else pitch in to make it a reality."
After leaving Pinkie's bedroom, the party planning stallion said to himself. "Time to call in some reinforcements! Right, Boneless Two?" He turned to the trusty rubber chicken upon his back who said nothing. "Yup. Much like you have your brothers and sisters, I think it's time we relied on 'our' family to get the job done."
Pinkie Pie was so exhausted that she slept for an entire day. And while she slept, Cheese Sandwich put his unique party planning skills to use to oversee the final preparations for the big wedding.
When Pinkie awoke the next morning, the day before the wedding, she nearly gasped in surprise! "Shoot! I slept longer than I needed to! Now I'm gonna have to dip into my emergency sugar stash and work double time just to have everything ready for the wedding tomorrow!"
But a somewhat frazzled looking Cheese Sandwich was there to greet her. "Well, look who finally woke up," He lovingly called. "You needn't worry, dear. You're not the only pony who can plan a wedding, you know."
"What?! No way! You got everything finished in just a day?!" Pinkie gasped in amazement!
Cheese grinned. "Guilty as charged. Though it was pretty easy since you'd already done most of the work. In fact, you were doing most of it by yourself without even realizing it."
Pinkie sighed, realizing her soon to be husband was right. "I'm sorry. It just got so hard to plan a combined wedding for two totally different ponies, even if we are sisters," She confessed. "I can see why they say mares about to get married become monsters, because I totally turned into one."
The party planning stallion smiled. "Hey, it's okay. We all go overboard sometimes. But just like when we get married for real tomorrow, you don't have to do everything by yourself anymore. Now you've got me by your side to support you. Not to mention all your friends and family."
The pink party pony smiled and dreamily sighed, nuzzling into Cheese. "Oh Cheese, you sweet talker, you."
A voice coughing into a hoof interrupted the loving moment. Pinkie's blue eyes soon spotted the familiar forms of both Maud and Mudbriar, who appeared to be covered in streamers, banners, confetti and all sorts of other party decorations. "Next time, perhaps it would be best if you could listen to your special somepony sooner," Mudbriar spoke up with a bit of a groan (though it was hard to tell considering the way he spoke and the way he conveyed his emotions). "I think I would much prefer to leave the party planning to you and to Cheese Sandwich."
"Pinkie, this is exactly what I feared would happen," Maud commented with concern. "Had I know you were working yourself to the bone I would've stepped in to help much sooner."
Pinkie simply bounced over and hugged Maud. "Oh, Maud. You really are the greatest big sister in the history of big sisters! Thank you!" Maud, for her part, said nothing as she just accepted the hug. And Cheese and Mud both remained respectfully silent.
After Cheese Sandwich got a chance to rest and he and Pinkie both got a chance to be properly groomed (Maud and Mudbriar took advantage of the opportunity to have the party decorations taken out of their manes, tails and coats), the wedding rehearsal was held in the park that evening. And all went according to plan, everything was ready. The months and months of seemingly endless preparations were finally going to pay off!
The next day dawned and Pinkie and Maud could both hardly contain their excitement as the wedding began. Everypony took their seats, Cloudy Quartz sitting in the front with seats reserved for her oldest and youngest daughters (who were serving as bridesmaids) and of course her husband who would give her other daughters away.
When the time came, Cheese and Mud looked absolutely stunning in their finely tailored suits. All rose and turned their heads as the songbird choir chirped out the familiar tune of "Here comes the bride" (though brides might have been the better term in this case), and Igneous Rock strolled down the carpeted aisle laid out for him: Pinkie on his left and Maud on his right.
Igneous soon approached the altar where Twilight stood at attention, decked out in the same grab she'd worn for her coronation. He bowed to the princess as he released hold of his daughters, letting them go to their awaiting husbands that they were soon to be married to as he then took a seat besides his wife. He not so secretly hoofed her a handkerchief with which to wipe her eyes. "Tis truly a wonderful occasion to see thy children grown up and married." He told his wife.
"Yes," Cloudy replied with a barely repressed sniffle. "Our daughters have picked fine suitors. Cheese Sandwich and Mudbriar shalt make fine husbands for Pinkamina and Maudalina."
Twilight cleared her throat as the songbirds finished singing and all eyes fell upon her. She recited her speech with such practiced precision you'd never have guessed she had once struggled with. And it took everything she had not to giggle at seeing how red faced the stallions were becoming as they stared at their gorgeous brides. "Cheese Sandwich, Mudbriar," She spoke to them at last, snapping them to attention. "Do you take Pinkie Pie and Maud Pie respectively to be your lawfully wedded wives, in sickness and in health, in good times and bad, 'til death do you part?"
"I do!" Cheese and Mud eagerly nodded in unison.
Twilight repeated her question to the Pie sisters, both of whom also said "I do!". And so with a bright smile on her face, the young supreme ruler declared. "Then by the power invested in me as the supreme ruler of Equestria, I hereby declare you husbands and wives. You may kiss the brides."
Cheese and Mud leaned in to deliver their kisses, and the whole wedding audience burst into thundurus applause as party blowers and noise makers added to the joyous cacophony! The double wedding of Pinkie Pie and Maud Pie to Cheese Sandwich and Mud Briar was a complete success!
