Twinkly lights sparkled, suspended just above the heads of those gathered, as if the stars had been pulled down close enough to touch, the sky the deepening blue-purple before the black of night fully falls.

An intimate gathering of friends and family sat in a circle with just the slightest break in the front, each face illuminated by the lights above, while across the field, torches illuminated long tables, draped in shades of blue, waiting for the celebration to follow.

With no sides to speak of, their mothers sat together, hands clasped tight, tears threatening at the corners of their eyes as the music swelled and then subsided. All around the the circle, a breathless hush fell. The moment had arrived.

“Do you, T-“

“I do.”

“And do y-“

“I do.”

Two rings of simple, braided silver.

And one unbreakable vow.