They were standing underneath the Magnolia trees. In the middle of a pandemic, Alex and Rafi stood underneath a beautiful sea of pink as they promised to love one another for the rest of time. With their families watching from their kitchen tables and living room coaches, Alex was holding a floral bouquet she arranged herself and Rafi was wearing one of his back-up ties that didn’t quite make the cut to be his actual wedding tie. In other words, their wedding plans completely changed, but it didn’t matter. During a time that felt so uncertain and so unbelievable, they were able to find the beauty in the world.

“We have been watching the trees for the last week and hoping they would be in bloom for our ceremony” Alex said as I met them at their apartment before the ceremony. They had hope, they had faith and they believed that they could find the magic in the world, and in the end they did.

The love that Alex and Rafi share is so deep and so strong that seeing them under the Magnolia trees, reading their vows, planting new life, reminded me of how much love can really overcome.

When two people love each other as much as Alex and Rafi, nothing stands in their way. From the moment I met them, I knew that they were sweet and good to the core, but seeing how they navigated this incredibly difficult time made it so abundantly clear, Alex and Rafi were meant to be and will be there, together, hand in hand through all of life’s obstacles.

PS. A BIG thank you to Rabbi Annie of BZBI for an incredible, beautiful and intimate ceremony!