Celebrating our wedding with loved ones meant gathering in two places. But rather than hold separate ceremonies, we wanted everyone to share in the same moment when we took our vows.

We were married in the Armenian Apostolic Church. Because the Apostolic wedding ceremony is also recognized as the sacrament of marriage by the Catholic Church, both families' religious traditions were present. Many parts of the service will be familiar to those from a Catholic background.

One distinctive part of Armenian weddings is the culminating crowning ritual. The priest places crowns on the couple's heads to represent their leadership of a new family grounded in integrity, justice, wisdom, and sacrifice. The bride and groom then drink wine from the same cup, symbolizing their shared life.

You'll also see the traditional pre-wedding gathering, which is hosted by the bride's parents. We held it at Lyolya's childhood home in Yerevan. It was the first time that Lyolya, her parents, and her sisters had been there together since 1999.