Marriage is sometimes viewed as a vow made to God and to one another, a link stronger than paper but weaker than a prayer. With vows as strong as incense and as brittle as morning mist, the pair walks around a holy fire seven times, each step representing a promise to a higher power as well as to their spouse.

In others, it’s a spiritual dance when two souls unite in purpose and weave their futures with songs that reverberate beyond the ceremony, their hands bound by the fabric of faith as it speaks in lyrics ancient than language itself.

According to certain religions, it is a written or verbal agreement wherein rights, obligations, and respect for one another are signed in front of witnesses. Love, even when it seems like a bonus, grows within these bounds because it is supported by trust.

In a certain kind of marriage, hearts unite in community rather than alone, and the voices of elders and ancestors form a chorus that bestows blessings on the union by providing direction, support, and continuity. In one group, marriage is more of an inheritance—a lineage you enter—than an act.

Marriage may feel extremely intimate even in these hallowed settings: vows spoken, garlands given, blessings split in bread or glass, signifying loss and joy, strength and fragility. It’s the silent moment when two individuals understand—through ceremony or commitment—that by being married, they are integrating their religion into their daily lives and securing one another in both the visible and invisible.

Belonging to something greater than yourself while giving that something shape via your days, your touch, and your choices is more important than deciding which ritual is “right.” Because of this, every marriage, regardless of how it starts, is a holy tale that is inscribed on people’s hearts, communities, and lives.