And soon, our two storieswill become one,hand in hand, today,tomorrow, and forever.

Ours did not begin with fireworks. It began the way good things begin in this town: quietly, with greetings, and with two families who already knew each other's names.

Somewhere between the first salaam and the hundredth phone call, a friendship grew a second heartbeat. We learned each other's tempers and teas. We disagreed about small things and agreed about the one big thing.

So on the twelfth of September, in the village that raised us, we will stand before Allah and our people and say it plainly. Come and witness it. Pray with us, dance a little, and eat until the caterer starts to worry.

With love, Ibrahim & Fauziya