Ken Lindley, one half of the first couple to be married, spoke to us as his chaperone for the day pinned a flower to his shirt: “We feel our relationship is the strongest out of all our friends, gay and straight. We’ve been together 22 years so this is a renewal of our vows. It’s so nice to be showered with love by so many people, by strangers.

In the middle of a crowded city and bustling park, the (officially cordoned off) footprint of the event was magically calm and peaceful. Each of the 24 ceremonies was a real wedding, with a hushed and solemn focus on brides and brides and grooms and grooms. Guests cried in their seats, watching the faces of their sons and daughters, sisters, brothers, and friends. Volunteers and staff cried from our spots near the fountain. Journalists cried into their notebooks. Everybody cries at weddings, but there was something different about these, obviously. Though the Pop Up Chapel was not a political event (and we took great pains to make sure of that), there was no way to avoid being bowled over by the symbolism. At the end of each ceremony, as the newlyweds were announced, the crowd outside erupted in applause.