Steven Loloi was getting a master’s degree at The London School of Economics and Political Science. Aline Jacques was living in London, working in a cafe and studying English. One night they both went to the same party, where Steven spotted Aline. That’s how fate works.

Though he’d been too shy to talk to her at the party, Steven later asked the hostess about Aline, and the three of them went together to the London Aquarium. That’s how friends work.

Aline and Steven began dating right away. But he is from Dallas, and she is from Brazil. Though she and Steven fell in love, Aline had three years of school left and after six months had to return to her home country. Steven had a job in his family’s business and came back to Dallas. More than 5,000 miles separated them. Sometimes, that’s how life works.

But after three years, nearly a dozen plane flights, and hundreds of hours on Skype, they decided to get married. Aline moved to Texas to become Steven’s wife.

Their wedding was an international affair, with friends and family not only from Brazil but also from Iran (where Steven’s family is from) and all over the United States. Aline’s vision for the day was “very romantic,” “modern, not too traditional,” and “really pretty but subtle.” She asked Brenna Wurtz, of Events by Brenna, to help with that. It was also important to the bride and groom that they have a traditional Iranian ceremony, and they found a Christian officiate who performs Persian weddings.

The ceremony took place outside, under the gazebo at Lee Park. Guests sat on four sides while Steven and Aline stood before a low table draped in silk, called the sofreh-ye aghd. The Persian tradition is an elaborate spread of symbolic food and decorations. It includes seven herbs, seven pastries, eggs and nuts to represent fertility, fruit, honey to symbolize a sweet life, candles, a mirror, a bowl of coins to represent wealth and prosperity, and more. After the couple exchanged vows, the party moved to Arlington Hall.

The hall is too small for a seated dinner for 280, so the patio was tented and filled with round tables covered by soft gray cloths and set with bouquets of white hydrangea, pink tulips, and pink and orange roses. Crystal chandeliers hung from the tent rafters.

The band was in the great hall itself. Dancing and tomfoolery went down until midnight, when the newlyweds slipped off together in a vintage car.

Because that’s how love works.

More than 5,000 miles separated them. Sometimes, that’s how life works.