“Prepare for 48 hours of nonstop rainfall and historic flooding this weekend.”

Those were the first words I heard from the meteorologist on TV when I finally got to Austin, after 14 waterlogged hours of travel. When your best friend is getting married, you find a way to move mountains (and/or cross many a-flooded road) to get there.

I’m sure when my BFF Eric and his new hubs Matt were planning their wedding back in the spring, they weren’t anticipating the remnants of Hurricane Patricia to potentially wreak havoc on their special day. Alas, after nearly four months of zero precipitation (uh – and unrelenting wedding prep), Mother Nature unleashed her wrath in the 24-hours leading up to the wedding.

There was both sentiment and sediment.

So the boys did what any ingenious grooms-to-be would do. They went for Plan B, which entailed turning an outdoor wedding venue at their ranch into a massive, covered, tented venue. Despite whipping rains and some overzealous wind gusts, the wedding was perfectly executed.

The nuptials were the perfect culmination of the boys’ budding romance over the last 8+ years. It was anything but your typical cowboy-meets-cowboy, cowboy-woos-cowboy, cowboy-proposes-to-cowboy love story.  No, these guys were destined for each other. Both have old souls, quirky habits and a fervent love of beer. (I can’t be sure, but I think they polished off eight kegs last night. There were 80 people in attendance. 10 were children. You do the math. Color me impressed … and by impressed, I mean, appalled.)

Because Texas mandates (heh, man-date, pun intended) that everything is bigger, the boys spared no expense in pulling out all the stops for their beloved guests. A gi-normous tour bus shuttled most everyone to the ranch. Yards upon yards of stringed outdoor lights brightened up the evening. There was so much BBQ, I had to wonder if Texas’ cattle and swine populations would be in jeopardy. Inspirational signs, family pictures and a slew of themed-floral arrangements were all decoratively placed.

Of course, those were all tangible items. The most overwhelming thing in the room was the sheer love for Matt and Eric. The simple adoration everyone had for these two was palpable. The ceremony was held in their barn … where it was pin-drop silent … save for the ever-present flecks of rain hitting the tin roof (rusted).

Even though he vowed not to bawl during said vows, Eric folded like a cheap card table within .08 seconds of walking down the aisle. Matt, usually the emotional one, was beaming with pride and dry-eyed. It was a fun, unexpected switcheroo to anyone who knows them well. And both had jeans on that were about a half a size too small … because of course they did.

I wish my friends a prosperous start to their new life as husbands.  I’ve seen many of my dear friends get married over the years, but this one was especially moving and touching because Eric has always been the little brother I never wanted had, and it was endearing to see him finally marry his man. They are Texas yin to the other’s Missouri yang.

Love is universal, and rightly so. As Beyonce’ would so deftly put it, if you like it, then you should have put a ring on it.

And they did.