A New Jersey wedding, and a cigar roller under the tent

“Ready to roll a few sticks for a wedding tonight at NJ!!” — that was the afternoon. By dusk he was under a white tent on the lawn, with string lights along its ridge, his table dressed in white, a lit sign spelling CIGARS across the front and the boxes open behind it.

He worked in a waistcoat behind the table, lighting each cigar as he handed it across. In his words, he spent the night “carefully crafting hand-made cigars with unwavering passion, dedication, and love for each person who approached me.”

What stayed with him was the room, and how it took to his Dominican culture — “particularly our vibrant music,” he wrote. The wedding “wasn’t exclusive to Latin people,” and yet everyone embraced the lively beats. He called it “a night to remember.”