Beth Hoeckel for Vox

Zoom, FaceTime, and other video calls have become the sole way for some friends and family to connect during quarantine. But does it really bring us closer, or only highlight the distance?

The wedding Hayden Dawes and his husband, Nick, envisioned was very different from the wedding they had. Members of a local Quaker community, the couple had planned a 100-person April ceremony that honored “what’s present and alive.” They’d pictured a reception full of hugs, singing, and dancing.

As their wedding date approached and the Covid-19 pandemic intensified, it became clear their plans would have to change. When the couple tied the knot in their backyard in Durham, North Carolina, last month, just three guests were in attendance, while a select group of family and close friends watched online. Their dream reception, in both size