‘Orange Is the New Black’ Finale Includes Major Characters’ Surprise Wedding

While season 6 of Orange Is the New Black saw some relationships break, the bus to maximum security meant the exchanging of vows for two characters who held a makeshift prison wedding.

Spoilers for Orange Is the New Black season 6 are ahead.

Between extended sentences, wrongful convictions, abuse, and tethering relationships, there were not many feel good vibes coming out of the popular Netflix original series’ latest season, but there was one moment of lightheartedness in the 84-minute long season finale when Alex Vause and Piper Chapman decided to make their relationship official.

With Nicky Nichols acting as officiant, Lorna Morello acting as witness, and thanks to the help of Luschek, Alex and Piper manage to find a moment of peace within maximum security prison to tie the knot in a prison wedding made complete with wedding rings made from a key ring and a contraband paper clip.

“It was a sense of normalcy for Alex and Piper,” Laura Prepon, who portrays Alex, told The Hollywood Reporter. “With these women in prison, anything that gets you to forget where you are, even for a few minutes, is pretty magical. That scene in that moment was about their union and their love and they did what they could with it, considering they are in a Max prison.”

As fans will recall, Alex and Piper’s relationship extends far beyond prison bars, the two having met years before they both ended up at Litchfield, their relationship eventually being rekindled once they were reunited. At the end of season 5 and in the midst of the prison riots, they became engaged.

Despite saying “I do,” when fans next see Piper and Alex in season 7, they will likely be separated by a pane of glass, adding another level of difficulty to a relationship that has already been tumultuous. However, according to Taylor Schilling, Piper’s early release will not burden the relationship, as they have both committed to seeing it through.

“I think that’s the love of her life,” Schilling, who portrays Piper, said. “I’m not quite sure what that means all the time, but I think there comes a point in life to either commit to partnership or to not. Either one is totally valid, but it seems to me that Piper decided to commit to a life lived in tandem with Alex and to just work through the stuff with another human. So, I’d love to see her continue that on in perpetuity, to stick with it.”

Seasons 1-6 of Orange Is the New Black are available for streaming on Netflix.