During last night’s Grammy awards show, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis sung their mega-hit “Same Love.” The artists performed like usual with backing vocals from Mary Lambert, but this wasn’t their typical performance. About half way through it, 33 couples gathered into the aisles to be wed by Queen Latifah.

Queen Latifah, who introduced Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, got deputized by the Los Angeles County sometime prior to the show. After she officiated the ceremony for the 33 couples, Madonna appeared in an all-white pantsuit. She sang “Open Your Heart,” which later transitions back to “Same Love.”

The couples included in the special Grammys ceremonial weddings were gay, straight, old, young and many different races. One of those couples also had a special connection to Lewis. His sister, Laura, married her boyfriend, Alex, during the Grammy performance.

According to the New York Times, Grammy producer Ken Ehrlich planned the segment to emphasize the delicate nature of the subject of gay marriage. Ehrlich said the segment represented his own personal views, but didn’t want to give the misconception that these views represent the Academy or CBS Television Network.

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis were nominated for seven Grammy awards and won four of them. They won best rap album, best rap performance, best new artist and best rap song for “Thrift Shop.”

Twitter went crazy sending support, congratulations and admiration to Macklemore and Ryan Lewis for their historical performance.

That #Grammy moment was a game changer. Amazing.

— Ross Mathews (@helloross) January 27, 2014

My face hurts from smiling. That was one of the coolest things I’ve ever gotten to see. Much much love. Well done, Grammys. — Neil Patrick Harris (@ActuallyNPH) January 27, 2014

33 couples trade wedding vows while @macklemore & @Madonna perform onstage at the #GRAMMYs. #touching — Amazon MP3 (@amazonmp3) January 27, 2014

All in all, Macklemore, Ryan Lewis, Mary Lambert and Madonna did something beautiful and if that moved just one person, amazing. #GRAMMYs — Alex Goldschmidt (@alexandergold) January 27, 2014

i have gained a new level of respect for macklemore and ryan lewis tonight #stellarpeople — sloane (@SloaneMasons) January 27, 2014

Great performance by @macklemore @ryanlewis @marylambertsing and Madonna at the #GRAMMYs. Congrats to all the newly married couples!

— GLAAD (@glaad) January 27, 2014

Lewis told the New York Times that the weddings “will be in our minds the ultimate statement of equality, that all the couples are entitled to the same exact thing.”

Image Via Twitter