A process to mate a plurality of tissue webs includes in one embodiment providing first and second steel rolls and a second steel roll. The first steel roll has first protrusions, and the second steel roll has recesses. The embodiment includes forming a rotary nip between the first steel roll and the second steel roll, and advancing the plurality of tissue webs through the nip. The embodiment includes embossing first and second embossments into the plurality of tissue webs to connect the tissue webs to one another. The first protrusions press a first series of portions of the plurality of tissue webs into the recesses. The second embossments are created by one of pin-to-flat and pin-to-pin embossing. An apparatus suitable for carrying out the process is also disclosed.