As weddings around the world are being cancelled or postponed due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, a New York couple has found a way to carry on with their nuptials – by having a friend officiate the ceremony from a fourth-floor window.
Reilly Jennings and Amanda Wheeler tied the knot on Friday on a small sidewalk in the city. Their friend Matt Wilson, who is a licensed marriage officiant, led the ceremony from his fourth-floor apartment window as part of social distancing efforts. The couple exchanged their vows as a few friends stood witness from several metres away.
Jennings and Wheeler initially planned to wed in October, but decided to have a quick courthouse wedding amid concerns “that things weren’t going back to normal for quite a while”.
Jennings said Wilson texted them on group chat, letting them know he was ordained by the county clerk of New York and could help them “get hitched”.
“We texted, ‘Wanna marry us outside your window in the next 24hrs?’ and he said ‘YES!’” Jennings told CNN.
“To that I replied, ‘How about in 90 minutes?’ We both finished up work meetings, got dressed, picked up some flowers, and headed to his apartment around the corner.”
The wedding came as businesses were closed and residents of the US city were told to keep their distance and stay indoors where possible.
Speaking to E!News, Jennings said she and Wheeler will remember “the overwhelming sense of joy and love amidst a scary and uncertain time”.
This article originally appeared on Over60.