VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - For Jaron and Christine Stevenson, it wasn't the wedding they originally had in mind.
“We don’t want to wait to get married because a pandemic hit,” Christine said.
The COVID-19 pandemic impacted months of planning for their big day.
“It was definitely stressful,” Jaron said.
They moved their wedding to Jaron's grandparents' backyard, while Christine's family attended virtually.
“My parents, my grandparents and my brother [were] on an iPad,” Christine said. “I actually walked down the aisle with them on the iPad.”
With the help of Jaron's family, unbeknownst to the couple, they had a different kind of wedding bells.
Out front, neighbors lined up and drove through the area, cheering and honking their horns.
“There were cars lined up two whole streets,” neighbor Rachel Spruill said.
Christine and Jaron said people had signs and were cheering in cars and outside homes throughout the neighborhood.
“It just really made me feel loved,” Christine said.
“In the midst of a time like this, you could still show that type of kindness and really have an impact,” Jaron’s father, Bryan Stevenson, said.
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Now, the Stevensons are looking forward to many happy and healthy years ahead.
“She [Christine] just means the world to me,” Jaron said.
“I can’t wait to see what life brings us,” Christine added.
The Stevensons said, when possible, they’d like to hold a larger reception with all the original guests to celebrate their marriage.
