MEDFORD, Ore. — A lot of couples are having to postpone their weddings due to social distancing mandates. One Medford couple decided their big day couldn’t wait.
“The original plan was we were going to elope to Ireland and gather a bunch of family beforehand and everyone meets up,” Newlywed, Chris Jiron said. “Then we hop on a plane and we actually go to Ireland and have a small ceremony, just us.”
When Jessica Evans and Chris Jiron pictured saying their “I do’s”, they never saw a big wedding.
“We still had hoped we would be able to do our original gathering,” Jiron said.
But they never could’ve imagined this.
“It just started getting smaller and smaller and we just started thinking we’re not going to be able to have our group,” Newlywed, Jessica Evans said.
The couple’s plans for an April wedding canceled over concerns of coronavirus. So, the couple said their vows a little early, for better, or worse – making it work.
“We found a way to say let’s do what’s still important which is the joining together and then getting married just he and I,” Evans said.
About a month before the scheduled wedding, the two came up with a plan in just 36 hours.
“We got ahold of his brother who happens to be ordained and we said hey when can you make it and he said this Friday, and we said okay guess we’re getting married on Friday then,” Evans said.
Plans to have their family watch didn’t completely go out the window. Guests just had to open a different type of window.
“A few of my family members said hey if you’re going to do this, you should just put something on Facebook Live,” Evans said.
Social media allowing people from across the country to watch their special moment.
“I got super emotional and it kind of it was really awesome to be able to see those comments in real-time because it made people feel like they were really there,” Evans said.
Even though their original plan was scrapped, the couple says the love remains the same, and they’re appreciative that COVID-19 isn’t taking away their ability to connect with those they love.
“I think that’s what it comes down to is the support that we were able to receive from it. Butt the fact that we could do this and the fact that everyone could be there to support us is what meant the most,” Jiron said.
Chris and Jessica say that although they had to move the date of the ceremony, they’ll still be celebrating every year on the original date – April 25th.
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