Lehigh Acres couple changes wedding plans due to pandemic, marries in front yard

When one Gulfshore couple couldn’t wed this year the way they’d planned, they created a safe way to say “I do” during these times.

“I’m so grateful that I’m stuck in the house with somebody I love,” said Dawn Breedon.

She and Darrell Harris have been sheltering together in their Lehigh Acres home for three weeks now, but their love story started “over 30-plus years ago,” Darrell said.

He knew then that she was the one.

“He actually told me that we were gonna grow old together,” Dawn said. “I asked her to marry me and she told me no,” Darrell said.

Then they broke up only to reunite years later. “We got engaged December of 2018,” Dawn said.

Then this year COVID-19 made their original wedding plans unsafe.

“Fifty people were coming and I didn’t even finish sending out the invitations,” Dawn said, “so it was very challenging because everything was closed. We were able to get the license in Fort Myers, but the court was closed, all the churches were closed.”

So they chose a new venue to say “I do”—their front yard.

“I decorated the front door and he had a minister that works with him,” Dawn said. “He’s a licensed minister so he said he’d be honored to do it,” Darrell added.

Then they invited neighbors to witness their marriage at a social distance.

“Everybody was six feet apart,” Dawn said. “They were happy with us. We got married and literally turned around and walked back inside.”

“Even though this is a hard time for everybody, you can’t let life get you down,” Darrell said.

Advice from a #GulfshoreStrong couple committed to caring for each other through whatever tomorrow brings; because this is love in the time of COVID-19.

The couple says they plan to have another ceremony with family and friends once it’s safe, but are now happily married.