Grandparents hold Zoom wedding during coronavirus pandemic

Alvin Lee, 90, and Dorothy Driskell, 85, planned to get married in a big ceremony this spring. But when the coronavirus pandemic derailed their plans, they got creative — and decided to hold a wedding via Zoom, Lee’s granddaughter told CBS News.

Lee lost his wife, Rachel, 11 years ago, and Driskell lost her husband two years ago. But in 2019, they met each other at a retreat center in New York and found love again.

Although they met in New York, both happen to be from Ohio — Lee lives in Germantown and Driskell is from about two hours away in Westerville, said Lee’s granddaughter Jennifer Whitaker.

“They became fast friends and began driving back and forth between their cities to see each other,” Whitaker said.

The pair quickly realized they had a lot in common, Whitaker added. Both had lost their spouses and were grandparents – Lee has four grandchildren and one great-grandchild and Driskell has one grandchild.

Lee proposed to Driskell at the Cincinnati Symphony in January, Whitaker said. “They planned on having a big wedding this spring, but had to cancel because of the coronavirus,” she added.

Since social distancing guidelines and stay-at-home orders are preventing people in different households from seeing each other, Lee’s family got creative for his 90th birthday party. They threw him a surprise party on Zoom, a video conferencing app that has gained popularity amid the pandemic.

“It sparked their idea to then hold a Zoom wedding,” Whitaker said.

“The wedding took place at Alvin’s home on Friday. Twenty family members and friends joined the Zoom call,” Whitaker said, adding, “It was the pastor’s first Zoom wedding!”

Whitaker shared video of her grandfather reciting simple traditional vows to his love. He promised to share his life with her “through joy and sorrow” for as long as they both shall live.