Local neighborhood surprises newlyweds on wedding day

Even though many couples are postponing or cancelling their weddings because of the pandemic, one couple headed to the altar Saturday.

To Allen and Lauren's surprise, neighbors living in High Pointe Estate, a subdivision in South Bend, greeted the couple after the ceremony.

Many neighbors stood outside with large signs and blew bubbles.

"Gosh, I've lived here my entire life. I grew up running around these streets, so just seeing all these people, it meant so much," said bride Lauren Osborne. "I knew something was going on. My mom was getting all these calls from neighbors that I don't normally hear from, but I didn't know that literally every single person would have these huge signs, so it means a lot to see all these people and to see some family friends.""

The couple met in college, and the groom proposed after a concert in Indianapolis.

Like many couples, they spent months planning for the big day.

"I'm in a break between two years of med school so I had this month off, so it was good timing before I move to Indianapolis to finish school," Osborne said.

Because of medical school, it was hard for the couple to postpone the wedding.

"So I was trying to put all this coronavirus stuff out of my mind because I was trying to focus and study and not let it get in my head. Osborne said. "We kept hearing no more than fifty, no more than ten. We just had to kind of sit down, me and my parents."

While they initially invited more than 100 people, they had to cut the guest list to just the bridal party and family members, which, in total, included about ten people.

The wedding was at Grace United Methodist Church.

"Someone live streamed the whole thing on Facebook," Osborne said. "I haven't really checked my phone, but I think a lot of people were watching it."

The reception moved to the bride's parents house.

The couple said at the end of the day, they just wanted to be married.

"I mean I hope the person you are marrying is there with you to support you through it all, and they are the reason you are going through all of it; even though it does stink there are people who do care for you, and just want to be there for your big day even if they can't be there in person," Osborne said.

The newlyweds plan to have a big reception for their one-year anniversary.