This Couple Refused To Let Hurricane Harvey Stop Them From Getting Married

A couple have revealed how they got married against all odds this week after their wedding plans were destroyed by Hurricane Harvey. 

Shelley and Chris Holland‎ were due to tie the knot at their local church on 2 September, but the chapel was flooded by the storm, which is thought to have killed at least 60 people.

The pair also lost their wedding cake and were unable to use their original reception venue due to the devastation.

But thanks to the help of two kind individuals, the couple are now husband and wife and their epic wedding photo has become a symbol of hope around the world.

Posting on the Ellen DeGeneres Facebook page, Shelley explained how the wedding went down. 

“My husband and I completely lost every plan we made over the last six months surrounding our wedding on September 2nd due to Hurricane Harvey. This included our wedding cake, the venue, the chapel the catering and so many other small details,” she said.

“This was such a heart break, not only for me as a bride, but more importantly for the devastation it left on the pastor of the church we chose to have our wedding at.

“His home was completely destroyed, his church was flooded with several feet of water. And yet Pastor Jorge Cardeas and the wedding coordinator Evelin at Church on the Rock Katy Texas, found us a new chapel so that we could continue with our wedding ceremony.”

She described their kindness as a “tremendous blessing” and said she was “so grateful to these sweet people”.  

She went on to thank photographers Jim Davis and Andi Davis, who run Twos Company Photography, for capturing the powerful image.

“Such a testimony of God’s faithfulness! Harvey, we won,” she said.  

Commenting in a separate post, photographer Jim praised the couple’s determination to get married.

“They were a great reminder today of who cares what life throws at us, the important thing is to love one another, and these two did exactly that,” he said.

“Braving the floods in the Houston and greater Houston area, these two were determined not to let ANYTHING keep them from being married today.”

More than 360,000 people have reacted to Shelley’s post on the Ellen DeGeneres page, with thousands congratulating the couple in the comments. 

“This is one of most incredibly beautiful pictures. What a testimony to love,” one person said. 

Another added: “No matter what storm blows your way. Love conquers all. Congratulations.”