COVID-19 separation forces SoCal couple to turn their wedding into a true fairy tale

WALNUT, Calif. -- The fairy tale goes: Girl meets her prince, they fall in love and then get married.

For Patrick Delgado and Lauren Jimenez, they got the first two steps right - but the marriage part hit a bump on the road five days before the wedding. That's when Lauren tested positive for COVID-19.

"It's no joke, COVID is not fun," says Lauren.

With Lauren quite sick and quarantined in her bedroom, the wedding seemed like it would be canceled considering the couple could not be in the same room.

On the day their marriage license was set to expire, Patrick and Lauren decided to go for that storybook ending.

"I was like maybe we can somehow get married with me in the window. It'll be like a fairy tale, I guess," says Lauren.

So the fairy tale ruined became a fairy tale renewed.

Lauren substituted Rapunzel's long locks of hair for a rope made by her aunt.

The couple says they each held an end of the rope because they were so far apart and wanted to feel as if they were holding hands.

"As soon as the ceremony was over, I was back in bed," says Lauren.

They are now man and wife, but reality has set in quite quickly for the newlyweds.

"We still have yet to see each other. We're still waiting for that day," says Patrick.

Because they each live with their families, this now-married couple will go more than three weeks before they can truly make it official.

"For me at least, is being able to kiss him. 'Cause we didn't get our first kiss as husband and wife," says Lauren.

Until then, this fairy tale is writing its own ending.

"At the end of the day, it's just about us," says Patrick.