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They originally planned to marry on April 30, but had a baby on April 21 and decided to tie the knot on Wednesday at Lawrence & Memorial Hospital.<\/p>\n
NEW LONDON, Conn. – It’s not uncommon for people to get married on a weekday, but it’s not uncommon to hear that the wedding takes place inside a neonatal intensive care unit.<\/p>\n
Grier Stanley and Jason Barnwell were supposed to get married on April 30, but “Drue had other plans,” Jason Barnwell said Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Drue Barnwell is the couple’s daughter, who was born April 21 at Lawrence & Memorial Hospital in New London just 28 weeks into Grier’s pregnancy.<\/p>\n
RELATED: Hartford nonprofit helps moms find baby formula as national shortage continues<\/strong><\/p>\n “He was 2.61 pounds at birth and now he’s a little over 8 pounds,” Grier Stanley Barnwell said.<\/p>\n “He’s doing great now, but it’s been a three-month experience for this family with a lot of ups and downs,” said Dr. James Pellegrini of Lawrence & Memorial Hospital.<\/p>\n Today was one such success, as Jason and Grier tied the knot in the presence of perhaps the world’s youngest bridesmaid, who still calls the L&M NICU home.<\/p>\n “We can’t have family, but you know the NICU crew is our family and so is dad Tony, so why not and we can leave as a Barnwell family,” said the new mom.<\/p>\n Not only were their families not allowed to be a part of the NICU nuptials, the couple, who met over a year ago on a dating website, didn’t actually tell their families that they were they would get married today<\/p>\n “We’ll send a message right after that,” Grier said with a laugh.<\/p>\n His priest. Fr. Anthony DiNoto of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Niantic said today’s marriage ceremony will be one of the most memorable events of his career.<\/p>\n Subscribe to FOX61 Newsletters: <\/strong>Morning forecast, morning headlines, evening headlines<\/p>\n “I’ve distributed ashes on Ash Wednesday at Foxwoods Casino,” DiNoto said. “I was present at the service at the John F. Kennedy Memorial when I was in Greenwich. I baptized an emergency doctor, who treated me and today is just a moment of incredible grace for all of us.”<\/p>\n Baby Drue’s grateful father poured out his heart to the L&M staff.<\/p>\n RELATED: Finding help with breastfeeding as infant formula shortages continue<\/strong><\/p>\n “Without you guys, you know, she wouldn’t be here,” said an emotional Jason Barnwell. “So thanks, I appreciate it.”<\/p>\n Grier Barnwell said if all goes well, the Drue crew will walk out of the hospital together for the first time as a family of three, perhaps as soon as Friday.<\/p>\n Tony Terzi is a reporter for FOX61 News. He can be reached at tterzi@fox61.com. follow him Facebook<\/a>, Twitter<\/a> i Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n Have a story idea or something in mind that you want to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at newstips@fox61.com<\/p>\n