Kelly and James Reed gave new meaning to the phrase "All In" before the Georgia game Saturday, turning their tailgate into an Auburn-themed wedding.
"It was absolutely perfect," James said. "The wedding was exactly what we wanted, and it couldn't have turned out any better."
Kelly, junior in physics, said they wanted everyone to have a good time.
"We just wanted it to be fun," Kelly said. "Auburn is having such a good season, and we've been having a great time at our tailgates, so we wanted to do it there."
Nicole Loggins, senior in journalism and friend of the couple, said the wedding reflected their personalities.
"Kelly and James are really a fun couple," Loggins said. "They like to do things out of the ordinary, clearly. This suited them much better than a traditional wedding."
The couple's unconventional wedding mirrors the turns their lives have recently taken.
In February, Kelly's health began to deteriorate while James was at home in Michigan, Kelly said.
Kelly was diagnosed with mononeuritis multiplex, a nerve disorder that affects muscle tissue function, with possible Lou Gehrig's disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a degenerative motor neuron disease.
"It plays a roller-coaster ride with my muscles," Kelly said, "but my body usually bounces back."
The disorder, which causes Kelly to have occasional muscle weakness and choppy speech, is progressive, and there is no way to determine how it will develop, Kelly said.
"We don't really talk about if it took a turn for the worse," Kelly said. "We just stay positive."
James said he tries to be supportive when she has bad days.
"We just don't let it bog her down," James said.
After her diagnosis, Kelly became a spokeswoman for ALS Therapy Development Institute, planning fundraisers and raising awareness.
James, who has been in the military eight years and plans on career service, moved to Auburn in September to prepare for reactivation in the Army as a drill sergeant in Fort Benning, Ga.
About a month ago, his activation was delayed.
"They pulled the rug out from under me," James said. "Kelly and I sat down to talk about it, and realized (Auburn) ROTC could give me the career I want in the military, and she can finish school."
James applied to Auburn three weeks ago and has already been accepted for spring semester.
"I don't know what we would've done if they hadn't accepted him," Kelly said. "We didn't have time to make a backup plan. Auburn has been so good to us."
James said the couple's difficulties over the last year have made him more mature.
"I know what love is now, and I want to support her in whatever her problems are, whether it's her disease or her horrible sense of humor," James said.
The couple's differences bring them together, Kelly said.
"He lives life by the seat of his pants, and I'm a planner," Kelly said. "I give him that motivation to be more responsible, and he helps me have a lot more fun. I'm just happier."
Not knowing what the future holds forces them to live in the present, James said.
"The unknown is the fun part of it," James said. "We know there will be deployments, but here we are in Auburn, and I just married Kelly, who I love to death."
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