BURLINGTON, N.C. – The Burlington community planned a special surprise for a bride on her wedding day to make the bride's dream come true given the growing coronavirus outbreak.

Helen Powell said she always wanted a big southern wedding, but she explained they had to keep cutting back numbers as the outbreak got more serious.

The community still wanted to be a part of the wedding, so they came together to plan a “Welcome Parade” for Powell as she drove with her husband, Paul, from the church to her home for the reception.

“It almost felt like in slow motion I was driving through my life because I would see someone like my third grade teacher who taught me how to write cursive," emphasized Helen Powell.

Powell said people were cheering, popping champagne, and throwing confetti to celebrate the newlyweds.

Helen's mother, Anne Powell, didn't even know the community planned this.

“I'll never, ever forget that and she was just ecstatic and she got to share that moment with the people she had dreamed of sharing that experience with,” Anne Powell said.

Helen Powell said this was a better wedding than she could have ever planned for, making March 21 the best day of her life.