Some couples celebrate their wedding with champagne and a lavish reception. Eva and Jason Simmons celebrated theirs with peanut butter cups, a scratch-off lottery ticket and, presumably, the satisfaction of finally making it official after a decade-long engagement.
The New York couple tied the knot on Sunday, 25 October, at a Sunoco gas station in Halfmoon, where Eva works as a manager. Instead of opting for a traditional wedding venue, they exchanged vows on the lawn outside the convenience store, turning an everyday workplace into the setting for a decidedly unconventional love story. And if their first purchase as newlyweds is anything to go by, married life is already off to a sweet start.
A Wedding With a Side of Reese's
Following the ceremony, the newlyweds headed towards the gas pumps for photographs before stepping inside the convenience store. There, they made a purchase that might not feature in most wedding albums but certainly deserves a place in theirs.
'Our first thing as husband and wife we bought was a package of Reese's and a scratch-off [lottery ticket],' Jason told PEOPLE.
'That was a good time. Yep. That was a great time,' he added.
After exchanging vows, rings and a lifetime commitment, a little chocolate and the possibility of a lottery win hardly seem excessive. Besides, the couple had already spent 10 years engaged. If anyone had earned the right to skip the formalities and head straight for the snacks, it was them.
Ten Years in the Making
Eva, 50, and Jason, 51, first met at Walmart, where Eva once worked and Jason still does. Their connection blossomed into a relationship in August 2015, and just six months later, in February 2016, Jason asked Eva to spend the rest of her life with him. While their walk down the aisle took a little longer than expected, their love story had already been unfolding for years.
The wedding, however, took considerably longer to arrive. After more than a decade of engagement, the couple finally decided it was time to make things official. According to Jason, the decision came together relatively spontaneously, with Eva's birthday also playing a part in the timing.
'I figured after 10 years, we might as well seal the deal,' he said.
He also explained that Eva's birthday on September 15 helped prompt the couple to obtain their marriage licence. Apparently, some people need a grand romantic gesture to take the next step. Others need a birthday, a marriage licence and a collective realisation that the engagement has lasted long enough to qualify as a long-term relationship in its own right.
The pair's wedding plans came together in approximately a month, proving that a celebration does not necessarily require years of spreadsheets, venue visits and arguments over seating arrangements.
When Your Customers Become Wedding Guests
For Eva, the choice of venue was about more than convenience. She has worked at the Halfmoon Sunoco for five years and considers her co-workers and regular customers part of her extended family.
'I love my job. I truly do,' she told PEOPLE. 'And my customers are more or less like family, as well as my co-workers. So I just figured it would be a central location for everybody.'
Once word spread that the couple intended to marry, their workplace community enthusiastically joined the preparations. The employee who manages the station's social media account took the lead in organising the event, while customers helped connect the couple with people willing to contribute their services. One customer's friend even made the wedding cake.
The response was apparently overdue in the eyes of Eva's colleagues, who were delighted that the long-engaged couple were finally tying the knot. The ceremony attracted around 50 guests, including a Sunoco employee who served as the officiant. His speech made excellent use of the location, comparing marriage to a full tank of petrol and emphasising the trust, patience and humour needed to navigate life's unexpected detours.
Love, Laughter and a Fuel Discount
Jason admitted that he was initially nervous about the unusual wedding but said the experience turned out better than expected. He even joked that marrying Eva came with a practical financial benefit: he could save 10 cents per gallon on petrol.
'So it seemed like the smart thing to do,' he quipped.
The couple later celebrated with a reception dinner at nearby restaurant Snyder's. Their honeymoon, meanwhile, is on hold until warmer weather, with July a likely possibility. For Eva, the best part of the day was seeing family, friends and colleagues gather to celebrate their marriage.
And perhaps that is what makes their story so charming. There was no need for an extravagant destination or a picture-perfect ballroom. The couple chose a place that already meant something to them, surrounded by people who had become part of their lives.
After 10 years of engagement, Eva and Jason finally got their wedding day. They also got a cake made through a customer connection, a petrol-themed ceremony and a first purchase that was equal parts sweet and hopeful.
If marriage is a journey, these two have officially hit the road. And with Reese's in hand and a lottery ticket in the other, they are starting it exactly their way.
