On a quiet street in Burke, New York, family and close friends were standing by on Friday afternoon to watch Karen Mahoney and Brian Ray commit their lives to each other. The couple, who now live in Cadyville, New York, and are both ski instructors, met decades ago. They had each been previously married and reconnected. They believe fate brought them together.When Mahoney got engaged six months ago, she knew that her dad, mom and 96-year-old grandmother who all live in Canada needed to be at her wedding."So every month when we would watch (for updates on travel between the U.S.-Canadian border) and it would say, 'The border is extended. The border is extended.' Our fingers, toes, everything was crossed. On Aug. 21 they announced that everything was closed. We knew we had to do something to have mom, dad and nan here," Mahoney said.That's when the couple said, 'I do,' to the make-shift ceremony, better known as the U.S.-Canada border, to exchange their vows."That's all I wanted," Mahoney said."To have (her family) here to be part of (the ceremony) meant everything to her and to me as well," Ray said.The feeling went both ways."To make (their marriage) official and everlasting, yes it's emotional," said Paul Mahoney, Karen's father.While Paul Mahoney wishes he could have walked his daughter down the aisle, he said witnessing her marriage from across the border was the next best thing."We would not have missed it. Not for the world," he said."We're not going to be there (Saturday) but we'll be with her (in spirit)," said Nadia Mahoney, Karen's 96-year-old grandmother.While border restrictions are preventing Karen Mahoney's parents and grandmother from going to her official wedding on Saturday, they feel fortunate to have been present for the couple's exchange of vows.The love for the new Mr. and Mrs. could be felt on both sides of the border. Watch the video above for more on this story.