Anita Lesko, 54, and Abraham Nielson, 28, both diagnosed with autism, met at an Asperger's support group six years ago and developed a special friendship when Lesko invited Nielson out for dinner one night.
"We got into these big conversations about our feelings, our emotions and our loneliness issues. That was the night that we fell in love with each other," Lesko said, according to People Magazine. That was in May 2014 and by the time Christmas came, the two were engaged.
On Sept. 26, the couple from Florida got married during the Love & Autism: A Conference with Heart event in San Diego. There were 185 guests who stood as their witnesses, according to Fox News. Many of the guests - from the groomsmen, flower girls and ring bearers, to the DJ, the baker and the officiant - were also identified with autism spectrum conditions, according to Palm Beach Post.
Lesko, who was set to speak at the event, approached the organizer and asked if they could have their wedding there.
"I immediately said yes," said Jenny Palmiotto, Love & Autism's founder via Fox News. "It must be so different to live in a world where people assume that ... you are inept or incapable of having a relationship, or maybe even don't want one. That's really contrary to my clinical practice and even all of the available relational research to date."
"Abraham and I have a mission in life to change the world's view of autism," said the bride, via ABC News. "We wanted to make this public to show that people on the spectrum have the needs for love, relationships and marriage."
"It was the most incredible and enchanted evening of our lives and it's still sinking in our heads," Lesko added.
"Our message is really simple," Palmiotto said. "Love is part of the human experience, and this doesn't change with neurological differences associated with autism. We wanted to bring to light these relationship issues."
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