When Michelle, 50, and Scott Ellermets, 59, tied the knot on September 7, 2024, in North Carolina’s Outer Banks, they received a special sign from their late spouses. Right before they traded vows, after a day of rain, the sun came out and a double rainbow appeared—which the couple believes was their former longtime spouses looking down on them.
The couple told Good Morning America on September 19, 2024, that both of their respective spouses passed away in 2023: Michelle lost her former husband (who died from a heart attack) after 23 years of marriage, whereas Scott was married to his previous wife for 29 years before she died from an illness. To cope with the loss of their longtime partners, both Michelle and Scott joined a local grief group in Washington, D.C., where both of them reside. When Scott saw that Michelle, who was also part of the group for widows and widowers, was Facebook friends with his sister, he decided to message her. They eventually met up in December 2023 and hit it off straightaway.
At first, their relationship was strictly platonic, but the more they spent time together, the more their connection grew. “I remember telling him that I was never going to get married again,” Michella recalled. “And yeah, so our friendship, just at some point along the way, became more than that—and we fell in love.”
During their meet-ups, they discovered that they have a lot in common, like sharing the same interests and practicing the same faith. Plus, they were extremely comfortable with one another, quickly losing track of time in one another’s presence. “We’d go out for a very quick cup of coffee or a quick drink and discover, all of a sudden, that [after] our morning cup of coffee, the sun went down,” Scott said. They also admired one another as people. Michelle described Scott as one of the “kindest” and “most thoughtful” people she’s ever known, while Scott called Michelle “the most caring, helpful, thoughtful” individual.
Eventually, the two of them decided to get married. “At our age, when you know, why not?” Michelle said of their thought process. “We don’t want to waste any time. You can’t take your days for granted.” So, they planned an intimate beachfront affair with family and friends.
In a viral video with nearly four million views that their wedding photographer, Chelsea Schaefer, posted on TikTok, Schaefer noted how it rained all day leading up to the ceremony. Then, right before they walked down the aisle, the sun came out and a double rainbow appeared over the ocean. The couple knew it was their late spouses. “It was like the icing on the cake, and it did seem like a blessing from God,” Scott expressed.
The internet also saw the spiritual connection. “They both showed up,” the top comment said of the couple’s respective late spouses. “To make sure they knew it was okay they’re happy together.” Others agreed, with one writing, “They came to let them know it’s okay to love again.” Some even shared similar tales. “My husband and I lost both our moms before our beach wedding,” another shared. “The sky was glowing pink and purple and two dolphins showed up as we said our vows.”