NICU Baby Serves as Ring Bearer For Mom and Dad's Wedding

After a heartbreaking two months, Justin Nelson and Kristi Warrine finally found a reason to smile. On Tuesday, the Texas couple said "I do" in front of family and friends. But the ceremony was far from traditional. Rather than a chapel or five-star venue, the couple wed in the NICU ward where their son JJ has been staying for the past two months. Donning a tiny tuxedo, the baby served as the ring bearer for the intimate ceremony.

The couple planned on wedding before the arrival of what would have been twins. But when they learned that the twins shared a placenta, making it a high-risk pregnancy, they decided to delay the date. Then, on Aug. 31, Kristi was rushed to the emergency room, where she learned one of the babies, Colton, had passed away. The following day she started having contractions and gave birth to JJ on Sept. 2 — 25 weeks before his due date. Since then, JJ has been staying in the NICU, where he is being monitored for chronic lung disease, but Kristi says her baby boy is getting stronger every day.

"He has been struggling but has made great improvements," she tells CNN. "Our mission behind sharing our story was to let those that have been there, are there, or, unfortunately, could one day be there [know] that they are not alone."