Unorthodox wedding: A couple with swine flu

highland park, ill.  |  The bride wore white … and a face mask.

Ilana Jackson and Jeremy Fierstien of Chicago wore surgical masks and latex gloves to their wedding June 14 after finding out less than 48 hours before that they had the highly contagious H1N1 virus, aka swine flu. The couple decided to go ahead with the ceremony after doctors assured them guests wouldn’t be put at serious risk.

To be sure, they also stayed 10 feet away from guests at all times and did not participate in dancing. They even walked around the gathering, rather than down the aisle, in the outdoor ceremony at the Conservative North Suburban Synagogue Beth El.

Ilana Jackson (left) and Jeremy Fierstien wear surgical masks under the chuppah June 14. photo/ap/duron studio photography, sukit subanersanti

Jackson says they’d joked about swine flu after both experienced vomiting, achy limbs and fever. But they never thought they really had it.

Fierstien flew in prior to the wedding from the Hebrew College near Boston, where he is studying to be a rabbi. He and his fiancée, both 26, came down with flu symptoms several days later; Fierstien believes he contracted the illness on the flight.

Jackson said the circumstances were unfortunate but they had a good attitude about it. Party favors were hand sanitizers. — ap