Knoxville (WVLT) - The headlines from Iraq are a big reason a Cumberland County girl and a California boy wanted a hitch in the army, but as of Tuesday night, they've signed up for a new hitch -- with each other.

Volunteer TV's Gordon Boyd tells us of a bond of love -- forged in war.

"I told her we was thinking about getting married," bride NaShay Green-Sunderland said.

Plenty of brides-to-be dream of coming home to an outdoor dream wedding, but Private First Class NaShay Green's charge to Mom would challenge time, and distance.

All this, planned in 20 days.

"We'd had planned a plain courthouse wedding," NaShay said.

Cumberland County's Gazebo's a go, but no one could know, how Jaton Fowler'd make it grow.

"We had to line up the car, we had one, but it fell through--every antique car I saw I pulled over," Jaton said.

"Right at the last minute, we had a few things that didn't work out -- but it all started falling into place," said Greg Fowler, the bride's stepfather.

Few Battle plans are this smooth. All Nathan knows, when he first sees NaShay:

"She looked great. I was just happy she showed up," groom Corporal Nathan Sunderland said.

Nathan's own Mom's barely met her new daughter in law.

"I came to Tennessee for Mother's Day and to stand up for NaShay and Nathan. Happy's Belated Mother's Day -- it's been great," Nathan's mother, Della Sunderland said.

Nathan's taking NaShay home to California for the briefest of honeymoons, but they'll finish their tour of Iraq--miles apart.

"Them being in the situation they're in, if, God forbid one of them wasn't to come back--they need memories, but, they deserve the best," Jaton said.