2015 wedding guide
DESCRIPTION
The Standard Newspaper, Waukon, IATRANSCRIPT
What’s Inside...Reiser/Collins Exchange Vows on Family FarmSweeney/Curtin New Year’s Eve WeddingBodleys: 73 Years of MarriageHudson/Welsh Family Farm WeddingBodley/Keppler Include Water CeremonyWords to Love By
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There’s no place like home: Samantha Reiser and Ryan Collins exchange vows on farm where bride grew upby Lissa Blake
When Samantha Reiser and Ryan Collins were looking for a place to get married, they wanted a setting where their guests could relax and enjoy the day.
The Reiser family homestead, located near Churchtown, seemed the ideal place.
Samantha, daughter of Mark and Nancy Reiser, is a 2005 Waukon High School graduate. Ryan, son of Mike and Teri Collins, graduated from Kee High School in Lansing in 2005.
Samantha said she didn’t want anything real traditional, so they decided to ask her parents about the possibility of hosting the big day.
“We never thought Dad would go for it, but he did,” she said.
“The challenge was keeping the barn cleaned out,” she
said, adding the June 21 date ensured the event would happen before Mark had too much hay baled and put up.
SAY “YES”Samantha and Ryan had
been dating for about two and a half years before their engagement. They had looked at a few rings together, but hadn’t settled on anything defi nite.
“He told me he would never give it to me on a holiday, because he wanted the event itself to be special,” she said.
Although Samantha knew a proposal would eventually come, she wasn’t sure when.
“Then one day he called me at work saying he had cows out and he couldn’t get a hold of anybody to help him. He asked if I could come to the shop at his parents’ farm (near Harpers Ferry).”
When Samantha walked in
the door of the shop, she was surprised to see all fi ve of her nieces holding a sign that said, “Say yes to Ryan, Aunt Sam.”
“There he was, and he got down on one knee and proposed in his Carhartts,” she said.
GETTING READYThe couple enlisted the help
of many family members to prepare for the big event.
“The barn was the biggest job. We power washed it and Dad whitewashed down below,” Sam said.
Her mother, Nancy, and the couple’s aunts made the food and cut up the fruit. Tony Diersen smoked the pork, and an aunt, Phyllis Walsh, made the cake. Family friends Dawn Zeimet and Heather Neuhring also helped with the food and
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CongratulationsCongratulationsRyan & Samantha Collins
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Page 2 February 18, 2015
Guide
Reiser/CollinsContinued on page 14
Studio M Photography
Newlyweds Samantha and Ryan Collins sit atop the round hay bale personalized by Ryan’s mother, Teri Collins, with fl owers in
the shape of the letter “C”. The decorative bale was placed at the driveway entrance to the farm of Samantha’s parents, Mark and
Nancy Reiser, where the wedding ceremony was held.
New year, new life: Gina Sweeney and Jeremy Curtinbegin new life together with New Year’s Eve wedding ceremonyby Lissa Blake
Waukon’s Jeremy Curtin and Gina Sweeney have been celebrating New Year’s Eve together for several years. But New Year’s Eve 2014 was extra special for them, as they picked that day to tie the knot.
“We thought it would be really neat to ring in the New Year with friends and family,” said Gina.
Jeremy, a 1999 graduate of Waukon High School, and Gina, a 2003 graduate of Waukon High School, had been dating for about three years. He is the son of Ron and Gail Curtin, and she is the daughter of James and Margo Sweeney.
The couple met through Jeremy’s sisters, who Gina had been friends with in high school.
POPPING THE QUESTIONSeptember 19 of last year,
Gina said Jeremy planned a date at his family farm.
“It was a typical date night, where we might go on a ranger ride, have a couple of drinks and have a picnic,” she said. “But this picnic ended in a proposal!”
Jeremy had already discussed his plans with Gina’s father and had picked out a ring he hoped she would love.
“He was so calm and collected. I couldn’t believe he was able to keep it a secret,” she said.
MAKING A PLANFollowing the picnic, the
couple started hatching a plan for the big day.
“We started out planning to have a small, intimate wedding. We’re both from large families,” said Gina.
Gina said they were leery of trying to plan a wedding big enough to accommodate
both of their large, extended families in such a short amount of time, but her mother, Margo, convinced her they could do it.
“We talked about only having our immediate family, but my Mom said she was worried we would regret not having everyone there to celebrate with us, and I knew she was right,” said Gina.
So with just over three months to plan, they started the ball rolling.
A SPECIAL REQUESTIn planning the ceremony,
the couple knew just what they wanted. Both Gina and Jeremy attended St. Patrick School and their families were lifelong members of St. Patrick Church in Waukon. They called Monsignor Ed Lechtenberg and asked to meet with him so they
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February 18, 2015 Page 3
Guide
Sweeney/CurtinContinued on page 8
Demasque Photography
Studio M Photography Gina Sweeney, daughter of Jim and Margo Sweeney, and Jeremy Curtin, son of Ron and Gail Curtin, were married at St.
Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon in a New Year’s Eve wedding ceremony. The couple felt it would be extra special to ring in the
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Sharing the same interests has been key to Ted and Betty Bodley’s 73 years of wedded blissby Kelli Boylen, freelance writer
Ted and Betty Bodley were married during the war.
Not the Gulf War, Vietnam or Korea, but World War II. They have been married longer than most people have been alive.
Last October they celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary.
Betty recalls when they met. They were both in high school in neighboring towns in Jasper County, Iowa. “Ted went to school with my cousin. He got her a date with one of his friends, so he told her that she had to get him a date. When we met up they called me over to the car. Ted said he would give my cousin a poke if he thought I was ok.”
They went to a dance hall in Des Moines that night, but Ted has never been a dancer; he always said he couldn’t see why anyone would want to walk to music.
Their next date was to the Fourth of July celebration in Newton. The year was 1939. They went out occasionally that first summer, but Betty says back then you didn’t go steady; it was more fun to go out with different boys.
The next summer Ted went to live and work at his uncle’s place in Montana. “He would send me these postcards,” she recalls, “and he would write ‘I love you’ under the stamp. I never knew to believe him or not.”
Although Ted wasn’t a dancer, Betty remembers there being dances at school. They would charge a dime to get in.
She was regularly seeing two different boys. After graduating from high school, her grandfather told her that she would have to choose.
“I wasn’t sure if I was in love or not, but he liked a lot of the same things,” she says. She
also really appreciated the fact that he had excellent manners, was very polite and he was a gentleman.
At 91, Betty is still spunky. When asked what he liked about her, Ted gets a little smile on his face and said, “She don’t take no guff.”
They were married October 26, 1941, when she was 18 and he was 21. The two of them traveled to Missouri to get married. It was war time and Betty knew her grandparents who raised her would not give them a big wedding. Missouri didn’t require waiting periods and blood tests like Iowa, so they traveled south to exchange vows.
“It was just easier,” she says.The first four years of their
marriage they lived with Ted’s
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Page 4 February 18, 2015
Guide
BodleysContinued on page 5
Betty and Ted Bodley of Waukon celebrated 73 years of marriage in October of 2014. The couple was married October 26, 1941, traveling to Missouri to do so while
World War II was underway. They credit sharing the same interests for their many years of wedded bliss. Betty says Ted has always been very polite and a gentleman, and Ted says
he likes the fact that Betty “don’t take no guff.”
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parents. Their first two children, Becky, born in 1942, and Craig, born in 1944, were born during this time. They had two more children in the following years: Cheryl, born in 1946, and Allen, born in 1949.
When her grandfather lost his tenant, they moved to that house and farmed the land. When they lived at this property, they didn’t have running water or electricity, so that took some getting used to. That land was later sold and they rented a farm near Booneville and later moved to Maynard.
They bought a farm north of Postville in the late 1960s and they moved to rural Waukon in the 1990s.
Betty remembers one time when they were first married Ted literally had to give her a lift. The driveway would get very muddy in the spring. They were going out to the movie and she wanted to go back in the house to grab her boots, but Ted said she didn’t need them. They got stuck coming back home and he had to give
Betty, who was wearing high heels, a piggyback ride all the way back to the house. They had used their war ration cards to get two candy bars and a glass coffee pot and didn’t want to leave them in the car, so they were carried back to the house as well.
Ted and Betty always farmed, and they finally sold the last of their Angus beef cows about five years ago when Ted was 89.
When their children were young they enjoyed going on picnics, often inviting friends over, and they would have dances right there at home.
They used to play games a lot as a family, even lawn games like horseshoes and croquet. They also loved horseback riding, which is a family interest that has now been passed on down the generations.
Their children and grandchildren showed beef at their county fairs, which was an activity the entire family has enjoyed. Grandma Betty was known for her excellent “tail
dressing” on show day.“We had a lot of the same
interests,” says Betty, “besides him not liking to dance anyway. We enjoyed our time together as a family more than anything.”
Ted and Betty say they are “used to” one another. Last October, just two days after the wedding of their granddaughter, Vicki, Betty fell and broke bones in both of her feet. Ted was also ill at the time, so they both went into the nursing home for about six weeks, which is where they celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary with a cake and a family visit. At first they were in different rooms at the nursing home, but they wanted to be together so it was worked out. They returned home the day before Thanksgiving.
“We have a good family and our faith. We are awfully proud of our kids. They have always worked and are kind, thoughtful people,” Betty says.
In addition to their children, the Bodleys have nine grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
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February 18, 2015 Page 5
Guide
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BodleysContinued from page 4
Ted and Betty Bodley of Waukon stand with their granddaughter, Vicki Bodley Klepper, on her wedding day, October 4, 2014.
Vicki was married in the same month as her grandparents, who celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary October 26, 1941.
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Organic family farm provides sense of heritage for the Welsh-Hudson weddingby Susan Cantine-Maxson
Picture an idyllic fall day fi lled with love and you have the wedding of Clayton Welsh and Brooke Hudson. Married October 11, 2014, four years after they fi rst met, the young couple epitomizes a young love blossoming within the warm embrace of family and nature.
THE INTRODUCTIONClayton, a native of the
Lansing area, had gone to Florida for motorcycle mechanics school following his graduation from Kee High School, and then worked in Cedar Rapids for two years. Meanwhile, Brooke had graduated from City High in Iowa City and gone on to the University of Iowa. As a student, she also worked a part-time job at Mondo’s, an Iowa City restaurant. She happened to
work with someone who was a cousin of Clayton’s. The cousin introduced them and their relationship began.
In October 2010, shortly after they began dating, Clayton brought Brooke to the family farm, Welsh Organic Farm near Lansing run by his brother and his parents, Gary and Kim Welsh. Brooke says that is the weekend she began falling in love with the farm and all the people connected with it, most particularly Clayton.
Eventually, Clayton wanted to move back to the farm to work with his brother and parents. That was a crossroads in their relationship because he wanted Brooke to come with him. Brooke decided that moving to the Lansing area was what she envisioned for her future with Clayton. She fi nished her degree in Communication at the University of Iowa but after she
moved, she also completed her education certifi cation classes at Upper Iowa University and got a job as an elementary teacher in Elkader. They lived in Churchtown, which was close to the two family farms where Clayton was working every day.
THE ATTRACTIONDuring the interview for the
story, Brooke describes the traits that drew her to Clayton, which include his strong work ethic and his determination. She says, “He is a person who has a strong sense of family loyalty.” Although Clayton only has one brother, his father has eight siblings. Brooke admires the closeness of their large family.
Clayton’s description of why he fell in love with Brooke
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Page 6 February 18, 2015
Guide
Welsh-HudsonContinued on page 7
Photography by Brittany
Clayton Welsh and
Brooke Hudson
were married
October 11, 2014 on
the Welsh Family
Organic Farm.
Organic family farm providessense of heritage for the Welsh-Hudson wedding includes her personality and
sense of humor, and her desire to work together to create their own strong family bond. When asked to elaborate, Clayton says that he fell in love with Brooke because of “her dazzling eyes.”
At that point, Brooke adds the trait of “smooth talker” to her description of Clayton. They laugh warmly, meeting each other’s gaze, and the interviewer knows that the bond between these two will only strengthen as time passes.
THE PROPOSALClayton had decided that
New Year’s Eve 2013 would be a romantic time to pop the question. They had intended to go to La Crosse, WI to celebrate but snowy roads kept them in Lansing. They had a great supper at Grand Central Station but were done by 9 p.m.
Since it was New Year’s Eve, they felt like they should be out celebrating but decided to head home to Churchtown.
When they got home, they discovered their furnace had quit, so they drove around for a while looking for parts to fi x the furnace. They got what they needed and Clayton worked on the furnace to get it started again. He fi nished and it was close to midnight.
Brooke was ready to at least say “Happy New Year” at midnight, but Clayton said he had to go outside again. Brooke said she was a little perturbed that he wasn’t going to be with her at midnight, but at 11:59 he came back in the house, bent down on one knee and asked her to marry him at the stroke of midnight. They would start 2014 as an engaged couple.
The next day was the Welsh family Christmas, so they were blessed with many congratulations and best wishes for the next phase of their lives together. Clayton had picked out the ring at Elliott Jewelers in Waukon in November and had been waiting for that special moment. His last trip outside
that New Year’s Eve had been to the pick-up truck where the ring was hidden.
THE PLANOctober was a signifi cant
month for the couple because that’s when they had met, so they set the date of the wedding as October 11, the closest weekend to the fourth anniversary of their meeting. October was also the month when Brooke fi rst met Clayton’s family and came to the family farm. They felt that the farm was the best place to hold the wedding ceremony because it held such a signifi cant place in their relationship.
Brooke said, “My dad is a pastor at a United Church of Christ in Centerville and I wanted him to marry us. We didn’t want to be in a church where my dad couldn’t perform the service. The farm is sentimental to us; it is a part of
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February 18, 2015 Page 7
Guide
Welsh-HudsonContinued on page 10
Welsh-HudsonContinued from page 6
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Providing a further sense of security was
a photo collage in memory of loved ones
who have passed away (photo at right)
but were surely watching over the
couple on their special day.
The wedding of Clayton and Brooke Welsh took place on the home farm of Clayton’s family, with a large tent (bottom photo
below) providing protection for the ceremony against any unpredictable weather.
could ask him if he would marry them.
“He knows both of our families really well. So we called and asked if we could visit and then went to his home in Lansing to ask him,” she said. “We were thrilled when he said yes. We couldn’t imagine our day without him.”
They also met with Deacon Mike Ward, because there were a few things they wanted to change about the ceremony. For one, the couple wanted to be Eucharistic ministers, serving Communion to their guests.
“Deacon Ward explained a wedding is the only mass where the clergy is not the minister, the bride and groom are the minister,” said Gina. “That helped us focus a lot on our ceremony.”
THE BIG DAYWith her wedding planned
for evening, Gina said she had
the rare opportunity to relax and sleep in on her wedding day. At 5:30 p.m., around 300 of the couple’s closest friends and family gathered at the church to hear Gina and Jeremy exchange traditional vows.
“It was so amazing to be standing there and saying the same vows as our parents and grandparents had in that same place before us,” she said.
In addition, Gina asked the St. Patrick Choir, of which she is a member, to sing for her big day.
“It was just beautiful,” she remarked.
THE WEDDING PARTYBoth Gina and Jeremy come
from such large families, and they wanted their families to be part of their day. Most of their wedding party was made up of family members, including all of their siblings, nieces and nephew.
Matrons of Honor were
Gina’s sisters, Nicole Pladsen and Jennifer Fahey, and the Best Man was Jeremy’s brother, Chad.
Bridesmaids were Gina’s sister-in-law, Regan Sweeney; Jeremy’s sisters, Thea and Jordan Curtin; and Jeremy’s sister-in-law, Jaime Curtin.
Groomsmen were Gina’s brother, Justin; her brothers-in-law, Jeremy Fahey and Ted Pladsen; Jeremy’s friend, Sam Mount; and Jeremy’s cousin, Brad Curtin.
Junior bridesmaids were Gina’s nieces Madilyn, Olivia and Sophia Fahey, and the junior groomsman was her nephew, Andrew Pladsen. For fl ower girls, the couple had Gina’s nieces, Isabella and Lillian Pladsen and Stella Sweeney, and Jeremy’s nieces, Teron and Lail Curtin.
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Sweeney/CurtinContinued from page 3
Page 8 February 18, 2015
Guide
Sweeney/CurtinContinued on page 9
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Although there didn’t appear to be snow on the ground, as one might expect on New Year’s Eve, there was certainly love in the air December 31, 2014. Gina Sweeney and Jeremy Curtin chose to make a time of year typically used for new beginnings - New Year’s Eve - even more meaningful by making the ultimate new beginning; the start of their new life together as husband and
wife with their New Year’s Eve wedding.
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Gina’s cousins, Raechelle Leidahl, Amanda Lubahn, Jodi Sweeney, Amy Leidahl and Ann Deering. Altar servers were Gina’s cousin, Faith Dillman, and Jeremy’s cousin, Ashton Farley. Ushers were Jeremy’s friends, Brian Schulte, Doug Berns, Dustin Rounds and Todd Wilkins.
Lector was Gina’s aunt, Joan Manning, and organist was Mary Regan. The couple asked their mothers, Margo Sweeney and Gail Curtin, to take up the offertory gifts.
“Our ceremony was really our main focus. Afterwards, Jeremy said he wasn’t sure what to expect, but the ceremony was his favorite part of the day. It was mine, too,” said Gina.
THE FUN CONTINUESFollowing the ceremony in
Waukon, the festivities moved to Oneota Country Club in Decorah, where Gina’s parents are members.
“We had everyone greeted with a glass of champagne. We
wanted them all to feel special,” said Gina.
Following a sit-down dinner, the couple organized a special dance. Instead of doing a bouquet toss, the couple did an anniversary dance and invited all the married couples to the dance fl oor. The bouquet went to the couple married the longest, Gina’s great aunt and uncle, Andy and Darlene Anderson, who have been married 60 years.
THE PERFECT DAYGina said she has no regrets
allowing such a short time to plan her wedding.
“A proposal meant we were ready to be married and our engagement was merely the planning process. I would recommend it to everyone who wants less time to stress and more time to enjoy being married!” she said. “It was all so romantic. It was the best day of my life, so far. I hope every girl gets to feel like I did on my wedding day.”
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February 18, 2015 Page 9
Guide
Demasque Photography
Sweeney/CurtinContinued from page 8
Demasque Photography
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Jeremy and Gina (Sweeney) Curtin were married December 31st. Gina is the
daughter of Jim and Margo Sweeney of Waukon. Jeremy is the son of Ron and
Gail Curtin of Waukon.
The New Year’s Eve wedding of Gina Sweeney and Jeremy Curtin provided extra special meaning to ringing in the New Year with family and friends. The wedding party pictured above from the
December 31, 2014 event held at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon featured an abundance of family members from the large families that both Gina and Jeremy come from, along with a number of good friends. Family members included sisters, brothers, in-laws, cousins, nieces and a nephew who all played a role in making New Year’s Eve 2014 that much more special for the newlyweds.
our love story, so it seemed like the most logical choice for the wedding.”
Clayton added, “Yes, the farm was where we fell in love, so we both wanted to have the wedding there. We rented a huge tent from Chad Ness in Waukon, so we had seating for 200 under the tent. We weren’t sure what the weather would be like in October, so we thought a tent would be a good back-up security measure. Since I come from such a large family and we have a lot of friends, the reception included 200 more people. We had the reception at TJ Hunter’s Banquet Hall (in Lansing). We rented most of the decorations from B.D. Productions outside of Waukon.”
“It was so much fun
decorating for the wedding and the reception. Everyone in the family pitched in. We were able to get into the Banquet Hall several days ahead of the ceremony so we could decorate and not feel rushed,” Brooke replied. ”The whole event was very much a family affair. Clayton’s sister-in-law, who owns a salon, Studio K, in Lansing, did all our hair. My mom had designed all the invitations, which we had printed at JaDecc’S in Waukon. All the fl owers were from the Red Geranium and my mom arranged the bouquets; the orchids, hydrangeas and carnations were tied to the fence posts, we carried them and they were also the centerpieces. My whole family helped decorate the area with fl owers. I’d read
that orchids mean ‘good luck in this new place,’ so I felt that was especially appropriate. My dad and uncle, who are both pastors, performed the ceremony. My sister was maid of honor and my childhood best friend was Matron of Honor. All of Clayton’s groomsmen were relatives except for one out-of-town friend.”
Clayton continued, ”My uncle took charge of the car parking on the farm. He organized the parking for 110 cars. We had other relatives bringing people from the parking area to the wedding tent with gators and golf carts. It was beautiful weather and a great day for a ride. One of the best parts was my three-year-old nephew and his little sister. He had an electric gator which he rode down the hill and up the aisle into the tent. He had a sign on the back saying ‘Here comes the bride.’ His mom had crocheted a pillow which had
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Welsh-HudsonContinued from page 7
Page 10 February 18, 2015
Guide
Welsh-HudsonContinued on page 11
Photography by Brittany
Clayton and Brooke Welsh felt getting married on the Welsh home farm was very fi tting since that’s where their relationship continued to grow and deepen over the years. This photo by a John Deere tractor seemed only right since the family farm has
and continues to play a huge role in their life together.
the rings attached. His little sister, the fl ower girl, sat on the fl oor in between Brooke and I during the ceremony, looking up at us through a lot of the service.”
In preparation for the big day, almost all the available bed and breakfast places in the Lansing area were reserved for out-of-town guests. Guests stayed at McGaritty’s, the Blue Heron Inn, Lansing Lofts, above Milty’s, Murphy’s Cove, and the Riverview Inn. The Rossville Store provided the rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding.
FIRST LOOK“Something old, something
new, something borrowed, something blue” is the age-old wedding tradition. Brooke fulfi lled that saying by carrying her great grandmother’s sapphire blue ring tied to her bouquet; by having the wedding at the farm that has been in the Welsh family for three generations; and by wearing
a pearl necklace that Clayton had given her right before the ceremony.
Also before the ceremony, they had their “fi rst look” at one another. They wanted to have a private moment before all the festivities started so they took that moment to exchange letters with one another which included their personal vows dedicating themselves to each other. After that quiet alone time, picture taking began.
The bridal dress was ivory silk with café lace overtones topped by a birdcage veil. The bridesmaids wore wine-colored dresses and the groomsmen wore grey tuxes with wine ties, rented from Teslow’s in Waukon.
Choosing the perfect wedding dress can be quite an ordeal, but Brooke said, “This was the fi rst dress I tried on. I tried on seven more but I came back to this one. It was perfect.” The accent color for the ensemble was pale yellow.
The bridal party ventured
to the top of Mt. Hosmer and to many places around Lansing, such as by the Black Hawk Bridge and by the Red Geranium, to have some unique outdoor pictures taken before the ceremony. Photography by Brittany from Decorah captured each of those blissful moments in time.
THE CEREMONYAs everyone assembled
for the wedding, Clayton seated all the grandparents. The bridesmaids and bride walked out of the farm house. Brooke’s uncle, who is also a pastor, began the service so that Brooke’s father could accompany the rest of the family as Brooke and Clayton met at the front of the tent. Brooke stated, “We wanted both families to give us to each other, not just the father giving away his daughter. Since my parents are divorced, we had
February 18, 2015 Page 11
GuideWelsh-HudsonContinued from page 10
Welsh-HudsonContinued on page 12
Photography by Brittany
Photography by Brittany
Clayton Welsh and Brooke Hudson take a moment prior to their wedding to share some quiet time together, with Clayton taking the opportunity to give Brooke a new string of pearls
that completed the traditional wedding adage “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.” The
couple also used that quiet time to exchange letters with one another that included personal vows to each other.
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three sets of parents who joined in a prayer circle while my uncle led us in prayer to bless the ceremony and the wedding. Then my dad took over and performed the rest of the wedding service.”
The DJ from Music Mix of La Crosse, WI played instrumental selections. Soloists included Brooke’s cousin, who is a professional singer, and her step-mom. “When God Made You” by New Song was the couple’s unity cross song. The music as the bride came down the aisle was “Never Stop” by Safety Sue. Brooke remarked, “We didn’t want the traditional Wedding March song; we wanted lyrics that were like the vows we were going to say. It was a musical way to affirm our love.”
THE CELEBRATIONAfter the service, the bridal
party hopped on to a wagon hooked to the tractor and took
a six-mile ride into town to hit Sweeney’s on the River and other local hot spots as part of the celebration. The bridal party then joined the rest of the 400 guests at TJ Hunter’s Banquet Hall in Lansing.
Clayton said, “My dad and mom provided the organic chicken breast and pork loins from our own farm for the banquet. We sell our organic meat through Organic Prairie and Organic Valley in La Farge, WI, so they supplied everything we needed. Jason at TJ Hunter’s then fixed the rest of the catered meal. Our farm is all about using organic meat and eggs. We believe strongly that it is better for people than products with a lot of pesticides, chemicals or GMOs.”
Brooke added, “Seeing the passion that Clayton’s family has for organic food has made
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Welsh-HudsonContinued from page 11
Page 12 February 18, 2015
Guide
Welsh-HudsonContinued on page 13
The wedding party for the October 11, 2014 wedding of Clayton Welsh and Brooke Hudson included a combination of family members and friends. The groups pictured above and below enjoyed making their way around the Lansing area to take some memorable photos that made
the day even more special. Photography by Brittany
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me a believer as well. We knew we had to have only organic meat at the banquet.”
Brooke continued, “We had so much fun at the reception. Nutmegs of Lansing created special cupcakes for the reception guests. They also created a brunch for us the next morning. We had a Candy Bar, a photo booth where guests could leave video messages for us, and our own Instagram Hashtag #BCWelsh so that guests could go to that hashtag and see the pictures from the wedding and reception.“
Clayton noted, “Meanwhile, our bridal party had toilet papered our entire house and put our mailbox on top of our car.“
AFTER THE BIG EVENTSince Brooke is a teacher
and October is a busy time for farmers like Clayton and his family, work beckoned right away Monday morning. They postponed a honeymoon until Christmas vacation when they
went to the Rivera Maya in Mexico.
Brooke currently teaches in Waukon and is working on fi nishing a master’s degree in special education at Upper Iowa. Clayton’s dreams of being a part of the Welsh Family Organic Farm have come true. Helping his dad and brother manage 80,000 chickens a year, 600 hogs, 100 beef cows and over 10,000 laying hens means chores are a constant draw.
INTO THE FUTUREFour months into their
marriage, they still have that newlywed glow. Their easy way of fi nishing each other’s sentences, of laughing together, of taking turns telling their courtship and wedding story are all indications that the natural setting of this wedding on the family farm was a foundation built on family love and caring which will sustain this couple in years to come.
February 18, 2015 Page 13
GuideWelsh-HudsonContinued from page 12
Brooke Hudson-Clayton Welsh WeddingOctober 11, 2014
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serving.“Our motto was ‘Many hands
make light work,’” said Nancy.
PERSONAL TOUCHESSome of the personal
touches the couple added to their day included a wagon wheel and Mason jar light fi xture fabricated by Ryan, Mason jar bouquets and a grain bin-turned-photo booth.
“We tried to keep things simple,” said Samantha.
Ryan’s mom, Teri, personalized a round bale with fl owers formed into the letter “C” and had it placed at the entrance to the farm.
One of the couple’s favorite parts of the ceremony was their use of a unity cross, which signifi ed the wedding covenant. She said they were thankful that many prayers brought great weather for the big day.
“Ryan’s dad hung rosary beads on his clothesline to help keep the rain away,” said
Reiser/CollinsContinued from page 2
Page 14 February 18, 2015
Guide
Reiser/CollinsContinued on page 15
Samantha.Because it was forecast to
be a hot one, Samantha came up with the idea of printing her programs on hand fans guests used to cool themselves off during the day. Guests were offered bottled water as they entered the ceremony.
“It was really warm, but we were lucky there were no bugs,” she said.
THE WEDDING PARTYAt 3 p.m. Saturday, June 21,
Pastor Ken Kimball united the couple in marriage. They were surrounded by friends and family, who sat on church pews and wood planks positioned on bales in the Reiser family’s historic barn.
Matron of Honor was Samantha’s sister, Nikky Irvin, and bridesmaids were her sisters, Jessie Kurth and Rachel Reiser; Ryan’s sister, Michaela Collins; and Samantha’s niece, Aubree Cota.
Best Man was Sean Collins, Ryan’s brother, and Groomsmen were friends Tom Gavin, Dustin Darling and Shayne Gavin.
“Mini-Maids” were Saman-tha’s nieces, Azlynn Cota and Mia and Makenna Kurth. Flower girl was her other niece, Maren Kurth, and ushers were Samantha’s brothers-in-law, Joe Irvin and Adam Kurth.
Lector was Mary Kernan and vocalists were Vicki Pladsen and Nic Bedell. Personal attendants were Brooke White and Carlyn Wacker, and hosts and hostesses were Jim and Kathy McGettigan and Dean and Deneen Reiser.
A GOOD TIMESamantha said although
the preparations were a lot of work, she thinks everyone had a good time.
Studio M Photography
Samantha Reiser and Ryan Collins exchanged wedding vows June 21, 2014 in the comfort and relaxation of the family farm where Samantha grew up near Churchtown. The family-based feel to the entire wedding day, from planning to completion, is even further evident in the above photo taken with the couple
relaxing and enjoying a moment in front of a classic pick-up truck owned by Samantha’s uncle, Lyle Larson.
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February 18, 2015 Page 15
GuideReiser/CollinsContinued from page 14
“I think having it at the farm created a relaxed atmosphere for people. Some brought campers or horse trailers and camped across the road. We hauled people from their cars with gators,” she said.
“I think the dance could have gone on all night, and later on they made some sandwiches and brought the cookies out,” said Nancy. “A lot of people stayed over and came over the next morning to have breakfast with us and help clean up.”
“We never could have done it all without the help of family and friends,” added Ryan.
Samantha said she’s glad they made the decision to tie the knot in the comfort of the place where she grew up.
“I have three sisters. I bet if you asked my family, if, of all of them, I would be the one who would want to get married in the barn, they would have said no way … But I was marrying a farmer and I wanted him to be comfortable, too,” she said.
Studio M Photography
Studio M PhotographySamantha and Ryan Collins’ wedding included a number of
personalized touches that made the day much more meaningful for all those involved. The wedding party is pictured above inside the Reiser family barn where the ceremony was held, with guests being seated on church pews and wood planks placed on bales.
Other personalized additions to the day included a light fi xture (top photo at left) created by Ryan out of a wagon wheel and Mason jars used to brighten up the inside of the barn, Mason jar bouquet center pieces (photo at far left), a unity cross ceremony and their wedding
programs printed on hand fans (photo at immediate left) to help keep wedding guests cool on the hot June day.
From the start of their relationship to their October wedding, Vicki Bodley and Kenny Klepper have done it their own wayby Kelli Boylen, freelance writer
The plan was perfect: An early October weekend, a small cabin nestled into the woods, the autumn trees in all their glory. It was even a fun date, 10-4 (October 4), easy to remember and perfect for a couple that communicates by two-way radio when they partake in one of their favorite pastimes. A large reception would follow at their rural home, with a large tent set up in the yard.
The problem was no one told Mother Nature to keep the thermostat turned up.
On the day Kenny Klepper and Vicki Bodley of Castalia were married, temperatures topped out at about 50 degrees. The bare-shouldered bridesmaids dresses weren’t nearly warm enough and the bride herself borrowed a shawl part way through the ceremony. Thirty mile an hour winds made it diffi cult to set up the tent the day before the wedding.
But all of that didn’t stop the bride and groom from having huge smiles on their faces throughout the day, and even shedding a few tears of joy.
Vicki enjoys singing and she has placed in local karaoke
contests. Ken once teased her about her singing to him on her wedding day, but she told him it wouldn’t work out because it would make him cry. He didn’t know it, but she came up with a plan.
He knew that she was going to walk to the “altar” to the Christina Perri song “A Thousand Years.” In the week before the ceremony, she recorded herself singing the song. At the rehearsal, the Christina Perri version was played. It was about a minute into the song at the actual ceremony that Ken realized the song was being sung by Vicki to him. Not only did he tear up, but he also got goosebumps on his arms that had nothing to do with the coldness.
It was a second marriage for both of them, and they took care to make the ceremony what they wanted. Vicki’s favorite color is purple and she searched far and wide until she found the perfect deep purple dress to wear for her wedding. Vicki’s family has long owned a small cabin tucked in the woods between Postville
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Page 16 February 18, 2015
Guide
Bodley/KlepperContinued on page 17
Vicki Bodley and Kenny Klepper were married October 4, 2014 at the cabin owned by Vicki’s family located between Postville
and Frankville. The two knew each other for more than 20 years before fi nally ending up as man and wife, putting their own
personal touches on everything from Kenny’s proposal to their “10-4” wedding date.
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and Frankville. She says she always wanted an outdoor ceremony at that location. So, that’s where their wedding took place.
Her bridesmaids were her nieces, Shelby and Riley Bodley. Ken’s daughter, Celsey, his son, Kyle, and his future daughter-in-law, Jamie, stood up for Ken. Ken’s mom, Ardis, shared a poem she had written about building a marriage upon a strong foundation. Vicki’s mom, JoAnne, read a blessing. Kenny’s sister, Karla, along with her husband, Eric Johnson, and their children, Abby and Kassie, provided the music.
WATER CEREMONYPatti Campbell, a friend
of the couple, is an officiant and was more than happy to marry them. She customized the ceremony just for them, including a unique water ceremony. There were several different beautiful containers of water involved in the ceremony.
The first container was clear, representing Kenny, “clear and pure of heart.” Another container was red, representing Kenny’s children, Kyle and Celsey, and “his blood flowing in their veins.” A container of blue water represented Vicki, “bold and beautiful.”
Patti conducted the ceremony with carefully chosen words as the water was blended. “You can stand on your own and be whole, without the need of anything else. When the waters are blended together they represent an entirely new and extraordinary love relationship. Each molecule of water brings to the mixture a lasting beauty that forever enriches the combination… Just as these molecules of water can never be separated and poured again into the individual vases, so will the love and bond between the two of you and now your children make you inseparable.”
Once the waters were blended, the now purple liquid
was sealed into a beautiful crystal vase for the couple to keep in their home.
The wedding ceremony itself was just attended by family, but they invited many friends and coworkers to the reception at their home following the ceremony.
A BIT OF HISTORY ON WHICH TO BUILD A FUTURE
Vicki and Kenny first met when she was 17 years old. At that time, Kenny was married and working with Vicki’s dad.
Fast forward 23 years - Kenny is now single and still living near Postville, and Vicki is single and living in Minneapolis, MN. Their paths had crossed from time to time, but they hadn’t seen one another since she moved away in 2005.
Christmas Eve, 2010, Vicki attended church services
February 18, 2015 Page 17
GuideBodley/KleeperContinued from page 16
Bodley/KlepperContinued on page 19
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Words to love by: Area individuals offer their experiences and advice on lasting, loving relationshipsby B.J. Tomlinson
With February being the “Month of Love” and featuring the day of the year most focused on love and relationships, Valentine’s Day, area individuals were asked to share their experiences and/or advice with newlyweds, those thinking about starting a new life together, or anyone interested in making a relationship work. Whether that advice be very research-based, or evolved from normal everyday life, the common bond is that it all comes from the heart, as such a topic should.
CONSIDER ALTERNATIVESSometimes solutions can be
found just by thinking differently.Our marriage of four years
was going well. I don’t recall
ever having any type of disagreement, definitely no arguments. Why would we? The relationship was still young.
Then one day I went to brush my teeth. When I squeezed the toothpaste tube, the paste was hard and chunky. I didn’t give it a thought, cleaned the end out and continued to brush. After a few days I realized the same thing was happening every day.
It became a little irritating because every time I went to brush I had to squeeze the hardened portion of the toothpaste out first. Then I realized my wife wasn’t putting the cap back on after she brushed, causing the first quarter-inch of paste to harden inside the tube. I thought, “OK she forgot, I’ll remind her and we’re done.”
Not! It wasn’t quite that simple. The same situation continued. Over a couple of weeks I addressed it two or three more times, but she still would not replace the cap. At this point I was quite upset.
My logic was the cap needed to be on to prevent the end from drying out and keep it sanitary. Her logic was that it was a waste of time and effort to keep screwing and unscrewing the cap every time and that it wasn’t unsanitary. Another week went by and I find myself
going into the bathroom after she brushed just to check, then yelling out the bathroom door, “Will you put the cap back on the toothpaste! It’s very simple, can’t you just do it!?”
After my outburst, she got angry as well. She burst into the bathroom yelling at me saying she won’t be ordered around and that yelling was unacceptable. Needless to say, we were not very cuddly that night.
The next day, still frustrated, I went to town to get some groceries. As I proceeded down Aisle 6, I saw the solution. It almost slapped me in the face, and it stuck out like a sore thumb. I thought, “Oh my goodness, it’s so simple!”
I finished shopping and as I proceeded through check-out I had a huge smile on my
face. I had the solution to our marital unbliss in my hand. TA DA! I took home two tubes of toothpaste - one for her and one for me!
LEARN SOMETHING NEWMy husband and I came
from different backgrounds, as most married couples do. His family was interested in sports and watched football, baseball and basketball. My family did not, so I had no knowledge of the rules of any of the games or why anyone would want to watch.
My husband was determined to watch sports all weekend and continued this practice, even if I suggested an alternative activity. So, I made the decision to figure out what the attraction was.
After I asked, my husband patiently began teaching me the rules and strategies of the games. After this tutoring, I came to understand and have joined him on the couch.
We’ve been married over 30 years now. I watch games and he comes shopping with me.
LOVE ISN’T 50-50While we both liked being
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Page 18 February 18, 2015
Guide
WordsContinued on page 20
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with her family, and she saw Ken sitting about two pews in front of her. She remembered his “big brown eyes” and his kindness, and she decided she needed to make it a point to talk to him afterwards.
“I had to chase him around the church to talk to him,” she laughs. “He was talking and he knows everyone.”
They had a brief visit. The next morning, Christmas day, Kenny tried to contact one of Vicki’s family members to see if she was seeing anyone, but it was someone she didn’t have regular contact with. That night, she sent him an e-mail, not knowing that he rarely checks for messages.
About two weeks later he worked up the nerve to call Vicki’s mom to get her number. January 12, he called her for the first time, actually dialing twice before hitting send on his cell phone because he was so nervous. She was thrilled to hear from him.
Just a few days later he made a trip to Minneapolis to see her, driving all the way back in the morning to go to work. They talked on the phone pretty much every day until they moved in together six months later.
“He is the kindest man I have ever met,” Vicki says.
Ken says, “I love her personality and bubbly attitude. She is fun to be around.”
SURPRISING PROPOSALEvery year, Vicki and her
family take a trip to the Big Horn Mountains to ride horses. Ken rarely takes a day off work and hadn’t taken a vacation in years, but this year he decided to go. Unbeknownst to Vicki, he had bought an engagement ring. He wrapped it up, put it in a chewing tobacco can and hid it in his toolbox.
As they were getting ready to go, Vicki, who has wanted to get married for quite a while, jokingly asked Ken, “Did you pack my ring?”
Vicki almost “unpacked” the ring though when she went to take the toolbox out of the truck, telling Ken he shouldn’t take his along because her dad was bringing one. He told her to put it back.
About sunset July 27, in the Big Horn Mountains, Ken, Vicki and her niece, Riley, went to
look for firewood and Riley took her camera. Riley, 17, had no idea what Kenny had planned. While they were walking, Riley joked, “This would be a good place for engagement photos.”
Ken agreed. To the shock of Vicki and Riley, he dropped to his knee and pulled out his chewing tobacco can. “I asked her three times before she answered. She was speechless and that never happens,” he says.
“I actually thought he was joking at first,” Vicki recalls. “I didn’t see the ring because he had it all wrapped up. I just couldn’t believe it.”
They were in a relatively remote area at an elevation of 9,000 feet. It was several hours before they could get to an area with cell phone reception so they could call friends to share the news.
MORE THAN JUST A DATEThey had been together for
three and a half years from their initial pursuit of one another until the proposal on the family trip, so a long engagement wasn’t necessarily in the cards for them. Vicki always wanted a fall wedding and Ken’s son is getting married in 2015, so they decided to not waste any time and chose October 4 as a wedding date.
Kenny and Vicki both enjoy shooting sports, especially coyote hunting, and part of that
hunting strategy and safety is using a two-way radio to communicate with one another. They use “10-4” as part of their radio chatter, so it is rather unlikely either of them will forget their wedding anniversary.
A PERFECT FITVicki is vivacious and
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Bodley/KleeperContinued from page 17
February 18, 2015 Page 19
Guide
outgoing, Kenny is more reserve and quiet. They balance each other well. He often shakes his head at her antics. This makes her laugh
even more and she says, “He shakes his head because he can’t believe how lucky he is to have me.”
Ken just smiles back.
Family has always played a significant role in the relationship between Vicki Bodley and Kenny Klepper, so having family involved in their October 4, 2014 wedding was an obvious choice.
Standing up for Kenny during the ceremony were (from left in above photo) his son, Kyle, his future daughter-in-law, Jamie, and his daughter, Celsey. Additionally, Vicki’s bridesmaids included her
nieces, Shelby Bodley and Riley Bodley. Kenny’s mother also shared a poem and Vicki’s mother read a blessing during the ceremony, and Kenny’s sister, Karla, her husband, Eric, and their
children, Abby and Kassie, provided the music for the event.
on the river, I wanted to fi sh and my wife wanted to read. I wanted to be in the shade and she wanted to be in the sun. So we bought a pontoon that had a top we could put up so that I could be in the shade and she could sit up front in the sun.
Then, over time, she decided to fi sh but would not bait her hook or take the fi sh off. So, I did that for her and then she would catch more fi sh than I would!
She also hated to clean fi sh, so I did that and she brought me cocktails and fried the best fi sh I have ever tasted - along with all the rest that went with it. We discovered that during our time on the river we had time to talk things through and had a good time in the bargain.
The lesson we both learned was that couples need to spend time together to work things out. A good relationship is both people giving 100%, not 50% each.
My wife passed away three
years ago, and I would love to go through those 48 years again. Remember, you will not have each other forever on this earth. Someone will be left behind, so take the time to make your memories good ones.
IGNORANCE ISN’T BLISS
“Smart people learn from their mistakes. Really sharp people learn from the mistakes of others.” - Brandon Mull, Fablehaven
I was raised in the 1950s, when life was much simpler. Women stayed home and the man worked. People didn’t “air their dirty laundry in public” as they do now.
The accepted child rearing theory at that time was that children should not see their parents fi ght because it would create feelings of insecurity in their little minds. So, I did not ever see my parents fi ght or how they resolved confl icts. I also didn’t see them express affection toward each other
either - no kissing, no cuddling, but I have no idea what the theory was behind that.
But the result was, when I got married I had no idea that my husband and I were supposed to reveal our thoughts and feelings and then discuss them to resolve issues. Evidently, my husband didn’t know either, because we really didn’t ever talk about anything serious. We didn’t have any fi ghts, though. As it turns out, that is not a good thing. The marriage only survived 10 years.
Because of that failure, however, I did learn that I was ignorant of the skills needed to make a relationship work. I set
about educating myself. Over a period of years I probably read every self-help book in sight on the subject, attended seminars, took a self-esteem class and eventually even signed up for a Social Psychology class.
I learned communication skills like active listening, being assertive and expressing my own wants and needs. I also learned that both people in a relationship need to be aware of the skills required.
I learned about relationship myths. For example, opposites do not really attract; distance does not make the heart grow fonder; love and lust are two different things; there is more than one person in the world who could be a suitable mate.
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Page 20 February 18, 2015
GuideWordsContinued from page 18
I learned that love is a verb, not a feeling. I learned that there are different forms of love - unrequited, romantic, familial, agape, unconditional - and that a relationship is like a three-legged stool. Each of the legs represent the three necessary ingredients of a successful union. The fi rst is commitment, the second is chemistry and the third is companionship. If one of them is missing, your stool will wobble and eventually fall over.
“Love never dies a natural death. It dies because we don’t know how to replenish its source. It dies of blindness and errors and betrayals. It dies of illness and wounds; it dies of weariness, of witherings, of tarnishings.” - Anaïs Nin
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