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BRIDES

A PUBLICATION FROM THE N’WEST IOWA REVIEW

& B O U Q U E T S

Able to have wedding as

originally planned after all

They get fairy-tale event

despite global pandemic

Pooches stand up for pair

during their fall ceremony

WINTER 2020


It’s All in the Details

photos courtesy of Kadence + Cole

908 8th Street, Orange City, IA • (712) 707-5900 • www.prairiewindseventcenter.com

2 BRIDES & BOUQUETS | WINTER 2020


BRIDES

& B O U Q U E T S

ON THE COVER 11

8

“I always had a crush on him, but he obviously

didn’t get the hint.” — BRENNA HAACK

IN THIS ISSUE

WINTER 2020

5

COVID doesn’t stop ‘I do’

Couple adjusts wedding plans due to

statewide restrictions upon gatherings.

8

Manhattan matrimony

She gets her fairy-tale wedding in

New York City during a pandemic.

Iowa Information

PUBLISHERS AND PRINTERS

Brides & Bouquets is published

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Sheldon, IA.

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©2020 Brides & Bouquets.

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16

11

16

20

Married during a pandemic

They planned to exchange vows in

June no matter the circumstances.

Pair closes their distance

After years of long-distance dating

this couple no longer will be apart.

Personalities portrayed

Dogs stand up for couple who also

announce to all they are expecting.

WINTER 2020 | BRIDES & BOUQUETS 3


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STORY BY RENEE WIELENGA

| PHOTOS BY MICHELE KRUSE OF PORTRAITS BY MICHELE IN ADRIAN, MN

ERIN & DYLAN

COVID-19

doesn’t stop ‘I do’

WINTER 2020 | BRIDES & BOUQUETS 5


In search of a wedding date,

Saturday, May 16, 2020, felt

like the perfect option for one

N’West Iowa couple in January.

“Little did we know how

different the day was going to be

than our exceptions,” said Erin (Van

Grootheest) Kreibaum, 19. “I’ve always

loved the idea of the big dress

and large gathering. I still had both, it

just turned out different.”

The couple chose May 16 as the previous

weekend was Erin’s brother’s anniversary

and the weekend after that

would have been Labor Day weekend.

Erin also had a free four-day, fournight

trip to Cancun, Mexico, she won

by entering a drawing at Van Maanen’s

RadioShack in Rock Valley that was

going to expire May 31.

“May 16 checked all the boxes —

my cousin who was in college could

come and be a bridesmaid. We could

still have the free trip as our honeymoon.

It felt like the perfect date,”

Erin said.

The Hull native and her fiancé,

Dylan Kreibaum, 22, of Calumet, had

the Crossroads Pavilion Event Center

in Sheldon booked, gearing

up for their big day

with about 350 people

on the original guest list.

Then Iowa Gov. Kim

Reynolds issued the first

bout of temporary restrictions

March 17 due to the

coronavirus pandemic

after President Donald

Trump issued a proclamation

March 13 declaring

that the COVID-19

outbreak in the United

States was a national

emergency.

“My heart sank a bit,”

Erin said.

With just a month away

from their wedding, the

couple decided the best

choice was to keep the

day the same but alter

their plans, which involved

switching venues

to her parents’ backyard

in Hull. They rented a

tent, tables and chairs for

a guest list of about 75

people, of which about

50 came.

“I have family in Chicago and Florida;

those places were shut down so

a lot of my extended family wasn’t

Erin Van Grootheest and Dylan Kreibaum said “I do” on

Saturday, May 16, despite all the changes they made to

their wedding plans because of the coronavirus pandemic.

able to be there, including one of

my bridesmaids,” Erin said, noting

Dylan’s grandma and great-grandma

also were not able to come. “Really,

the most stressful part is that my

wedding dress came the day before

David’s Bridal closed. I was worried I

wasn’t going to have my dress.”

The store did not allow tux rentals

at the time due to the pandemic

which left Dylan to borrow a brotherin-law’s

suit. Because the jacket did

not fit, he opted to put on some sky

blue overalls instead to match the coral,

pink, blue and navy color scheme.

“He looked really good,” Erin said.

With a new venue set, Erin’s parents

opted to build a porch on the back

of their home on which they couple

hoped to stand to say their vows.

While first-look pictures happened

there, the 50-degree day came with

lots of rain, making it chilly and wet,

so the wedding ceremony was moved

inside a tent.

“Even our secondary plans had to

be changed,” Erin said. “But COVID

didn’t stop us saying ‘I do.”

Not having a party favor selected,

because of the pandemic the couple

contacted Wendy Heikes of Hull to

make masks for their guests. They provided

five different color options as

well as had a bride and groom version

just for them.

The couple also placed hand sanitizer

pumps at every table.

“Our wedding wasn’t was big and

extravagant as I dreamed of but I remember

a lot,” Erin said. “If my wedding

had been bigger, I don’t think

I would have remembered all these

things. I was really able to absorb

everything that was going on. Looking

back I appreciate that.”

Traveling restrictions pushed the

couple’s honeymoon back. Instead

of May, then December, their trip has

been rescheduled for February “hopefully,”

Erin said, noting they enjoyed

a stay at GrandStay Hotel & Suites in

Rock Valley, complete with a trip to

Dollar General for lots of snacks the

night of their wedding as a small way

to celebrate while staying local.

They also are tentatively planning a

May 15 event at Calico Skies Winery

near Inwood to which they hope to

invite all the original people they intended

to invite to their wedding.

“There’s hope that we can have our

first dances and enjoy time with everyone,”

Erin said. “A way to celebrate

after the year we’ve all had.”

The couple live in Primghar. Erin is

in her first year attending Northwest

Iowa Community College in Sheldon

for a business degree. Dylan works full

time at Agropur in Hull. •

6 BRIDES & BOUQUETS | WINTER 2020


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WINTER 2020 | BRIDES & BOUQUETS 7


STORY BY TY RUSHING |

PHOTOS BY AYENIA NOUR OF NEW YORK CITY

JOHN & JORDAN

Manhattan matrimony

8 BRIDES & BOUQUETS | WINTER 2020


Even though it was not what she

initially envisioned, Sheldon native

Jordan (Rector) Piluso still managed

to have a fairy-tale wedding

in New York City during a global

pandemic.

The 2009 Sheldon High School graduate and

John Piluso, were supposed to get married at a

waterfront venue in New Jersey that offered a

view of New York’s famous skyline on Saturday,

April 4, 2020.

While keeping their original date, the couple

instead got married on a pier down the street

from their apartment overlooking the Brooklyn

Bridge with only an officiant and a photographer

present.

“My family was overjoyed that we made the

best out of the situation and still got to have our

moment,” the 28-year-old said.

The original wedding was to feature 200

guests; however, about three weeks before the

big day the couple postponed the ceremony

due to the coronavirus pandemic as a safety

measure.

“Our families definitely felt a sense of

mourning,” Jordan said. “I know it seems silly

to ‘mourn’ a wedding during a time of illness

and death, but I think we

deserve to give ourselves

the space to be sad.

“Whether it’s a wedding,

a child’s birthday party, or

a couple’s first baby shower,

these are milestones

we’re missing out on and

it’s OK to grieve what

you planned and prayed

for. Once we were able

to move our wedding to

November 6, we all had

a sense of relief. Now, we

didn’t have to worry about

putting guests at risk.”

As the coronavirus continued

to spread, Jordan

said it has hard not to feel

anxious and they wanted

Jordan Piluso still managed to

have a fairy-tale wedding in New

York City on Saturday, April 4,

2020, despite holding it during the

global coronavirus pandemic.

something positive to look

forward to.

“We were discouraged

but just tried to keep things

in perspective,” Jordan said.

Since they already had

a marriage license for April

4, the couple decided to

attempt to pull off a socially distant wedding.

Jordan got to work on planning the wedding

including finding an officiant and a photographer

who were not only willing to marry them

in the midst of a pandemic but who also had

been self-isolating.

To her surprise, Jordan said that search only

took a few hours.

“My main priority was the safety of everyone

involved,” she

said. “Since we had

already been isolating

for two weeks

and were in good

health, I needed to

make sure others

were as well and

wanted to take all

necessary steps to

ensure our safety

on the day of. I had

a few requirements:

first, they had to

live locally because

I didn’t want to expose

them to public

transportation.

“Second, they

had to have been

practicing safe

distancing up until

this point. Third,

they must be willing

to respect our

need for being six

feet apart and wear

gloves and a mask.

I messaged at least

20 officiants and

finally found one,

Sarah Ritchie, who

was an absolute

gem and made our ceremony unique.”

Additionally, her original wedding photographer,

Ayenia Nour, was willing to shoot the

ceremony from a safe distance.

“I’m so grateful for these two women who

made this happen,” Jordan said.

The next challenge was figuring out what to

wear.

“My real wedding dress was stranded at the

alterations place because of the shutdown, so

I ordered an inexpensive backup dress online

and it got to NYC in two days,” Jordan said.

“John wore an old suit because his original

wedding tuxedo never arrived. I found a florist

who lived an hour outside of the city who delivered

a gorgeous bouquet and boutonniere with

less than 24 hours notice.”

Jordan did her own hair, makeup and nails

for the ceremony and said they feel lucky and

blessed to have this experience.

“After the postponement decision, followed

by the city clerk’s office closure, we were defeated,”

she said. “However, we both believe God

had planned this day all along and now those

missed opportunities make sense. The entire

day was pure magic. We had all of lower Manhattan

to ourselves and got our photos taken in

empty streets that are normally bustling with

tourists.

“Most importantly, it served as a great reminder

of what truly defines a wedding, which,

as a bride, it’s easy to forget. Our day wasn’t

about the centerpieces, the dance floor or the

matching bridesmaid dresses. To us, it was the

commitment we made to each other and to

God.”

Honeymoon

Sheldon native Jordan (Rector) Piluso,

daughter of Mark Rector and Sherri and Daryl

Booger of Sheldon, had to dramatically alter

her April 4 wedding to John Piluso due to the

coronavirus pandemic.

This also included having a nontraditional

reception and honeymoon:

“After our ceremony, we packed up our things

and headed to John’s family’s home in New

Jersey where we will stay until the city heals.

We had our ‘reception’ with his family, which

included bottles of our favorite wine, a dance

party in the kitchen and a store-bought birthday

cake that became our wedding cake. We

ended up having over 10 bottles of Champagne

and wine sent to us from friends all over the

country who wanted to send their love.

“Even though it was not the original April 4

wedding I planned, it was still the best day ever.

“If you told me I’d be honeymooning with

my in-laws, I wouldn’t have believed you. Now,

we’re just really excited to celebrate with all of

our friends and family in November, assuming

it’s safe again.”•

WINTER 2020 | BRIDES & BOUQUETS 9


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10 BRIDES & BOUQUETS | WINTER 2020


STORY BY KATIE HARLOW

| PHOTOS BY MAGGIE VANDER LAAN OF MAGGIE MAE PHOTOGRAPHY IN BERESFORD, SD

DREW & BRENNA

Love in the time

of the coronavirus

WINTER 2020 | BRIDES & BOUQUETS 11


Able to hold wedding

just as original planned

Brenna Bomgaars and Drew Haack have

the distinction of being high school

sweethearts.

But just barely.

Brenna and Drew attended MOC-

Floyd Valley High School in Orange City together

and started dating just a month before they graduated.

“I always had a crush on him, but he obviously

didn’t get the hint,” Brenna said. “Senior year he

asked me to prom and

we started dating the

day after prom.”

After graduating in

2017 they stayed close

to home.

Drew, the son of Jim

and Julie Haack of

Granville, went right

into the workforce and

started his own trucking

company called

Haack Enterprises.

Brenna, the daughter

of Wayne and Kelly

Bomgaars of Orange

City, went to Dordt

College in Sioux Center

for one year before

transferring to Northwest

Iowa Community

College in Sheldon.

She graduated with an

administrative office

assistant diploma in

2019 and she works for

Village Northwest Unlimited in Sheldon as a development

assistant and volunteer coordinator.

These barely high school sweethearts got engaged

Drew and Brenna Haack were married

on Saturday, June 20, 2020, with their

reception held at Terrace View Event Center

in Sioux Center despite some concerns.

in a big way in December of 2018.

“He proposed at a Sioux City Musketeers Hockey

game in front of everybody on the jumbo screen. I

was completely surprised,” Brenna said.

Brenna had thought that someone else was going

to be surprised.

“It was actually on Drew’s birthday. Me and his

parents had planned to have the mascot surprise

him during a timeout for his birthday and it turns

out that Drew knew about it the whole time and

they ended up surprising me,” Brenna said.

They set the date for their wedding for a year and

a half into the future, thinking that would give them

plenty of time to plan the perfect wedding. But they

could never have predicted what happened.

Due to the coronavirus

pandemic the

wedding they wanted

almost did not happen,

but these two were not

going to let anything

get in their way on Saturday,

June 20, 2020.

“There was a point

after everything got super crazy and people were

postponing their weddings and we were wondering

what the heck we were going to do,” Brenna said.

“But we always kept in our minds, I guess, that we

were going to get married on that day no matter

who was there and what we were wearing. No

12 BRIDES & BOUQUETS | WINTER 2020


“I always had a crush on him, but he

obviously didn’t get the hint.” — BRENNA HAACK

For appetizers at the reception of their June 20, 2020,

wedding, Drew and Brenna Haack provided a milk and

cookie bar. All of the cookies were made their grandmas

and featured their favorite cookie from each grandma —

chocolate chip, monster, cereal and sugar cookies.

matter what. So, I guess that helped take some of

the worry away.”

Leading up to big day, plans were shifting constantly.

The original plan was they

going to marry at Trinity Reformed

Church, the church

that Brenna grew up attending

in Orange City, and have the

reception at Terrace View Event

Center in Sioux Center.

“We went to our 30-day

meeting ahead of the wedding

with the event center and they

proceeded to tell us that we

couldn’t do buffet style and we

had to have servers for everything.

We couldn’t have a dance

either. The tables were going

to need to be spaced far apart

and we had to make all these

changes,” Brenna said. “Our

church wasn’t having in-person

services yet, so we didn’t even

know if they were going to let

us have it there.”

Their 10-day meeting provided

the same news.

Then less than a week before their wedding, everything

changed again.

“On Monday, a few days before the wedding, they

called me and said we are throwing all that out the

window and going with the original plan. We could

have a dance and have the guests serve themselves,”

Brenna said. “We also found out that our church

was going to let us have the wedding there.”

In the end, all the worrying and reworking of the

plans was for naught.

They were able to have the wedding they wanted.

The ceremony was at 4 p.m. and was officiated

by Ben Vos, Brenna’s youth pastor. The reception

followed and before the meal

was served people were invited

to enjoy a childhood favorite

— milk and cookies.

“For our appetizers we had

a milk and cookie bar. All the

cookies were made by grandmas

and we had our favorite

cookie from each grandma —

chocolate chip, monster, cereal

cookies and sugar cookies,”

Brenna said. “We also had a

dispenser with milk in it.”

The dinner was a catered

meal and featured roast beef,

mashed potatoes and green

bean casserole.

To top it all off, they decided

to go with a non-traditional

dessert.

“We had pie instead of

cake. My great-aunt Eunice

Koopmans has a mini catering

business and she made all

these special little pies for us,”

Brenna said. “We cut a pecan pie because that’s our

favorite pie.”

The couple lives on an acreage in Hospers, and

has Brenna reflects back on the chaos that led up

to her wedding day, she is glad that the most important

thing to both Drew and Brenna was able to

happen.

“We are just happy that we were able to have everybody

there,” Brenna said. “That’s what was really

important to us.” •

WINTER 2020 | BRIDES & BOUQUETS 13


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14 BRIDES & BOUQUETS | WINTER 2020


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WINTER 2020 | BRIDES & BOUQUETS 15


DUSTIN & JOLENE

Couple closes distance

despite COVID-19

16 BRIDES & BOUQUETS | WINTER 2020


STORY BY LYDIA HANSEN |

PHOTOS BY JOSHUA KERWOOD OF VATER PHOTO IN COLOGNE, MN

Dustin and Jolene Hofmeyer share a dance

during their outdoor wedding reception at the

Crossroads Pavilion Event Center in Sheldon.

After years of long distance dating,

Dustin Hofmeyer and Jolene

Lucht were not going to let the

coronavirus pandemic keep them

apart any longer.

The pair were married Saturday, Aug. 29,

2020, at the Crossroads Pavilion Event Center

in Sheldon, with an indoor ceremony, an outdoor

reception and a shorter guest list so they

could celebrate their special day more safely.

Dustin and Jolene met seven years ago

through a chance connection and mutual

friends. Jolene was a

senior at Augustana University

in Sioux Falls, SD,

and Dustin was in town

visiting a friend.

“We just happened to

meet at a bar, but it just

worked,” Jolene said. “We

were dating long distance

for a few years. We traveled

back and forth a lot to see

each other.”

Jolene is from Glencoe,

MN, and moved back

there for a few years after

graduating in 2014 to pursue

a graduate degree in

physical therapy. Dustin,

who is from Sheldon, traveled

often while working

as an instrumentation tech

for Interstates Construction

of Sioux Center.

“It was nice that Interstates

kept me relatively in

the area, we were always

within three to four hours from each other,”

Dustin said. “Weekends, I’d visit her and she’d

visit me.”

Although they have lived together for over a

year, Jolene still is reminded of those long-distance

days. Even in their married life, their work

schedules are often opposite.

“We used to talk every night on the phone,

and we still do that. I work days, he works

nights,” she said.

It took five years of dating to get to a proposal,

but Dustin offered Jolene a ring while they

were on vacation last year in the Black Hills.

The two were enjoying a morning ride on

some of Dustin’s family’s horses. Partway

through their ride, Dustin stopped in a quiet

meadow, got off his horse and went down on

one knee.

“I kind of knew it was coming,” Jolene said.

“Every time we stopped I would look around

and think ‘This would be a good spot for him

to do it.’ He was trying to be sneaky but wasn’t

very good at it I guess.”

After so much long distance during their relationship,

Jolene and Dustin planned a wedding

day that would keep their loved ones close,

despite the pandemic.

“We both had some of our closest friends

as the people standing up for us,” Jolene said.

“Some of my friends I haven’t seen in years

because we went to college together and then

moved to other parts of the country. It was really

nice to see those friends again.”

Another special touch to the ceremony celebrated

Jolene’s father, Vernon, who died when

Jolene was 10.

“My mom walked me down

the aisle, which I think was

very special to us, and I had

a special locket with a picture

of my dad in it,” Jolene said.

“So he walked me down the

aisle in a way.”

Jolene’s mom is Karen Lucht

of Glencoe, MN. Dustin is

the son of Mike and Bonnie

Hofmeyer of Sheldon.

Like many weddings in

2020, theirs had a fair share

of last-minute changes. They

had planned an outdoor

wedding, but menu changes

and new arrangements for

the ceremony and reception afterward were

necessary to follow guidelines at the time.

“We changed our appetizers so everything

wasn’t as self-serve,” Jolene said. “We phased

people out for the reception more than we

probably would have.”

There were about 150 guests for the wedding,

a list shortened first by local safety guidelines

and then by guests’ own restrictions that prevented

them from coming.

“There were some families from farther away

that weren’t able to make it because of their

work restrictions and travel restrictions in general,”

Jolene said. “We provided masks, we had

a whole lot of sanitizer, people used it hopefully

as often as they could.”

Still, Jolene said she and Dustin were able to

spend time with each of their guests and have

a truly exceptional day. Their wedding day had

perfect weather — a little too warm to have the

ceremony outside, so that was moved inside the

pavilion, but it cooled off in the evening and

was perfect for dancing, which had been moved

outside to allow distancing.

“I remember everyone having a really good

time. Everyone was just so happy to be out and

about and talking to people,” Jolene said. “The

only bad thing about the outside dance is I

didn’t think about before that some people are

inside, some people are outside so you can’t see

everything all the time. I know I missed certain

dance songs that were going on while I was

inside, but it was worth it.”

Honeymoon plans also had to adjust for the

pandemic. The couple initially planned to go to

Kauai, an island in Hawaii. Instead, they spent

the week at a lake house on Table Rock Lake in

Missouri. The Hawaii trip has been postponed,

but they hope to travel there sometime in the

spring.

The couple live in Sheldon. Dustin farms

with his family southwest of Sheldon, and

works at Agropur in Hull. Jolene is a physical

therapist at Sanford Sheldon Medical Center. •

WINTER 2020 | BRIDES & BOUQUETS 17


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Monday-Thursday 11-8; Friday 11-9; Saturday 5-9

Custom design center at

www.patsjewelry.com

Centre Mall, Sioux Center, IA

Call or text 712.722.4211

Mon-Fri 9-6, Sat 9-3

If it comes from Pat’s, it’s perfect.

PLan a royal Wedding

The Great Hall of Royal, 300 1st Ave, Royal, Iowa 51357

www.greathallofroyal.com

info@greathallofroyal.com | (712) 223-0025

Wedding

planning

made easy!

We can host your

shower, wedding

and reception!

Garden View

The outside venue is

sure to please with

seating, a generous

firepit to gather

around, and a yard

to run and play in.

Catering Kitchen

With a catering kitchen

available to do small

orders in house and with

accessibility to make an

outside caterer simply grin

– we’ve got you covered!

Game Room

Add in the game

room and there is an

opportunity for more

mingling and playing

~ keeping everyone

entertained.

watering hole

The bar in the IX space

has two additional

satellite bars available

for large events to keep

your guests served

without the wait!

18 BRIDES & BOUQUETS | WINTER 2020


Love AIR

IS IN

THE

SUBMIT YOUR STORY IDEAS FOR THE

NEXT BRIDES & BOUQUETS ISSUE.

SUBMIT ONLINE AT NWESTIOWA.COM/SUBMIT

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, CALL

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BRIDES

A PUBLICATION FROM THE N’WEST IOWA REVIEW

& B O U Q U E T S

WINTER 2020 | BRIDES & BOUQUETS 19


STORY BY KATIE ANDERSON |

PHOTOS BY CLASSIC PHOTOGRAPHY IN MINNEAPOLIS

ISAAC & AMBER

Portraying their

personalities

20 BRIDES & BOUQUETS | WINTER 2020


Dogs stand up for couple at event,

then they tell all they are expecting

Portraying both of the

couple’s personalities

were important aspects

in the wedding planning

for the Van Noorts

of Hawarden — two personalities

that are in many ways complete

opposites.

Bride Amber Harry, 24, who

is a certified medical assistant at

Hawarden Regional Healthcare

describes herself as being “very

sparkly” and loves frilly things

like bows.

Groom Isaac Van Noort, 26, who

is a diesel mechanic at Tri-State Repair

in Rock Valley, enjoys getting

his hands dirty and has a passion

for tools and trucks.

“Our colors were blush and sparky gold but we

also had tools and pistons incorporated into our

wedding decor,” Amber said. “We loved that we

were able to combine our personalities and likes

together to make a

beautiful wedding

full of surprises.”

Isaac and Amber

surprised the

guests at their

wedding on Saturday,

Sept. 19,

2020, by announcing

they were expecting.

“We shared

with everyone that

we are expecting

a baby with a

baby onesie that

said ‘My parents

didn’t participate

in social distancing,’”

Amber said.

“COVID-19 made

things very difficult

but we were

fortunate enough

Nuts and bolts and bows and frills were all

part of the Amber and Isaac Van Noort’s wedding

ceremony decoration, including their cake.

Amber and Isaac Van Noort of Hawarden were united

in marriage during a ceremony held on Saturday,

Sept. 19, 2020, in Hudson, SD. Mia, the bride’s yearold

Morkie, served as maid of honor in the wedding.

to still have our

wedding and

many friends and

family came to

help us celebrate.”

The happy couple recently found out their COVID

baby surprise will be a girl and they are set to welcome

their new bundle of joy at the end of April.

Masks were available on wedding day as well as

many hand sanitizer stations to ensure proper sanitation

during the coronavirus

pandemic.

Isaac and Amber made the

day their own by decorating

Mason jars that they put

hand sanitizer and a hand

pump in.

The wedding was held at

Hudson Lutheran Church in

South Dakota.

Having to deal with

COVID-19 concerns is the

only thing the couple wished

they could have changed

about their special day because

some of the family that

were unable to attend.

“It was disheartening not

to have them there,” Amber

said. “However, we did video

chat with those family members

the day of the wedding

to let them see us.”

Including the bride’s “fur

baby,” as she calls her dog,

Mia, was the best part of her wedding day. Mia, a

Morkie, was Amber’s maid of honor and Isaac’s dog,

Leo, a Labrador mix, was the dog of honor.

Mia had an important paw in the couple’s engagement

as well. Isaac proposed to Amber by attaching

a ring box to Mia’s collar that had a zip tie in it at

Falls Park in Sioux Falls, SD. When Amber opened

the box and turned around, Isaac was there on one

knee with all of their family around.

“He made it fun because I had told him before

that I would say ‘Yes’ to him if he proposed with a

zip tie,” Amber said. “When I turned around he was

down on one knee with the most beautiful ring I

had ever seen in his hands.”

Isaac’s answer to what he

thought was the most memorable

part of the wedding was “seeing

Amber for the first time in her

beautiful gown.

“Waiting to turn around to see

her for the first-look pictures

seemed like it took forever,” Isaac

said. “When I turned around, she

took my breath away and all I

could do was hug and kiss her.”

To anyone planning on getting

married in the future, the Van

Noorts encourage them that occasional

fighting is OK and “normal,” but the two of

them say to never go to bed angry with one another.

Several little things made their wedding day

memorable and the couple planned most of the

wedding hand in hand.

A 1952 International pickup truck was their getaway

vehicle. It was a vehicle that had been handed

down many generations of family on Isaac’s side.

“It was first his great-grandpa’s and his mother

learned how to drive in it and so did Isaac,” Amber

said. “We couldn’t have asked for more, the day was

perfect.”

The newlyweds are at home in Hawarden. •

WINTER 2020 | BRIDES & BOUQUETS 21


|

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22 BRIDES & BOUQUETS | WINTER 2020


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WINTER 2020 | BRIDES & BOUQUETS 23


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24 BRIDES & BOUQUETS | WINTER 2020

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