Place of Marriage: St. Ann's Catholic Church, Wadena
How did you meet?
We met in high school in Wadena. Lockers were assigned by initials, and we both had last names that started with the letter "A." We started dating the summer after Jim graduated and before my junior year.
Who proposed and how?
Jim bought me some roses, and then we went to dinner. I was not expecting his proposal, and when he asked me if I would marry him, I thought he was teasing me!
He looked me in the eye and said, "I would never joke about something like this," and set the ring box on the table.
I couldn't believe what was happening and reached for the box to look inside, but he said, "You can't look until you say yes," and I did.
How long were you engaged?
We dated for three years and were engaged for a year and a half.
How large was your wedding?
Large! We each had four attendants. We both come from large families, so we had almost 425 people at our church.
What food was served?
A typical church reception dinner - turkey and ham dinner with all the trimmings. Jim's mother made the wedding cake.
What was the most memorable
moment at your wedding?
Friends and relatives decorated the wrong car! Jim and his bachelor uncle owned the same model and color car when we got married. After the wedding, we all laughed and laughed when we saw Jim's uncle's car with shaving cream hearts, streamers, tin cans, and love messages all over it!
What was your most
memorable wedding gift?
An afghan that a relative knitted. We use it at night while watching TV. We also remember getting a $100 bill from someone we didn't expect.
What wedding gift do
you use the most today?
Jim's parents and siblings gave us a chest freezer, and DuDonne's parents gave us a sewing machine. We have used these gifts our entire marriage, and they still work great.
Who caught the bouquet and
did they have to shove to get it?
We don't remember.
Whose relatives, or friends,
had the most fun at the wedding?
It was a big, big crowd in a small VFW, but we all had lots of fun doing the polka, bunny hop, and chicken dance. The music was loud, the beer was cold, and we danced until our feet hurt.
Where did you go
for a honeymoon?
We went camping to Voyageurs National Park on the Minnesota/Canadian border. It was very beautiful and relaxing. This must have sparked our love for camping as we did a lot of camping with our kids when they were young and enjoyed every moment.
What do you do to keep
romance alive in your marriage?
Jim was known for sending flowers to DuDonne at work for no special reason. It was always a surprise and made all the other girls at her work jealous when flowers would come and it wasn't a birthday or anniversary.
We try to always be polite and compliment each other. Even small things mean a lot when you do them with a smile.
If you could travel back
in time to your wedding day, what advice for maintaining
a happy marriage would you
give yourselves?
#1, Always be each other's best friend. If you do, you will be able to survive all the sorrows, challenges, and joys together.
#2, Keep prayer and your faith alive.