before the wedding

Uplifted Winery

Welcome Party!

Wedding Day

Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church

Ceremony

Hotel Alex Johnson Rapid City, Curio Collection by Hilton

Reception

after the wedding

Sunday Breakfast

Our Wedding

Our love story starts in the most romantic way — on a dating app. Andrew liked my dating profile and, at the time, I had anticipated making the move to Rapid City for my career and had set my location to “Rapid City” while I was still in Stanley, North Dakota. He started the conversation and asked what church I went to, which, of course, I didn’t have an answer for because I wasn’t in Rapid City….yet. After having a laugh, we continued our messaging until I suddenly didn’t hear from him for weeks, Was I really being ghosted by a guy who initiated the interest? Then, out of the blue, he messaged me again asking if I wanted to continue the conversation. Having nothing to lose and still interested, I agreed. He told me he had been away studying for the bar exam. Seemed like a legit reason, so let’s see where this will go. We sparked up the conversation again and went on our first date the next day in August of 2023. I met him in Rapid City for dinner at Tally’s Silver Spoon, then again for a hike 2 days later. As we discovered more about each other, our similarities, interests, values, and attraction, I asked him, “Are we a thing?” We officially became a couple over Labor Day weekend. We grew our love for each other, our faith, and the outdoors over kayak trips, hikes in the Black Hills, and trips to church, where we discovered our shared values and a deeper connection. — Anna I wanted the proposal to be one-of-a-kind and include both the special men in her life — me and Luca, her cat. On November 7, 2024 at my home in Rapid City while we were enjoying an evening in together, I tied the ring around Luca’s collar. I thought, “I’ll play it super cool and let her discover the ring.” I did NOT consider the fact that shiny, dangling objects attract cats. Luca kept getting distracted on his mission, trying to bat at the ring on the string, drawing attention to it. I decided to abort the original mission and I started my proposal speech…. And she said YES! The ring was safer on her finger, for sure. — Andrew We’re overjoyed to start our life adventure together as a married couple and are so excited to share this special day with the special people in our lives. Thank you so much for your love and support, and we can’t wait to celebrate in October! — Anna &amp; Andrew

The start of our life adventure

Our Story

Photos

Wedding Party

Q + A

35-minute drive from hotelMajestic figures of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, surrounded by the beauty of the Black Hills of South Dakota, tell the story of the birth, growth, development and preservation of this country. Take a tour, hike, or learn more in the museum.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial

1-hour &amp; 15-minute drive to Ben Reifel Visitor Center from hotelIts dramatic landscapes span layered rock formations, steep canyons and towering spires. Bison, bighorn sheep and prairie dogs inhabit its sprawling grasslands. The Badlands Loop Road (Highway 240) winds past scenic lookouts. Several trails begin near the Ben Reifel Visitor Center. The Fossil Exhibit Trail is a boardwalk with displays on fossils uncovered in the park.

Badlands National Park

7-minute drive from hotelThis 150-acre park features numerous walking, biking and hiking trails offering stunning views of the town and surrounding countryside. Its trail system is a network of secluded, single-track trails.

Skyline Wilderness Area Park

5-minute drive from hotelDiscover this patch of urban wilderness five minutes from Downtown Rapid City. Offering over 20 miles of trails to explore either on bike or on foot, Hanson-Larsen (also called M Hill) is a convenient place to escape to for some outdoor fun. Bouldering opportunities also exist within this park.&nbsp;

Hanson-Larsen Memorial Park

1-hour drive from hotelRest, relax, and enjoy a massage in the natural mineral spa. Explore outdoor pools, spa services, and year-round restaurant.

Moccasin Springs Natural Mineral Springs/Spa

12-minute drive from hotelChapel in the Hills is an exact replica of the famous Borgund Stavkirke in Norway. Built in 1969, it’s surrounded by a peaceful wilderness in Rapid City, and offers a museum, gift shop, and meditation trail. When the chapel is closed, you can tour the grounds and admire the architecture.

Chapel In the Hills

1-minute walk from hotelGrab a bite to eat at the place where we had our first date! Tally's Silver Spoon is a family-owned business offering fresh, locally-sourced food and creative modern cuisine in an upscale contemporary setting. Tally’s serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Tally's Silver Spoon

For those of you staying at the Alex Johnson, the hotel's rooftop bar and restaurant offers some of the best food and drinks in town and has unbeatable views of the scenic Black Hills.

Vertex Sky Bar

As South Dakota’s oldest brewery, the Firehouse Brewing Co. has stood as the region’s leading source of unique, locally made craft beer for over three decades.&nbsp;A leading restaurant in Rapid City, Firehouse also serves a full lunch and dinner menu that pairs beautifully with our selection of house beers and wines. Not sure what brew to try? Order a beer flight and find your new favorite!

Firehouse Brewing Company

Things to Do

We are so excited to host our reception at Rapid City's most famous and historic hotel located in the heart of downtown. Follow the lead of presidents and Hollywood stars like Alfred Hitchcock and the cast of North by Northwest by staying at this wonderful hotel.

With all the amenities you would expect and convenient parking, the DoubleTree is an excellent option located just over half a mile from the Hotel Alex Johnson where the reception is being held.

DoubleTree by Hilton Rapid City Downtown Convention Center

The Hyatt Place is a downtown Rapid City hotel, packed with amenities, on-site dining and a bar, plus convenient parking.&nbsp;It is located less than a block from the reception venue at the Hotel Alex Johnson.

Hyatt Place Rapid City / Downtown

18-minute drive from hotelRapid City Regional Airport (RAP) is the fastest and most convenient way to travel to and from Rapid City. For travelling to and from the airport, there are a few options. Uber and Lyft are available in Rapid City, but they are not always reliable or timely. Instead, we would recommend either renting a car or pre-booking a ride through one of Rapid City's taxi or airport shuttle services.

Rapid City Regional Airport

This is the service we use when we're not driving ourselves to the airport, and it allows you to schedule both your airport pickup and your return to the airport well in advance. Rapid Shuttle offers a variety of services and vehicles, including shared vans and more private transfers at reasonable rates. It is a quick and easy ride from the airport for those of you staying downtown, and Rapid Shuttle has a large area of service for those of you staying elsewhere in the city or Black Hills.

Rapid City Airport Express Shuttle

Rapid City Cab is the most widely used taxi service available in town. Their taxis offer airport shuttle services and will take you practically anywhere in the Black Hills. Their taxis can be scheduled ahead of time, which we would recommend.

Rapid City Cab

Rapid City's airport offers a number of car rental companies to choose from. The webpage linked below will allow you easy access to the company of your choice. For those of you who plan to get and see Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills, renting a car is your best bet.

Anna & Andrew