Reunion

Welcome Gathering

Wedding Day

Severance  Great Hall at Carleton College

Ceremony

Wetiz Center at Carleton College

Social Hour

Weitz Center at Carleton College

Dinner and Dance

Winter

Our Wedding

From Lee In the summer of 2019, while I was on a backpacking trip to the East Coast, I received a notification that someone had commented on my “Hinge” profile. I took a scroll through her profile. Cute organic veggie farmer in Northfield, MN?&nbsp;Nearly immediately, her profile seemed familiar. I thought to myself, “this is THE Becca, Hans Carlson’s cousin! The one Cindy Carlson, Becca’s aunt, keeps telling my mom I should meet!” You see, Becca’s Aunt Cindy, who has been a family friend for years, had tried to set us up since 2016, but I had been living and teaching in different parts of MN, so taking the time to set something up never seemed very practical. Yet now, I wasn’t living as far from Northfield, and I was curious about farming, so I thought it might be fun to meet with Becca. If nothing else, it would get Cindy to stop asking.&nbsp; On August 6th, Becca, Sprout, and I met up to hike at Lebanon Hills on our first date. While wandering around the park, I did my best to hide my embarrassment as Becca ignored the “Please keep your dog on a leash” signs, allowing Sprout to run and bark after other hikers. In between Sprout barks, I came to enjoy my conversation with Becca. For more than three hours, we walked and talked about varieties of celery, travels abroad, education, bloody mary’s, evolution, and aspen leaf anatomy. I had such a great time that I couldn’t even care that I would be getting home at 11 pm when I had to leave for the boundary waters at 5 am the following day. The conversation with Becca was fun, thoughtful, intelligent, and of course, a bit ridiculous. I knew I was going to see her again. Had Cindy been right about us all these years?&nbsp; Over the next few weeks, Becca and I regularly saw each other for farm dinners, canoe trips, bike rides, hikes, and drinks with friends. I began to fall in love with Becca’s adventurous and positive spirit. She is ambitious but grounded by her family and values. She is funny and goofy yet caring and sensitive. It was not always easy to spend time together, as we lived nearly an hour away from each other, but the drive was always worth the effort. Over time, I would catch myself thinking things like, “I can’t imagine life without her,” “she expects me to be the person I want to be,” and “I think I am falling in love.” Eventually, I was finding myself talking to Becca about working as a team, about our future, about our goals and values, about promises. Turns out Cindy was right, we are a great match.&nbsp;I have fallen deeply in love with Becca, I can’t wait to be able to call her my wife. And Sprout is now leash trained.&nbsp;&nbsp; From Becca: September 5, 2016 was the first time I got in touch with Lee. My Aunt Cindy is a natural matchmaker and was adamant we would hit it off. Emailing Lee was the only way I could think of to get her off my back! Afterall, what 26 year old is eager to listen to who her aunt wants to set her up with (sorry Aunt Cindy…) Lee who was teaching at the time in northern Minnesota. It was just too far away- we never met, though we did exchange a few emails. Fast forward to early summer 2019, when I begrudgingly hopped on a dating app. (I had hoped to meet my future partner at a barn dance, but that wasn’t working thus far.) The algorithm which the app used had me all wrong because they kept trying to match me with shirtless men with big animals they’ve killed. So when I saw this picture of this guy (with a shirt on) at the end of a dock on a small lake holding up a tiny fish, I swiped right. How refreshing! I started a conversation- but never got a reply. Months later, Cindy hopped back on the Lee train. “Did you ever meet up? I think you’d really like him. He’s a deep thinker, an environmentalist, a teacher, and is even hiking the Appalachian trail!” This time she sent me his phone number. Within a week of my conversation with Cindy, the ‘tiny fish guy from the dating app’ replied. “Sorry it took so long to reply, I was hiking the Appalachian trail.” We soon agreed to meet up and he gave me his phone number. It was the exact same number Cindy gave me! Our first date was a hike around Lebanon Hills where we hiked for three hours- well past sunset. (On a work-night….farmers go to bed early). He went on a Boundary Waters trip the next day and it was a week before I got to see him again -I couldn’t wait.&nbsp; The first time I thought he could be the one was when I saw his periodic table of vegetables in his apartment soon after he returned from the BWCA. A month later he came down to the farm for our Dinner at the Farm series when we hosted a Contra Dance (think ‘swing your partner and dosie doe’) with a live band under a tent and twinkly lights. I remember smiling from ear to ear dancing with Lee, thinking I can’t physically smile any bigger. That's when I knew he was the one. In the following year and a half we had so much fun adventuring together - hiking and camping in all seasons in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, Porcupine mountains, Channel Island and Joshua Tree National Parks, Superior Hiking Trail, Whitewater and Nerstrand State Parks, downhill and cross country skiing, snowshoeing, rafting the St Louis river, mountain biking, house boating in the Mississippi River, and canoeing. (Can you tell we have similar interests?) Through sharing these experiences I learned we shared more than just a passion for adventure, and also that we shared similar values and dreams as well. I also saw how he treated his family, friends, students and strangers with respect and learned how conscientious Lee is of those around him and intentional with what he does.&nbsp; Lee proposed April 2021 on a hike out to a hidden waterfall at Valley Grove, a restored prairie and country church right next to Nerstrand Big Woods State Park. It was THE first nice day of the spring and the white flowers were ablaze on the forest floor with the orange light from the setting sun shone through the trees. The answer was an obvious yes. I love Lee and I can’t wait to adventure with him together through life.

How we met

Our Story

Photos

Wedding Party

Q + A

We have reserved a block of rooms at Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott under Becca and Lee. Use the block code. We encourage you to reserve early because of high demand! Use<a href="https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1627502654863&amp;key=GRP&amp;app=resvlink" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> this link</a> to reserve. Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott is a 5-minute walk from Downtown Northfield and 0.3 mi from Carleton College.

Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott Northfield

We have reserved a block at Country in and Suites under the block name “Carlson/Rudebusch Wedding”. We encourage you to reserve early due to high demand! Use this phone number (not the toll free number) (507) 645-2286. Country Inn and Suites in Northfield is 5-minute walk from Downtown Northfield and 0.5 mi from Carleton College.

Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Northfield, MN

Lodging

Things to do around Northfield Hiking/Skiing/Snowshoe: <a href="https://www.exploreminnesota.com/profile/nerstrand-big-woods-state-park/8289" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nerstrand Big Woods State Park</a><a href="https://www.carleton.edu/arboretum/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Carleton Arboretum</a><a href="https://wp.stolaf.edu/naturallands/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Saint Olaf Natural Lands</a><a href="https://www.alltrails.com/parks/us/minnesota/caron-park" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Caron Park</a><a href="https://www.exploreminnesota.com/profile/river-bend-nature-center/2466" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Riverbend Nature Center</a><a href="https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_trails/mill_towns/index.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mill Towns State Trail</a> ***Some may be closed for the holidays, we'd suggest you check first For breakfast treats and/or coffee: <a href="https://marthaseatsandtreats.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Marthas</a><a href="https://brickovenbakery.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Brick Oven Bakery</a><a href="https://groundwire.coffee/pages/little-joy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Little Joy Coffee </a><a href="https://gbmcoffee.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Goodbye Blue Monday</a> For Lunch: <a href="https://www.thehideawaynorthfield.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hideaway</a><a href="https://justfood.coop/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Just Food Coop</a><a href="https://www.hoganbros.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hogan Brothers</a> For Dinner: <a href="https://tokyogrillmn.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tokyo Grill</a><a href="https://www.olestorerestaurant.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ole Store</a><a href="https://reunioneatdrinkgather.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Reunion</a> Drinks: <a href="https://tanzenwald.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tazenwald Brewery</a><a href="https://www.imminentbrewing.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Imminent Brewing</a><a href="http://loonliquors.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Loon Liquors</a><a href="https://www.contentedcow.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Contended Cow</a>

Things to Do

Registry

Thank you for viewing our registry! We kindly ask that instead of buying us a gift, you consider donating to one of the following worthy nonprofits. Although material goods are nice, knowing that your gift went to a worthy cause would truly bring us joy. If you are still compelled to buy a gift, feel free to browse our registry though the link below. <a href="https://www.zola.com/registry/beccaandlee2021" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.zola.com/registry/beccaandlee2021</a> Save the Boundary Waters <a href="https:" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.savetheboundarywaters.org/</a>Save the Boundary Waters is a political activist group dedicated to permanently protecting the wilderness from the threat of acidic mine drainage. Becca and I frequently visit the boundary waters wilderness, and some of our favorite memories together have been while enjoying the clear waters. Avenues for Youth <a href="https:" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://avenuesforyouth.org/</a>&nbsp;Avenues for Youth is a Minneapolis-based non-profit dedicated to supporting Youth (ages 16-24) experiencing homelessness. As a public school teacher, Lee has experienced firsthand the struggles young people face when dealing with housing instability. This organization helps build a foundation of support so that young folks facing these challenges can achieve their education, career, health and wellness, and housing goals. Clean River Partners <a href="https:" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://cleanriverpartners.org</a>Formerly Cannon River Watershed Partnership, Clean River Partners, is a Northfield-based non-profit dedicated to cleaning and protecting the water that flows through the Cannon River and its tributaries. Both Becca and Lee see waterway health as the best indicator for overall environmental health. In supporting this non-profit, you will help build the Cannon River Watershed’s community engagement and conservation efforts.&nbsp; Land Stewardship Project <a href="https:" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">﻿https://landstewardshipproject.org/</a>&nbsp;Land Stewardship Project (LSP) is a Minnesota-wide private non-profit dedicated to building ethical and responsible farming practices. As an organic farmer, Becca has devoted her career to learning and implementing healthy ways to interact with our environment through agriculture and has worked with LSP in various ways. In supporting this non-profit, you will help develop and implement a more beneficial food system here in Minnesota.

Our Registry

What are you doing to make your wedding COVID safe?

Dear family and friends,&nbsp; We are so excited to be celebrating our wedding with you! It’s only a few weeks away! Unfortunately the current status of the COVID-19 pandemic requires us to take some extra precautions prior to the event to ensure that it is safe and fun for everyone. We kindly ask that you comply with the following requests:&nbsp; Vaccines:&nbsp;100% Vaccination status is required. This includes a booster if it has been six months since your second vaccination. If you are not yet vaccinated, please be fully vaccinated before attending the wedding on Dec. 31st. Although we fully trust everyone who plans to attend the wedding will be vaccinated, we want to provide peace of mind for all our guests. Carleton (wedding venue) staff will be checking your vaccination status upon arrival at the wedding ceremony. Here is how you can show proof of vaccination:&nbsp; Vaccine Card:Picture of your vaccine cardIf vaccinated in MN, you can download and sign-in to the “Docket” app for vaccination records&nbsp;&nbsp; Testing:&nbsp;We ask that you take the attached BinaxNow COVID antigen test prior to attending wedding events.&nbsp;If you plan to come to both the welcome gathering, on Thursday, Dec. 30th at the Reunion in Northfield, as well as the wedding, please take the test around an hour before attending. You do not need to retest before the wedding and reception. If you plan to come to the wedding and reception only on December 31, please take the test around an hour before you come to the wedding. Carleton staff will also be asking if you had a negative test upon arrival at the ceremony. There will be a limited number of tests available prior to the ceremony at the venue if needed.&nbsp;&nbsp; Masking:&nbsp;Masks will not be required but they are welcome! We totally respect those who choose to wear a mask at any point.&nbsp;&nbsp; Health Check:Please do not attend if you are feeling ill. We will miss you but also understand if you cannot make it and we look forward to celebrating with you a different time. Again, there will also be a limited number of tests available prior to the ceremony at the venue if you just want to be sure.&nbsp;&nbsp; Thank you so much for your time and efforts to make our wedding fun and safe. If you have any questions or concerns let us know!&nbsp;&nbsp; Love,&nbsp;Becca and Lee

COVID

Becca & Lee

Becca & Lee

Photos