Lutheran Church of the Cross

Rehearsal Dinner

Wedding

Ceremony

Grand View Lodge Resort

Reception

Bridal Shower

Live Stream

The ceremony will be streamed live online. You can watch it at the link below. <a href="https://www.lccnisswa.org/live-video-streaming-worship.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.lccnisswa.org/live-video-streaming-worship.html</a>

Our Wedding

After&nbsp;meeting&nbsp;people&nbsp;in&nbsp;person&nbsp;ended&nbsp;with&nbsp;COVID,&nbsp;I&nbsp;tried&nbsp;meeting&nbsp;women&nbsp;online.&nbsp;It&nbsp;was&nbsp;great!&nbsp;Swipe left&nbsp;you&nbsp;don't&nbsp;like&nbsp;her,&nbsp;swipe right&nbsp;you&nbsp;do.&nbsp;I&nbsp;read&nbsp;Cecily's&nbsp;profile and saw a few pictures. An attractive math girl?! Heck yeah! Right swipe!We&nbsp;talked&nbsp;for&nbsp;a&nbsp;while&nbsp;and&nbsp;then&nbsp;I&nbsp;invited&nbsp;her&nbsp;to&nbsp;dinner. It&nbsp;happened&nbsp;to&nbsp;be&nbsp;the&nbsp;day&nbsp;before&nbsp;Easter (us ATC folk often don't know what day it is).&nbsp;She&nbsp;didn't&nbsp;see&nbsp;it until Easter day, and thought I was nuts for not celebrating&nbsp;Easter with&nbsp;my&nbsp;family&nbsp;(I&nbsp;had&nbsp;to&nbsp;work).&nbsp;Then she&nbsp;got&nbsp;COVID.&nbsp;I&nbsp;thought&nbsp;she&nbsp;was&nbsp;just dodging&nbsp;me,&nbsp;so&nbsp;I&nbsp;had almost given&nbsp;up,&nbsp;but&nbsp;then&nbsp;finally she said yes! I&nbsp;took&nbsp;her&nbsp;to&nbsp;my&nbsp;favorite&nbsp;Mexican&nbsp;restaurant&nbsp;in&nbsp;Cedar&nbsp;Rapids,&nbsp;Adelita's.&nbsp;We&nbsp;were&nbsp;both&nbsp;incredibly&nbsp;nervous&nbsp;and&nbsp;it took about&nbsp;2&nbsp;hours&nbsp;for&nbsp;us&nbsp;to&nbsp;finally&nbsp;start acting normal.&nbsp;3&nbsp;hours&nbsp;after that,&nbsp;we decided to call it a night. The dates really&nbsp;flew&nbsp;by after that (except for the time she drank all the malt I had made for myself)! In&nbsp;August&nbsp;I&nbsp;found&nbsp;out&nbsp;that I would be transferring to California in January.&nbsp;Cecily&nbsp;and&nbsp;I&nbsp;decided&nbsp;we&nbsp;would&nbsp;just&nbsp;keep&nbsp;dating&nbsp;until&nbsp;then&nbsp;and&nbsp;go&nbsp;from&nbsp;there.&nbsp;In&nbsp;that&nbsp;time&nbsp;we&nbsp;had&nbsp;a&nbsp;LOT&nbsp;of&nbsp;deep&nbsp;discussions.&nbsp;We&nbsp;became&nbsp;best&nbsp;friends.&nbsp;January&nbsp;came&nbsp;and&nbsp;she&nbsp;and&nbsp;my&nbsp;mother&nbsp;helped&nbsp;me&nbsp;move&nbsp;out. I&nbsp;got&nbsp;moved&nbsp;in&nbsp;and&nbsp;they&nbsp;both&nbsp;left.&nbsp;It&nbsp;was&nbsp;weird!&nbsp;Cecily&nbsp;and&nbsp;I&nbsp;would&nbsp;skype&nbsp;date&nbsp;almost&nbsp;every&nbsp;night.&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;calling&nbsp;her&nbsp;throughout&nbsp;the&nbsp;day&nbsp;just&nbsp;to&nbsp;say&nbsp;hi. A&nbsp;few&nbsp;months&nbsp;of&nbsp;this&nbsp;and&nbsp;I&nbsp;knew&nbsp;I&nbsp;couldn't&nbsp;live&nbsp;without&nbsp;her.&nbsp;We&nbsp;got&nbsp;engaged hiking early one morning in North Shore, Minnesota, overlooking Lake Superior and the Superior National Forest. A short time later she&nbsp;moved&nbsp;out&nbsp;to&nbsp;the&nbsp;bachelor&nbsp;pad&nbsp;in&nbsp;California. It's been great, and I know she's the one because she let me&nbsp;keep&nbsp;the&nbsp;beanbag&nbsp;chair!

Michael's Version

We&nbsp;met,&nbsp;as&nbsp;many&nbsp;modern&nbsp;day&nbsp;couples&nbsp;do,&nbsp;online.&nbsp;On&nbsp;a&nbsp;dating&nbsp;app&nbsp;to&nbsp;be&nbsp;precise.&nbsp;It&nbsp;was&nbsp;2022,&nbsp;and&nbsp;I&nbsp;had&nbsp;been&nbsp;on&nbsp;a&nbsp;few&nbsp;dates&nbsp;since&nbsp;moving&nbsp;to&nbsp;Cedar&nbsp;Rapids,&nbsp;IA,&nbsp;but&nbsp;none&nbsp;had&nbsp;gone&nbsp;well,&nbsp;so&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;considering&nbsp;giving&nbsp;up&nbsp;on&nbsp;the&nbsp;app&nbsp;for&nbsp;a&nbsp;while.&nbsp;This&nbsp;was&nbsp;until&nbsp;a&nbsp;handsome&nbsp;man&nbsp;matched&nbsp;with&nbsp;me&nbsp;who&nbsp;said&nbsp;he&nbsp;liked&nbsp;disc&nbsp;golfing!&nbsp;This&nbsp;man&nbsp;was&nbsp;not&nbsp;Michael.&nbsp;Luckily&nbsp;for&nbsp;Michael,&nbsp;my&nbsp;sister,&nbsp;Claire,&nbsp;gave&nbsp;me&nbsp;COVID&nbsp;while&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;home&nbsp;for&nbsp;Easter&nbsp;and&nbsp;I&nbsp;had&nbsp;to&nbsp;postpone&nbsp;any&nbsp;dates&nbsp;for&nbsp;2&nbsp;weeks.&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;more&nbsp;excited&nbsp;about&nbsp;my&nbsp;other&nbsp;date,&nbsp;but&nbsp;decided&nbsp;to&nbsp;give&nbsp;this&nbsp;Michael&nbsp;guy&nbsp;a&nbsp;chance...&nbsp;boy&nbsp;am&nbsp;I&nbsp;glad&nbsp;that&nbsp;I&nbsp;did,&nbsp;because&nbsp;we&nbsp;talked&nbsp;for&nbsp;5&nbsp;hours&nbsp;at&nbsp;a&nbsp;local&nbsp;Mexican&nbsp;place.&nbsp;My&nbsp;parents&nbsp;ended&nbsp;up&nbsp;visiting&nbsp;that&nbsp;same&nbsp;weekend&nbsp;and&nbsp;I&nbsp;felt&nbsp;a&nbsp;little&nbsp;bad&nbsp;because&nbsp;I'm&nbsp;sure&nbsp;I&nbsp;talked&nbsp;about&nbsp;little&nbsp;else! Three&nbsp;months&nbsp;into&nbsp;our&nbsp;relationship,&nbsp;he&nbsp;was&nbsp;on&nbsp;vacation&nbsp;with&nbsp;his&nbsp;dad&nbsp;and&nbsp;sister's&nbsp;family&nbsp;in&nbsp;California,&nbsp;and&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;alone&nbsp;in&nbsp;Cedar&nbsp;Rapids.&nbsp;Before&nbsp;he&nbsp;had&nbsp;a&nbsp;chance&nbsp;to&nbsp;come&nbsp;back,&nbsp;I&nbsp;was&nbsp;on&nbsp;a&nbsp;road&nbsp;trip&nbsp;to&nbsp;Pennsylvania&nbsp;with&nbsp;3&nbsp;of&nbsp;my&nbsp;friends&nbsp;to&nbsp;meet&nbsp;up&nbsp;with&nbsp;about&nbsp;two&nbsp;dozen&nbsp;more.&nbsp;I'm&nbsp;enjoying&nbsp;hanging&nbsp;out&nbsp;with&nbsp;everyone&nbsp;when&nbsp;Clara&nbsp;and&nbsp;I&nbsp;leave&nbsp;to&nbsp;get&nbsp;our&nbsp;luggage&nbsp;from&nbsp;the&nbsp;car.&nbsp;I&nbsp;start&nbsp;crying&nbsp;because&nbsp;of&nbsp;how&nbsp;much&nbsp;I&nbsp;wanted&nbsp;Michael&nbsp;to&nbsp;be&nbsp;there,&nbsp;not&nbsp;because&nbsp;I&nbsp;missed&nbsp;him,&nbsp;but&nbsp;because&nbsp;of&nbsp;how&nbsp;well&nbsp;he&nbsp;would&nbsp;fit&nbsp;in&nbsp;with&nbsp;all&nbsp;of&nbsp;my&nbsp;friends.&nbsp;That's&nbsp;when&nbsp;I&nbsp;suddenly&nbsp;blurt&nbsp;out&nbsp;that&nbsp;I&nbsp;think&nbsp;I'm&nbsp;going&nbsp;to&nbsp;marry&nbsp;him.&nbsp;Not&nbsp;right&nbsp;away.&nbsp;I&nbsp;knew&nbsp;neither&nbsp;of&nbsp;us&nbsp;were&nbsp;ready&nbsp;for&nbsp;it&nbsp;yet.&nbsp;We&nbsp;both&nbsp;had&nbsp;a&nbsp;lot&nbsp;of&nbsp;learning&nbsp;about&nbsp;each&nbsp;other&nbsp;and&nbsp;growing&nbsp;to&nbsp;do,&nbsp;but&nbsp;I&nbsp;knew&nbsp;I&nbsp;would&nbsp;marry&nbsp;him&nbsp;one&nbsp;day. A&nbsp;month&nbsp;after&nbsp;this,&nbsp;Michael&nbsp;finds&nbsp;out&nbsp;he&nbsp;has&nbsp;been&nbsp;transferred&nbsp;to&nbsp;the&nbsp;NorCal&nbsp;TRACON&nbsp;in&nbsp;Sacramento.&nbsp;We&nbsp;knew&nbsp;our&nbsp;time&nbsp;was&nbsp;limited.&nbsp;We&nbsp;had&nbsp;already&nbsp;been&nbsp;dating&nbsp;pretty&nbsp;intentionally&nbsp;up&nbsp;until&nbsp;this&nbsp;point,&nbsp;but&nbsp;this&nbsp;forced&nbsp;our&nbsp;relationship&nbsp;to&nbsp;be&nbsp;all&nbsp;the&nbsp;more&nbsp;serious!&nbsp;We'd&nbsp;stay&nbsp;up&nbsp;late&nbsp;petting&nbsp;the&nbsp;neighborhood&nbsp;stray&nbsp;cats&nbsp;and&nbsp;talking&nbsp;about&nbsp;life,&nbsp;our&nbsp;faith,&nbsp;and&nbsp;whatever&nbsp;we&nbsp;happened&nbsp;to&nbsp;be&nbsp;interested&nbsp;in&nbsp;at&nbsp;the&nbsp;time. His&nbsp;mom&nbsp;and&nbsp;I&nbsp;helped&nbsp;him&nbsp;move&nbsp;out&nbsp;to&nbsp;California&nbsp;in&nbsp;January&nbsp;2023,&nbsp;and&nbsp;we&nbsp;found&nbsp;the&nbsp;perfect&nbsp;house&nbsp;for&nbsp;him&nbsp;to&nbsp;rent.&nbsp;As&nbsp;he&nbsp;was&nbsp;putting&nbsp;dishes&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;cupboard,&nbsp;he&nbsp;would&nbsp;ask&nbsp;me&nbsp;to&nbsp;try&nbsp;to&nbsp;reach&nbsp;them&nbsp;because&nbsp;he&nbsp;hoped&nbsp;it&nbsp;would&nbsp;eventually&nbsp;be&nbsp;my&nbsp;home&nbsp;as&nbsp;well!&nbsp;We&nbsp;dated&nbsp;long&nbsp;distance,&nbsp;and&nbsp;I&nbsp;visited&nbsp;several&nbsp;times&nbsp;over&nbsp;the&nbsp;coming&nbsp;months&nbsp;before&nbsp;we&nbsp;decided&nbsp;we&nbsp;couldn't&nbsp;take&nbsp;it&nbsp;any&nbsp;longer&nbsp;and&nbsp;I&nbsp;should&nbsp;move&nbsp;out&nbsp;to&nbsp;California&nbsp;to&nbsp;be&nbsp;with&nbsp;him.&nbsp;Before&nbsp;I&nbsp;had&nbsp;a&nbsp;chance&nbsp;to&nbsp;move&nbsp;out&nbsp;there though,&nbsp;he&nbsp;proposed&nbsp;while&nbsp;we&nbsp;were&nbsp;on&nbsp;a&nbsp;sunrise&nbsp;hike&nbsp;on&nbsp;the&nbsp;top&nbsp;of&nbsp;a&nbsp;mountain&nbsp;in&nbsp;Northern&nbsp;Minnesota.&nbsp;It&nbsp;was&nbsp;beautiful!&nbsp;Now&nbsp;we&nbsp;can't&nbsp;wait&nbsp;to&nbsp;officially&nbsp;start&nbsp;our&nbsp;lives&nbsp;together&nbsp;as&nbsp;a&nbsp;married&nbsp;couple&nbsp;and&nbsp;are&nbsp;so&nbsp;excited&nbsp;to&nbsp;be&nbsp;able&nbsp;to&nbsp;share&nbsp;the&nbsp;start&nbsp;of&nbsp;it&nbsp;with&nbsp;you!

Cecily's Version

Our Story

Photos

Cecily Vandenhouten

She is a rock, both emotionally and physically, and I couldn't be where I am today without her. She definitely has middle child syndrome though, and will literally grow a dozen tumors so she can be the center of attention.

Carly Vandenhouten 

My baby sister who gives the BEST hugs. Very in touch with her emotions, so much so that she will pet all of the sensitive plants and then cry over how sensitive they are.

Claire Vandenhouten

I met her online during the pandemic, and thought she was one of the coolest people ever and I could never convince her to be my friend. Turns out she's just as, if not nerdier than I am, so I decided to keep her around.

Clara Wertzberger

Michael Ruen

Clark and I have been best friends since middle school. In high school I promised him he would be the best man at my wedding. Many stories, many memories, and many years later he's still my best friend and finally gets to fulfill that role!

Clark Eggen

Ryan and I met when I was working at a laser company in Wadena, MN. He was the IT guy. What started out as a work relationship, quickly became hanging out and often working on each others (mainly Ryan's) house. It's a good thing we don't live closer because Ryan and I would have probably built a two story sauna or something ridiculous with a projector and the best WIFI you can imagine.

Ryan Jahnke

An example of a man, father, and friend. At his wedding, I tried to convince him to move into my bachelor pad with me instead of marrying my sister.

Joe Webster

Wedding Party

Q + A

Transportation to/from Nisswa

Brainerd Regional Airport (KBRD)The closest airport with regional service, KBRD is approximately 10 minutes from town and 30 minutes from Grand View Lodge. For car rental it has Alamo, Enterprise, and National. Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (KMSP)A hub for Delta Airlines, this airport is a 2.5 hour drive to Grand View Lodge. It will have most rental car companies. <a href="https://groometransportation.com/minneapolis-st-paul-airport/brainerd/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">There is also a shuttle to the Arrowwood Lodge in Baxter</a>. If you plan on taking the shuttle, please let us know. We may be able to help connect you with someone for transportation once you get to Brainerd.

Area Hotels

The Brainerd Lakes Area is a tourist area, so hotels/resorts will be busy in the summer. Because of this, we were unable to reserve a block of rooms anywhere. You can call most hotels when making a reservation and tell them you're in town for a wedding and they will give you a 10% discount.We recommend booking your room as far in advance as possible. There are many more places to stay than what we've listed here. Some other close towns that have housing are Brainerd, Baxter, Breezy Point and Pequot Lakes.

3 min drive to wedding venue. Reception will be here.

Grand View Lodge

12 min drive from wedding.

Arrowwood Lodge at Brainerd Lakes

Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham Baxter Brainerd Area

13 min drive from wedding.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Brainerd-Baxter, an IHG Hotel

Rapid River Lodge

15 min drive from wedding.

Baymont by Wyndham Baxter/Brainerd Area

Travel

Pirate's Cove has two 18-hole mini-golf courses and an small go-kart track.

Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf

A great place for go-karts, batting cages, water balloon wars, and more.Also where Michael's first job was!

Northland Kart Kountry

Giraffes, zebras, otters, monkeys, lions, tigers... Not animals you would expect to find in Northern Minnesota!

Safari North Wildlife Park

A neat little shop with a large variety of books.

CatTale's Books & Gifts

A well known local spot for breakfast and lunch. Highly recommend, also has great scenery if you like airplanes!

Wings Airport Cafe

A large selection of beers, haven't had one I didn't like. I recommend the Dead Branch or Fenceline, or if you're feeling spicy the Vengeance Jalapeno.

Jack Pine Brewery

For a great coffee stout go with the Night Shift.

Roundhouse Brewery

Things to Do

Registry

We both love dancing. So we're going to have a few established line dances for all who want to participate! Instructional tutorials are here.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzLa0IuV4kM" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Church Clap - KB</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6X0d0tmt4E0" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Shivers - Ed Sheeran</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bthvi4w0dgU" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Copperhead Road - Steve Earl</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PSWYaISCFc" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cupid Shuffle - Cupid</a>

Cecily & Michael

Cecily & Michael

Photos