Rehearsal Dinner

Seven Willows Weddings and Events

Wedding Day

Ceremony

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Our Wedding

I'm not really sure where I should even say it started. We apparently went to middle school together, which I have no recollection of. I guess we had gone to the same church- Providence- in Omaha for awhile, but we had never interacted there. Or, I guess you could say it all started when a mutual friend asked us both to play pickleball with some people on a random Sunday afternoon last fall (2023). About a month after pickleball, over Thanksgiving break, I got a random facebook message from Craig that said "see, we did go to middle school together" followed by a picture of his 8th grade yearbook where I had signed "8th grade was fun, have a good summer. -ellie". After a few brief Facebook messages, communication moved over to text message and for the next month, I found myself frequently laying in bed at night texting him laughing at his texts but also wondering why I was still staying up to talk to this guy. I honestly couldn't figure out why he&nbsp;was texting me. Part of me thought he was the one in charge of recruiting for the Citygroup he led through Providence. Long story short, when he finally did initiate something other than a text message conversation, we ended up getting hot chocolate and walking around Midtown Crossing looking at Christmas Lights- a night that a friend later referred to as a "snipe date" since he had made it clear in a text saying that it was “not a date”.At the end of this so called snipe date, he became extremely stressed and started stumbling over his words as he asked in a very round about way where I saw our friendship/relationship/ whatever you want to call it: to which I answered, "that is a question you are going to have to answer first". He did end up asking me on a date at the end of that and the first real date was putt-putt at Fat Putter when I got mad because I thought I was a decent high school golfer and still got beat.&nbsp; At this point, to summarize, I still didn't think it was going to work out. He still seemed nervous around me, and he was a lil quirky and a lil nerdy. But at the same time, I continued to laugh a lot whenever I was with him and he seemed safe- I felt safe and like he cared about me- whether this ended up working out or not.I realized that since he didn't have much of a game with girls, he didn't have a hidden agenda, he was genuine in what he did and frequently did more than I knew. One time I accidentally took a neighbor cookies as a thank you for snow blowing my driveway only to find out that it was actually Craig, and he just wasn’t going to tell me that it was him. He was patient and has remained constant- including the times when I told him I didn't know how I felt about him. But something shifted over Father's Day weekend. I had food poisoning and felt like I was on my deathbed. He had spent the whole day with my family and had brought zofran and ibuprofen to my room...I remember sitting on the floor feeling awful,&nbsp;but thinking in that moment "I think this is it" and at the same time wondering if I had a fever and was losing it. Now several months later, he's become my favorite person to spend days off with and my favorite running buddy.&nbsp;He's taken the brunt of stress that comes home with me from work (which is a lot) and will sit there and listen to rants about medical things- acronyms and all. He's the one who I can count on not to add fuel to the fire when I'm frustrated with someone but instead provides the opposite perspective and reminds me to give grace, the benefit of the doubt, and reminds me why I appreciate the person I'm frustrated with. We started talking vague timelines midway through the summer and told my family this timeline in August. I think my dad's response summarizes the story best. He said "Ellie, you've never been one to make decisions easily, but for some reason this one seemed pretty easy". And he's right, my life has felt like a long list of decisions that were made last minute and most of them I didn't trust myself to make. But he’s right, this one was different. Here’s my attempt to figure out why- I trust him with everything in me. He's made me better, challenged me to love people wholeheartedly and to never stop chasing Him who gives us the ability to love people the most. He's Jesus' biggest blessing to me in 28 years of life right next to the gift of a family who has loved me so well for all of those 28 years. There's no one else I can imagine doing life with... from April 25 to forever.

From Her Perspective

First, let me kick this off by asking for a healthy dose of grace for a young man navigating his first serious relationship. Second, no matter how much Ellie insists that we did not know each other in middle school, I am fully convinced that we did. We have each other’s signatures in our eighth grade year books as proof, even if our messages to each other are about as deep as a kiddie pool… I remembered Ellie as an intelligent, musically-gifted, joyful, blonde, petite girl. Sure, she’s taller and has a different hair color now, but the other characteristics remain. Am I hurt that I remembered her, but she has absolutely no recollection of me? Yes. Ellie has a knack for humbling me. Thankfully, new beginnings have their benefits too. Our new beginning started on a autumn Sunday afternoon in 2023 when a mutual church friend organized some pickleball. I had seen Ellie at a couple church events, and had heard someone say her name and that she was from Lincoln, at which I thought, “There can’t be many Ellie Wiltfongs from Lincoln around my age… I think I went to middle school with her!”. So I had an inkling of who she was. When Ellie arrived at pickleball with her white lab Nala, I approached her to introduce myself, and she very confidently exclaimed, “Oh, you must be Chris!!!” Unfortunately, my name has never been Chris. But I told her that she could call me Chris if she really wanted to. Pickleball was fun, despite Ellie and I losing every game together. My first impression was that she was still very bright, gifted with an infectious laugh, extremely competitive, and had a love that exuded from her, particularly towards Nala. I connected the dots with her regarding attending middle school together and she didn’t remember me, and maybe didn’t even believe me. I made no moves at pickleball, but hoped I’d see her again. Fast forward another month, and our paths crossed again at a Halloween party attended by many young adults at our church. We talked, and she made fun of me for not wearing a costume to a Halloween party. I left our conversation thinking she was thoughtful, funny, and asked good questions. But I once again made no moves. Move forward another month to when I was back home in Lincoln for Thanksgiving. I hadn’t seen Ellie since Halloween, but had been looking for a reason to talk to her again. I found one when I flipped through my eighth grade yearbook and saw, “Have an awesome summer! 8th grade was fun :) - Ellie”. In a moment uncharacteristic of me, I took a photo of the message and sent Ellie a message on Facebook, confirming that yes, she did know me! I anxiously waited until noon the following day when I finally got a response! We spent several weeks texting, with no real moves being made. (There seems to be a pattern here.) I kept trying to get her to come to church service or the small group I co-lead, but it never worked out in her schedule. Eventually, I once again gathered myself to make another uncharacteristic move to ask her if she was interested in getting hot chocolate and walking around Turner Park while it was lit up with Christmas lights. And I told her that she should bring Nala too! I knew that last part was important. For some reason, she agreed! I also emphasized that it wasn’t a date, although people later would say that I “snipe dated” her… This feels like a good time to remind you of the grace I asked for at the start. We settled on going on the walk on the day after Christmas. After a couple hours of walking and board games at her house, I slowly gathered enough confidence to ask if she would be interested in going on an official date. That summary is saving some of my pride, when in actuality I was very squirmy and nervous, and I’m still in awe that Ellie agreed! I knew that Ellie was a star golfer in high school, so for the first date I took Ellie to The Fat Putter, an indoor mini golf place in Omaha. I saw her lively competitiveness come out again, and learned about her ability to trash talk. When her friends asked her about the first date later, she told them that I asked her a lot of difficult questions. But to her credit, she answered them all with thoughtful, humble, and truthful answers! I left that date thinking that she was self-aware and honest, unafraid to talk about the good and the bad. The dates kept going, to Wonderbowl, Mulhalls, game nights, and a Nebraska basketball game. We decided to make things official on January 24th, after a conversation that I once again butchered and dragged out for several days. Ellie was so patient, and maybe a little frustrated too, through it all so far. Together we’ve skied (and fallen) down bumpy slopes, been each other’s “plus one” to weddings, made cinnamon rolls, homemade ice cream, and so many other meals, relaxed lakeside over long weekends, celebrated birthdays, knocked out house projects, and survived a half-marathon and hard workouts. We’ve had moments of joy and laughter where Ellie sits on the floor with tears in her eyes, moments of conflict and growth, moments of sadness and compassion, and moments of anger and reconciliation. We’ve had tough conversations where we’ve pushed each other to be better, and uplifting conversations to encourage each other when we’re down. Through it all, I’ve seen Ellie’s compassionate, relentlessly determined, humble, joyful, caring, passionate, sincere, and beautiful personality shine. She has challenged me in how I care for and support those around me. She has pushed me to have thoughtful reasons for everything I do. She teaches me about the importance of patience and forgiveness. On a very chilly evening on Thursday, November 21st I took Ellie to the same park where I “snipe dated” her, which was once again lit up with Christmas lights, and I asked Ellie if she would marry me. And to my utter joy, she said yes! Through whatever God may have in store for our future, I’m excited to live a life pursuing God and glorifying him together.

From His Perspective

Our Story

Photos

Bridesmaids

She's seen the good, the bad, and the ugly and everything in between. Her opinion should probably be trusted over all others whether Craig is in for it when is comes to having Ellie as a roommate. She can be counted on to bring the laughs and the party. She's got enough brains and determination to do it all and an adventurous spirit that wants to see the whole world before she's 30.

Anne Wiltfong

Bride's youngest sister- has a heart of gold and has always acted about 10 years older than she is. She's friends with everybody and holds her people close. She makes you feel like you're at home and pursues everything and everybody with her whole heart. She's the quiet and calming presence that our family needed as the youngest. Really is the best of the best <3

Jenna Wiltfong

Bride's best friend- A lot of different life stages and she's been the go to girl through it all. Both went to Southwest High School, but later became best friends in college. She loves the hardest of anyone I know. Even from afar (now lives in Austin, TX) with 2 of the cutest kiddos, there's no question she's on your team.  She has been one of the biggest blessings and an unwavering friendship since the first time we ever walked around Holmes Lake. We are also soon to share an anniversary of April 25!

Lauren Brinkman

Best friend from K-State days. One of the longest friendships in the bridal party. A friendship that has stood the test of time and has remained important despite several years of being far away. From trips to Charlotte, to New York, to a dozen coffee shops in Omaha, she's my adventure friend.  She's one that's easy to do life with and the easiest to catch up with. And we ALMOST share an anniversary- just off by 2 days :)

Erin Eaton

Ellie's best friend from PA school- a lot of late nights spent studying, quizzing, and stressing. She's seen some high highs and  low lows. She's become one of my favorite people and most treasured friends. She has the most contagious laugh and sends the best snapchat stories of her tales from urgent care. I would do just about anything to move her from Sioux City to Omaha because life just seems easier with Maggie around.

Maggie Bisgard

She's my spunky friend, and she can make anyone laugh. She's the friend willing to challenge and ask hard questions but also lives in a way that refuses to take life too seriously. She's the easiest to love. And I've learned I can't make plans after hanging out with Haley because we've for sure lost track of time and are probably laughing swapping work stories and failed date stories somewhere. She's the queen of pulling an accent out of nowhere and has the brightest, most genuine smile that is impossible not to mirror.

Haley Friesen

We call it co-parenting for our 2 favorite doggos in the world. Nala and Pippa actually chose each other first when they ran into each other on a walk in the neighborhood. Now I live only 5 blocks away from one of my best friends in a season where I have needed a friend close by. From walks with the dogs to discovering the worst dessert shops in omaha-  she's my friend down for it all. She sees the world through a very similar lense - since we met, we've been in a very similar season of life, with similar jobs, both with a similar personality that makes it hard to ever stop even on our off days.

Payton Conrad

Friend from Providence Church in Omaha. Met through citygroup about 1 year ago and have hit if off since then. She's my friend who never stops and my friend who will do anything for her people. She's got enough energy for it all.  She'll ask all the questions and makes everyone feel welcome and seen. She has an infectious optimism about life and passion that is impossible to miss. Her friendship is really an answer to prayer.

Hannah Bidne

Ellie's favorite little friend in the whole wide world. Always up for a long run or a pup cup treat at 2 AM when Ellie gets home from a night shift. She greets everyone like they are her best friend and has enough enthusiasm for all of us. She's seen a lot of different seasons in 1.5 years of life- some good, some lonely, and some hard. Right now, she's very excited that her daycare provider (Craig) is about to be around a lot more now.

Nala

Groomsmen

Brother of the groom. From sharing childhood bedrooms and the back row on road trips to adulthood where they have shared hiking trails, ski slopes, basketball courts, church pews, and soccer games, Scott has been a steadfast companion beside Craig. He is hard-working, completive, and ever-faithful. It will be a joy to have him by Craig's side once again on the wedding day.

Scott Olson

No, this is not a typo. Friend of the groom. Craig left behind one Scott Olson when he went to college, only to have another enter his life. Scott is bright, honest, witty (although his wife Sammy may disagree), and sacrificial. In college, Scott and Craig timed their drives to church services so they arrived the moment it started, left immediately at the end, and spoke to almost no one. Now, after much growth, the two have led together in small groups and men's ministry events. Look at us? Who would have thought?

Friend of the groom. Friends since middle school, and Caleb has actually known Ellie longer than he's known Craig. Caleb is courageous, calm, dependable, and disciplined. He was Craig's college roommate for three years, where they wasted hours away with FIFA, Sour Patch Kids, and Taco Bell. Through all the years, Craig doesn't ever recall seeing Caleb flustered or stressed (even when Craig showed up at his wedding with a black eye), and that rock-solid foundation has a way of rubbing off on those around him.

Caleb Miller

Friend of the groom. Marcus has lived with Craig the longest, other than Craig’s brother Scott. A loyal friend and college roommate for five years, Marcus has been with Craig through his highs and lows. From the halls of Lincoln East, to the frisbee golf courses in Omaha, to the slopes in Keystone, to the beaches of Greece, and the streets of New Delhi, Marcus has been through it all with Craig. Marcus is easy-going, adaptable, content, and trustworthy, even when experiencing the joys of Delhi Belly.

Marcus Mallum

Friend of the groom. Their friendship dates back to middle school basketball, but blossomed in high school. Chase is considerate, humble, resilient, patient, and forgiving. Like abundantly forgiving, because Craig made his life miserable at times in high school because there was no one else Craig enjoyed getting a reaction from more. Craig credits Chase for planting the seeds for his Nebrasketball fandom, and Craig takes the credit for Chase's transition from hating soccer to begrudgingly appreciating it.

Chase Williby

Friend of the groom. Devin is inquisitive and curious like a child, but a thoughtful, critical thinker with wisdom well beyond his years. Devin's adventurous soul has no space to be concerned about what others may think about him, and you can't help but appreciate his authenticity. Craig is still sorry that part of Devin's proposal to his wife Sam included streaming a video in Craig's basement that unfortunately was a bit laggy, but she still said yes!

Devin Brewer

Friend of the groom. Jason is amusing, authentic, and a bit of a wild card in the best ways. You're not always sure what's going to come out of his mouth next, but you know that it will be unique, and it will probably be something that very few people have ever thought much about. Craig helped Jason learn how to ski both on water and downhill on snow. And by “help”, Craig means that he encouraged Jason to stay upright longer.

Jason Ahl

Friend of the groom. Daniel passionately pursues truth and unashamedly shares it with anyone he meets. He is honest and asks intentional, thoughtful questions, particularly when he hits his stride late at night. Daniel is the friend that keeps Craig honest, eager to teach, encourage, or rebuke, depending on the situation. It might be in Craig’s head, but he thinks Daniel gets a little extra pleasure when he makes a three-pointer on Craig.

Daniel Bidne

Personal Attendants

Sammy Olson

Morgan Dickey

Ushers

Huy Nguyen

John Milstead

Mark Peters

Blue Crew

Hannah Mendel

Josee Biberdorf

Brenna Olson

Leah Olson

Sarah Olson

Wedding Party

Q + A

Hotel in south Lincoln close to family about 15 minutes away from the venue.

Residence Inn Lincoln South

A second option in south Lincoln, also close to family about 15 minutes away from the venue.

Ellie & Craig

Ellie & Craig

E&C

Wedding Day

6:00 PM

Ceremony

Reception