Johnny's parents kiss him off while sister Sarah, bride Kristin, and brother/Best Man David laugh on
It was another tear-jerker. Family Wedding Number Two for 2011: Nephew Johnny Reimann and Dr. Kristin Jacobsen, amazing athlete, veterinarian, and human being.
Kristin Jacobsen had it all mapped out – literally.
Kristin doesn't like cake, so she ordered an "ice cake" - very Minnesota - which melted beautifully with colored lights during the evening
She had organized a rehearsal dinner at “Spill the Wine,” a trendy restaurant in a restored factory. She gave everyone in the wedding party spreadsheets so they knew where to be when and how to get there.
Johnny and Kristin’s wedding was quite different from his sister Sarah Likens’ in June. No church, no minister, no hymns. It was en pleine air, atop a beautiful terrace at Nicollet Island on the Mississippi River in the heart of downtown Minneapolis. Across the river, you could see the brick condominium where Johnny and Kristin have lived together for two-plus years.
The wedding party getting ready in the "green room"
Officiating graciously was Justin Gaard, a childhood friend of Johnny’s and a radio personality in the Twin Cities. He established his “man of the cloth” position from Universal Life Church, which gives on-line ministerial licenses, and proceeded to crack hilarious jokes even as he performed the simple ceremony beautifully.
Lindsey Jacobsen with mother of the bride Liz Jacobsen
Kristin’s beautiful sister Lindsey, as Maid of Honor, watched after the train of Kristin’s wedding gown, and helped Kristin keep her cool as her carefully orchestrated wedding flowed on. Johnny’s brother David was a solid Best Man, who provided a comical moment as the diamond-studded wedding rings in his pocket got caught on an errant thread when he pulled them out.
The bridal bouquet
The ceremony was joyously sparse, with very few frills – just a lot of personal comments most of which had been solicited by the couple ahead of time: grandmothers’ advice (honesty & first-priority love), their own reasons for marrying each other (integrity and fun), parental suggestions (take alone-time and together-time often).
Kristin thanks Grandma Helen for great advice
A lavish reception followed in the adjoining pavilion -- made from the ruins of a boiler factory built in 1886. There, a photo booth provided guests an opportunity to take funny photos in various styles (b/w, color, sepia, etc.), which went into an album which you signed – a great way to remember more than just the guest list. Nearby, photos of the weddings of the bride and groom’s parents and grandparents proffered a window into the past.
Gordon and I had fun in the photo booth
After a luscious dinner, we danced late into the night. Young relatives wowed the group with break-dancing, even as the bride and groom danced with everyone. The Reimann and Jacobsen clans melded.
Proud parents Alice and John Reimann - whew, enough weddings for awhile!
The next morning, the grandmothers hosted a brunch at the Westin Hotel in downtown Minneapolis, built around the old Farmers and Mechanics Savings Bank, where I had first deposited my coins in elementary school.
Helen, Mark and Gordon enjoy breakfast with the groom the morning after
The bride and groom then swept away to their honeymoon in Costa Rica and Belize, where they planned to hike and scuba dive.
Kristin and Johnny Reimann - the honeymooners - made a quick getaway the next morning
Having two weddings in one year put all our cousins together more than we’ve been for decades. We enjoyed looking at photos, many card games, a great performance of “Hairspray” at Chanhassan Dinner Theater, and a hike at the family farm (since sold to the Philadelphia Community, a wonderful Theosophical group).
Cousins Francia Mann, Charlotte Wuepper, my sister Alice (mother of the groom), Lynn and Jim Shaffer - on Nicollet Island
And we noted how few divorces have happened in our family.
