Wonderful, A Dream Come True, A Marriage Made in Heaven and Ordained by God.
We were married at Bethany Lutheran Church in Ruskin, Nebraska. Noel grew up in Ruskin, and Ruby had a lot of Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins living there. Since we had decided to get married in December, we would have many relatives and friends in the wedding and attending the ceremony. We had just a month to prepare for the wedding, and Ruby even sewed her cousin’s bridesmaid dress between classes at Dana. I guess the excitement motivated her.
Ruby’s wedding dress was only $85.00. Thanks to the women of the church and the Hansen aunts, they made homemade mints, and one of the women’s friends made and decorated the wedding cake, costing only $26.50. They also served the typical ice cream, nuts, coffee, and punch. Since the church was still decorated beautifully for Christmas, we used red for the bridesmaids’ dresses and white muffs for them to carry. Noel’s sister, Pat, played the Hammond organ, and Noel’s dad, Immanuel, officiated at the ceremony. My Grandparents Alfred and Cena Hansen and Noel’s Grandmother Hofgaard were able to attend, and my parents and siblings from Ferndale, California.
Noel wanted to sing to me at our wedding and chose the song “God Gave Me You” His dad teased him during the rehearsal that he would make the mistake of singing, “God Gave You Me.” We were both glad the Lord helped him sing it the correct way. Ruby’s wedding attendants were her sisters and cousins, and Noel’s attendants were his brother and college friends. Our rehearsal dinner was at the hotel in Superior, Nebraska. Noel’s parents bought him a new suit to wear for the wedding, and Ruby didn’t even notice it until after the wedding was over. I just knew how handsome he always was, and he said I was beautiful. Lots of preparation the morning the wedding took place. Noel washed the black and white 1958 Chevy car to impress Ruby on their wedding day. Little did he know that it would be filled with rice.
Being almost the last to leave the church after our wedding, we journeyed all the way to Hebron, Nebraska, 16 miles from Ruskin. It was cold, and there was snow on the road. Taking off from the church, we could hear the rattle of cans dragging behind the car. We had a reservation at a small motel along the highway. It was then that Ruby discovered someone must have had a key and had gotten into the trunk of our car and opened her suitcase, put in more rice and took out her pajamas….what does a new bride do but sleep in her new husband’s T-shirt….kind of embarrassing for the first night together??? A good memory, though.
The following day we drove to Hastings, another 75 miles, where we had the car cleaned out the best we could and then 25 more miles to Minden to visit my Grandmother Hofgaard, who lived in the Bethany Home. We stayed in Minden that night and then back to Ruskin to see my parents off to their home in California again. A short Honeymoon, but sufficient in starting our wonderful life together.
Noel then took me back to Dana for two weeks so I could finish my first semester. It was hard to be a married young lady and have my new husband at school in Dubuque, Iowa.