Love at First Sight

Everyone was ready for the first reveal around 11:30 a.m., with wedding party pictures by Rachel Mikaela Photography to follow. Family pictures also took place on the beautiful grounds surrounding Arrowwood Resort and Brooks Golf Course. Drew Dau took drone videography and photography throughout the day.

“Rachel is absolutely amazing! This was only her second wedding in Okoboji, but she was so great – I highly recommend her,” Kaela said. “Plus, Drew is also amazing to work with. He made things go so smoothly. They both timed out everything together so well and just made everything enjoyable and fun.”

The officiant for the ceremony was Kim Wermersen, which started at 3 p.m. on the croquet court at Arrowwood Resort.

“One of the things that stands out to me the most on the day was our ceremony. Kim, our officiant, helped it run smoothly, and his wife timed out everyone walking down the aisle,” Kaela shared. “We got to be serious and silly throughout it. It was very special that we got married in front of all the people we love, especially back in the place where we first met.”

The couple displayed wedding pictures from both of their parents and all four of their grandparents at the reception. Each picture also included the matching wedding date. They also added pictures of Kaela’s Aunt Mary, her father’s parents, Tyler's uncle, and his dad’s parents .

“This was a very special part of the day for both of us and something that was a must when planning,” Tyler said.

Hy-Vee Floral created the arrangements and made Kaela’s day by delivering and arranging the flowers at the wedding and reception. Heather Baumgard of Playful Cupcaketions created a beautiful cake that was loved by all the guests.

The social hour started at 3:45 p.m., with the dinner catered by Minerva’s Restaurant taking place at 6:45 p.m., and the party started after everyone had ate. Jeff Nixx with Nixon Productions provided the music for the day.

“We actually got very lucky and did not have to change anything that wasn’t in the plan for the day,” Kaela said. “It was also very nice to have our special day be back in the place that we met in my hometown. It was so nice that all our family and friends were able to be there. The only thing I wish could have happened, would be to have it longer. We both realized the next day that we regret not being able to spend time with everyone who came.”

Tyler added, “What stands out to me was how much love we felt from so many people.”

One of the most memorable moments for the couple was their last dance, right before they exited under sparklers and laughter. It was just Tyler and Kaela on the dance floor and only the DJ in the room - one last dance to enjoy on their wedding day.

“The idea came from one of Kelsey’s videos - I loved ending our day with one more intimate moment,” Kaela said.

After a mini-honeymoon in Florida, the two are back at work in Colorado where Kaela is a speech therapist at a home health agency based out of Denver and Tyler is a sales manager with a company based out of Colorado Springs.

Wedding Advice
Both Tyler and Kaela said their special day flew by way too fast. They recommend taking time throughout the day to stop and look at the people who come to celebrate you.

“Make decisions that make you happy and don’t worry about other people’s opinions,” Kaela said. “Lastly, someone told me that ‘at the end of the day, as long as you marry your person – nothing else matters.’”

Tyler’s advice for newlyweds is to always remember the days that brought you together and always remember that you’re a team. “Never go to bed mad at each other and ALWAYS remember that she is right,” he shared. “I also told Kaela that we are starting a 2-2-2 rule, which is every two weeks, we must have a date night out of the house. Every two months, we have a weekend getaway, and every two years, we go on a week vacation.”

Kaela added that the process of changing the last name is a long process. She also said to buy an online kit for all the needed forms. “I didn’t realize all of the steps needed to make everything official,” she said.

The couple plans on traveling to Europe in the future but is waiting until everything is open. They loved their weekend away in Florida, spending two days at Disney World – Hollywood Studios and Universal Studios, being big Harry Potter and Star Wars fans. Then they spent two days at the beach and enjoyed a boat ride with a Tiki Bar tour and dolphin sightseeing.

Both are loving life together, and Kaela is thankful it was love at first sight for Tyler.

“The first thing that attracted me to Tyler was his confidence. Now, I am attracted to his hard work ethic, and his love for sarcasm at all the right times. He has the ability to make me laugh on my hardest days and lastly for pushing me to be better,” Kaela said. “Always remember you are a team. You should promise to always say I love you before going to bed. It’s you two against the world.”