Catrina and Tyler met through mutual friends while attending college at the University of Minnesota Crookston. Catrina distinctly remembers meeting Tyler at a local bar and recalls him being loud, crazy and way too outgoing for her taste! Ha! They all started hanging out together quite regularly and Catrina realized that if she was going to run with this crowd, she was going to have to step out of her comfort zone and join in on their antics. So she joined them!
Tyler was the leader of all possible ways to have fun and she found herself really enjoying how fun and spontaneous he was. It was hard for her to say no to dating him, so she finally said YES! They dated for a year and a half before he proposed.
While Tyler and Catrina were dating, she spent her summers out in Yellowstone National Park working as a general ranger for the Park Service. The second summer she received a care package from Tyler with instructions to open one package a week for each week she was there. In each package was a love note with little things such as candy, a book to read, bug spray and a movie for them to watch on their Skype date night that they had once a week. This made the summer and their long distance much more tolerable!
At the end of the season in September of 2013 Tyler flew out to Bozeman to keep her company on her trip back to Grand Forks, ND. They drove straight through from Bozeman to Grand Forks and decided to go out to dinner and have a date night that night. Catrina jumped into the shower and when she opened the door of the bathroom into the hallway the lights were out and there were rose petals, tea candles and all of the love notes that he had written for her that summer laid out down the hall and around the corner! Each letter of the first word in every love letter was circled. As you put them together it spelled out WILL YOU MARRY ME? She opened the door to the bedroom and along with dimmed lights and more candles, there was Tyler down on one knee with her ring in his hand! He kept the proposal short and sweet telling Catrina he loved her more than anything and asked her again in person this time to marry him! SHE SAID YES!!
Catrina and Tyler decided on a church ceremony in Hackensack, MN where Catrina is from. They wanted a new experience for their family and friends so they chose Pine Peaks Retreat and Event Center for their wedding weekend. They loved that so many family and friends could stay right on the property and get ready for the wedding in the beautiful Retreat House.
They arrived early and put together a unique combination of decorations which made the space their own. Dave had freshly cut pine for their centerpieces which were topped with Ball Jars, candles and baby’s breath and pink flowers. Tyler and Catrina had made and designed a cake and cupcake display that was spectacular! (They kindly left that for other couples to enjoy! Thanks guys!)
On Friday, after the rehearsal at the Catholic Church in Hackensack, Catrina and Tyler hosted the Groom’s Dinner in Pine Peaks’ Pavilion and utilized the prep kitchen and buffet room to put together a feast! A great time was had by all!
It was finally Saturday and it was time for the WEDDING! It was a crisp November day with a crystal blue sky and the grounds were sprinkled with white snow. The bridal party of eighteen enjoyed getting ready at the Retreat House and many fabulous pictures were taken to create forever memories of this beautiful day.
The 2:00 ceremony was held at the Catholic Church, they said “I DO!!!” and THE PARTY BEGAN! Light snacks were there along with Wes at Maucieri’s Bar to greet the guests at Pine Peaks Event Center. The roaring fire and beautiful rustic décor made everyone feel welcome! The couple LOVES to travel and had guests sign a globe with well wishes in lieu of a guest book!
Kate of Maucieri’s and her team did a fabulous job taking care of the guests. Chef Brian prepared the Couple’s Choice of Caesar Salad, fresh bread, Ratatouille, Bacon Blue Cheese Scalloped Potatoes, Slow roasted Beef with Mushroom Demi-Glace’ Sauce, and slow roasted Rainbow Trout Oscar, pan fried, with onions, mushroom, bacon hollandaise and corn meal breading! OMG! Great job Chef Brian!!! Kate later made her specialty fresh baked pizzas in Pine Peaks very own Mugnaini Wood Fired Oven!
The Newlyweds just returned from their honeymoon. They went to Couples Tower Isle in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. They made friends with other guests and enjoyed many great dinners, climbed up to the top of the Duns River Falls, swam with dolphins, and went horseback riding! What a memorable honeymoon!
Catrina and Tyler reside in Grand Forks, ND and would love to move to Arizona in the future. We, at Pine Peaks, truly wish this delightful, adventurous couple the best of luck and love! May you always enjoy life’s surprises and enjoy fabulous travels together! Enjoy the ride!
Julie (Nyland) found out at the end of the evening that many of the guests were from her home town area of Stephen, MN! We know these guests knew how to have a great time and celebrated well into the night! A special thank you to all of your Northerners who ventured south to have a great time!
See the rest of their Facebook Wedding Photo Album here.
– DAVE AND JULIE (NYLAND) PETERSON