Parents of the Groom

Just so my friends know them on sight, I'm doing a little something about my Mom and Dad.


I will be putting a picture of my mom here as soon as she sends me one, I would put up a picture that I have of her from a few years ago, but she has a badge and I need no jail time on my record.
My mother is her own special flower. She is as calm as a hurricane and as loving as as teddy bear. The people who know me tend to think me emotional and stubborn, both of these traits are heavily taken from my mother. I love her dearly and would be a very different person without her in my life.

This is my dad. He has been an inspiration in my life, hardworking but still having a sense of humor. There are people who help to define you and shape you, my dad is a big part of who I am and how I got there. I can't thank him enough for all that he has done for me, and I wouldn't want to try.

Registry Info

We are Registered at Sears.com the registry number is 900004242552010101. I am unsure how else to search for it. Maybe Karen Niedert and Phil Wasta? We've registered for things we would like around the house, but anything we recieve will be appreciated. Thank you all so much for all of your love and advice, see you at the wedding!

Rooms Are Going Fast!

If you haven't yet reserved a room, call as soon as possible! It looks like German-fest, Sesame Street Live "Elmo! Ready for Action!," Taste of South Dakota, and the South Dakota Truck Convoy are all the same weekend, so a lot of hotels are running short on rooms. If the Ramkota's already booked up, not to fear! We have reservations at the Oaks Hotel and Kelly Inn, which are all on the same block. Just mention the Wasta-Niedert wedding. There are literally dozens of hotels sprinkled along that road and the I-29 corridor to choose from if none of those three hotels work out. Just give us a call or send us an e-mail and we'll be happy to direct you to another hotel.

The Groomsmen

Alright, this is the part where I talk about the Groomsmen, each one of my best friends.

First, the Best Man, its my brother, I know, shocker, but if you want someone who knows you best you go with the people who've known you the longest, he's known me since before I was born. Most of you should know Josh but for those who don't we're very similar but very different at the same time. I honestly have no idea how else to say that.
What can any person say about the person that helped to define their self image? He's my brother, he's always been there for me, especially when I need him to be. Its weird when you look back at childhood and you see how your life has changed, and see how each person in it added something to you, not to your experience, but to you as a person, Josh helped me add a lot. I thought about other people as my best man, but when it comes down to it, there wasn't really a choice.

For the Groomsmen we're going in alphabetical order by last name, because its easy.
Note: I gave them time to send me a picture of themselves that they liked, all but Josh failed in this task, so I give you the pictures of my groomsmen when they were at their worst, at least the stuff I caught on camera.
First off, Michael "Shiney" Martinus. Shiny has been my friend pretty much since we met each other. Its weird, there are some people that you meet and instantly have a bond with, that's Shiney. He's a great friend, and has been there for me when I've needed him. He has a great sense of humor and compassion, I don't know where I would be if I didn't have him as a friend.
Even when things are bad he has an edge of humor to him that can keep you going and help bring you back to solid ground. I don't know what else to say about him except that he is a great friend and I am proud that he is one of my groomsmen.





Chris "Boss" Muelleners (on the left, trust me this is a bad moment for him), I met Chris through Josh, he owned a bar and I started hanging out there with Josh and got to know Chris. We got to know each other through common interests and I started working at his bar. Even though we don't even live in the same city anymore, we keep in touch and keep up with each other's lives; he is a truly great friend.
Chris has a personality that you always want around, he's a friend that makes you feel like you've known him forever even when you first meet and he keeps everyone around him in good spirits. He will tell you a story about something, that you were even there for, and it feels like an epic journey. He is a great friend and I am proud that he is one of my groomsmen.





Luke "Weez" Wieser, There are two pictures here because the embarassing one you can't see his face in, and the other makes him look like a hobo, so they even out. I met Luke while I was working at the bar, I got to know him through Amtgard and working at the bar, and even though he lives in another city we talk all the time.
Luke and I have a similar outlook in pretty much everything. He is a good friend and honest to a fault. He is a listening post even when you aren't talking to him and every time I get to see him we talk like we saw each other the day before. Luke is a great friend and I am proud he is one of my groomsmen.

The Honeymoon

We've decided that we'll drive to Vail, Colorado for our honeymoon. There are a lot of reasons why it's such an attractive place to visit, one being its relative inexpensiveness when compared with other travel options. The main reason for our visit there is because it will let Karen have outdoor adventures while Phil gets to play tourist in Denver. We're hoping to go horseback riding, hiking, and sightseeing while we're in Vail, and Phil's uncle Dean Johnson is generously providing us with cost effective lodging options. We can't thank you enough, Dean!

For part of the trip, we'd like to spend some time in Denver getting to know the city and (most importantly) visit Dave & Buster's Game Works. We've heard the Museum of Natural History is worth going to, and hopefully a couple brochures will enlighten us on what else we can do there. Karen hopes there's a zoo. Phil hopes there's a mall.

Thanks to everyone for all their input and ideas. They've been a great help!

The Sunken Gardens

Here is the view of the garden taken off the park's website. There is room for over 200 chairs in the lawn area, and while we certainly hope many of you can make it, please be considerate and let the elderly have close seating. We ask that no children under the age of 6 attend the ceremony, although they are welcome to the reception afterwards. If it's a rainy day, we'll have the ceremony at the Ramkota in the same room we're having the reception at 3PM.

The Bridal Party

I'd like to introduce you to the members of my party. All of these people are dearly important to me, and it means so much to have their support, help, and love on my wedding day. I'd like to thank them all for committing the time, money, and effort they've given just to be my bridesmaids.


The position of Maid of Honor is filled by my sister, Kristi. She's three years my senior, and we've come to be very close friends. We weren't always, though! We used to tattle, scream, punch, kick, bite, and pick on each other until we were blue in the face! As we got older and moved apart, we came to value each other's advice and friendship in converse proportion to the distance between us. Kristi calls Rapid City, SD her temporary home, so it's a rare opportunity when we get to see each other.


I chose Brittany as my second bridesmaid because we were very close friends in high school. We met in the soprano section of choir when I noticed she was reading something Gundam Wing related. We of course geeked out together and became instant best friends. We volunteered at the zoo, watched anime, stayed up late, and pretended not to notice boys together until the fateful day when we went to different colleges. Brittany also lives in Rapid City, SD.


Erica is my next bridesmaid because she has been my best friend in my college years. We met through Phil at an Amtgard practice, and since geeks of a feather flock together, we quickly became close. We play World of Warcraft together and like to go apple picking in the fall. She's living in Michigan while she works on her doctorate and will be travelling to Mexico soon to do some research.


Finally, Megan (whose picture is missing at the moment) has been my friend for 19 long years. We used to live across the alley from each other as kids, and our mothers set us up on playdates. Even though I've moved away multiple times and life has taken us in different directions, I still consider her my lasting friend. Her determination, unflaggingly positive attitude and good heart remind me to be humble and optimistic in every situation.

I know all my bridesmaids will look beautiful on the big day. Thank you all so much for being here for me.

~Karen

The Music

We chose a string quartet from DAPA to perform at the wedding ceremony. While Karen's sister volunteered to play for us, it would be difficult for her to perform her duties as maid of honor while playing "Wedding March." The members of DAPA are all high school students who audition to join this organization, and perform for private events as well as state-wide concerts.

As our DJ for the reception, we chose a family acquaintance who conveniently works for WOW! Entertainment Inc. The Niedert family has known "DJ Jay Inferno," AKA Justin, since around 2000, and we felt that having a friend over a stranger would make our evening more memorable and enjoyable.

Photography

We chose Dawnne of ShadowMoon Productions, LLC as our photographer because of the level of skill demonstrated in his work and because he's just an awesome guy. He and Phil hit it off immediately. It's a good thing we snagged him when we did, because he's all booked up for the rest of the year already! His experience begins in 1998, and he began independent work in 2002 in southeastern South Dakota. All of his work is digital and artfully done for a reasonable price. We think he will do an outstanding job on the big day.

A Big Thanks

Image property of Jamie Weber, 2008.

We'd like to thank my cousin, Jamie Weber, for all of her hard work in designing and producing the announcements and invitations. She volunteered her time and talent with no expectation of recognition or rewards, and she has really gone out of her way to make our day as memorable as possible. Thanks for being such an amazing friend and family member, Jamie.

~Karen and Phil

Our Hotel Is Awesome

For all of our guests visiting from out of town, we have a block of rooms reserved at the Ramkota Hotel. To get a room in this block you must contact the phone number provided on the announcement, not the 1-800 number. We chose this location for our reception in part because the banquet hall will accomodate all of our guests with room left over for dancing, but also because of its location next to I-29, which makes it easily accessible to travelers not familiar with the area. As if that weren't reason enough to choose the Ramkota, it also has a waterpark and a restaurant for our guests to enjoy!

Please note that there is a shuttle service to those who reserve their rooms early. This may be an appealing option to those who are unfamiliar with Sioux Falls. It's doubtful that all of our guests will be able to take advantage of this to get to the wedding ceremony, but we will research more about it.

Should the weather be inclement on the day of the 20th, we will be holding the wedding ceremony in the banquet hall of the Ramkota at a time yet to be determined.

Ceremony Information

Thank you all for viewing our web page. We hope everyone received the announcements safely and can attend! However, in case you did not receive one due to change of address or some other fault, here is the ceremony information.

When: Saturday, Septebmer 20, 2008 at 2 o'clock
Where: McKennan Sunken Gardens, 26th St & 2nd Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57105

The reception will follow after a brief break so we can finish the photography. We're very sorry for the delay, but we hope you will still join us for cake and refreshments at the hotel. We will begin with a cocktail hour at 5 o'clock during which we hope to welcome all of you to the evening celebration. The reception will start at 6 o'clock.

When: Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 5 o'clock
Where: Ramkota Hotel, 3211 West Sencore Drive Sioux Falls, SD 57107

Please reserve your rooms early! Reservation information has been provided on the announcements, but please contact us at your earliest convenience should you need the information again. Thank you!