Miles Peterson caught Lauren Lundgren completely by surprise with his marriage proposal.
The two had met in their sophomore year of college at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He was majoring in agriculture economics and Lauren in child, youth and family studies.
Miles liked her outgoing personality and she liked his easy go-with-the-flow personality.
“We really clicked right away,” Lauren said. “It’s true what they say, opposites attract.”
In May of their senior year, Lauren’s girlfriends told her they were going to do a last girls get-together before their graduation a few weeks later. They decided to meet at James Author Vineyards near Lincoln.
“In my head I thought nothing of it,” Lauren said. “We all got dressed up, and once we got there, we went to take pictures and that’s where I saw Miles at the top of the hill waiting for me. It was very special.”
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The Petersons were married in March and now live in Bertrand, where Miles farms corn and soybeans. That’s 45 minutes west of Kearney.
Lauren, who went to Millard West, said she’s adjusting well to farm life. She’s also started her own day care.
“I definitely had to get used to not getting my Amazon packages in one day, but that adjustment hasn’t been too bad,” she said. “I love how slow paced things are out here, and I enjoy getting to watch Miles do what he loves from start to finish every year.”
Finding the right time
Since Miles is a farmer, they had to pick a day for the wedding that wasn’t during harvest or planting. “That left us with the winter months or the dead of summer. I was trying to dodge both of those seasons, so March felt like a great in-between,” Lauren said.
They went for a timeless and elegant celebration, with lots of black and whites with little greenery. Their tablecloths were ivory with black napkins. Centerpieces were white florals and greenery.
“Our head table was the trickiest thing for myself to think of what I wanted,” Lauren said. “Barbie at Hy-Vee Florals nailed my vision. Lots of single flower vases all along the head table. It was perfect.”
Memorable moment
Their private first look before the ceremony and sharing their vows together was a sweet moment they’ll never forget.
“Being alone together was so special and a lot less nerve-wracking,” Lauren said. “We were able to take it all in and enjoy each other’s words and raw emotions.”
Band wins over DJ
Food and drinks were their biggest expense with 415 guests. They opted for a band over a DJ, but said it was worth every penny. “Downtown Collective knocked it out of the park. They were incredible,” Lauren said. “So many compliments on how amazing their performance was, and I can’t tell you how awesome and easy they were to work with. We love them.”
They wanted their dog to be a part of their day, so they printed a couple of Fathead photos of her and had her on the dance floor. “Everyone got a kick out of that.”
A corny moment saved
They were serving popcorn during cocktail hour and had cute custom popcorn bowls for their guests. However, they forgot to pick up the popcorn the Friday before the wedding.
“Thankfully our wedding coordinator at 402 Events caught the mistake while setting up, and my brother’s friend was able to run and pick it up in time for cocktail hours,” Lauren said. “I had no idea until a couple days after that it all happened.”
The couple said their Memory Box Photo Booth was a hit. It’s called “the Glam Booth.” “It ended up being one of our most complimented things at our wedding,” Lauren said.
Pizza anyone?
They’ve gotten a lot of use out of their Ooni Pizza Oven. “It works great for a fun date night at home,” Lauren said, “and we’ve been able to make so many different kinds of pizzas. We love it.”
Rocking his wedding ring
Lauren says she never realized how good Miles would look wearing his wedding band. She feels so lucky to be called his wife and appreciates how patient and loving he is.
“Our wedding day was absolutely perfect because of him, and I thank him all the time for putting up with me during the planning process. He was always my reminder that not everything has to be perfect and the day will be amazing.”
Miles said Lauren is a gift from God. “She motivates me to be a better person every single day. Her compassionate and loving attitude makes every day with her such a joy,” he said. “She has been the most incredible wife and my love grows larger for her every single day.”