The love Mingo and Mindy Kingsley uncovered as they grew from neighborhood friends to newlyweds seemed natural, yet getting to their June 15, 2019, wedding celebration took thoughtful planning and diligent hours of assistance from family and friends.
Domingo (Mingo), son of Kerry and Jane (Hoag) Kingsley, is a 2008 graduate of Fillmore Central High School, graduated Upper Iowa University in Fayette, Iowa, in 2012 and works at Kingsley Mercantile in Harmony.
Mindy, daughter of Brad and Sheri (Hermanson) Osmonson graduated from Mabel-Canton High School in 2006 and from Minnesota School of Business, Rochester in 2009, with an associate’s degree in Medical Science. She is employed at Winneshiek Medical Center Mabel Clinic.
They grew up about a mile from each other on their family farms just outside of Harmony. Mingo remembers, “We were first introduced while children, shortly after I was adopted by the Kingsleys. In my college years, I would stop in during Easter for their family game of kickball. I would never get her ‘out’ because I kinda had a crush on her.”
Mindy adds, “Mingo used to joke with me that we should go on a date. It wasn’t until 2016 that we actually started talking through Snapchat and text messages.”
As their relationship grew, Mingo realized he wanted to ask Mindy to marry him, in a unique way. As Sunday, April 4, 2018, approached, Mingo explains, “The proposal was a long, thoughtful process that I was trying to keep a secret, which if anyone knows me, I can’t keep a secret. I planned it out with Mindy’s sisters to take her to my brother and sister-in-law’s business, Harmony Gardens & Floral, where I’d placed a bench decorated with flowers and balloons. My Aunt Julie would be waiting there with her camera to capture the moment.”
Mindy remembers that morning well, saying, “Sunday was going to be our day to relax. But that’s not what happened. Mingo had been awake early and I heard him making a Snapchat video of himself singing Whitney Houston’s ‘I Will Always Love You.’ Then he headed to visit his sister and niece, but didn’t think I should come along… I should have known something was up!”
After church, instead of going right to Mingo’s parents’ home for brunch as usual, Mindy’s twin sister Mandy insisted she change her clothes and let her fix her hair… Mindy should have known something was up!
“I gave my nephew Thomas a golf cart ride I’d promised him, so we went to my other sister’s house across town, where to my surprise, my mom and my sister Amber were baking, and rushed me out of the house… I should have known something was up!”
Back at home Mingo was making another dancing music video and told Mindy they needed to pick up a centerpiece for his mom that his sister-in-law Lisa had made. When asked why Andrew and Lisa can’t bring it when they come, she was told, “They’re going to be late!” Mindy argued, saying it would be destroyed by the time they arrived on the golf cart. Mingo assured her they would drive slowly, so they hopped on the golf cart and went off to the greenhouse.
“As we pulled in the back, I could see a cute black bench with flowers, and said, ‘Oh look they must have had people taking prom pictures here yesterday! That’s so cute.’ At this point I could tell something was up.”
“Mingo pulled up by the curb and we walked up to the bench. I said, ‘Mingo… What’s going on?’ He answered, ‘What do you think is going on?’ I said, ‘Today?’ And he said, ‘Yup, today!’ He took me by the hand, gave me roses, got down on one knee, pulled the ring box from his pocket, and asked if I would spend the rest of my life with him. By this time I was already crying and of course, I said YES.
“Aunt Julie, snapping pictures, came to congratulate us. Then we walked out front to see a big sign which read, ‘Mindy will you marry me?’ on one side and, ‘She said yes!’ on the other side.
Mindy called her parents and invited them to the brunch they were already late to, at Jane and Kerry’s home. The newly-engaged couple walked to the door and were greeted by their parents and siblings, her Grandma Georgia, and a few other close family and friends. Mindy recalls, “Everyone that I knew would be the first on my list to call were there standing in the kitchen, ready to congratulate us. I burst into tears as soon as we walked in… IT WAS THE BEST DAY EVER!”
Plans for the wedding began to fall into place. “Everyone always says pick your date first,” says Mindy. “I would say instead, pick a season and call the church or place where you want your ceremony and see what they have available in that season. Then check with the reception hall and make sure it has the same date available.” The couple picked the date of June 15, 2019, and Greenfield Lutheran Church in Harmony had the day open. Mindy had always wanted to be married in the same church as her parents.
“It was nice to already have a sister with a wedding planning binder still tucked away in a closet, as I used her checklist.” said Mindy. They secured Wheelers Bar and Grill for their reception, with Jeremy Kruegel catering, and lined up Amber Torgerud as their photographer. Of course, Harmony Gardens & Floral prepared the floral arrangements and bouquets for their special occasion. Music at the church was provided by their good friend Kirsten Wyffels, and Karaoke DJ Joe played the dinner and reception music. “He did such a nice job. He even went on Facebook and printed pictures of us to put on his display boards. We thought that was pretty neat!”
“I had taken my mom, two sisters, a niece, a family friend and my soon to be mother-in-law to a couple of dress shops. We liked the atmosphere of The White Rose Bridal shop in St. Charles, Minn. The ladies were so nice and helpful and the nostalgia of it being in an old church made the experience even better. After finding my dress, we decided the suits for the men, along with the bridesmaid dresses would be ordered there. When wedding colors are lime green and purple, finding matching colors can be difficult,” muses Mindy.
“I wanted to wear a tux with a top hat and cane,” says Mingo, “but Mindy shut down the idea. Little did she know I had it all ready as a surprise for the reception.”
“We also have some great family friends and aunts and uncles that helped tremendously,” says Mindy. “My cousin Zach and Mingo’s niece Hannah did an amazing job reading our Bible verses for the ceremony. My niece Alysa was a great help as my personal attendant, even walking with me out to the bike trail to help the photographers as we did our ‘first look.’”
Songs which were extra special were the dad/daughter dance – Krystal Keith’s “Daddy Dance with Me,” and when Mingo and his mom decided to include all his nieces in their dance. So they started out slow and when it hit the chorus they pulled the girls out on the dance floor.
Both Mindy and Mingo believe that, “The best part of our ceremony that we both remember was when Pastor Rolf Svanoe had us both turn around and look at all the people that were there to support us. It was nice to actually see who was in the church. We remember smiling and waving at people in the balcony. All the love and support that was shown to us on this day was unbelievable.”
“We owe our parents everything. This day would not have gone as smoothly as it did without them. They are the glue that hold us altogether,” comments Mindy.
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