Uniquely Personal Wedding: Rustic Western Meets Norwegian

Jaclyn Tweeten-Eberth and Ryan Eberth planned a wedding that totally suited them.

Jaclyn grew up in Spring Grove, a community with a strong Norwegian influence; Ryan grew up in Baseohr, Kans., near Kansas City.

The couple had met on an online dating site; they shared an interest in cattle and had both shown cattle growing up. Soon they were going to cattle shows together.

In August 2023, Ryan proposed to Jaclyn in the shed of her grandfather’s farm. Ryan had designed a canvas banner with a bunch of pictures of them and had hung it on a gate and tied a heifer nearby. Jaclyn had shared some rings she liked with Ryan, but he picked out the final ring himself. He’d known Jaclyn wanted their engagement to be just the two of them and knew she would be going out to do chores.

As they planned their wedding, they made sure every facet represented them. Jaclyn found her dress at White Rose Bridal in St. Charles, the A-line Maggie Sottero gown featured a beaded bodice, beads on the skirt and a train with appliqués and beads. She added a western flair with her wedding boots. Wanting to include her Norwegian heritage, Jaclyn ordered Norwegian jewelry and a wedding crown online to complete her look.

The bouquets for the wedding were created with Sola wood flowers. The company’s slogan, “Love Never Dies,” appealed to Jaclyn who wanted to keep her flowers forever.

Ryan chose a custom navy blue suit lined with American flag fabric from Men’s Wearhouse. His groomsmen rented navy suits. The men wore cowboy hats and boots to complete the look.

Ryan and Jaclyn got married at Trinity Lutheran Church in Spring Grove on November 1. They wrote their own vows for a personal touch and used sand for their unity ceremony, keeping the sand as a permanent memory of the occasion. Country Floral and Gifts from Decorah provide live arrangements for the church.

Jaclyn wanted to use her grandfather’s 1926 REO Speedwagon as their “getaway” vehicle. Her grandfather had bought the old truck home and took five years to restore it. He’d driven it in many parades for 15 years when Jaclyn was a child, but it had been stored in a garage for 20 years. After weeks of working on it, Jaclyn’s dad, Michael, got the truck running; he drove the truck to the church to pick up the happy couple.

Unfortunately, Jaclyn’s dress didn’t fit into the truck’s cab. The solution? While her dad drove, Ryan and Jaclyn rode in the back of the truck sitting on a settee that had belonged to Jaclyn’s mom’s parents (Donna’s parents); the settee had been recovered with cowhide. After driving back to the family farm, the couple switched vehicles before heading to the reception.

Although her grandfather had passed away in 2022, Jaclyn definitely accomplished her goal of including her grandfather’s spirit in her wedding.

The reception was held at Pinter’s Event Center near Decorah. With a theme of rustic western with sparkle and bling, the couple incorporated unique decor at the reception. The guest tables featured gold alligator printed leather topped with navy blue calf hides. The centerpieces were rustic boxes filled with gold sparkled feathers and navy poinsettias. Jaclyn used 10cowhides that she had in her home as well to complete the decor.

Lariat rope wreaths and a calfhide laser-engraved with the couple’s logo provided the backdrop for the wedding party while 3D acrylic cows decorated the head table and dessert tables. A hide and bleached steer skull were used for the guest book.

U-2 BBQ and Catering prepared burnt ends, Tuscan chicken, Caesar salad, garlic mashed potatoes and candied carrots for the reception. According to Jaclyn, the food was “phenomenal!” Delicious desserts included a selection of red velvet, chocolate and white cupcakes and wedding cakes created by Rustic Ridge Catering.

Another table featured Norwegian Food – lefse, strull, sandbakkels, rosettes and Kransekake all made by Karen Fried, a member of the Sons of Norway from Spring Grove.

A vis-a-vis (face-to-face) white horse-drawn carriage from Cinderella Carriage LLC from Cashton, Wis., was available at the reception for the wedding party and later the wedding guests to ride in. Additionally, the Rolling Thunder Party Bus from Boscobel, Wisc. provided transportation for the wedding party.

Jaclyn and Ryan entrusted Bluestem Films LLC with doing both the photography and video of their wedding. Eli and Ethan had taken the couple’s engagement pictures as well. They captured many facets of the wedding, including pictures of Jaclyn’s 93-year-old grandmother Geneva Tweeten wearing her Norwegian bunad.

LA Communications of Decorah provided the music at the reception, following the music playlist requested by the couple. Jaclyn and her dad danced to “Butterfly Kisses,” and Ryan and

his mom Sheri danced to “Her Little Man.”

Jaclyn commented that the one thing she might have changed about their wedding would have been to hire a wedding coordinator. It had been stressful for Jaclyn when it rained in the morning just when she had hoped to be taking outside pictures. She realized she should have had a plan B in case of weather. The rain stopped and everything went fine, but she wished she had been more relaxed and able to just take in the moment.

Ryan and Jaclyn had another reception in Kansas City complete with a D.J., wedding cake, a Kransekake, and photos to celebrate with Ryan’s parents Dennis and Sheri and the rest of his family in the area.

The newly married couple lives in Inver Grove Heights. Ryan works in logistics at Cargill, and Jaclyn manages the Minnesota State Fair livestock events. So far they have not gone on their honeymoon; they plan to take a trip out west to the mountains sometime this winter to relax and enjoy each other’s company.