2022 Bridal Guide

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FALL 2022 | The Globe

The apple of their eyes SCHUMANN, NYSTROM FIND

LOVE AT THE CORE

BY JANE TURPIN MOORE The Globe

WORTHINGTON — Travis Schumann and Sarah Nystrom’s relationship blossomed during autumn’s peak apple season, but it’s what was at the core of their souls that capped their love match.

“Travis is so kind-hearted — and persistent,” said Sarah. “He’s very caring, and at his core he’s very loyal and a protector. And I love the way he loves other people.”

“Sarah will have my back in any situation,” Travis said, “and she has a real love and respect for me.”

SO CLOSE AND YET SO FAR

Sarah, the daughter of Jean and the late Marv Nystrom, was raised on the family’s farm south of Worthington. She graduated from Worthington High School in 2001.

In Round Lake, only a few miles to the east, Travis grew up and graduated from Sioux Valley-Round Lake-Brewster High School in

1998. His parents are Rosemary and the late David Schumann.

“We never knew each other previously,” said Sarah.

Chimed in Travis, “We had no idea.”

After high school, Travis spent a couple of years working for farmers in the Round Lake area before accepting a job at Bedford Industries, where he has 22 years of employment to his credit.

Meanwhile, Sarah earned an elementary education degree at the University of Minnesota-Morris, before moving to Maryland, where she taught middle school science for 14 years.

In the intervening period, each explored the dating scene. Respectively, they were involved in a few relationships that always ended in break-ups for one reason or another.

Fast forward to the summer of 2020, mid-pandemic.

“I didn’t like online teaching and was looking for something new,”

LO Photography Fireworks capped off a perfect evening of celebrating the

From Page 1

Upon departing the orchard, Travis immediately began reconnaissance, asking a friend who knew the Nystrom family who she was. He was told, “Aaron’s sister — and I think she’s single.”

“Oh, that’s pretty cool,” Travis remembered saying. “And that was my cue.”

“They bought a pie and some apples that Saturday,” said Sarah, “and then he came back around 10 a.m. every Saturday for the rest of the season.

“At first we just thought he loved the pies.”

“And they are good,” Travis affirmed, “but I had another purpose.”

Sarah’s girlfriends have since joked that it all unfolded like a romantic Hallmark movie, with the most pivotal scenes all occurring at the apple orchard.

“We met at the orchard, he proposed to me at the orchard and we got married at the orchard,” she detailed.

FROM FIRST DATE TO LIFELONG MATE

First things first; a first date is vital, and Travis had the good sense to reach out just as the apple season wound down.

“We went to Forbidden Barrel on Nov. 12, 2021,” Sarah recalled.

Their second date, at the Round Lake Winery, followed soon after. They ended up closing down the place.

“It was a six-hour event for us,” chuckled Travis.

“We were there for the wine-tasting

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⊳ Travis proposed to Sarah at Nystrom Orchard, where they first met.

▼ Sarah and Travis were married among the apple trees at Nystrom Orchard, south of Worthington.

was essential in a marital partner.

“I knew what I wanted, but I waited for her to figure it out,” said Travis.

Said Sarah, “For me, it was when we went on a trip to Mille Lacs Lake and did some hiking on a trail called Hell’s Gate, where there was a rock and waterfall formation.

“He was leery about it, but he did it because I wanted to — and that’s when I knew I wanted to marry him, because he was willing to go to Hell’s Gate and back for me.”

As the calendar pages turned, Travis and Sarah saw more and more of each other. Soon it was September again — time for the orchard to set the scene.

but then everyone else left,” said Sarah. “We basically stayed until they kicked us out.”

Added Travis, “I asked them, ‘Can we just sit here and talk?’ And we did.”

The pair found their past relationship histories helpful in that they had greater clarity about what they believed

“I was prepping for a tasting event when Kia asked me to go out and help her fix some lights that weren’t working,” said Sarah.

When Sarah arrived at the spot, there was Travis. Kneeling on a blanket, Travis proposed to Sarah on Sept. 9.

FIND LOVE: Page 6

are winning trio for Thai & Laura

BY JANE TURPIN MOORE

The Globe

After spending over a decade building his career as a salesman, Thai Hua made the sale of his life on Oct. 10, 2021.

That’s the date on which he proposed to Laura Johnson, daughter of Steve and Teresa Johnson, Worthington, and secured her “yes” to become his wife.

“You learn to read people if you want to get through to them,” said Hua, national sales manager for Van Beek Natural Science of Orange City, Iowa. “There is some skill that plays into being a good salesman, but at its heart, salesmanship is just about getting people to see things from your point of view and finding common ground.”

He succeeded completely in that mission with Laura, who shares his belief that faith and family will be at the center of their lives.

HAVE FAITH: Page 4

Laura Johnson is swept away by her husband, Thai Hua, on their wedding day.

“I knew marrying a Christian was important to me,” Laura said.

Added Thai, “Before I proposed, I asked her dad’s permission to marry her and he asked me, ‘Are you a Christian?’ When I said I was, he gave me a big bear hug.”

The pair wed on April 22, 2022, in a ceremony at Sioux Falls’ St. Therese Catholic Church, which is their new religious home.

“We’d gone to a worship night with my best friend Jon at St. Katharine Drexel Catholic Church,” said Hua of his engagement surprise last fall. “Jon gave us a tour of the sanctuary, and he distracted her while I was trying to pull out the ring.

“I walked her over to a statue of

St. Joseph and proposed to her there,” he said, explaining that St. Joseph is an excellent role model of a loving and strong husband and father.

Laura was swept away by it all, saying the moment had a dreamlike quality to her.

“I remember him saying, ‘Laura Ann,’ and realizing I hadn’t heard him use my middle name before,” said Laura.

Similar origins, separate paths

Thai was active in wrestling and dance before graduating from Worthington High School in 2005. Laura, a 2007 WHS graduate, was always aware of Thai in those years but admits they had no interaction in high school.

“I knew of him; I mean, he was Homecoming king, how can you not

University and then to Clarkson College in Omaha, Neb., where she earned a degree as a Certified Nurse Practitioner, Laura attended Minnesota West Community and Technical College for a semester.

“Thai had just moved back to town (after completing a degree at a technical school in Chicago) and we were in a group of young adults who hung out together for a few months,” said Laura.

“That’s when we truly met each other, but then I went my way and he went his … for 14 years.”

Thai asserted, “I think there had always been a mutual attraction, but we were at a different stage of life then.” Indeed. Thai had returned to Worthington, in part, to become a guardian and father figure for his two younger nephews and niece.

“I was about 20 and heard my dad tell me this and I thought, ‘Wow,’ because when I was that age it was all ‘me, me, me,’” said Laura. “One of the things I love most about him is his selflessness, and taking them in and supporting them as he did is not a path many people would choose.”

While Thai’s older nephew and niece are full-fledged adults with families and

lives of their own, his younger nephew, Johnny, is 20 and continues to live with the Huas in Sioux Falls while attending college.

“They’re a big part of my life,” said

Over the years, neither Thai nor Laura had met anyone that seemed the right match for a life partner.

They touched base with each other in a friendly manner about every two years, they estimate. Laura continued working as a CNP at Avera Pediatric Specialists, Thai was advancing in his sales career and living in Orange City, and time was marching on.

But one day in the fall of 2020, Thai was idly scrolling through his Facebook feed and spotted something entertaining Laura had posted.

“The funny thing is, neither of us were big social media posters so a lot of people didn’t know we were dating until we were engaged — but that’s how we reconnected,” Laura said. “He reached out to me on Facebook, so I can’t totally hate it.”

Thai suggested a coffee date — and Laura promptly shot him down.

“She said no because it was in the middle of the pandemic, before vaccines were available, and given her field of work she was really worried about possibly spreading COVID to her patients or loved ones,” said Thai. “So she kept me at bay until she’d had her

first round of vaccinations.”

Explained Laura, “I take care of kids with Type 1 diabetes and our hospital was overflowing. As a health care worker, it was a terrifying time.”

When Laura let Thai know she’d had her first COVID vaccination, he eagerly responded, “One step closer to our coffee date.” It was then she realized, “Oh, this is a DATE-date,” laughed Laura.

More amusingly, their “coffee date” never actually happened. Thai was still living in Orange City then, but let her know he’d be in Sioux Falls attending a birthday party for his goddaughter.

Thai suggested she stop by the party — and she did.

“They have a big family, so she walked into what could have been a hornet’s nest and handled it like a champ,” said Thai.

The two hadn’t seen each other in 14 years and Laura knew nobody at the gathering except him.

“I still don’t know how I had the bravery to do it,” she said. “But they were playing ‘Kids Against Maturity,’ I joined in and ended up winning the game!”

Their second “date” was equally unique; Laura had fallen ill and couldn’t meet, but Thai offered to stop by to see her anyway.

“When he was on his way, I asked if he could go

to Hy-Vee to get me some Sprite,” said Laura.

“I brought Sprite, Club crackers and grapes to her house and sat with her while she was trying not to throw up,” laughed Thai.

But his attentiveness and care greatly impressed Laura, making her realize he was a sincere winner.

“I felt he was so much more mature than any other guy that age I’d ever encountered, and he’s observant and intuitive about my needs,” she professed. “He loves me in the ways that I need the most and is good at reading my emotions. And it is so easy for me to talk to him.” HAVE FAITH: Page 8

“And then I asked Kia, ‘Wait, do the lights actually work?’” Sarah laughed. “No, they didn’t, but it was a nice moment and then we celebrated at the tasting event.”

The couple sprang into action, planning a wedding in just four weeks because they wanted to be married at the orchard but didn’t want to wait another year to begin their life together.

“And we both wanted an outdoor wedding,” said Travis.

Kia, who snapped the engagement photo, grabbed pen and paper and jotted down the ideas that began flowing forth.

“We chose Oct. 8 because it was a free weekend at the orchard,” said Sarah. “And it worked.”

APPLES FOREVER

Sarah purchased her dress from David’s Bridal, but otherwise the couple leaned heavily on friends, family and local vendors to make their orchard wedding a reality in delightful — and short — order.

“I am so thankful for all the family and friends who jumped in and helped,” said Sarah. “And

thank goodness for Amazon; I was ordering packages up until a few days beforehand, but we made it work.

“Nothing was too extravagant, and it was beautiful in its simplicity.”

That included unique spins like using a collection of blue Ball jars Sarah had insisted on saving when her grandma’s house was torn down years earlier.

“They held the flowers for the table centerpieces,” said Sarah. “And some old windows I’d kept from the house became part of the reception decor.”

Pastor Scott Barber officiated at the afternoon ceremony, which was attended by about 100 guests. Two of Sarah’s friends from Maryland were readers, and the young children of Sarah’s brother Aaron and sister Rachel served as “flower kids.”

“The temperature got up to the 60s,” said Sarah, “and it was a little cooler in the evening but we had patio heaters inside the (reception) tent.

“The high temperature the day before was only in the 30s, but then the wind shifted and our day was very nice.”

With flowers from Seed & Stem 12:27, photography by LO Photography, guitar and piano music performed by Gabe Fueston and hair styled by Megan Gerken of Tristate Curls Co., Sarah was set.

LO Photography Travis and his bride, Sarah, on their wedding day this fall.

Kia Nystrom and her sister, Tae Nordby, were invaluable to executing the whole affair, Sarah attests.

“Travis and his brother Tyler smoked the pork butt, and Kia and Tae made garlic mashed potatoes, green beans and scalloped apples that were Kia’s grandmother’s recipe,” shared Sarah.

“And they put together a cheese table with crackers and dips and served cider with champagne — one of my all-time favorite things — for the social hour.

“Everything was great.”

Megan Powers prepared a cake for the couple to cut, while Stacy Wiebersch concocted cupcakes for the guests.

“We had three cupcake flavors — vanilla, salted caramel chocolate and apple cider with brown sugar buttercream,” said Sarah. “They were all delicious.”

“My mom had offered me her engagement ring a couple of years ago, and I joked then that I wasn’t going to get married so I’d probably use it as a necklace or repurpose the diamond, but thankfully I never got around to it,” said Sarah. “That’s the ring Travis proposed to me with — and my dad purchased it in Japan when he was in the Navy. It happened to fit me perfectly.”

They bought wedding bands from Johnson Jewelry and soldered the meaningful engagement ring to Sarah’s diamond-studded wedding band.

“A lot of the day had meaningful, sentimental touches like that,” she said.

Also special were the late-night bonfires for toasting s’mores — and a hot chocolate bar that was the brainchild of Sarah’s niece Cort.

Sarah’s brother and uncle surprised them with fireworks, which lit up the night and provided the perfect sparkly Hallmark-worthy ending to a

“And now we’re just ready to sit at home by the fire and relax,” said Travis. Munching on their favorite apples, no doubt — Fireside for Travis, and Sweetango or Regent for Sarah — ensuring a fruitful beginning to a long and happy married life. 

Sarah and Travis pose in the Nystrom apple orchard on their wedding day,

Thai, in turn, values Laura’s kindness, loving attitude and patience.

“And she keeps things light,” he said. “She has a good sense of humor and an endless amount of surprises.”

Laura thinks she may have inherited those traits from her late grandma, Sally Ann Johnson.

“In our wedding homily, the priest listed things that make a happy marriage and then he added, ‘One of these — laughter — is something Laura does a lot,’” Laura noted.

Laura regrets that her Grandma Sally died at age 88 just one month before their wedding.

“She was so excited about the wedding,” said Laura. “Grandma told me she’d prayed for a long time that God would bring me a good man — and he did.

“I’m so glad grandma got to meet Thai. She said, ‘Oh, and Laura — he’s so handsome!’”

Wedding joys

With 17 nieces and nephews on the Johnson side of the family, the couple had a “junior bridal party” rather than identifying one or two flower girls or ring bearers.

And that familial abundance contributed to the fulfillment of one of Laura’s long-held dreams.

“Growing up, the one thing I’d imagined about my wedding was dancing with my nieces and nephews, and we got to do just that,” said Laura.

“It was so much fun.”

Laura chose an A-line style dress with an illusion neckline and a soft floral lace appliqué overlay, purchased at Ellie Stone Bride in Sioux Falls. Thistle & Dot Floral Design of Sioux Falls provided the flowers, including a flower crown that Laura swapped in for her veil at the reception.

“I loved the flower crown,” said Laura, adding that the junior bridesmaids also wore them.

Thai was resplendent in a black tux and black bow tie.

The Huas’ reception, which accommodated their 300 guests, took place at the Atrium at Blue Haven on the west side of Sioux Falls. And although Catering by Cleavers provided a classic meal (chicken, pork, mashed potatoes and green beans) and Chef April concocted a luscious white cake with raspberry filling, neither Laura nor Thai had much capacity to enjoy it.

“We had the stomach flu the Tuesday before our wedding and still weren’t very hungry then. But we hear the food was great,” she laughed.

Brianna Lien-Onsy of LO Photography snapped their engagement and wedding photos; she was a high school classmate of Thai’s and has been a good friend ever since. Stovetop Productions provided DJ services for the wedding dance, which ended with a sparkler picture that delighted Laura.

And a week-long honeymoon at a Dominican Republic resort was a relaxing start to the Huas’ married life.

Thai fits right in with the Johnson family; Laura’s brothers (Matt, Kyle and Jason) happily add him to their golf

foursomes, and Thai’s golf enthusiasm has prompted Laura to take up the sport as well. Laura, meanwhile, is embracing her role as “Granty” (grandma/aunt) to Thai’s adorable great-nieces.

Spending time with each other and with their families is always a top priority.

“We are old,” joked Laura. “We just

haven’t been married that long.”

They agree that although they loved their wedding, their marriage itself is what’s most important.

“We complement each other well,” said Thai.

Added Laura, “And our wedding day was exactly what we wanted it to be. I wouldn’t have changed a thing.” 

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LO Photography Thai and Laura on their wedding day.