This is one of the few "good" pictures of us. Good work Alex!
Now this is the real thing!!

RSVP to our Wedding and Reception!

Dearest friends and family,

Your invitation should arrive around the end of March. Please RSVP by April 20 with the number of guests in your party.

You can:
call Charity and Bryan Wyant at 515.967.5708,
email Kristin and Philip at phil.kristin.vdg@gmail.com,
or respond to this post with a comment!

Thanks, and much love!
Kristin and Philip

Go Green Wedding!

Philip and I are quite excited that we're going to try to have an eco-friendly wedding. There are about 2.5 million weddings in America each year, which is a $70 billion industry. Weddings can create massive amounts of non-biodegradable trash and CO2 emissions.

1. Our invitations and envelopes are made from recycled paper, and we designed them!
2. We are having our wedding and reception locally, and both sites are near one another to decrease CO2 emission from cars.
3. The dress I purchased was not made of recycled material, unfortunately, but I plan to have it dyed black so I can use it as a cocktail dress in the future!
4. Our caterer is local, and she uses fresh, many times local ingredients.
5. I hope to grow our flowers for the wedding, but since I can't keep a cactus alive, my backup is to purchase flowers at the farmers markets down the street.
6. Our honeymoon will be spent locally as well! At some point in the future, however, we will travel to another country (yet to be determined) to do missionary work.
7. Philip's uncle Ken has agreed to perform our ceremony!
8. My friends and family have offered to help me make our decorations and centerpieces!
9. My jewelry will be handmade, by me or my mother.
10. Our RSVP's will be via email or telephone, which will be included on the invitations.
11. We may register for a few gifts, but not many, as we each have our own furnished apartments already. We would MUCH RATHER have our guests to join us so we can share our love with one another! If you join us bearing cards, feel free to wrap them in newspaper so we can recycle it!

Our wedding party

Philip's groomsmen:

Mike Van De Griend, brother of the groom
Bradley Wyant, brother of the bride
Ben Visser, high school friend of the groom

Kristin's bridesmaids:

Alexandra Wedemeyer, college friend of the bride
Amanda Welch, high school friend of the bride
Becky Graves, sister of the groom
Erin Powell, college friend of the bride
Katie Hollobaugh, college friend of the bride
Sarah Bonnema, sister of the groom

Kristin's personal attendant

Jessica Wyant, cousin of the bride

Save the Date!!

Philip and I plan to get married on Friday, June 5, 2009 at
Grace Community Church.

Grace is located in North Liberty, Iowa (5 miles North of Iowa City).

About Phil

The first day I met Kristin, I had invited her over to my place to hang out with some friends, which, I found out later, was a traumatic experience for Kristin. Before she came over, I told my good friend and roommate, Ben, that I had invited a girl over and that she was cute. I didn't think much more at the time, and Ben was just hoping that she would bring some other girls along (but she didn't...sorry Ben). Anyway, after that night, Kristin and I started hanging out and studying together a lot more, and eventually we started dating. After 3 1/2 years of dating , I finally was able to get over my fear of commitment and propose to Kristin: a beautiful, caring, gentle, servant-hearted woman that God graciously put in my life. I'm very, very excited to get married to Kristin, and I'm thankful that God has guided our relationship to this point...bumpy at times, but none-the-less, we got here. I look forward to serving God and growing in our relationship with Christ together as we 'save the world' together.

I grew up in NW Iowa in Orange City, IA, and I still have incredible Dutch pride (seriously...I love the muderland). I got my BA in Psychology from Dordt College in 2004. After that, I took a year off from school and lived by my brother, sister-in-law, and nephews in Los Banos, CA. Here I worked as a vet technician and substitute teacher. During this year I did some traveling as I went on a sailing adventure with Ben Visser and eventually did a backpacking trip in Europe (where Kristin also was at the same time). In the Fall of 2005, I started the MPH program at the University of Iowa and met Kristin shortly after starting my graduate studies there. I graduated with my MPH in Epidemiology, and I am now in my 2nd year of medical school at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. I'm the 3rd child of 4 (1 older brother, 1 older sister, and 1 younger sister). All of my siblings are married and have children. I love spending time with my nephews and neices, and MAYBE I'll have kids of my own a long time in the future.

The first time Philip and Kristin hung out....from Kristin's perspective

Both of us were late to class one morning during the first week of graduate school. We both really wanted to make a good impression, obviously. So, since we were late anyways, we decided to get breakfast in the school commons area on the way. That's where we introduced ourselves to each other. We began talking about our recent backpacking trips through Europe and realized we had been to the continent, and even some of the same countries at the same time! We continued our discussion through class. Phil must have been quite enthralled by my scrubby skirt and my unkempt hair because he asked me to hang out with him and a few of his friends later that week.

It turns out that he had invited all men to his house, and then there was me. I walked there and knocked on the door to find a group of strange men in a pretty creepy basement apartment. Needless to say, I was pretty sure I was going to die that night.

Luckily, I lived. Phil, Ben, and Bret turned out to be some of my best friends. See Mom, sometimes your "gut instinct" is wrong! :) (Don't worry...I'll never do it again. I have Phil now when I go scary places!)

About Kristin

The first day I met Philip, I went back to my apartment and told my friend "I just met the man I'm going to marry." I was completely joking, of course, because I didn't even know his name! I just thought he was very cute. I mean, who doesn't love an unshowered, unshaven, long-haired hippy man? I guess God really had that in the plans the whole time!

I'm currently working at an amazing non-profit called Rape Victim Advocacy as a Rural Youth Education Coordinator. I also supervise volunteers, counsel and advocate for victims of sexual assault, and other various things. I absolutely love my job, and the kind and empowering women with whom I work.

I have a Masters degree in Public Health, and someday I would like Philip and myself to SAVE THE WORLD! One stray dog at a time...we miss you Nickey! Pollock is the newest desire of my heart. She's our 1 1/2 year old labradoodle. Pollock is extra spunky and entirely too affectionate.

I have traveled to 15 different countries, and hope to add to that repertoire in the near future.

My family is so caring and loving, and I thank God every day for them. Bryan is my dad, Charity is my mom, and Brad is my 21 year old (and every ounce of the age) brother. He keeps us on our toes, but has more love in his heart than any man I know.

Most importantly, I am a fervent follower of my Savior. He is the reason that Philip and I made it through the last three years, and He is the one who will keep our love brimming until the end.

What a blessed life I have!

Thank you all for being a part of it. Family and friends are an incredible gift, and I am forever thankful for you.

Much love,
Kristin

Engagement

Philip and Kristin were visiting his family in Orange City, Iowa. He wanted to wait until they got back to Iowa City to propose, but he was just too excited! He proposed on December 26, 2008 after making a wonderful breakfast in bed for her. She LOVES breakfast, and bed, so breakfast in bed was just perfect!