Surnames: Mielke, Waldinger, Christian, Rannow, Dankert, Bauman, Giese, Hilmershousen

----Source: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark County, Wis.) 5 Sep 1957

Mielke, Evelyn (Marriage - 1 Sept. 1957)

Miss Evelyn Mielke, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Otto Mielke of Colby, Wis. and Bernell (Bud) Waldinger, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Waldinger of Wausau, were united in marriage in Zion Lutheran church at Colby Sunday at high noon, Rev. William R. Christian officiating at the double-ring ceremony. The altar was decorated with white gladioli.

Mrs. Howard Rannow presided at the organ for the processional, "Mendelssohn’s Wedding March," and the recessional, "Wedding March," by Wagner. She also served as accompanist for Mrs. Louis Dankert, Chicago, cousin of the bride, when she sang three selections during the ceremony: "The Wedding Prayer," "Saviour" and "Abide With Me."

For her wedding the bride selected a floor-length gown of Celanese taffeta designed with a fitted bodice and a full skirt with side puffs. The long sleeves came to points over the wrists. Beadwork and iridescent sequins detailed the Sabrina neckline. Her bouquet featured a lover’s knot covered with creamy white Fugi mums showered with matching satin ribbon.

Completing her attire was an illusion veil that cascaded to her fingertips from a pillbox embellished with seed pearls.

Mrs. Wendall Bauman, sister of the bride, attended as matron of honor, with another sister, Mrs. William Giese, serving as bridesmaid. Also attending were Mrs. Merlin Hilmershousen, sister of the groom, and Mrs. Howard Waldinger, sister-in-law of the groom.

Their gowns were identically fashioned of faille taffeta, with the fitted bodices featuring basque tops with their bare shoulders embraced in a swirl of chiffon tucks. The full skirts were floor-length. All carried balls of mums tied with ribbons to match their frocks.

Mrs. Bauman wore azalea and carried white mums; Mrs. Giese wore aureate with dark bronze mums; Mrs. Hilmershousen wore crème de cocoa with yellow mums. Mrs. Waldinger wore nymph green and carried light bronze mums. Their headbands were braided tiaras of materials to match their frocks.

Attending the groom were Wendall Bauman, brother-in-law of the bride, as best man; and Albert Mielke, brother of the bride; Howard Waldinger and Merlin Hilmershousen. Seating the guests in the church were Eugene Waldinger, another brother of the groom, and William Giese.

Corsages of yellow baby mums accented the ensembles selected by the mothers of the couple - Mrs. Mielke in a cocoa brown faille dress trimmed with velvet and the groom’s mother in a marine blue silk shantung with navy accessories.

Following the ceremony the newlyweds greeted guests at a reception. Dinner followed at the home of the bride’s parents with about 200 guests in attendance. Streamers to match the colors in the aide’s dresses decorated the home for the event. Centering the bride’s table was a three-tiered wedding cake flanked with lighted tapers. Fall flowers adorned the other tables.

After dinner the wedding cake was placed on a white satin-covered table, where Mrs. Elmer Sippl, sister of the groom, presided. Dancing in the evening at Rib River Ballroom concluded the day’s festivities.

The bride, a graduate of Colby High School, is employed at Hotel Wausau. Her husband, a veteran of four years’ duty in the U.S. Navy, attended the University of Wisconsin Extension Center in Wausau, where he affiliated with Phi Eta Sigma. This year he is enrolled at the University of Madison.

When the couple left for a western honeymoon, the bride changed to a brown faille tweed suit accented with beige accessories. A corsage of yellow roses was pinned at her shoulderline.

At the conclusion of their trip, which will take them to Denver, Colo.; Yellowstone National Park, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, Nev., they will be at home to friends after Sept. 16.