Loon Lake community celebrates the Saturday afternoon nuptials of Gary Lamle and Nadean Eldien
(Talk of the Town photo by Gary Hill) Gary Lamle and Nadean Eldien, seated above during their wedding night cruise around Loon Lake, were surprised with a post-nuptial celebration during Elegant Evening on the Lake. Grains of rice and rose petals can be seen at their feet.
By Jennifer Zartman Romano
As the blushing bride and groom greeted their guests following the wedding, they mentioned their plans to celebrate the marriage with a cruise.
No one expected the grand cruise to take place at Loon Lake on Saturday night.
On Saturday evening, newlyweds Gary Lamle and Nadean Eldien were among the many who set enjoyed an evening of fine dining on the shores of Loon Lake – just hours after the couple said their vows.
Lamle and Eldien were married Saturday afternoon at Grace Lutheran Church in Columbia City and then attended the 6 p.m. seating for Elegant Evening on the Lake, the fundraising dinner for The Lighthouse, Whitley County’s homeless shelter.
Loon Lake residents Gary and Louise Hill knew the couple would be making a stop at their home and made plans to make the event even more memorable for the couple and all in attendance.
“Louise and I had them scheduled for our pontoon which we decorated with wedding bells, a ‘Just Married’ sign and tulle,” said Gary Hill.
When the newlyweds boarded the Hills’ pontoon, the bride was given a bouquet of flowers and a cascade of rice showered over them.
Word of the nuptial celebration spread around the lake with other passing boats greeting the couple as well.
“Since there were no glasses to ‘tink’ to have them kiss we had all the other pontoons honk their horns and we past out party horns for the other attendees to use at dinner,” Hill said. “Needless to say there were a lot of horns sounding on the lake all night.”
No wedding celebration would be complete without some toasting and well-wishing.
“After appetizers, they were toasted with sparkling grape juice on our pontoon by our other boat guests and Louise and I,” Hill added.
Enroute to their final destination on the boat cruise, Lamle and Eldien were given a small wedding cake and more horns sounded to continue the celebration.