Posted: 4/11/06
A wedding to remember
About 18,000 people attended Nichole Renk and Craig Hahnís wedding last Friday night.
Thatís because it occurred during the halftime of the Minnesota Timberwoves-Utah Jazz basketball game at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
The Caledonia couple earned the unusual privilege after winning a contest that the Timberwolves offered to fans.
ìIt was so much fun,î Nichole said on April 10. ìThe Timberwolvesí promotional staff did a wonderful job putting it together,î she said. ìDefinitely an everlasting memory.î
All the fans got into it too, she added. ìI guess we got a standing ovation at the end.î
The wedding party was able to meet players before the game. Four players came over and were photographed with them by the Wolvesí photographer.
It was a fun and meaningful experience, Nichole said.
About 70 family members and friends stood on the court and watched the ceremony. ìThat was really cool that they got to do that. That meant a lot to us that they could get everyone on the floor that wanted to come down.î
The ceremony was also shown on the big screen that hangs over the court. The couple was miked, so fans could hear the wedding vows and ring exchange.
Renk and Hahn, who have been dating for 5-1/2 years, wrote an essay about their relationship and why they should be married at the halftime of a Timberwolves game.
The prize includes two suites at the game, extra tickets for family and friends, a rehearsal dinner, hotel room, marriage license, and a honeymoon trip to Cancun, valued at $1,600. They plan to take the honeymoon trip after they hold a local reception in 2-3 months.
For the record, the Timberwolves lost the game 105-93.
Another Caledonia connection
There was another local tie at the game. Keith Myhre, who grew up in Eitzen, and his wife Tricia attended the game.
Myhre, who now lives in Rosemount, won a pair of tickets from the Minnesota State Lottery to sit in the Loons Nest at the game, along with 2 other winners.
ìWe sat in leather couches in the front row of the upper deck to watch the game,î he wrote in an email to The Argus. ìOf the 3 winners, I won a drawing to try and make a basket from the 3-point line duringÝa third quarter timeout -- in front of 10,000+ fans! Having been a wrestler, not a basketball player, I didnít trust my jump shot, so elected to shoot ëGrannyí style. I wasnít given a practice shot, only a few bounces on the floor (which surprised me to not be as lively/resilient as I expected). My shot hit the backboard, to the left of the basket. Six inches higher and a foot to the right, and I would haveÝwon $1,000 in scratch-off MN lottery tickets and a $100 Cub Foods gift certificate. My consolation prize was $100 in scratch-off lottery tickets and a $50 Cub Foods gift certificate.î
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