Its Not For Me To Say Johnny Mathis

  To see some pictures of Our Wedding On The Beach

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About Us

Enjoying a brew on the front deck of our Houseboat

In May of 1985 while working on my House Boat at Green Gables Marina, on the Mississippi, I was introduced to Becky by a mutual friend. After dating and spending a lot of time with her, both on and off the river, we decided to get married on July 5th 1986. We planned the wedding on Princeton Beach, which is an island in the middle of the Mississippi River just upstream from Princeton, IA.

We had planned what was supposed to be just a small ceremony with some of our closest friends and relatives. Well the word got out and we had a local TV station channel 4 that sent a camera crew and reporter to get a story about the wedding on the beach. They showed the films and had a story about our wedding on the beach in the Mississippi River on the Evening News. One of our friends also invited Bill Wundram, who writes for the Quad City Times, out to the wedding to get a story. It turned out to be quite a day. Below is a copy of the article taken from Bill Wundram's Column in the Quad City Times.

"Fun, fun, fun,"

"Bride wore a tan and a bikini "

O'er the bouncing waves, where Rev. Chris Meyer, where he was to officiate at a dandy little wedding on an island in yesterday aft's broiling sunshine:

"This should be fun," said D'port's Rev. Chris, who was rushing after conducting a fu-neral at Durant Barely made it to the dock, and off to the jammed Princeton beaches where boats were four-deep and tanned bod-ies, about 10-dozen deep.

Over the engine's roar, Chris (preacher emeritus at big-big St. Mark Lutheran) said offbeat weddings don't even get a wink from him anymore. "I had a couple who wanted to reaffirm vows on their 25th anniversary the other day." They wanted to do it over their house, so the preacher, the couple and a pilot, pulled it off in a big balloon, hovering over the roof.

After that, a river rite seemed quite simple. Waiting in the sand were about 300 people. They cheered when the preacher came to shore.

"First time I've ever had an ovation at a wedding," he cracked.

In all propriety, Rev. Chris wed Becky Winters and Jim Dirksen of the Q-C. Both bride and groom, barefoot at water's edge. She, in pearls and a white beach jacket over her bikini; he, in neat, white, shirt and shorts. Becky carried wildflowers. "Lord, we know thy presence on this mighty Mississippi," said the minister, who just happens to be a boater. The bubbly flowed in a striped white tent, staked in the sand. Mark Brown and Craig Bevard of Bett'dorf even wore top hats. Fun, fun, fun. Bride and groom are boaters; they'll honeymoon in his (now theirs) houseboat

We have put together some photographs of our wedding. Just go to Wedding On The Beach.