Wendy Bowman, 29, wanted her wedding to be more than unique. She wanted it to connect with what she knows to be an important part of her life. She was a school teacher who reached a determined decision to enter OT (Officers Training) in the U.S. Air Force in the aftermath of 9-11, the attack by terrorists on the U.S.A., in spite of her parents’ and friends’ efforts to dissuade her.

Searching the internet in mid-August brought her to Milt Hanson’s web site, www.oldschoolbb.com. Its many offers included a ‘facilities and packages for weddings’ at the Old School Bed & Breakfast in his home at Arnegard. During that time, Hanson’s web site was being visited by 50 to 60 people per day.

The services and setting proved to be exactly what she wanted as she visited the Old School Bed & Breakfast on Saturday, Sept. 11, traveling with her two children from their home in Minot, ND.

On Saturday, Oct. 2, 2004 Captain Tyler Jacob Smith married First Lieutenant Wendy Jeanette Bowman at the top of the Arnegard School stairs, in a candle-lit ceremony, with Pastor Timothy J. Swenson officiating, in the presence of 17 family and friends.

Their reception was in the adjacent meeting room and their banquet of lemon-dill salmon or pork tenderloin medallion with a port sauce, parsley buttered potatoes, vegetable medley and salad, plus champagne, was in the elegant dining room, catered by Mark and Nadine Sovig of Arnegard. The wedding cake was made by Fern Hanson, Milt’s mother from Fairview.

Three of the four guest rooms were filled that night. Unable to stay was Smith’s parents, Rick and Pam Smith, accompanied by their youngest daughter, Holly, since they were to fly back to Wren, OR at 6 a.m. out of the Bismarck airport. Ty, 27, is their oldest child, and they proudly noted that he is a graduate of the Air Force Academy and has been in active duty service since 1995.

Among those staying at the B & B was Penny Wycoff, Bowman’s mother who had traveled from ‘down south’ just to be at her daughter’s wedding and be her personal attendant.

Best Man and Ringbearer was eight-year-old Noah Bowman, who also escorted his mother up the decorated staircase to the waiting Groom, joining seven-year-old Hannah Bowman, Maid of Honor and Flower Girl.

Work brought the young couple together. Wendy takes care of the ‘people issues,’ being in charge of command support staff for the civil engineer group Squadron 5CES at Minot Air Force Base for around two years, according to a friend of the groom, Lieutenant Ed Dice. Ty, a civil engineer, was stationed in Korea since June 2004.