OCR Text |
Show oom THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS“ November 15, 2006 Come with Me; It’s to a Castle I Will Take You... By Drienie Hattingh It was fireworks when Deja and Drew met. “Do you want to go blow things up?” The petite young woman with long auburn hair and eyes to match turned around, smiling. Drew Johnson was his usual self, the way Valley Friends and family responded enthusiastically, but with skepticism. It was so far away, expensive, so unrealistic, and how do you actually plan something like that? It sounded romantic and all, but most people thought that the castle dream probably wouldn’t happen. *s fascination with the castle began when he was 14 and saw a poster of it. At 19, Drew went to Europe and visited the castle and learned more about it and about “mad King Ludwig” who built it. To Drew, it was like something out of a fairytale. The castle sat flush against the rocky outcrops of the Bavarian Alps as if it had grown there. Drew felt that somehow the idyllic with expectation and anxiety, but after walking through the castle and the surrounding area, they were fine. “So if you wake up wi ith the sunrise—and all your dreams are as new...” May 12 was a beautiful, clear day in the Bavarian Alps. That morning Deja looked out her window at the castle in the distance. This is the day, she thought in awe. Later that morning, Drew and Deja were dressed and ready to go and so was their small wedding party—they were up for adventure. “Okay,” Deja said, “Here’s the game plan We'll take a bus to the top of the mountain, hike up to the overlook past the Marienbrucke Bridge. The castle will be behind us. That’s where we'll perform the first part of our ceremony. Then we’ll cross back over the bridge and walk down to the courtyard where we'll do our handfasting and vows. We’ll have to be focused and get out of there before anybody catches us. After that, assuming we’re not arrested, we'll come out of the castle and go to the point below the castle where we’ll complete the closing ceremony. Then we'll take a carriage to the village and have our wedding dinner.” The group nodded excitedly. “Whats to be —they say, will be....” When Deja stood on the Marienbrucke Bridge, her long auburn hair in curls, her velvet cape hugging her shoulders, Drew at her side with the castle in the distance, she could hardly believe that it was happening; it seemed surreal. Across from them was the forest and castle, so majestic, so beautiful. For the first time the couple’s castle dream made perfect sense to them all. Excitement mounted as they walked from point to point, reaching its height as they approached the castle. “Take my hand, child, come with me, its toa castle I will take you...” As they climbed the d the y heard. o 0 h bride. Italian tourists realized what was happening and sang the wedding song as Drew and Deja approached. Deja thought, “It’s just too perfect.” The wedding group grew from six people to thirty as the Italians formed a shielding circle around handfasting, which is an ce wradition where “tie the knot” Natal Shupe made Drew’s burgundy aie suit — as suits worn by King Ludwig II) and Deja’s a attained his Certifi ed Pool Operator id I him since h live he cleaned pools and sspas in the Valley, and Deja in Eden. He made a weird face and Deja Mitchell worked as a librarian and dance teacher. Then could not help but laugh. In the two months Deja Deja e-mailed people at the castle asking if they has known Drew, her manager at WorldMark, could get married in the courtyard of the castle. It she’d learned that he likes to joke. “I must do the will be a very small wedding. We'll just peel display er A WorldMark = exchange vows. There will only be ten people. ”” Drew said wi ha goofy smile, “I’d lov answer was short. There it if you could come.” "Ever since Drew saw this are NEVER any weddings at lovely nymph-like girl, he had a feeling that she Neuschwanstein. This onl might be the woman he’d been waiting for. “Oh! kr —s the couple more deterOkay!” Deja said, “That sounds interesting!” She 20s he had a vision; one ey ined. too, had come to like this tall and lanky man with wh 2002 Drew and Deja his humorous nature and long blond hair. made a trip to Europe so Deja It was one of those typical starry nights in the could see the castle firsthand Valley as the couple walked over the thick green and see if their dream was even grass. Soon the night sky was filled with flowerpossible. “It was autumn when ing explosions. With every flare, the couple felt I first saw the castle. It was more aware of each other. Their sparkling eyes dusk and very quiet. The castle were evident to friends at the 4th of July party was lit up, standing high up on later that night. They could’ve sworn that cupids a cliff with mist all around it. It flew around firing off very accurate arrows. Soon looked as if the castle were Valley residents heard the news—Drew and Deja hovering in the clouds—like were a couple. In the following months, they magic.” And Deja knew, after learned more about each other’s goals and met Deja. She also knew a lot fF seeing the Castle and its surdreams. Deja’s passion has always been dancing, about good coffee. roundings, that her and Drew’s and she was dedicated to her art. She wanted to Soon, they started to lay the dream was possible. dance and choreograph while living in the moungroundwork for their castle What’ to be, they say, will Drew & Deja Johnson tains close to her family. And one chilly autumn wedding and coffee shop. be...” Drew and Deja celenight, Drew shared his dream with Deja. Sometimes their castle dream seemed impossibrated a very happy day with friends as they “There’s this castle in Germany, the ble. At the beginning of every year they considopened the door of the Eden Coffee and Cocoa Neuschwanstein Castle. One day I want to get ered if this year might be the year. Deja’s family Co. in 2004. And after all the years of waiting, married there.” kept on saying, “What’s the deal with you guys, the couple had enough saved up to realize their It was the most unusual thing Deja had ever justget married!” castle dream too. Deja’s family and close friends After a while, people weren’t taking Drew and would be at the wedding in Germany. They heard. She was the one who never really cared would all stay at the Garni Schlossblick Hotel in about getting married. She thought it just the Deja serious anymore. “You know,” Deja told sweetest thing she’d ever heard, especially from a them, “some people have a dream and have to work Hohenschwangau, the little town at the base of hard for it; sorry if we cannot do it faster for you.” guy! “Well, why not? Let’s aim for it and see the castle. Just before Deja and Drew left for They planned to have the wedding and honEurope, Deja warned the guests, “When what happens?” She told Drew. eymoon in Germany and have a wedding celeThe couple’s favorite song, What is and What arrive in Hohenschwangau, don’t mention the bration with friends and family at their home in Should Never Be, by Led Zeppelin was written as if word ‘wedding’ to anyone! Locals are employed Eden. They designed every aspect of it—invitaat the castle and might alert the castle police!” for them. “And if 1 say to you tomorrow, take my d tfits. They hed old tradi“Catch the wind, see us spin, Sail away, leave hand, child, come with me = its to a castle Iwill take ti today, Way up high in the sky...” After travelyou... Well, whats to be, they say will be. And if tional medieval wedding ceremonies. All had to go with the castle theme and reflect their own ing through Europe, Drew and Deja arrived in you say to me tomorrow, Oh what. oeitall would unique perspective. They wanted to do a Celtic Hohenschwangau. They were beside themselves be, then what to stop us, pretty baby.. . them, murmuring “amore, amore.’ a ras and personnel couldn’t see anything. ‘ ‘you say to me tomorrow, Oh what fun itall would be, Then what’ to stop us, pretty baby ” Drew and Deja’s dream came true as they exchanged wedding vows and rings. as all they’d hoped it would be and so te more... . SUNDAY BRUNCH FOR SALE BY OWNER Enjoy the views from this home on 1.66 acres in Liberty. Home features 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, large kitchen/dining roomlliving room area. Full basement AT WOLF CREEK RESORT! Sunday Brunch available weekly at the Rusty Cactus in the Wolf Creek Resort Clubhouse. Enjoy Full Breakfast, Made-to-Order Omelettes, Carved Meats, For more information, call John Martinez at 801-745-3795 or 801-920-3212. Fish Selections and a full array of desserts. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Adults $14.99 ~ Children 6 - 12 $8.99 Children 5 & under FREE Call 745-3737 Trawels wits Wartha “= ALASKAN SMORGASBORD Snowplowinc1g ESCAPE TO ALASKA..... IT'S UP TO YOU! _ JUNE 11, 2007 Join with your Ogden Valley friends and neighbors on PRINCESS CRUISE LINES - ISLAND PRINCESS ~ One of Princess' smallest ship (under 2000 passengers) ~ ~ Fully refurbished in 2005 90% of staterooms are ocean view MAIN DISH: 7 Night Alaskan Cruise including Glacier Bay and College Fjord OR CHEF'S SPECIAL: - CRUISE-TOUR -Begin with 7 night Alaskan Cruise and add 6 nights Alaska Sightseeing, including Denali Park hen a Our managers have more than 23 years of experience in the Valley if you wish: STARTERS: 1 TO 3 Night Pre-Trip in Vancouver, BC Butchart Gardens SWEET FINISH: 2 Nights at a private fishing camp CHINOOK (KING) SALMON OR 3 Nights additonal (on cruise only) to Mt. McKinley Lodge and Anchorage OR 1 Night Post Trip in Anchorage or Fairbanks F nt 5554 E 2200 North, Eden, Utah he 84310 ce e te.) www.grassplusinc.com PRICES BEGIN AT $1783.00 (inside cabin) per person including air from SLC, Cruise, Port charges, Taxes, and Airport Transfers MARTHA SCHICKEDANZ at 801 814-1698 to make your reservation. |