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PUBLISHED BY
FEBRUARY 11, 2025
LOCAL COUPLE REDEFINES ‘PROMPOSAL’ Leah and Brendan Lovstuen share memorable milestones and make it ‘official’ BY ROZ WEIS DECORAH LEADER STAFF WRITER
TOP- A photo with pinky fingers interlocked symbolizes Leah and Brendan’s commitment. ABOVE- Loving the rustic-chic inspired summer wedding of Leah Weis and Brendan Lovstuen. From the beautiful photographs to the sweet proposal story, read more to feel all the “feels.”
~WEDDING PHOTOS BY GRACE SVEEN PHOTOGRAPHY~
The couple shared their first look at the farm where Leah’s grandmother grew up, and it’s now the farm owned by Brendan’s grandparents.
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eah Weis and Brendan Lovstuen of Decorah staged a lighthearted stunt in high school, and it came full circle last summer. A pretend marriage proposal during their senior prom back in 2019 led up to the real thing nearly five years later. The hoax was staged in front of hundreds of spectators in the local high school gymnasium. The audience was taken by surprise when the high school sweethearts approached the staged photo area during the traditional grand march — Brendan promptly dropped to one knee and pulled out a fake ring while the couple posed under the lights. Leah played along with a seemingly shocked expression on her face. Reactions were swift, as lighthearted laughter filled the gym; but there were more than a few onlookers who suggested the playful proposal might come true one day for the two high school seniors, who started dating on Jan. 21, 2017. Courtship “We were partnered together in biology class,” said Leah, “and we got to know each other throughout the semester. We bonded over the fact that we both liked the song ‘Dozen Roses and a Six-Pack’ by Cole Swindell. Two of our close friends also were dating, and they asked us if we wanted to go on double date to the bowling alley with them. We said yes and hit it off so quickly. “I remember Brendan’s friend Cole saying, ‘Brendan, she is perfect for you. She never stops talking and you never talk.’” Leah smiled. After that first date, Leah began going to Brendan’s wrestling meets, and he came to support her at her basketball games. “We joked around many times about how we wanted to get married young,” Brendan said. As their courtship continued, the couple was voted “Most Likely to Get Married” by their classmates. After graduating in 2019, Leah, the daughter of Jerry and Wanda Weis of Decorah, started college at the University of Northern Iowa. Brendan, the son of Aaron and Melissa Lovstuen of near Burr Oak, remained in Decorah, working at Casper Plumbing and Heating. He completed the HVAC apprenticeship program, becoming an HVAC journeyman. Leah graduated summa cum laude with a major in psychology and a minor in business. Leah now works in finance/sales at Weis GMC. Those years spent apart meant many trips back and forth to see each other on weekends, and Leah reminisced about the
Weis Lovstuen wedding
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