Yolanda & Hans
Wedding Party
Yolanda and Hans
The Happy Couple
Thank you for taking the time to visit this Wedding Party page. There are so many friends, family members, classmates, colleagues, sorority sisters and fraternity brothers who mean so much to us. We are grateful for all of the loved ones in our lives from PVU, Gustavus, Hamline, US Bank, TWU, St. Thomas, UNT, Atlanta, Virginia, Chisago Lakes, Washington, DC, Maryland, North Carolina, Arkansas, Texarkana, Oregon, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Seattle, California, Texas, New York, Massachusetts and any other city or state I may have failed to include. You have enriched our lives beyond measure and we will be forever grateful for your continued friendship. With Care and Appreciation, Yolanda & Hans
Faye Hansen
Mother of the Groom
Matriarch of the Hansen family, Faye's personality is bubbly, charming and endearing. She fiercely loves her children and grandchildren and welcomed me into the Hansen family with open arms. She means what she says and says what she means. She makes a delicious pot roast and is thrilled to see how happy Hans and I are when we are together. I especially love listening to the stories she shares with me about how she and Ted (Hans' late father) raised their 4 children: Hans, Erik, Heidi and Leif. The tender and passionate affection she still has for her late husband makes my heart swell with anticipation as I embark on my own "love story" with her first-born son.
Clarice Armstrong Taylor
Mother of the Bride
My mother is absolutely giddy about the fact that one of her children is finally tying the knot. She has been waiting for this occasion for a long time now. She is the biggest supporter of the strong bond of love, friendship and companionship that Hans and I have found with one another. As a hopeless romantic, my mother wanted to make sure that Hans made me truly happy and that he was going to take care of her first-born daughter. Mom and Hans connected very quickly. They send texts back and forth to each other, he calls her to just say hello and she tells us all the time how excited she is to have him join our family.
Richard Armstrong
Father of the Bride
Get ready to pass the tissues because my dad is going to shed some tears at the wedding. #FACTS. Our father has always worked hard to provide for his wife and 3 children, but now, in retirement, he can relax a little and enjoy the fruits of his labor. His 3 rules for all of us in college were: "Eat, Sleep and Study." His legacy as a father has always been to prepare us to be the best, work hard and achieve personal and professional success. As his first-born daughter, I have always wondered when the date and time would come when my father would finally be able to walk me down the aisle and "give me away" to the man of my dreams. 2022 is the year it will all happen and I know he will be a Proud Papa!
Dr. Noreal Armstrong
Maid of Honor
I prayed for a baby sister and God granted my wish. The bond that Noreal and I share as sisters has been such a blessing. I am honored to have her in my life and standing by my side on my wedding day. I do not have enough words to articulate how much she means to me. She has been my cheerleader, my confidant, my support system, my travel companion, my fellow Hercule Poirot fan and my six-hours-in-one-store shopping buddy. (#TRUE STORY). She has been my "ride or die" for as long as I can remember and this day will truly be a magical experience with her by my side, every step of the way. #DOCTORNO #YO&NO
Amanda Vaughn
Matron of Honor
Amanda, her husband "Shremp", and her two beautiful children, Porter and Tobin, are "family" to me and I did not know how my heart was going to adjust to being away from "the sounds of family" when I left Denton and moved to Minnesota. But, Amanda's family is in Wisconsin, so I get to see her more than I thought I would. Amanda has seen me grow and mature, personally and professionally. Her love, support, advice and loyal friendship have all been invaluable to me over the last 10 years. Through thick and thin, Amanda has been there for me when I have needed her. Born one day after my sister, she, too, is a Gemini and I often joke that Amanda is my "sister from another mister."
Esther Wong Hershman
Bridesmaid
Esther and I met in 2001 while working for the Office of Event Management @ the American Red Cross National Headquarters in Washington, DC. She is equally (if not more) beautiful on the inside as she is on the out. Esther taught me a lot about the true meaning of friendship and for that, I will be forever grateful. Whether we were strolling along K Street, planning conferences and events, working out at the gym or dining at our favorite sushi restaurant, our days were always (and still are) filled with gut-busting laughter from so many inside jokes. When you meet Esther at the reception, be sure to ask her, "Who's Scottie?"
Amber Gilani
Bridesmaid
Amber was a Resident Assistant I hired at Crumley Hall when I worked for the University of North Texas. Her genius-level intelligence was unparalleled @ UNT and she continues to surpass all others while currently in Pharmacy School. As a fellow Capricorn, we bonded quickly. Truth be told, Amber was an amazing RA and she joined the "inner circle" of RAs who were (and still are) my favorites because they have had my back and have been there for me through thick and thin. (#KMNOYM). I am beyond grateful that I had the opportunity to work with her and develop such an amazing "forever friend." Fun Fact: Amber absolutely loves goats and wants to raise them one day.
Kenley Hansen
Flower Girl
Kenley is the effervescent daughter of Leif and Kristin Hansen. She and I bonded very quickly soon after I started dating Hans. During our July 4, 2021, family vacation in Bemidji, MN, Kenley looked up at me and said, "Yolanda, I wish you were my Aunt......Uncle Hans, when are you gonna make that happen??" After Hans popped the question a few weeks later, she now affectionally calls me her "Almost Aunt." Spending time with Kenley at Hansen family gatherings is one of my favorite things to do. FACT: Kenley is keeping me on my toes as my "Human Google Calendar" and will not let me forget that we need to go dress shopping for her flower girl dress. Can't wait to see her sprinkle those pink flower petals!!
Jacob Hansen
Bride Announcer
Jacob is the son of Leif and Kristin Hansen. When I tell you that this young man has a heart of gold, I am not exaggerating. He is sweet, kind, considerate, loving, warm, friendly, polite, genuine and caring. I could go on and on and on. He tells me all the time how excited he is to celebrate our wedding. To Jacob, we are "Uncle Hans and The Yo-ster" and he is going to ring the bell, sing out loud and let you know, "The bride is coming...the bride is coming!!" Hans and I are so overjoyed to have this sweet and endearing young man in our lives. None of us Armstrong children have any kids of our own, so this is my first opportunity to actually have a young niece and nephew in my life.
Tobin Vaughn
Ring Bearer
Tobin (son of the Matron of Honor) has one of the biggest personalities I have ever seen in someone his age. His smile lights up a room, his laughter is contagious and he is wise beyond his young years. He is extremely analytical, and you can see "the wheels spinning in his brain" as he effortlessly works to convince you that his way is the "only right way." He is as cute as a button and when I would babysit, he would charm me into letting him watch "just one more show Yo-Yo"....how can you resist that face!!?? He is going to look so sharp walking down the aisle as my Ring Bearer. Watch out world, here comes Tobin Vaughn!!
Porter Vaughn
Wedding Dress Train Attendant
Porter (daughter of the Matron of Honor) has blossomed into such a beautiful and outgoing young lady. She gives the best hugs and is a proud big sister to her brother Tobin. I miss curling up on the couch with her underneath a cozy blanket while watching cartoons and movies. As soon as she saw me in August 2021, she immediately said, "Is that an engagement ring on your finger?" Talk about OBSERVANT!! She is absolutely thrilled for us and I am honored to have her walking down the aisle with me as my "train attendant." Hans will get to officially meet the Vaughn family in January 2022. We are so excited!!
Ramona Norman
Ring Security
I met Ramona in 1993. I was sitting on the floor of Video Giant with a bunch of exercise tapes in front of me trying to find the best workout. Intrigued, she asked me if I had ever heard of an exercise company called "The Firm" and from there our friendship blossomed. In each other, we found that "die hard workout buddy" with endurance and stamina to do a thousand leg raises, crunches, donkey kicks, arm curls and glute squeezes and still go on a 7-mile walk. Ramona introduced me to spa facials, manicures, foot soaks and body butters and was the "big sister" I never had. Through break-ups and heartaches, she has been by my side and she will always be the epitome of grace & elegance in my eyes. She will be keeping the jewels secure on the day of the ceremony before passing the case to Tobin.
Hailey Quass
Bouquet Attendant
Hailey is the daughter of Hans' first daughter Alex Hansen Quass. During a trip to Utah in Oct. 2021, I was finally able to meet Hailey and see for myself the "big personality" that I had heard so much about. After the first 24-hours of slowly breaking the ice, the rest of the weekend was a blur! We played hide and go seek, did a 4-mile hike, saw live Buffalo, walked the streets of Park City, played with dolls, did a photo AND a video shoot all over the house, celebrated her birthday, went bowling, played countless guessing games, shopped at the mall, played with the cat and many other things I know I have forgotten. The above picture TRULY captures the essence of her personality. Hailey (and her mom Alex) will be holding /watching over my wedding bouquet immediately after the ceremony.
Leif Hansen
Best Man
Leif is the youngest brother of the groom and father of the Flower Girl and Bride Announcer. By day, Leif teaches Physical Education and by night, he is still full of energy to guide, train, mold and shape his four children with his amazing wife Kristin. Leif has so much patience as a father and he is a dedicated, devoted and loving husband to Kristin. Watching him interact with his family is such a beautiful thing. A man of faith and perseverance, Leif has been there for Hans so many times and he has stood by his oldest brother through all of life's ups and downs. We are so excited to have Leif stand beside us on our special day and be a witness as we share our vows and start a new life together.
Chris Lottsfeldt
Groomsman
The brother in-law of the groom, Chris is one of the most admirable men the groom knows and not just because he has been married to Hans' sister Heidi for more than 20 years! His work with children and individuals in need in Ramsey County has been a source of awe and inspiration for Hans. Chris enjoys a good beer, which is also something that he shares in common with Hans. To this day, Chris is an extremely talented musician, golfer and hockey goalie. He is like a fine wine that just keeps getting better with time!
Mike Oakes
Groomsman
Mike, affectionally called "Oakes," is a best friend, former roommate, and trusted confidant of Hans for more than 30 years. Oakes grew up in Cambridge, Minnesota, where his school's teams always beat Hans' schools in basketball due to his eagle eye, excellent shooting coordination and just overall "mad crazy skills" on the court. Hans and Oakes both went to Gustavus Adolphus College as undergraduates where they rushed Epsilon Pi Alpha Fraternity. Oakes has been there to help Hans out of more pickles than can be remembered by either of them!
Joe Holt
Groomsman
Joe is another long-time friend of the groom from Gustavus Adolphus via Madison, Wisconsin. He also rushed Epsilon Pi Alpha Fraternity like Hans and "Oakes." Joe and Hans have remained in frequent contact with each other over the years and have watched each other's kids grow up. Joe has been a loyal and devoted friend to Hans and has been an integral source of support, as only a good friend can, while Hans managed a wide variety of life's challenges. Hans and Joe have had so many great times with each other that to list them could lead to the opening of several cold cases in locales throughout the country!