October 5, 2005
Cars driving force behind wedding
Traverse City nuptials feature three antique cars belonging to bride's family
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
Two car families joined a generation ago gathered Friday afternoon to convey a beloved daughter and granddaughter, her groom and their attendants from wedding to reception.
Kristin Kaskinen, a native of Kaleva, wed Eric Holekamp of Ballwin, Mo., Friday afternoon at the Trinity Lutheran Church. After the ceremony, the bride's father drove the couple to their reception at the City Opera House in the first of three antique cars. The route included a stop at the Grand Traverse Commons for more pictures.
This car, a 1947 Chevrolet, belongs to her paternal grandfather, Norm Kaskinen of Kaleva. The classic four-door sedan previously played a prominent chauffeuring role during the 1981 nuptials of Kristin's parents in her father's hometown of Kaleva.
The second car in the procession, a 1930 Ford Model A, belongs to the bride's maternal grandparents, Russ and Sally Cole of Traverse City. Russ, who drove the car Friday, and his son, Steve, the bride's uncle, restored the vehicle during the 1970s.
The third and final car in the parade was a 1936 Chevrolet driven by the bride's younger brother, Dan. This car had been a wedding present from Kristin's father to her mother when they married 24 years ago. Her parents, Rick and Sandi Kaskinen, a Traverse City native and Senior High graduate, also included this classic Chevrolet in their wedding parade.
Considering that Friday's newlyweds met and bonded around cars, the wedding featured picture perfect coaches.
"Cars are important to the family, we are a car family," said Sandi Kaskinen, who with her husband owns Kaskinen Auto Sales in Kaleva, where they also have a towing service and a repair business. "That's what brought them together."
"She asked for the cars, could we please get them ready," recalled Kristin's mother. "Afterward she said, 'Thank you for doing the cars,' It made her feel really special to ride around town in the two cars."
Kristin and Eric connected while students at Northwood University in Midland. Both graduated from the school's automotive marketing program, Eric in May of 2004 and Kristin in January of 2005. They became engaged in April and planned a June 2006 wedding.
Spellbound by the renovated City Opera House, Kristin knew it was perfect for the reception. She moved the wedding up to last Friday to grab an open date and hold the festivities before the stately facility closed next year for more renovations. The moderate-sized wedding drew 110 attendees, including guests from California and Missouri.
"It was either now or two years from now," said Sandi Kaskinen about the City Opera House. "She fell in love with it. We had quite a scramble to put the wedding together in that time."
Sandi and her daughter planned the wedding long distance, with discussions and decisions heating up the phone lines between Kaleva and Kristin's home in Creve Coeur, near St. Louis, Mo. Everything came off without a hitch and her mother saw her Cinderella glide down the aisle Friday afternoon.
Before that momentous occasion, even the cars merited Kristin's meticulous attention as she requested classy decorations. On Friday, the 1947 Chevy drove away trailing strings of silk flowers with a bright but small "Just Married" sign on the back.
"She's very particular: no balloons, no streamers, no this and no that, and NO CANS," recalled Sandi.