Tina Foehlinger & Christian Hansen

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Tina Foehlinger saw her destiny in a diary entry: “I'm in love with Christian. I want to marry him someday.”

As a teenager and then as a young woman, the former Miss Nebraska's heart always fluttered at the thought of Christian Hansen.

“We've known each other since we were 5,” Tina says. Their families were members of Faith Presbyterian Church in Papillion, and Tina and Christian were in the same confirmation class. They never dated but, “my goodness, I've always had such a crush on him,” Tina says.

The feeling was mutual. It just took 20 years to reveal itself.

The Hansen family moved from Papillion to Denver when Christian was 17. College and life took the childhood friends in different directions. Finally, in the fall of 2009, Christian found Tina on Facebook.  

 He was living in Raleigh, N.C., and invited her to visit. She went the weekend before Thanksgiving and had a great time. By coincidence, her family was headed for Denver – where Christian's parents still lived – to spend the holiday with relatives. Tina extended her Raleigh stay, then flew with Christian to Denver. Their parents reconnected. From then on, Tina and Christian saw each other just about every other weekend.

On a February 2010 visit to Omaha, Christian suggested they go to Borsheims to look at rings. Tina thought, “Oh, my gosh ….” But that visit came and went without a proposal. “I knew it was coming,” but she didn't think he'd propose in Raleigh. 

In early March, Christian secretly reserved a Raleigh art gallery for a private dinner, complete with champagne and flowers. With her dad's blessing, Christian popped the question.

After an intimate meal, they went to The Raleigh Times Bar, where 50 friends were waiting to celebrate with the couple. “I called every friend I had in Nebraska that night,” Tina says.

They were married that October by the same pastor who had confirmed them and who had also married her parents. With a guest list of 400, however, the ceremony couldn't be held at the church where they grew up.   

Tina's twin, Tammy, was matron of honor. Brook Matthews Hudson, Tina's one-time rival in the Miss America competition, was among the bridesmaids.  

The newlyweds, who share a love of the visual and performing arts, held their reception at Joslyn Art Museum.

Their wedding evoked Old Hollywood glamour, from black tuxes and bow ties for Christian and his groomsmen, to a classic car and driver for the bridal couple.     

Tina, a former twirler with the Nebraska Marching Band, and Christian are living in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. He works for Cisco Systems Inc. She works for the American Heart Association of New York State in Albany. She held a similar position with the Heart Association in Omaha.

“We all try to find the right person. It just took a while,” says Tina, 31.

 And the diary? Their first family heirloom.

WHO DID WHAT

CEREMONY SITE First Central Congregational Church

RECEPTION SITE Joslyn Art Museum

CATERER Hap Abraham

FLOWERS Stacie Combs, Petal Creations, Lincoln

BRIDAL GOWN Suburban Bridal

TUXES Men's Wearhouse

RINGS Borsheims

CAKE Karen Brothe, The Cake Lady

TRANSPORTATION VIP Limousine

CEREMONY MUSIC Ryan Pivonka

RECEPTION MUSIC Complete Music

LIGHTING Theatrical Media Services

PHOTOGRAPHER Multi-Images Photography