In the coming weeks (October 2025), two voices familiar to Nebraska airwaves will be making headlines of their own. Karla Nichols and Rebel Sjeklocha, both broadcasters with the Nebraska Rural Radio Network, are preparing to walk down the aisle—just two weeks apart. Though they work out of different locations—Nichols at KBEAR (KBRY) in Broken Bow, and Sjeklocha remotely from the Sandhills—the two share more than just a passion for rural broadcasting. Their paths crossed early in their careers, when Nichols was an intern and Sjeklocha was one of the many people who helped show her the ropes.
“She kind of walked me around and helped me figure out where to go,” Nichols says. “We started at the same spot before branching off, so it’s really cool that our weddings are happening around the same time.”
Nichols, who grew up on a farm and ranch near Miller, Nebraska, will marry Bradyn Whittington on October 18 at the Stuhr Museum in Grand Island (pictured at right). The couple has been together since 2021, and their engagement was just as intentional as their carefully chosen wedding date.
“I always joked about wanting a picnic date,” Nichols says. “He always brushed it off, but then on our third anniversary, he surprised me with one—and proposed right there in the park.”
The wedding will feature autumnal colors with sunflower accents and a backdrop of a historic 1800s church—tying together their love for fall, faith and history. Her four sisters and niece will play special roles in the bridal party, making the celebration a full family affair.
Meanwhile, Sjeklocha will marry Cade Adamson on November 1 at the couple’s fifth-generation ranch near Cody. The two met in college as ag communication majors and shared a circle of friends but didn’t start dating until after graduation.
“Our foundation was friendship first,” Sjeklocha says. “We both love rodeo, ranching and the western lifestyle, so it just made sense.”
Cade proposed in their favorite pasture, but not before launching into an impromptu lesson on native grasses—his nervous way of getting her into frame for a GoPro recording of the big moment.
“I was just standing there thinking, ‘Why is he telling me about grass?’” Sjeklocha laughs. “Then he got down on one knee.”
Their wedding will be held overlooking the family’s ranching valley, followed by a small-town reception in Valentine with live music and dancing.
Despite busy schedules and careers steeped in agriculture, both women have embraced the beauty of simplicity, family and intentional celebration. And while their reporting may often cover weather, markets and rural affairs, this fall, it’s personal stories—of commitment, community, and love—that are taking center stage.
