01 OKO 02-24

One day, two gowns 

BRIDAL EDITION 

Two days, two ceremonies 

Business captures memories 

FEBRUARY 2024 

VOLUME 37 | NO. 1 | $4.95 

Love 

ENDLESS

Audi Q7 

Style with plenty 

of substance. 

2023 Audi Q7 shown.

FEBRUARY 2024 OKOBOJI MAGAZINE 3

SIOUX FALLS 

Bridges at 57 th 

SIOUX CITY • SIOUX FALLS • OMAHA • FARGO • WAYZATA 

2109 W. 57TH STREET • SIOUX FALLS, SD • (605)338-9060 • WWW.GUNDERSONS.COM

OKOBOJI CONTENTS 

16 

11 

FEATURES 

11 LOVE ONLINE 

Andrea and Jeff Gjerde 

make dreams come true in Okoboji 

16 LOVE IN THE AIR 

DeCleene and Goehring 

plan destination Okoboji wedding 

21 FALLING IN LOVE IN OKOBOJI 

The romance story of Brooke Foster 

and Alex Rier has many chapters set 

in the Iowa Great Lakes 

34 OKOBOJI FUN 

The wedding of Regan Heinrichs and 

Joel Guthrie highlights a number of 

Okoboji favorites 

21 

ON THE COVER 34 

Joel Guthrie and Regan Heinrichs 

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KYLIE CLARE 


OKOBOJI CONTENTS 

28 

40 

SPECIAL 

28 MAKING OLD NEW AGAIN 

Stoeckels welcome visitors with 

renovated historic house 

40 HEIRLOOM MEMORIES 

TFC Photography & Film turns 

dreams into reality 

46 CANDLE CREATIONS 

El + El Candle Co. offers aromatic 

experience 

50 THE SECRET TO SUCCESS 

Kiwanis Club members are University 

of Okoboji Chili Champions 

OKOBOJI Magazine 

is dedicated to an upscale, 

fun-filled midstates 

lifestyle, exemplified by 

the homes, activities and 

traditions that make up 

the Iowa Great Lakes. The 

magazine is distributed 

in northwestern Iowa, 

southwestern Minnesota, 

eastern South Dakota and 

eastern Nebraska. We 

welcome suggestions, story 

ideas and letters to the editor. 

founder and publisher 

Peter W. Wagner 

president 

Jeff Wagner 

editor 

Myrna Wagner 

sales 

Brittany Dolphin 

writing team 

Kate Harlow 

Rylan Howe 

editorial design 

Kirsten Elyea 

Thea Sterrett 

advertising design 

Carissa Frohwein 

Elizabeth Myers 

Chelsea Parks 

Kira Spaans 

photography 

Rylan Howe 

FEBRUARY 2024 

VOLUME 37 | NO. 1 | $4.95 

IN EVERY ISSUE 

8 EDITOR’S VIEW 

Welcome to another year and another 

chapter of love at the Lakes 

54 OKOBOJI FOOD 

Try your hand at a new version of a soup 

with this white chicken chili recipe 

60 LOOK AROUND THE LAKES 

Ice safety reminders, Speier Park playground 

update, new speed limit 

46 

OKOBOJI Magazine is published 

seven times a year by Iowa 

Information, Inc., Sheldon, Iowa. 

For advertising rates and 

other questions, please contact us. 

Okoboji Magazine 

PO Box 160, Sheldon IA 51201 

800-247-0186 | 712-324-5347 

Fax (712) 324-2345 

okoboji@iowainformation.com 

Write or call if you would like to 

subscribe to OKOBOJI Magazine. 

A one-year subscription costs $20. 

©2024 OKOBOJI Magazine 

No material from this publication 

may be copied or in any way 

reproduced without written 

permission from the publisher. 

Okobojimag.com 

6 OKOBOJI MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2024

CONTACT US TODAY 

TO EXPERIENCE THE 

OKOBOJI REALTY 

DIFFERENCE 

1121 BROOKS PARK DRIVE, PO BOX 815, OKOBOJI, IA 51355 

RYAN MARIS 

712.330.9572 

MICKEY HARRINGTON 

712.320.2725 

AMY ACKLEY MARIS 

712.330.2890 

Licensed in Iowa

EDITOR’S VIEW 

Welcome to another year and 

another chapter of love at the Lakes 

kind of has it 

all when it comes to 

“Okoboji 

weddings.” 

I wish I could take credit 

for that comment, since I completely 

agree, but it was made by Tim Fuchs, 

whose business TFC Photography 

& Film gets a front-row seat to many 

Okoboji nuptials. 

He shares that comment with us in a 

story about his business on page 40 of 

this issue. As Fuchs observes, we are 

blessed with lovely churches, historic 

and nostalgic locations like Arnolds 

Park, the Queen II and the Majestic 

Pavilion, beautiful natural settings and 

parks, including Gull Point and Mini 

Wakan State Parks, church camps and 

even repurposed barns. 

But more than that, there’s a network 

of vendors ready to step in for all 

aspects of planning and executing a 

wedding. Jewelry stores. Dress galleries. 

Florists. Caterers. DJs. Musicians. 

Event planners. 

Owners are local and involved. They 

might be a neighbor, fellow church 

member, friend-of-a-friend, or share 

commitment in a service organization. 

They want to contribute to a magical 

wedding for the couple and their 

guests. A small rural market is a distinct 

advantage when it comes to working 

with people who care. 

We share four magical wedding 

stories in this issue, beginning with 

a couple who danced their way into 

romance after spending three months 

talking on the phone before meeting 

in person. Andrea and Jeff Gjerde 

exchanged vows at Swiss Acres, with 

the bride selecting two dresses for the 

day and the groom showcasing two 

custom-finished motorcycles at the 

venue. 

Seth DeCleene and Allison Goehring 

selected the Iowa Great Lakes for 

their wedding since the area is home 

for Allison and her family was able to 

help with planning and arrangements. 

They also concluded it would be nice 

for only one side of the wedding guests 

to have to travel. The couple selected 

St. Joseph’s in Milford for a full Catholic 

wedding and The Bend for the festivities 

that followed. 

Falling in love with the background of 

the Iowa Great Lakes was easy for Alex 

Rier and Brooke Foster. Their families 

each have Okoboji homes, and both 

spent summers here. They were torn 

between a traditional church wedding 

and one on the beach. Eventually they 

decided to do both — Friday evening 

with just family at the church and Saturday 

afternoon with friends and family on 

the sandy shore. 

Many other Okoboji icons became 

part of their wedding day, including The 

Tavern for their rehearsal dinner, the 

Majestic Pavilion for the reception and 

late night snacks from Taco House. 

Our final couple, Regan Heinrichs 

and Joel Guthrie, filled their day with 

Okoboji fun, including the wedding 

taking place at Gull Point State Park 

and a reception onboard the Queen II. 

While both are originally from the Iowa 

Great Lakes, they now live in Colorado 

but knew this was where they wanted to 

say “I do.” 

While couples have often included 

a unity candle in their ceremony, a new 

Lakes-area business El + El Candles 

Co., allows the bride and groom to craft 

a unique fragrance of their own. Owner 

Liz Steiner saw an opportunity to combine 

her entrepreneurial spirit, love of 

candles and desire to be more available 

to her young daughters. Her business 

isn’t strictly for wedding couples, and 

she has many ideas for how she can 

grow her venture. 

Randall and Karen Stoeckel are Minnesota 

residents with a love for the Iowa 

Great Lakes, particularly the charm of 

an older home they renovated on Hill 

Avenue in Spirit Lake. It is an eclectic 

mix of old and new, color and pattern, 

welcoming and dramatic. With its central 

location, the couple saw potential 

in both the charm of the house and the 

ability to generate revenue by using the 

home as a short-term rental property. 

No matter the reason that brings 

you, your family and your friends to 

the Iowa Great Lakes — we trust you’ll 

leave with love in your hearts. 


SIGNS OF 

THE TIMES 

1952 – 1960 

1971 – 1985 

2005 – 20?? 

1985 – 2005 

1960 – 1971 

Experience & knowledge you can trust 

HOIEN REALTY - Lakeshore Specialists Since 1952 

712.336.2790 ][ 1723 Hill Avenue, Spirit Lake, IA ][ www.hoien.com


OKOBOJI WEDDINGS 

TEXT BY KATE HARLOW 

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHAELA GROSS, 

SHAELA ELISE PHOTOGRAPHY 

ANDREA AND 

JEFF GJERDE 

MAKE DREAMS 

COME TRUE IN 

OKOBOJI 

love 

online 

It was a love match made by today’s foremost 

matchmaker — the internet. 

Andrea Bushland and Jeff Gjerde met 

through the online dating app eHarmony. 

Andrea grew up in Wausau, WI, and Jeff 

grew up in Spirit Lake. 

“We talked every day, we did not miss 

a single day. After three months he said he 

was coming to see me,” Andrea said. “So he 

came to Wisconsin, and the first day that he 

came to see me was Nov. 11, 2016.” 

Their first date, ironically, included an 

activity Jeff wasn’t too fond of, but that he 

eventually grew to love. 


“He said he wasn’t much of a dancer, so 

he said anything but dancing,” Andrea said. 

But he soon lifted his one stipulation. “Well, 

there happened to be a big party, and it 

was at the Grand Theater in our town, and 

they have a band and dancing, and it’s usually 

a sold out venue every year. I told Jeff I 

had two tickets and invited him to go with 

me. We went shopping for cocktail attire, 

and off we went to the party, that first date.” 

They danced the night away and that 

was the start of their relationship. 

Ever since that first date, they try to 

make it back to the 11-11 party in Wisconsin. 

And it became a special way to celebrate 

that anniversary every year. So when 

Jeff decided to propose in 2021, that date, 

11-11, just made sense. 

“We were in Des Moines and went to a 

French restaurant. We ordered dinner and 

then he disappeared to the bathroom and 

he gave the engagement ring to the waitress. 

She came out with dessert with the 

ring and he got down on one knee in the 

restaurant and proposed,” Andrea said. 

The couple lives in Arthur Heights. Jeff 

owns Gjerde Production Painting and 

Gjerde Collision Center while Andrea has 

instructed the MA program at Iowa Lakes 

Community College. When it came time 

to plan a wedding, the Iowa Great Lakes 

seemed perfect. 

The most important thing to the couple 

was that their wedding day was about family 

and fun. 

“Our families are very important to us 

both and we wanted to make sure our parents 

were there and that everybody was 

having a good time,” Andrea said. “We 

wanted to make sure it was just a fun, casual 

and relaxed time.” 

They were married at Swiss Acres in 


Terril on June 17. 

Andrea and Jeff each had four attendants, 

including Jeff’s three children. 

The women wore mauve dresses and 

the men wore gray linen pants and vests 

with a white dress shirt. 

On her wedding day, Andrea felt like a 

princess and looked like one too. 

“I was a little spoiled and I had 

two dresses. I had a ballgown to start 

with and then after we cut the cake I 

switched into the dancing dress,” Andrea 

said. “I knew I wasn’t going to be 

able to dance in a ballgown so I wanted 

a nice summer dancing dress.” 

Gjerde Production Painting builds 

custom motorcycles for Indian Motorcycles. 

So they had two bikes in their 

ceremony, sitting in each corner of the 

venue. 

To aid in their goal of their guests having 

a really relaxed and fun time, they 

started the wedding on the right foot — 

with a drink. 

“We had a little sign that said, ‘Come 

Andrea and Jef 

Gjerde were married 

on June 17, 

2024, at Swiss 

Acres in Terril, IA. 


in, grab a spot and have a drink before we tie 

the knot,’” Jeff said. “We went to a wedding a 

few years before where they gave you a cocktail 

while you were sitting down before the 

VENDORS 

VENUE: SWISS ACRES, 

TERRIL 

CATERING: YESTERDAYS 

FLOWERS: FERGUSONS 

CAKE: HY-VEE BAKERY 

PHOTOGRAPHER: 

SHAELA GROSS, 

SHAELA ELISE 

PHOTOGRAPHY 

ceremony and I thought that 

made it so much more relaxing.” 

After the ceremony, shuttles 

took guests to The Waterfront 

for cocktails and hors 

d’oeuvres before coming 

back to Swiss Acres for the 

reception. 

Dinner was catered by 

Yesterdays and featured pork 

tenderloin, chicken, carrots, 

asparagus and au gratin potatoes. 

Dessert was a four layer 

cake, decorated sugar cookies and an Oreo 

cake that Andrea saw on Pinterest. 

“We did have a lot of dessert there, but we 

have a lot of friends and families that love dessert,” 

Andrea said. 

Musician Danny Grouse provided the music 

at the reception. 

“He was amazing. Everybody danced,” 

Andrea said. “We like to go out and listen to 

bands so we decided to have live music.” 

After dancing the night away, the couple 

rode away in style in Jeff’s wedding present to 

Andrea — a 1966 Mustang convertible. 

“I’ve liked Mustangs since I was about 16 

years old and I’ve always dreamed about having 

a ’66 Mustang since I was that age,” Andrea 

said. “I was floored when I walked out 

and saw the Mustang and I realized that it was 

mine.” 

It was a wedding day that brought so many 

of their dreams to reality. • 





PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHELSI HECTOR, 

C STARR PHOTOGRAPHY 

love 

in the air 

DECLEENE AND GOEHRING PLAN 

DESTINATION OKOBOJI WEDDING 

When Seth DeCleene proposed to 

Allison Goehring she felt like she 

was flying. 

And that’s because she was. 

His proposal took place at about 10,000 

feet above the ground when the two were 

on a romantic evening helicopter ride above 

Scottsdale, Arizona, on Labor Day weekend in 

2022. 

As they were gazing at the sunset over the 

mountains, Seth asked her over the microphone 

in his headset. 

It sounds like something you might see in 

a movie. But it isn’t just the couple’s proposal 

that is a plot worthy of film. So, too is the story 

of how they met. 

Allison and Seth grew up hundreds of miles 

apart and when they went to college they 

added even more miles between them. 

Allison grew up in Okoboji and graduated 

from Okoboji High School in 2018. She then 

moved further north to attend the College of 

St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN, for her undergraduate 

studies. Seth is from Kokomo, Indiana, 

and upon high school graduation, he 

moved south to attend college at Ave Maria 

University. 

Despite the roughly 1,800-mile distance, 


Allison and Seth 

DeCleene were married 

at St. Joesph’s 

Catholic Church on 

Aug. 4, 2023. They 

held their reception 

at The Bend in 

Milford, IA. 

the two still happened to meet in 

2020. 

“Two of my best friends from 

high school, Grace Eckard and Taylor 

Titterington, also went to Ave 

Maria University in Florida. I would 

visit them when I had breaks from 

school. They were all in a big group 

of friends with Seth, and so I met 

him through them,” Allison said. 

“It’s crazy how it 

works out.” 

The two fell in 

love despite the 

distance. 

“Seth is very 

funny. He makes 

me laugh all the 

time. We share a 

lot of the same 

morals and values, 

which helps 

us when we’re 

thinking of family 

and future. He’s 

very intelligent and kind. Honestly, 

he’s just my best friend. He makes 

everything super fun,” Allison said. 

They continued to date long distance 

until Seth moved to Arizona in 

January of 2023 after proposing the 

summer before. 

When it came time to plan their 

wedding,“there were a lot of options 

on location before landing on Okoboji. 

“When we were planning the 

wedding, we thought that Okoboji 

would be the best place because 

then only one side would have to 

travel. Since my parents are locals, 

they were able to help out with the 

planning as needed. It was also 

very nice that both sides of parents 

were able to get to know each other 

through communicating about the 

planning process.” 

In addition to hosting the wedding 

in Okoboji, there were two other 

aspects that were very important 

to both bride and groom. 


VENDORS 

CATERING: HY-VEE 

CAKE AND CUPCAKES: SWEET ANNA’S BAKERY 

MUSIC: DJ NATE 

PHOTOGRAPHY: C STARR PHOTOGRAPHY, 

CHELSI STARR 

FLOWERS: TINA EDWARDS, ELEMENTS 

WEDDING DRESS: GRAND BRIDAL, SPENCER 

“ W e a r e b o t h 

Catholic, so keeping 

the wedding very 

centered around God 

and holy matrimony 

as a sacrament was 

incredibly important 

to us. We wanted an 

authentically Catholic 

ceremony filled 

with all the traditional 

elements. We also 

wanted our guests 

to feel how beautiful 

the gift of marriage 

is,” Allison said. “The 

second main element 

Seth and I wanted 

was to make sure the 

reception was fun for 

everyone and that our 

guests could dance, 

celebrate, and get to 

know each other.” 

They were married 

in the church that Allison grew up attending — 

St. Joseph’s Catholic Church and they were 

wed on Aug. 4. They made sure to make it special 

for Seth as well by including someone from 

his past. 

“I had gone to church at St. Joseph’s 

throughout my childhood, and then we had one 

of Seth’s family friends, Father 

Joshua Bennett, who 

came from Indiana to celebrate 

the ceremony for us,” 

Allison said. “It was really 

sweet that we had something 

special from both 

sides there.” 

The traditions of a Catholic 

wedding ceremony were important 

to the couple. 

“The songs and readings 

always impact the arrangement 

of a Catholic wedding. 

A highlight for us was the 

homily from Father Bennett 

which emphasized how 

much of a blessing marriage 

is”,” Allison said. ““We 

chose the traditional Catholic 

vows because they have been the same 

ones used for a long time and that was really 

special to us.” 

Another traditional thing that took place during 

the ceremony was the first look. 

“We didn’t see each other before the ceremony 

and did the traditional first look when 

I was walking down the aisle,” Allison said. “It 

was so emotional, but it was really good. I’m really 

happy that we ended up doing it like that. It 

was special.” 

Allison wore an A-line crepe gown while the 

groom and his eight groomsmen wore black 

suits and black ties. The bridesmaids kept it 

classic with floor length black dresses. 

“We wanted to keep it classy and also very 


timeless. We did a bunch of different 

colors of wildflowers as our floral. 

That’s where we had fun,” Allison 

said. “We are very fun and lighthearted, 

so I think it fit very well.” 

After the ceremony, the bridal 

party snapped some 

more photos and took 

a hayride to the venue 

for the reception at The 

Bend. 

A c o c k t a i l h o u r 

was followed by dinner 

which featured Allison’s 

dad’s culinary 

skills. 

“My dad made the 

pulled pork and then 

Hy-Vee Catering did 

our sides,” Allison said. 

“For dessert Seth and 

I shared a one-tiered 

cake, and our guests 

had cupcakes made 

by Sweet Anna’s Bakery.” 

For their first dance 

song, they made another 

classic choice. 

“We did our first 

dance to ‘The Best’ by 

Tina Turner. We wanted 

our wedding to be 

very timeless and you 

cannot go wrong with 

Tina Turner,” Allison 

said with a laugh. 

Allison and Seth 

enjoyed many moments 

from their wedding 

day, and while it 

is hard to beat Tina Turner, there is 

one moment that did. 

“My favorite moment was walking 

down the aisle and seeing 

Seth for the first time. There had 

been so much anticipation and I 

was very nervous. Then I turned 

to walk down the aisle, and it was 

just the two of us. From then on, 

that is exactly how it felt the rest of 

the day.” • 


Happily Ever After Starts Here! 

908 8th Street, Orange City, IA • (712) 707-5900 

www.prairiewindseventcenter.com • events@orangecityiowa.com 



The story of Brooke Foster and Alex 

Rier started with love. 

A love for Okoboji. 

It’s a love that has been a central 

setting for many chapters in their love story 

from first dates to a proposal to weddings. 

Brooke is from Prior Lake, Minnesota, and 

Alex hails from Mason City, Iowa, but they 


PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAN ROLLING, 

DAN ROLLING PHOTOGRAPHY 


oth have family that have been visiting the 

Iowa Great Lakes for generations. 

“My parents have had a cabin in Okoboji 

since before I was born and Alex’s mom 

is from the Okoboji area and so is my dad. 

Both of our parents very much love Okoboji 

and have cabins there,” Brooke said. 

They spent their summers enjoying the 

beauty of Okoboji with their families — 

sometimes together. 

“Alex’s mom’s brother was my dad’s best 

man in his wedding and our families were 

family friends,” Brooke said. “When we were 

younger, we would go over to their house, 

jump on the water trampoline and have grill 

outs. We knew each other’s families well.” 

But their romance didn’t get started until 

they were older and they returned to Okoboji 

again as refuges, of a sort, during COVID. 

“In college, I was working in Okoboji over 

the summer and he was doing medical research, 

so timing wise it didn’t work out at 

that point in our lives,” Brooke said. “In 2020, 

we were both in Okoboji a lot, because of 

COVID. I was working from home and he 

was in med school then and all his classes 

were on Zoom. He’d invite me over to go 

Alex Rier and Brooke Foster were married on 

Friday, Aug. 25, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in 

Milford in an intimate setting with only family. 


VENDORS 

VIDEO: DREW DAU FILMS 

CATERING: HI-LO SUPPER CLUB 

LATE NIGHT FOOD: TACO HOUSE 

FLOWERS: INDIGO ROW FLORAL DESIGN 

DJ & PHOTO BOOTH: JOE TAFTA “THE 

SOUND DOCTOR DJ & PHOTO BOOTH” 

DRESS: EDDY K BRIDAL — FROM CHE BELLE 

BOUTIQUE & ALTERATIONS WITH AMY JANE 

STUDIO 

SUIT: MOORMAN CLOTHIERS 

CHURCH: ST. JOSEPH’S CATHOLIC CHURCH 

AND FATHER ZACH JONES 

VENUE: ARNOLDS PARK MAJESTIC PAVILION 

AND THE BEACH AT ARNOLDS PARK 

wake surfing and I would invite him over to go barefoot skiing. 

By August of that summer, we were fully dating.” 

They continued to date long distance for a time while he 

continued with school and Brooke worked in medical sales 

for Medtronic. 

They would journey back and forth to 

see each other between Iowa City and 

the Twin Cities, but they took the next 

step in their story back in Boji. 

“We were home in Okoboji for a full 

month in June 2022 as I was working 

from home and he had a research 

month. It was a random Tuesday night. 

We had a fish fry with my family and 

some of my 

a u n t s a n d 

uncles. He 

asked me if I 

wanted to go 

for a Nutty Bar. 

Her brother, who was along for 

the ride and found out about the 

proposal plan in the car on the 

way to the stand, grabbed a shot 

of Alex down on one knee under 

the lights on the walkway by the 

Nutty Bar stand. 

Alex knew it was the perfect 

spot to propose. 

“We love Okoboji and with the 

lights and everything — plus, ice 

cream is my favorite,” Brooke 

said with a laugh. “He had asked my dad that week before 

and then after he proposed we FaceTimed all of our family.” 

And when it came time to pick a location for the wedding 

there was no question. 

It had to be the Iowa Great Lakes and, in fact, just steps 

away from where they got engaged. 

“We always wanted it to be Okoboji. It’s always been 

a special place to us and always will be. We want a house 

there someday,” Brooke said. “After looking at a few venues 

we just fell in love with the park and Pavilion and the lights 

and all of that. It’s just a classic Okoboji look.” 

Then came a bit of a quandary: get married on the beach 

right by the water next to Arnolds Park Amusement Park and 

adjacent to their reception venue or get married in their Catholic 

Church? 

COUPLE’S ROMANCE STORY IS SET IN THE IOWA GREAT LAKES 


While they were officially married on Friday, Aug. 25, with an intimate church ceremony, Brooke Foster and Alex Rier decided to 

host another wedding the next day on the beach on West Okoboji Lake and include all of their friends and family. 

They eventually decided: Why 

choose? And just decided to do both. 

“My sister got married in 2020 in 

a small dock ceremony with just our 

families and I loved how intimate and 

nice that was and then they did their 

party a year later after COVID. I really 

liked that idea,” Brooke said. “We decided 

to get married on Friday, Aug. 

25, with our immediate families and 

grandparents at St. Joseph’s and then 

have the beach ceremony with all of 

our friends and family all together the 

next day.” 

They were married by a longtime 

family friend Zach Jones. The couple’s 

siblings participated in the ceremony 

by doing readings and it was 

just a beautiful, intimate wedding — 

which is exactly what they wanted. 

They each had their own sibling 

stand up for them as maid of honor 

and best man. 

“It was beautiful.” 

Following the ceremony at the 

church, the couple headed, where 

else but to their rehearsal for the wedding 

the next day. 

“We had the dinner rehearsal at 

The Tavern and rented out the whole 

24 OKOBOJI MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2024

Brooke and Alex 

Rier hosted 

their wedding 

reception at the 

Majestic Pavilion 

at Arnolds Park 

Amusement Park. 

inside. We had our welcome party for our 

out-of-town guests at Arnolds Park Central 

Park and had beer, wine, charcuterie 

and desserts. It was really fun to see everyone 

then, too,” Brooke said. 

For the Saturday ceremony, Brooke 

wore the same strapless sweetheart 

dress, but took off the lace sleeves that 

she had worn for the church ceremony. 

The bridesmaids wore silk, green midlength 

dresses and the groomsmen wore 

charcoal suits with green ties. 

They had the requisite flower girl and 

ring bearer, but also added a few extra 

mini ring bearers, because is anything 

cuter than a toddler in a bow tie? 

With sand under their feet, the bride 

and groom again made their vows to love 

and care for each other in front of all of 

their friends and family on Saturday, Aug. 

26. The second ceremony was no less 

special. Alex’s cousin officiated the ceremony, 

Brooke’s aunt did a reading and 

they did a unity sand ceremony. 

“I brought sand from my parent’s cabin 

on the north end and he brought sand 

from his parent’s who live on the south 

end, and we poured them together,” 

Brooke said. “It was really sweet.” 

The party moved right on to cocktails 

at the Majestic Pavilion which was followed 

by dinner that was catered by Hi- 

Lo in Lakefield, MN. They served three 

varieties of mini cheesecakes. 

They danced the night away until a 

very special delivery was made. 

“My dad got us Taco House late that 

night. They did mini soft shells and everyone 

loved them,” Brooke said. “It was 

so fun.” 

With a love story set in the Iowa Great 

Lakes — the entire weekend sounds like 

a dream come true. • 


Ever so dreamy 

Elegance BY 

FULL SERVICE BRIDAL & PROM BOUTIQUE 

SARAH RUHS 

Please call for your bridal reservation 

1407 Highway 71 N., Okoboji, IA • Phone 712.337.3112 • www.elegancebysarah.com 

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 10-5; Thursday 10-6; Saturday 10-4; Sunday 12-4 (Sunday hours may vary seasonally)


new 

making old 

again 


PHOTOGRAPHY BY EYELOVE PHOTO 

OKOBOJI LIVING 

Randall and Karen Stoeckel have worked to 

bring back the beauty of this historic home on 

Hill Avenue in Spirit Lake and offer it to visitors 

as a short term rental property. 

It takes a special ability to see a diamond in the rough. And 

then special people who can take that diamond and polish it 

until it shines. 

Randall and Karen Stoeckel are some of those people. 

But they don’t work on precious stones — it’s houses they like 

to shine up. The one that most recently got a polish is located 

on Hill Avenue in Spirit Lake. 

Minneapolis residents, the Stoeckels were familiar with the 

area before they decided to purchase and renovate the historic 

home on Hill Avenue with the intentions of offering it up to 

visitors to the Iowa Great Lakes as a short term rental property, 

which is listed on vrbo.com. 

“We’ve had a cabin on the north end of Spirit Lake for 22 

years, and we’ve always driven up and down Hill Avenue admiring 

all the beautiful, old historic homes,” Karen said. “This particular 

house always caught my attention and I thought it would 

be a really amazing renovation project. I just love big, beautiful 

old homes, and had always dreamed of a white farmhouse.” 

The house that caught their eye had been built in 1910 and 

was locally well known in the neighborhood. The decision to 

purchase the property happened quickly in 2021. 

“It was the weekend before Labor Day and the house listing 

had popped up on my Facebook feed. After going through the 

pictures — I couldn’t believe this was same home we had admired 

for so many years, and it was on the market,” Karen said. 

“It was in fairly rough shape, but we could see the end potential 

of the home. It seemed to be a serendipitous moment — it was 

meant to be.” 

After acquiring the property, Randall moved in to the house full 

time during the chilly winter of 2022. He started renovations and 

managed the many trades people that worked on the property. 


STOECKELS WELCOME 

VISITORS WITH RENOVATED 

HISTORIC HOUSE 

Randall’s longtime friend and contractor, Charles 

Rooney, of Metropolitan Development in Minneapolis 

worked many weekends on the project as well. Thirty-foot 

scaffolding was set up to strip all of the wallpaper 

in the foyer and leading to the upstairs. Many 

of the ceilings and walls were re-skim coated and 

finished to a new appearance. The original hardwood 

floors had never been sanded and were refinished. 

Karen, not an interior designer by trade, is a Minneapolis-based 

publisher of a lifestyle and design 

publication. She started the search for furniture and 

made bold decisions about the overall design concept. 

She loves treasure hunting for original pieces 

online and estate sales. 

It’s all brought together cohesively in the house 

with the apropos name of: The Hill House. 

It’s a process that Karen and Randall have done 

before. The Hill House is their third short term rental 

property. 

“This home is an investment project for us long 

term, and we really do personally love this home. 

We spend time here in the winter months, when our 

seasonal cottage is closed, it’s always a fun getaway 

from the city. I envision that one day, that maybe we 

might even want to retire in this home,” Karen said. 

“We have plans to further develop the yard, gardens 

and landscaping and perhaps add a garage/barnstyle 

feature that could house additional guests or 

events. The original barn to the property sits two lots 

away and was subdivided out after the days of horse 

and buggy.” 

They designed the home to be welcoming, dramatic, 

but still retain its most beautiful touches of historic 

charm. From when you walk up the front porch 

and are greeted by cheery yellow rocking chairs and 

a porch swing inviting you to sit a spell and take in 


The main dining room 

space is built for entertaining 

as it features high 

ceilings, large windows 

and a beautiful table — 

all which invite you to sit 

down and enjoy a meal. 

the world, the house lives up to the 

Stoeckels’ dreams. 

After entering through the dark 

green front door you are greeted by 

a foyer and that offers up the juxtaposition 

of beautifully historic crafted 

woodwork of the grand, open staircase 

and chandelier with the modern 

drama of a leopard print rug, a black 

lacquer entry table and green lamps. 

The drama continues up the original 

staircase with a cerulean blue and 

‘climbing tiger’ designed runner. As 

you step further into the foyer, your 

eye is drawn immediately to the right 

through original wood panel pocket 

doors to the formal sitting room. 

With bright, bold colors from blues 

to pinks and greens it just all works 

with the elaborate gold chandelier and 

vintage gilded mirror. Whether to relax 

and enjoy the view of Hill Avenue or 

to use as a backdrop for photos, it’s a 

room that makes a statement. 

Located on the first floor is the 

owners suite and luxurious bathroom. 

Adjacent on the first floor is the 

spacious dining room with a botanical 

theme and large palm tree plants, and 

framed Audubon prints. The eat in 

kitchen area has delicate yellow walls 

and white trim. The space leads into 

the newly renovated kitchen. 

When Randall uncovered 

the layers of flooring in the 

kitchen he discovered the 

original pine floors and decided 

to sand them himself. 

Quartz countertops, a 

white ceramic farm sink 

and white cabinets make 

the space feel light and airy. 

They also added three large 

windows that flood the 

kitchen with natural light. 

Each of the home’s bedrooms 

upstairs has its own 

theme. There is the equestrian 

theme room, with 

1890s matching restored 

mahogany twin beds, and 

a large vintage equestrian 

print. The ‘pink room’ is a 

fun backdrop for photos. The original 

master bedroom has blue-gray paneled 

walls, a cowhide rug and an ornate 

1950s carved wood statement 

headboard. 

After almost a year of renovations, 

the house was ready for guests in 

2023. The Stoeckels have enjoyed 

hosting visitors from all over the 

country, many 

have come for 

reunions, and to 

visit family. 

”We love the 

i d e a o f b e i n g 

able to provide a 

unique and comfortable 

space for 

guests who are 

doing reunions, 

bridal parties 

and more,” 

Karen said. “We 

are looking forward 

to guests 

returning to the 

Hill House in 2024. It is our hope that 

more people will be able to experience 

this beautiful home.” 

And, now, thanks to the Stoeckels, 

the Hill House is brimming with life 

once again. • 


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okobojiFu 

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KYLIE CLARE 

They started as hometown rivals. 

Regan Heinrichs grew up in Spirit 

Lake and Joel Guthrie was a Pioneer 

who graduated from Okoboji 

High School. They were one year apart, 

graduating in 2012 and 2011, respectively, 

but it was the joy of the Iowa Great Lakes 

that brought them together. 

They met at the Barefoot when they 

were both working there in high school. 

They didn’t date at that time, but when 

they reconnected in college, the sparks 

flew. 

But those sparks flew far apart geographically. 

“He went to Iowa City and I lived in Los Angeles, 

so we did five years long distance before I moved 

to Colorado to be with him,” Regan said. 

Their love might have spanned half a continent 

and traveled over mountains, but when it came to 

proposing there 

was only one spot 

that felt right. 

It had to be on 

the water in the 

Iowa Great Lakes. 

“We got engaged 

on West 

Lake at my best 

friend’s dock. It 

was really special,” 

Regan said. “It was 

just us and my friends there and then we met up 

with my family after that. We went to Yesterdays, 

our favorite place for dinner in the summertime. His 

family and my family were there so that was really 

nice to have everyone together.” 

The moment was not one that she was expecting. 

“It was actually a complete surprise, like a true 

surprise. I thought I was having a girls night with 

my two best friends, so we were all getting ready 

at her house and she got me out to the dock. We 

were going to go out and take photos with the 


un 

sunset, all dressed up, and 

then he was out there,” Regan 

said. “I did not know it was 

coming. It was a really good 

surprise.” 

They got engaged on July 

10, 2021, and decided to take 

their time planning their dream 

wedding and the setting had 

to be just one place — Okoboji, 

of course. 

“My parents are there, my 

nieces and nephews are there, 

and we go back, we try to go 

back multiple times a year. I 

go back a little bit more than 

him, but yeah, we go back often 

and it’s definitely home,” 

Regan said. 

The date they picked for 

their wedding meant a lot to 

them — June 2, 2023. 

“It was our exact 10 year 

first date anniversary, if you 

will. Exactly 10 years to the 

date,” Regain said. “So we 

got lucky that the date worked 

GUTHRIE WEDDING 

HIGHLIGHTS OKOBOJI 

FAVORITES 


VENDORS 

PHOTOS: Kylie Clare 

CATERING: The Ritz for dinner 

bites, Lakeside Charcuterie did 

a big table spread, The Nutty 

Bar Stand for dessert and Pizza 

Ranch for late night pizza 

BAND: Wicked Fun Band 

STAYED & WELCOME PARTY: The 

Inn 

FLORALS: Bloomsie Florals 

EVENT PLANNING: Okoboji 

Events 

CEREMONY & RECEPTION: Gull 

Point and The Queen 

QUARTET: Laura Haverdink 

DRESS: Liz Martinez from Little 

White Dress in Denver 

HAIR: Blush Studio 

MAKEUP: Aimee Trainor 

RING: Laurie Fleming from 

Catbird NYC 

JOELS TUX: Indochino 

out. It was on a Friday and yeah, it was perfect the 

way that worked out.” 

It ended up being the perfect choice for the couple. 

“We knew we wanted a longer engagement and 

we knew we wanted to get married in the summer 

and it just ended up working out that way — like it 

was meant to be,” Regan said. “It was just all serendipitous.” 

They were married at one of their favorite spots in 

the Iowa Great Lakes. 

“Gull Point was not our first date spot, but very 

early on and throughout our relationship we would 

take the motorcycle out there and we’d watch the 

sunrise and we just love it there,” Regan said. “I love 

going out there when I am home. It’s so peaceful 

and beautiful so that’s why we decided to get married 

out there.” 

The ceremony was outdoors and really focused in 

on the couple. Neither the groom or the bride had 

attendants. 

“We wanted to be the only ones up there as we 

wanted everyone else to just enjoy and wear what 

they want to wear and do what they wanted to do,” 

Regan said. “It was just us standing up there and we 

ended up really lovimg that and we are glad we did it 

that way.” 

They were married by their really good friend, Brian 

Trainor, who officiated the wedding. 

Regan’s vocation of fashion led to her finding her 


perfect dress. 

“I didn’t think I wanted a traditional wedding 

dress, and then I went and tried them on and fell in 

love with a beautiful dress by this Israeli designer. It 

has big sleeves and embroidery and a big train. It 

was a lot and definitely a wedding dress, but I love 

it,” Regan said. 

Joel matched Regan’s style by having a tux custom 

made in Denver, which is close to where the 

couple lives in Loveland, CO. 

They had their ceremony at Gull Point and then 

took to the water after a cocktail hour complete with 

cigars from a local cigar shop. 

The reception was held on The Queen II as it 

cruised around West 

Okoboji Lake with the 

bridal party and all 

their friends and family 

which numbered 

around 150. 

“We wanted something 

a little bit unique 

and we wanted to have 

a really big fun party/ 

celebration, so we had it on The Queen, and it was 

really fun,” Regan said. 

It was a three-hour-tour of fun, food and dancing. 

The food was catered by The Ritz and it was a 

fun mix of nibbles including sliders, mini wedge 

salads, mac and cheese and more, to enjoy while 

dancing and gazing out at the water. 

There was no formal cake cutting as the couple 

didn’t want to go that traditional wedding route with 

dessert. Instead, they decided to just go traditional 

“Okoboji.” 

“We had Nutty Bars instead. We had them in a 

freezer on the Queen and then toward the end of the 

dance, they made an announcement to grab one. 

Then as we were walking off the boat, we had Pizza 

Ranch just waiting so we could have a little snack 

when we got off the boat,” Regan said. 

It was a dream come true. 

“We really did have so much fun. We talk about it 

all the time. It was truly like a dream,” Regan said. • 

Instead of a traditional 

wedding cake, Regan and 

Joel Guthrie treated their 

guests to Nutty Bars. 


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OKOBOJI CREATES 

TFC PHOTOGRAPHY & 

FILM TURNS DREAMS 

INTO REALITY 

TEXT BY RYLAN HOWE 

PHOTOGRAPHY BY TFC PHOTOGRAPHY & FILM 

Tim Fuchs never would have dreamed he’d build himself a career 

as a photographer. 

Not back in high school when he was actually quite artistic 

and enjoying all the painting, drawing and sculpting classes 

his school had to offer. 

And certainly not at the height of his career in construction, a 

business he started in his late 20s and still continues in a part-time 

fashion to this day. 

Nope, it wasn’t until 2014 when a relative asked about potentially 

having him take some senior photos that the photography ball really 

started rolling. 

THE MOMENT IT CLICKED 

His wife, Melanie, had bought a family camera 

in 2008 for the same reason most folks make 

such a purchase: to document the growth of 

their family and the special events taking place 

throughout their lives. 

“She made it a priority,” Fuchs said. “We were 

used to having professional family photos taken 

every two to three years. The pictures we took ourselves 

were never amazing but composed well. So 

my wife’s cousin was a senior in high school and 

refused to have photos taken unless we did them. 

So the mom talked me into it, even though I said 

I’m not a photographer, I just have a camera.” 


They spent a day shooting photos and actually had 

quite a good time. 

Looking back now, Fuchs noted that at that point he 

didn’t really understand what the camera was doing, 

but was still able to take good pictures. 

He would soon though as the steam picked up 

quickly. 

Another relative getting married the following year 

asked him to do basic candid shots of the day, and 

toward the end another couple asked if he’d be interested 

in shooting their wedding the following year. 

“My entrepreneurial brain ‘Hey, let’s try this out,’” 

Fuchs said. “I was busy with construction and building 

cool stuff but my body was tired. In the back of my 

mind I’m wondering if I can find another way to generate 

income in a way that doesn’t generate the abuse 

on my body the way construction does.” 

Having a successful construction business helped 

him hit the ground running with a means to purchase 

new equipment. 

It was time to dig in and learn a few new things. 

BACK TO SCHOOL 

Fuchs got into the online classroom to learn as 

much as he possibly could. 

“I started learning how to make the camera do what 

I wanted it to do,” Fuchs said. “I actually had joined 

some forums, found some people and started learning 

things and got into Facebook groups that were very 

good about providing input. Online resources make it 

easier. You can use the free stuff to get the basics and 

start paying for things when you really want to start elevating 

your work.” 

Online tutorials and videos helped with the basics, 

as did his built-in mechanical background in the construction 

industry. 

Photography might not often be looked at as a mechanical 

process, but Fuchs was able to approach it 

from that angle thanks to years on job sites with his 

construction business. 

“From the mechanical side of things it’s understanding 

what different camera settings are going to do — 

light sensitivity, focus depths, shutter speeds, finding 

the balance you need 

for different photo situations” 

Fuchs said. “The 

other thing that came 

from construction was 

good communication 

and customer service. 

Both of these are industries 

where clients are investing 

a decent amount 

whether it’s work being 

done on a home or 

[photography at] a wedding. 

They’re spending 

hard-earned money and 

we want to get them the 

Tim Fuchs, TFC Photography 

best possible outcome. 

So I carried that customer 

service aspect from construction as well, and 

the mechanical side of things helped. I still do some 

construction on a part-time basis, but I do construction 

because I’m good at it. I do photography because 

I love it.” 

BUILDING A BUSINESS 

TFC Photography & Film officially launched in 2016 

and quickly built a client base for weddings, family 

photos and high school senior portraits. 

“A lot of that came about simply because we photographed 

ourselves so much — my kids, my family — 

and people would ask who did our family photos, so 

it was word-of-mouth, organic growth, just doing the 


work and showing people the work,” Fuchs said. 

And as he did with construction, he built his photography 

business around customer service and giving 

his clients the best possible experience. 

“There is so much going on during a photo shoot 

and sometimes there are kids or parents or people that 

maybe don’t want to be there, and my goal is provide 

a low-stress environment where it’s easier to relax and 

we can get good photos taken,” Fuchs said. “I’ve always 

been customer service focused and want everybody 

to have the best experience possible. So many 

times we get to the end of a photo shoot or wedding 

day and someone will say, well that wasn’t so bad. 

Weddings especially, they’re supposed to be fun, not 

something where you just suffer through the photos to 

get done with them.” 

T h a t m i g h t m e a n 

cracking a joke to break 

the ice, getting that one 

wedding party member 

who doesn’t seem to 

want to smile grinning 

from ear to ear. 

“My biggest focus is 

that a wedding is supposed 

to be a celebration, 

a good time with 

friends and family, so 

the quicker we can get 

the main stuff out of the 

way, the quicker they can 

go about the festivities,” 

Fuchs said. “So we try to 

make it light, make it fun. 

We’re creating stuff that is an heirloom that will last 

forever. There are very few things from a wedding day 

that you keep forever and photos are some of those 

things. That’s always been our focus.” 

A FATHER’S INFLUENCE 

Tim’s dad Jon was a major supporter of his business 

endeavors with an encouraging word at each step. 

“My dad passed away in 2018, and when I got into 

photography in those early years 2016-18 or so he had 

said to me, ‘I have people talking to me about you and 

about the photos you’re taking. Just keep doing what 

you’re doing because it’s working,” Fuchs said. “After 

he passed, that phrase always stuck with me.” 

That means pushing to improve day by day and 

continuing to provide quality experiences. 

“He was a big influence on pushing through, to 

keep learning and getting 

better because it works,” 

Fuchs said. “When you get 

to a certain point in your 

path it’s not big steps, it’s a 

little here and a little there, 

incrementally getting better.” 

TEAMWORK 

When it comes to organizing 

large groups of 

people or creating the perfect 

composition of a bride 

and groom against a setting 

sun, having a second set of 

eyes is certainly helpful. 

With TFC Photography 

& Film it could very well be 

three sets of eyes on a given 

wedding if the need arises as Tim’s wife, Melanie, 

and good friend Jason Braunschweig often team up 

for those big events. 

“It’s a very big team effort on our part. My wife 

doesn’t go to all the weddings but we each have roles 

in the wedding business. She’s the timekeeper, detail 

watcher, hair, makeup, making sure we’re on to the 

next task,” Fuchs said. “It takes a really strong relationship 

to spend that amount of time with each other 

on a daily basis and on the business side of things. 

We’ve been married 22 years and I think that’s a big 

part of what makes us good at shooting weddings.” 

BOJI WEDDINGS 

“We do about a third to half of our weddings in Okoboji 

and what I love about Okoboji is that there are so 

many different aspects to the Lakes area,” Fuchs said. 

Nature, water, country barns, amusement park nostalgia, 

and everything in between. 

“Waterfront is really nice. Oakwood is really nice. 

At Arnolds Park you get that old Okoboji feel. At Gull 

Point you got nature. There’s The Barn, Swiss Acres, 

The Bend. Okoboji kind of has it all when it comes to 

weddings,” Fuchs said. 

Beyond the abundant locations, it’s working with 

the various people that run each venue and having 

everyone pulling toward the same ultimate goal that 

Fuchs finds especially enjoyable about the area. 

“The coolest thing about that is it’s such a tight-knit 

community. Everybody is friendly and willing to help,” 


Fuchs said. “Everybody cares about providing the right experience that’s 

needed for the clients. That’s what makes Okoboji unique. It has everything 

but it’s also small enough of a community that everyone actually 

cares and it’s cool to build relationships with the different venues.” 

LASTING MEMORIES 

“What I enjoy so much about weddings is taking something someone 

has had in their head about their dream wedding and making it a reality,” 

Fuchs said. “We had a bride that ever since she was a little girl wanted 

wedding photos on the Legend roller coaster and we were able to make 

that happen, so creating those heirloom memories is a big part of it — 

taking their dream and making it happen through photo and video.” 

Making dreams become reality has also taken Fuchs and his team all 

over the country and even beyond its borders to capture that magic in 

other countries. They’ve done photo and video at weddings in Colorado, 

Florida and even livestreamed weddings in other countries so friends 

and family could watch it live back home. 

Wherever the wedding happens to be located, Fuchs also makes it 

a priority to develop friendships and connections at every event. That 

approach has led to a large pool of former clients, now longtime friends, 

that continues to grow with each passing season. 

“That’s always my goal. I want my clients to become more friends 

and family than just a client,” Fuchs said. “It’s really crazy that this far in 

I have senior photography clients that are now getting married and I’m 

doing their weddings. I had a wedding where I gathered everyone I had 

photographed previously for a group photo and had this mass of people 

around me — you don’t always think about the difference you are making 

capturing these memories for all these people to pass on to their 

kids and grandkids. It’s a pretty humbling feeling that all these people 

have invited you in to be part of their lives and that’s really cool." • 

A PHOTOGRAPHER’S 

FREE TIME 

It’s every photographer’s dilemma 

and a question they all inevitably hear: 

What do you like to photograph for 

fun? 

For Tim Fuchs it’s a variety of things 

and the answer could change from 

month to month or even day to day. 

But for the past few years underwater 

photography has been at the top of 

that list, at least partly because of the 

unique challenges it presents. 

“Any time I get to be underwater 

blowing bubbles I’m happy,” Fuchs 

said. “Fish photos, sunken boat 

pictures in Okoboji. It’s not perfectly 

clear Caribbean ocean water so it’s 

a bit of a challenge, but oh so much 

fun.” 

He’s also done some photography 

underwater in the Florida Keys 

including while diving with sharks. 

So it makes sense that wildlife 

photography is another one of his 

favorite photo pastimes. 

“It’s so immensely difficult,” Fuchs 

said. “To be in the right place at the 

right time takes a lot of preparation but 

a lot of luck plays into it as well.” 

And on Friday nights in the fall he 

enjoys roaming the sidelines of high 

school football games. 

“I love doing sports photos, 

especially in this area,” Fuchs said. 

“I like the challenge and really like 

football and basketball. Football was 

something I played and the kids get 

these pictures where they look like 

superstars and the parents love it, so I 

thoroughly enjoy doing that too.” 


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OKOBOJI ALIGHT 

Fragrant flowers blooming in springtime. 

Sunscreen and barbecues at a lakeside 

park in summertime. Turkey roasting in the 

oven on Thanksgiving and hot chocolate 

steaming on a cold winter day. 

Certain scents have strong ties to some of our 

fondest memories. 

Liz Steiner, owner of El + El Candle Co., is 

hoping to help people conjure up those happy 

memories and make many new ones through the 

business she started just six short months ago. 

Steiner, 31, a former Spirit Lake schoolteacher, 

was getting close to having her second child 

when the idea and opportunity came about to 

be a stay-at-home mom, something she’s grateful 

for and something that also afforded her the 

chance to try something new. 

“I’m kind of a go-getter and like to be busy, be 

involved, and like to do things for the community,” 

Steiner said. “So we were talking about ideas 

of things I could start up and do on the side and 

as we were driving one day, it’s kind of strange, 

but it just came to me — I love candles as it is, so 

how could I take that and turn it into a service I 

Liz Steiner is the owner of El + El Candle Co. based in the Iowa Great Lakes. She loves creating candles as well as hosting 

candle-making parties for groups of people to get a chance to craft their own scent and make a candle. 

EL + EL CANDLE CO. OFFERS AROMATIC EXPERIENCE 


CANDLE 

TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY RYLAN HOWE 

Creations 

could provide for the community.” 

Initially that meant candle bar opportunities. 

Events where folks can craft their own scents and make 

a candle to take home. 

Steiner’s first event was held at The Grove outside Milford 

this past fall, followed by a private event at The Barn at 

Okoboji in Spirit Lake. 

“At candle bar events customers have everything in front 

of them that they would need for the night,” Steiner said. 

“I have the wax already melted or melting and kept warm 

while we explore the fragrances. That’s where we start picking 

out the scent and is going to be the longest part of the 

process.” 

That’s because there are seemingly endless options and 

combinations. 

There is “Clean Cotton” and “Lush Linen.” “Rain Water,” 

“Leather,” “Cedarwood Blanc,” “Mountain Pine,” and much 

more. 

Each fragrance contains an assortment of smells and up 

to four fragrances can be combined in one candle. 

“More than four and it can get to be too much,” Steiner 

said. “I personally like scents like the teakwood, amber and 

musk type fragrances, and I knew I would want to have a 

wide range of options because I know some people like 

those fresh, clean cotton smells, and there would be an 

audience for the fruitier and food type smells, so I knew I 

needed to start out with a variety of options.” 

Those options also include seasonal scents like pumpkin 

and cinnamon and “Fall Breeze” and others that evoke 

ideas of sprinkling snow and winter weather like “Nordic 

Night.” 

Once candle bar customers craft their candle scent, they 

get the hands-on experience of pouring their own candle. 

The first step is preparing the wick and sticking it to its 

holder that is then placed at the bottom of the candle vessel. 

Next comes the melted wax poured to a predetermined 

mark ensuring the right amount of wick remains for the initial 

lighting of the candle. 

WHAT’S IN A NAME? 

Crafting a perfect candle scent can be a 

challenging, but rewarding process. 

The same might be said about coming up 

with the right name for a new business. 

For Steiner, the inspiration was easy to 

come by, with her two daughters, Lottie and 

Eloise, leading the way. 

“When you’re thinking of the letter “L” you 

can spell it out as “El” so that’s for Lottie and 

of course then the second “El” is the first 

two letters of Eloise,” Steiner said. “Those 

two little peanuts were my inspiration, I’m so 

grateful to be able to be home with them.” 


FOR THE BIG DAY 

“I’m hoping to work on different 

package ideas for brides, 

bachelorette parties and not 

just brides but the couple 

themselves,” Steiner said. 

“They can customize their own 

wedding candle and work 

with me from start to finish on 

the process from the vessel 

type, to the label, the scent, 

everything,” Steiner said. 

The signature wedding candle 

they create can be used for 

all kinds of things — wedding 

party gifts, complimentary gifts 

for wedding guests, as part of 

table settings — and help fuse 

the memories of the special 

day with a specific fragrance. 

“Memory and scents and 

smells are so connected and 

when you light the candle it 

might take you back to that 

memory. I want them to be 

able to experience that,” 

Steiner said. “I’ve actually 

talked with one bride about 

the idea of creating their own 

fragrance and using it as the 

unity candle at their wedding, 

which is awesome.” 

Then it’s time for the fragrance 

to be poured in and mixed with the 

wax. Customers stir for a couple 

minutes to ensure the fragrance is 

distributed evenly and then it’s simply 

a waiting game. 

“It takes about 45 minutes to an 

hour for it to set good enough to be 

moved,” Steiner said. “For the best 

results you’re actually supposed 

to let the candle set for 2-3 weeks 

before lighting but it can really be lit 

about 24 hours after setting.” 

In between events Steiner wanted 

to continue fulfilling her newfound 

passion for creating candles, 

so she created a website through 

which she could sell candles to 

customers out of town, in different 

states, as well as locally. 

The entire process of starting El 

& El was essentially candle boot 

camp for Steiner. 

“It was a lot of researching, 

looking at different websites and 

how they promote events and then 

the candle making process itself 

was a lot of research about the 

types of wicks and wax I wanted 

to use and the types of fragrances 

I wanted to use, the initial costs of 

supplies and products I wanted to 

start with, all those kinds of things.” 

She went with soy wax because 

it burns slower allowing for a longer 

lasting candle. 

Wood wicks bring an extra aesthetic 

that Steiner finds appealing 

along with the subtle crackle they 

have that adds to the overall experience 

when the candle is lit. 

Everything seen on the candles, 

other than the vessels themselves, 

Steiner does at home. 

“From start to finish. I do the labels 

myself, my boyfriend Tim engraves 

the lids, that was his idea 

and he’s made some tools with a 

3D printer that help center the wick 

in the candle and things like that,” 

Steiner said. 

As she looks towards the future 

and growing El + El Candle Co., 

Steiner has plenty of ideas for fun 

opportunities. 

“Short-term it’s about finding 

ways to make connections 

and bring businesses together 

as partners,” Steiner said. “And 

longer-term, ideally, I would love 

to have a storefront where I could 

hold events, have walk-ins and 

sell candles. People can be shopping, 

stop in and decide to make a 

candle, I’d love to be able to provide 

that opportunity. I’d also love 

to grow to a point as a business 

where I’m still supporting my family 

but am also able to donate to 

other things that matter in my heart 

and be able to teach my girls the 

importance of giving back to the 

community.” 

Recall fond memories and create 

wonderful new ones, one fragrance 

at a time with El + El Candle 

Co. • 


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OKOBOJI WINTER GAMES 

succes 

THE SECRET TO 

TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY 

BY RYLAN HOWE 

If secrets don’t make friends and friends don’t make 

secrets, nobody told the folks at the Spirit Lake Noon 

Kiwanis Club. 

Because they combined not just one, but two secret 

recipes from club members Kim Wermersen and John 

Hight and earned the title of Chili Cook-Off Champions 

during the 2023 University of Okoboji Winter Games. 

The club had been involved with the chili cook-off as 

volunteers for many years and started entering chili recipes 

in the contest more recently. 

They’d tried a chicken chili, among other things, before 

trying to tackle a brisket chili for the first time two 

years ago. 

It didn’t turn out so well. 

“John makes a killer brisket and when he tried it the 

first year it was a beautiful brisket with a chili and kind 

of water sauce. I helped with that one too,” Wermersen 

said. 

Unfortunately the consensus was that it just wasn’t 

very good, though they get a good chuckle out of it now. 

“I just didn’t turn out how I imagined,” Hight said. 

“Kim was one of my biggest critics and gave me a good 

rousing about it, so lesson learned, get your biggest 

75 YEARS 

OF SERVICE 

Kiwanis is a global 

organization of volunteers 

dedicated to changing the 

world, one child and one 

community at a time. 

The Spirit Lake Noon Kiwanis 

Club celebrated 75 years in 

the Iowa Great Lakes this 

past fall and has earned 

numerous distinguished 

service honors from Kiwanis 

International over the years. 

The club raises over $30,000 

annually through a number of 

events such as a Kiwanis golf 

tournament and the Duck 

Derby during Oktoberfest. 

Funds have helped sponsor 

a bike rodeo, purchase 

bicycles and helmets for 

kids, sponsor a Fall Festival 

at Camp Foster, Easter 

Egg Hunt at the YMCA, 

scholarship opportunities 

for higher education, build a 

playground and much more. 

Meetings are held every 

Thursday at noon at Wesley 

Place on Hill Avenue in Spirit 

Lake. 

Kim Wermersen and John 

Hight combined top secret 

brisket and chili recipes for 

the ultimate combination 

resulting in the award for Best 

Overall at the 2023 Winter 

Games Chili Cook-Off. 


s 

critic involved and show him how much 

work goes into it! It is a lot of work and I 

had tried to tackle it myself, so I said I’ll 

take care of the meat, you take care of the 

chili, and we kind of just each did our thing 

separately then brought it all together. ” 

With more than 20 entries in the contest, 

the competition would be stiff, and 

finding a way to stand out would be key. 

Not always easy to do with so many 

variations and interpretations of chili out 

there nowadays. 

“That’s what amazes me. We call everything 

chili,” Wermersen said. “Some of them last year 

were so hot, you touched it and your mouth was on 

fire and some people love that. There is white chili and 

no bean chili. For me it’s the combination of smoky 

and tangy with a little kick that’s pretty good.” 

Brisket chili had proved popular at the chili cookoff 

in the past, so they started with that as a base and 

built out from there. 

Hight had already had some experience and practice 

perfecting his recipe on the smoker, it was just a 

matter of scaling up. 

Instead of a single brisket, they would need four full 

packers to fill five roasters with their chili concoction. 

“That was more than I had ever done,” Hight 

said. “I had to get another smoker so we had two in 

each and they spent about 13 hours there, doing an 

all night deal. I was nervous about it at the time but 

it turned out great, so Kim just had to come through 

with his magic in the second half.” 

Wermesen indeed had a chili recipe he thought 

would be the perfect compliment to the brisket. 

It took a couple days of online research and then a 

team of taste testers, but they ironed out the details 

for what would turn out to be an award winner. 

“The real secret is the smokiness of the brisket. It’s 

so good and tender,” Wermersen said. “As far as what 

we put into the chili recipe, it’s a different kind of bean 

and not as many of them, brown sugar, chili powder, 

all this stuff. The real key might be the V8, but I can’t 

give away all the secrets!” 

In fact, Wermersen and Hight didn’t even give away 

their secrets to each other. 

KIWANIS CLUB MEMBERS ARE 

CHILI CHAMPIONS 


“My chili recipe, that’s top secret in a 

sealed safe. I won’t share it with John and 

John won’t share his brisket recipe with 

me,” Wermersen said with a subtle smile. 

While they kept the specifics close 

to the chest, another crew of Kiwanians 

dished out the chili to the thousands of 

cook-off visitors last January at the Dickinson 

County Expo Center. 

They later found out that many of them 

found their chili quite good and voted 

them to the title of Chili Cook-Off Champions. 

“When we got the call that we won, I 

called John and we were both so elated. 

We just didn’t expect it, so it was kind of 

hilarious, but super fun. It does take a lot 

of work, so it’s fun to have some recognition 

for that instead of people wanting to 

spit it out! I still laugh about the fact we 

won.” 

“We were calling and texting back and 

forth, it was pretty euphoric,” Hight confirmed. 

“A lot of work goes into it. Especially 

the way we were doing it, it was a 

two-day process so that really topped off 

Winter Games weekend for us for sure.” 

While it’s always nice to win an award, 

the club members enjoyed the camaraderie 

of the combined effort just as much. 

Participating in the cook-off also provides 

a great opportunity for the club to 

let people know about all the things they 

do in the community. 

“It’s something great for us to do together. 

We love it,” Wermersen said. “To 

have that kind of event draw a couple 

thousand people is a great way to kick off 

the weekend. We also sponsor the bags 

tournament on Saturday. When we get 

to do these fun projects we get to know 

each other better, it’s a great way for us 

to be involved in the community and that 

makes it a lot of fun.” 

What’s also fun is going out on top, 

and that’s exactly what Wermersen plans 

to do. 

“I’m retiring as champion,” Wermersen 

said. “I’ll be a Kiwanian forever, I’m just 

not cooking chili any more. When you’re 

on top, you’ve got to hang it up! But I’ll 

still be involved, maybe just as an adviser, 

so that will be fun. When you can combine 

serving with fun, raising money and 

giving back to the community, it’s winwin-win.” 

That begs the question, how will Spirit 

Lake Noon Kiwanis defend its title with 

the secret recipe locked up tight? 

Rest assured, Wermesen noted, plans 

are in place to hand off the keys to the 

safe, and Spirit Lake Noon Kiwanis Club 

will be ready to stir up delicious pots of 

chili for years to come. • 

Wermersen 

plans to retire 

from chili competition 

after 

reaching the 

pinnacle with 

the cook-off 

championship, 

but has 

a succession 

plan in place 

so the club can 

continue to 

challenge for 

the top spot. 


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OKOBOJI FLAVOR 

don’ 

If you are a firm believer that 

the recipe MUST include beef, 

beans and tomato to be called 

chili and that everything else is 

merely soup, this recipe is not 

for you. 

If however you are open to a dish 

White Chicken Chili 

INGREDIENTS: 

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 

1 small yellow onion, diced 

1 jalapeño, seeded and minced 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1/2 teaspoon oregano 

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 

2 4.5-ounce cans green chilies 

3 boneless skinless chicken 

breasts, cut into thirds 

5 cups low-sodium chicken broth 

Kosher salt 

Freshly ground black pepper 

2 15-ounce cans white beans, 

drained and rinsed 

1 1/2 cups frozen corn 

1/2 cup sour cream 


’t be 

Lean 

back into 

Comfort 

that is creamy, hearty and flavorful 

carrying the label of chili, then this 

is one you need to try. 

Versatile in how you top it, and 

forgiving in how long you cook it, 

White Chicken Chili is a winner 

every time. 

INSTRUCTIONS: 

Heat oil in large pot over medium 

heat. Add onion and jalapeño and 

cook until soft, about 5 minutes. 

Add garlic, oregano, and cumin 

and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. 

Add green chiles, chicken, and 

broth and season with salt and 

pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce 

heat and simmer, covered, 10 to 12 

minutes, until chicken is tender and 

cooked through. 

Transfer chicken to a plate and 

shred with two forks. Return to pot 

and add white beans and corn. 

Bring to a simmer and let cook 10 

minutes. Turn off heat and stir in 

sour cream. 

Ladle chili into bowls and garnish 

with cilantro, cheese and chips 

before serving. 

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2024 SPRING SEASON 

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Special Concerts with the Legendary 

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Saturday, May 4, 2024 - 7:00 p.m. 

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FALL 2023 

VOLUME 36 | NO. 6 | $4.95 

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SCHEDULE 

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Okoboji Ave, 

Milford, IA 

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LOOK AROUND THE LAKES 

L I T T L E 

SPIRIT 

ON THE MAP 

Heirloom Memories 

Tim Fuchs with TFC Photography & 

Film captures memories. 

READ MORE ON PAGE 40. 

S P I R I T 

LAKE 

1 The Inn 

2 Gull Point 

3 The Queen II 

Couple sets sail with their guests for truly 

Okoboji wedding experiences. 


Candle Creations 

El + El Candle Co. offers up an 

aromatic experience. 


C E N T E R 

LAKE 

8 

7 

4 Majestic Pavilion 

Summer connection to the Iowa Great Lakes led 

couple to easy decision for wedding location. 


2 

W E S T 


9 

4 

3 

5 St. Joseph Parish 

[ BY THE NUMBERS ] 

1 

L O W E R 

GAR LAKE 

E A S T 


Swiss Acres 

6 

5 St. Joseph’s Catholic Church 

Seth DeCleene and Allison Goehring were wed 

at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church on Aug. 4 


6 Swiss Acres 

Couple sets relaxing tone to the day for their 

guests as they arrive at rural wedding venue. 


7 The Secret to Success 

Kiwanis Club members combine talents to 

become Chili Cook-Off champions. 


8 Making Old New Again 

Stoeckels welcome visitors to the Iowa Great 

Lakes with renovated historic home on Hill Avenue. 


19,910 number of 

weddings in Iowa in 2022 

$21,760 average 

cost of a wedding in Iowa in 2022 

25 MPH speed limit 

on Stakeout Road near Dickinson 

County Trail Crossing 


MY TOWN 

Cory Hepola, a former news anchor in the Twin Cities, has earned an Emmy 

nomination for his Minnesota based documentary series “Rural By Choice.” 

Hepola will be the keynote speaker at the Iowa Lakes Corridor Development 

Corporation’s annual Business Recognition Luncheon Jan. 31 in Spencer and 

plans are set for production on a new documentary series called “My Town” that 

will feature areas in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin. 

In Iowa that will likely include the Corridor communities of Storm Lake, 

WINTER 

GAMES 

Rachel Fandel and Andy Lux were 

named the chair and co-chair, 

respectively for the 43rd Annual 

University of Okoboji Winter Games. 

Fandel works at Fillenwarth Beach 

Resort in Arnolds Park. She is a 2008 

graduate from Estherville Lincoln 

Spencer and Estherville. 

Central, member of the Okoboji Tourism 

Committee, past Iowa Great Lakes Area 

Chamber of Commerce board member, 

and president of Spirit Lake Elementary 

PIE. Lux works at Rosenboom where he 

is currently the director of purchasing. 

He is the current acting board president 

of the IGLACC and has previously 

served as the board president of the 

Bedell Family YMCA. Lux was also 

elected as a Winter Games Cheerleader 

during the 40th Annual Winter Games. 

EL NINO 

El Niño is a climate pattern in the Pacific Ocean that affects 

weather worldwide. Typically lasting 9-12 months, the pattern 

peaks in December, can be sustained for years, and doesn’t 

occur on a regular schedule. The National Climate Prediction 

Center noted this could be the strongest El Niño in more than 

70 years. El Niño patterns typically mean warmer and dryer 

weather for the northern U.S. and Canada and wetter than 

usual weather in the South and along the Gulf Coast. 

SLOWING 

DOWN 

A speed limit sign on Stakeout 

Road near Chalstrom Beach 

and the Dickinson County Trail 

Crossing is having the desired 

effect according to Okoboji 

city officials. The solarpowered 

sign was installed 

last summer and indicates 

the speed of vehicles as they 

approach. Data retrieved from 

the sign in July indicated 

a more than 10 percent 

decrease in vehicle speed and 

average speed of 27 miles per 

hour. 

SPEIER PARK 

9 

A bid was awarded for the Speier Park 

playground project in Okoboji. After an 

initial bidletting received only one bid, the second 

time around included timeframe flexibility with a 

contractor option to do the work in spring or fall of 

2024 so the park wouldn’t be under construction 

during the summer months. Indications are 

that the work will begin Aug. 12 and two water 

fountains, one near the playground and one near 

the pickleball courts, are in the plans. 

ICE SAFETY 

As lakes slowly begin to freeze, later than normal 

this year due to El Niño weather patterns, ice safety 

is always an important reminder. At least four inches 

of ice is recommended for fishing and five inches or 

more for ATVs and snowmobiles according to the 

Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Use caution 

around blankets of snow over the ice, which can 

indicate hazards, and be advised that conditions are 

in a constant state of change and ice thickness can 

vary around the Lakes. 

27 DEGREES 

historical average high temp for 

Okoboji in winter 

6 DEGREES 

historical average low temp for 

Okoboji in winter 

110 TONS weight that can 

be held by 36 inches of solid ice 


NOW is the TIME 

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YOUR OKOBOJI REAL ESTATE EXPERTS 

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The Brickyard south of Kum & Go l 1003 Hwy. 71 South l Okoboji, IA 51355 

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MARK LEISS 

okobozo@aol.com l 712.330.2045

01 OKO 02-24

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