01 OKO 02-24

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.
8 OKOBOJI MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2024