Emily and Kurt planning a lifetime of friendship through marriage
By JENNIE ZEITLER Correspondent
Kurt Marthaler grew up with two brothers on a farm near Meire Grove . He graduated from high school in Melrose and moved to St . Cloud for college , where he still lives .
Emily Steil grew up in St . Augusta and graduated from Tech High School in St . Cloud . She went to North Dakota State University in Fargo for pre-dental . She graduated from dental school at the University of Iowa in Iowa City and then moved back to St . Cloud .
They were two young adults whose paths might never have crossed if it weren ’ t for an encounter one fateful evening in December 2018 , at Cowboy Jack ’ s in St . Cloud .
“ He was a tall , cute guy in a baseball cap ,” said Emily , who was there with a friend .
The baseball cap is an important detail , since she is a firm Twins fan . Emily sent her friend after Kurt as he walked past , to bring him back so she could talk with him . They talked for a while that night before Kurt had to leave to meet his brother .
“ He said he would come back ,” she said . “ I just sat there and didn ’ t move , and he came back !”
Their first date was having a drink at Grizzly ’ s . Soon after , when Kurt texted Emily , her response was that she was painting and could use some help with the high spots . Since Kurt is 6-foot , 4-inches , he answered the call for help .
From that time , they just started hanging out , Kurt said .
Their first trip together was to Fort Myers , Florida in February 2020 . They are huge Twins fans and were thrilled to be at Twins spring training .
“ We met some of our favorite players , and some we grew up watching who are now working at spring training ,” Kurt said .
Guys like Bert Blyleven and LaTroy Hawkins . It was a trip of highlights .
Kurt ’ s first job out of college , where he still works , is with Ascent Specialized , moving freight around the country . Emily works part-time at Granite City Family Dentistry and part time at St . Cloud VA Health Care .
Pinning down when their friendship grew into something more serious isn ’ t too difficult .
“ I knew pretty early on
Kurt Marthaler and Emily Steil share a deep love of the Minnesota Twins . Their first big trip together was to Fort Myers , Florida and the Twins spring training camp .
“ Our parents also have lifetime marriages — that ’ s what we ’ ve seen demonstrated and that ’ s what we want for ourselves .”
— Emily Steil
that I would probably end up marrying him ,” Emily said . “ I told my mom about it . I just had a feeling .”
That realization was more gradual for Kurt . He remembers telling his brother about it , but not so soon .
By June 2022 , they had talked about getting married , “ just a casual conversation , to make sure we were on the same page ,” Emily said .
In June , they visited J . F . Kruse Jewelers in St . Cloud .
“ It was an experience we both truly enjoyed ,” they agreed . “ There was no pressure .”
Emily knew that the very first ring she tried on was the one she wanted . It was a pretty setting with some yellow gold and white gold sparkly accents .
“ I wear my great-grandma Elsie ’ s signet ring on my left hand , which is gold , so I wanted them to go together ,” Emily said . “ It is a ring she inherited from her aunt , probably in the 1930s .”
That night at the jewelry store , she tried on more rings to draw the experience out just a bit . She noticed that the first ring she had on also had a smoother setting which would not cause a lot of ripping of her gloves at work .
The ring was duly ordered . Kurt planned a nice evening that was perfect for proposing .
“ Once I get home from work , we usually have a glass of cheap wine . I noticed a nice wine on the table and thought that was suspicious ,” she said .
When Kurt asked if she wanted to eat out , he suggested Grizzly ’ s . Since that was where they went on their first date , Emily made that connection .
When they got home from their date , it was raining . Although Emily usually takes the dog , Gus , for a walk , she wasn ’ t going in the rain .
“ I had to tell her to go upstairs for a few minutes ,” Kurt said .
He put a speciallymade bandana on Gus that said , “ Will you marry my Daddy ?” He arranged some Chinese lanterns that spelled out the message , “ Will you marry me ?”
“ When I got downstairs , there was a rose petal path leading to where Kurt and Gus were ,” she said . “ I saw the bandana on Gus first , then Kurt knelt down and proposed .”
The first people they told were their parents .
“ They didn ’ t know they were all invited to dinner together , so that was a nice surprise ,” Emily said .
Kurt had a custom label for the wine they planned to serve , saying , “ Pairs well with getting engaged .”
Once their parents arrived and were getting settled , Emily put the ring on and got the wine bottle out and they made the announcement .
“ Both of our moms cried ,” she said . “ Most people knew it was coming .”
After dinner , they all went to the Clearwater Rodeo together .
Shortly after looking at rings , Kurt and Emily had chosen a date — June 17 , 2023 . They continued to do some planning , bit by bit , through the summer .
“ It ’ s hasn ’ t been stressful ; it ’ s been fun ,” she said .
Their wedding ceremony will take place at Westwood Community Church in St . Cloud . The reception will be at the Freeport Community Center . They have a bus planned to take the wedding party from St . Cloud to Freeport .
There will be eight each of bridesmaids and groomsmen . Kurt ’ s nieces will be the flower girls and Gus the golden retriever will be the ring bearer . Kurt ’ s nephews will walk Gus down the aisle .
Dairyland Peach , January 22 , 2023 Page 15
Submitted photos
Emily Steil and Kurt Marthaler met in December 2018 . By June 2022 , they knew they wanted to get married , and went looking at rings . Their wedding date is June 17 , 2023 .
Emily went dress shopping in St . Paul with her mom and with Kurt ’ s mom . It was the last dress she tried on at the first of two places they had planned , that turned out to be just the right one .
“ It fit perfectly , was very comfortable and made me feel beautiful ,” Emily said . “ We had lunch afterward . It was a fun day .”
Since the bridesmaids live in widespread locations , Emily set things up so they could all make their dress choices online . She chose a few colors and assigned the colors to the bridesmaids and everyone was able to choose their own style .
Kurt and Emily are currently working on what the groomsmen will be wearing . Kurt will be wearing a suit .
They plan to have pictures taken before the wedding ceremony .
The entire planning process has gone pretty smoothly , Kurt said .
“ It helps that we ’ re in our early 30s ,” Emily said . “ We ’ re not too worried about all the small details .” In thinking about what marriage means to them , and why they chose to get married , Emily thinks of the 65 or so years that her grandparents were married .
“ Our parents also have lifetime marriages — that ’ s what we ’ ve seen demonstrated and that ’ s what we want for ourselves ,” she said . “ We want to demonstrate that to our future family .”
“ Marriage means spending my life with my best friend ,” Kurt said .
In addition to being diehard fans of the Minnesota Twins , Emily Steil and Kurt Marthaler enjoy spending time together golfing .