White Bear Township couple mark two milestones at the hospital: their first baby, and their wedding

Mary Divine, Pioneer Press
·4 min read

Ellie DeMars Zepper and Eric Zepper of White Bear Township were planning to get married at the Ramsey County Courthouse in St. Paul this week, but their son had other plans.

Arlo Marcos Zepper — all 8 pounds, 13 ounces and 21¼ inches of him — was born at 7:11 a.m. Sunday at M Health Fairview St. John’s Hospital in Maplewood, six days before his due date.

“We knew we were pushing it,” Eric Zepper said. “We kind of like to do things at the last minute.”

When the couple arrived at St. John’s in the wee hours of Sunday morning, staff asked if they wanted to speak with a hospital chaplain. “I jokingly asked, ‘Do they do marriages?’” Ellie Zepper said. “Because that was the one thing we wanted to do before the baby arrived. We wanted to tie the knot and make it official.”

The couple got engaged and exchanged rings last month during an outing to the Renaissance Festival in Shakopee. “We’ve known for awhile that we were going to do this,” Eric Zepper said. “It wasn’t a big surprise.”

“But I still cried,” Ellie Zepper said.

Arlo didn’t give his parents time to get married at the hospital before his birth — he arrived just a few hours after they got to the hospital. “When we got there, the nurse told us she was at 10 centimeters, and she should get ready to push,” Eric Zepper said. “Zero pain meds. She is an absolute unit of a woman. Very strong.”

After Arlo arrived, the Zeppers asked hospital staff about getting married on site. Olivia Wyffels, a labor and delivery nurse at St. John’s who also is a wedding officiant, said she could perform the ceremony, but they would need to procure a marriage license.

“We had planned on a courthouse wedding, so I had the documents all ready to go,” Eric Zepper said. “I just needed a witness and a notary stamp. I drove to the courthouse, got everything I needed and away we went.”

At 11 a.m. Tuesday, the couple stood at the front of the hospital’s chapel with Wyffels and recited their wedding vows. Ellie Zepper wore one of Eric Zepper’s flannel shirts and sweatpants; Eric Zepper wore a black T-shirt and cargo shorts, and Wyffels wore scrubs.

“Ellie said, ‘Can I wear whatever I want?’” Wyffels said. “I said, ‘Yes, be comfortable. Wear whatever you want.’”

Arlo, swaddled in a baby blanket in a bassinet, was the ring bearer.

“He did an amazing job,” Ellie Zepper said. “He stole the show.”

The wedding — believed to be the first held at St. John’s — was witnessed by nurses, doctors, a midwife, administrative staff and residents. “Every seat in the chapel was filled,” Wyffels said. “Everybody wanted to be a part of it.”

Nurses brought in flowers for a bridal bouquet, and a wedding cake. Administration provided sparkling apple cider and the champagne flutes.

“They put everything together for us,” Eric Zepper said. “It was so nice of them.”

The Zeppers plan to have another ceremony and a wedding reception for friends and family at the Tamarack Nature Center in White Bear Township next summer.

Eric Zepper, 29, and Ellie Zepper, 27, grew up in the township just two blocks away from one another. He works for Sara Lee; she works at a childcare center.

Both were born at St. John’s Hospital. So was Wyffels, their wedding officiant.

“It’s a place of new beginnings and new chapters, for sure,” Eric Zepper said. “I think we are really fortunate to be able to start our new chapter there together.”

The couple returned home on Tuesday afternoon — at least that’s when they think they got home.

“It’s kind of a blur,” Eric Zepper said. “I miss sleep so much. I don’t know what day of the week it is.”

“I think it’s Thursday,” Ellie Zepper said.

“Are you sure? Because I’m pretty sure it’s Friday,” he said.

But Arlo has been the best baby ever, according to the besotted parents.

“He is a really good boy. He’s not colicky at all,” he said.

“He is beautiful and perfect and amazing,” she said.

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