Emily Fredeen dreamed of the day her boyfriend of seven years would ask for her hand in marriage but wanted him to wait until she finished dental hygienist school. Taking her request quite literally, Hunter Close popped the question immediately after her graduation ceremony in May 2022.
“Even though we had talked about getting engaged, the proposal came as a complete surprise,” Emily explains. “It was perfect because we were with family, celebrating, taking pictures; suddenly, everyone moved away from me, and there was Hunter with a ring.”
What a Catch
Their love story began in 2015 when the Naples natives were 16-year-old high school students. Emily attended Gulf Coast while he was at Barron Collier, the alma mater of his parents, Kristi and Jeff Close. Emily was working part-time at Coastland Center alongside one of Hunter’s friends when she met her husband-to-be. “He came in one day to say hi to his buddy and then saw me, and that was it,” she recalls.
Emily’s father, Bob Fredeen, remembers the early days of the nascent couple’s courtship when Hunter would steal into their house to see his daughter. He and his wife, Robyn, thought it odd that their dog would bark at the foot of the stairs, seemingly for no reason, and occasionally heard peculiar footsteps on the second story.
“We actually believed the house might be haunted until we found out sometime later it was just Hunter sneaking in and out. He was our ghost,” jokes Bob, who shared the story with wedding guests.
The couple’s relationship progressed along with their careers. She earned a degree in dental hygiene at St. Petersburg College and practices at Gulf Shore Cosmetic and Family Dentistry in Naples. He graduated from the emergency medical and firefighting programs at Florida SouthWestern State College and serves as a firefighter and paramedic for Greater Naples Fire Rescue District.
From One Diamond to Another
With a sparkling diamond gracing her left hand, Emily sat down with Hunter to plan the wedding. When the topic turned to venues, he had one in mind but wasn’t certain she’d agree. His father is originally from Belleville, Illinois, near St. Louis, and Hunter has fond memories of visiting relatives there and attending Cardinals baseball games. When he learned the team’s home, Busch Stadium, offered wedding packages, he pitched his bride-to-be on the possibility of getting married there. “I just threw it out to her and didn’t think she’d go for it, but she actually thought it was a really cool idea,” he says.
Sixteen months later, in September 2023, the couple exchanged vows on the baseball diamond before family and friends. The ceremony took place under blue skies, with downtown St. Louis’ high-rise buildings and the iconic Gateway Arch visible from the stadium. A seat on the field was reserved for Emily’s mother, Angela, who died in 2020. “She definitely was missed,” remarks Emily.
Emotions typically run high at weddings, and Emily and Hunter’s was no exception. Once the bride donned her lace and tulle wedding gown and veil, she was ready for her “first looks”—and the tearful reactions they would elicit. The first casualties were her maid of honor, Jackie Montes, and four bridesmaids—themselves resplendent in black satin dresses with pearl jewelry gifted to them by the bride—who wept when they saw their friend in full bridal regalia.
Her father was reduced to tears when she presented him with a heartfelt note and a pair of cufflinks, one inscribed, “I’ll always be your little girl,” and the other, “I love you, Dad.” Then, as Bob escorted his daughter into the ballpark, one look was all it took for Hunter to break down.
“I think that was one of my favorite moments, when I walked out onto the field and he started tearing up,” Emily reveals.
The groom had plenty of emotional support, flanked on the infield by his best man, Daryl Binder, and four groomsmen. All six men sported gray suits, cardinal-red ties, and Dumb and Dumber–themed socks chosen by Hunter. The groomsmen also received bottle openers bearing each man’s likeness and custom-engraved wood cups made from baseball bats.
Once the “I do’s” were spoken and the tears shed, the newlyweds breathed a sigh of relief. Hunter confesses, “I was a nervous wreck, but after the ceremony, all the pressure was gone.” Emily concurs. “I think I blacked out when I was walking into the stadium, so it’s hard to remember everything,” she recounts, adding, “The photos certainly help.”
A Home Run
As event planning goes, the nuptials of Mr. and Mrs. Close seemed to be a proverbial piece of (wedding) cake, thanks to the staff at Busch Stadium. “The challenge was coordinating everything from home, like finding an officiant and florist, but after all the phone calls and emails, there was nothing for us to do but enjoy the day,” Emily says. “The people at the ballpark made it easy.”
“It was a pleasure working with Emily and Hunter,” says Meagan McVicker, special event coordinator for the St. Louis Cardinals. “Planning a wedding is hard work, but they were extremely organized and calm throughout the entire process.”
Following the ceremony, the wedding party and 100 guests strode to the Champions Club inside the stadium for a meal befitting the day’s casual vibe: green salad, grilled chicken, smoked beef brisket, roasted potatoes, baked beans, and mac ‘n’ cheese.
“It was nothing fancy, but everything was really good,” Emily recalls.
Dessert included a popcorn bar, cinnamon-sugar doughnut holes, cotton candy, and the wedding cake, a three-tiered vanilla confection.
Following the bride and groom’s first dance as a married couple, they danced the night away alongside their guests to tunes spun by a local DJ.
After a honeymoon in the Colorado mountains, the couple returned to the Naples abode they share with their beagles, Cash and Penny. They have been enjoying married life and spending their leisure time attending rock concerts, playing trivia, and—no surprise—watching baseball.
Recalling the wedding, Emily says, “It was an amazing day and one we’ll never forget. We were happy to share it with the people we love—especially the Cardinals fans.”
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