Bride
Katie is an Arizona native who loves travel, laughter, food, and experiencing new things.
Groom
Mark is a Jersey boy who loves international travel, photography, and fixing other people's tech problems.
Maid of Honor
Holly and Katie met about 12 years ago when they were working as assistant managers together at Victoria's Secret. Early on, Holly was treated to an entire night of Katie singing as they did an overnight beauty floorset and from then on they became partners in crime. Holly still tries to get as much of Katie's beautiful voice as she can through road trips, and the two have traveled throughout the US, Italy, and France. Hot air balloons, paddle boarding, AZ Wineries, glass blowing, and warrior dashes are just some of their adventures.
Best Man
Nick and Mark have worked together for over a decade, and they are official Lunch Buddies For Life™. They enjoy watching bad TV shows and providing mocking commentary, and watching good TV shows and providing mocking commentary. They're also going to school together for the same degree, in the same classes, where they enjoy reading their classmates' work and providing mocking commentary. Nick got Mark into playing basketball, with the goal of having an inferior opponent who provides him a weekly ego boost every Saturday morning (Mark assumes).
Bridesmaid
Jessica, Katie, and Michelle met in Jr. High and have known each other since 1993. The trio was best friends in High School, and survived high school together. Katie was Jessica's bridesmaid when she got married. Twenty five years later, the two have supported each other through love, heartbreak, kids, death, break ins, gardening, and home improvement. One of the most recent adventures the two had was a weekend trip to Seattle, where the two conquered every part of the city and barely made it to their airplane because they were enjoying the local cider.
Groomsman
Jake and Mark met while selling overpriced popcorn and gallon-sized sodas at the movie theater as teenagers. Over the years they went on to sell overpriced electronics together, then to fixing computers together, and living together numerous times throughout all that. Now they spend most of their time overengineering solutions to problems they convince themselves they have.
Bridesmaid
Michelle, Katie, and Jessica met in Jr. High and have known each other since 1993. Best friends in High School and Co-Valedictorians together, Michelle and Katie still manage to see each other once or twice a year despite Michelle living in Chicago. The two have a history of shenanigans together, and have survived high school dating, Wild Vegas adventures, San Diego bachelorette parties, and Chicago pub crawls together. They share a love of Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers - Michelle took Katie to her first concert when they were the Refreshments and Semisonic was their opening band. Craft beer and Cubs games have fueled their friendship throughout time.
Groomsman
Rick and Mark's relationship goes back to the late 20th century, when they first met playing video games obtained in completely legal and legitimate ways. Rick was the dominant player in those days, and since then he has established his dominance over Mark in many other arenas such as basketball, fishing, and infectious Irish charisma.
Bridesmaid
Jen and Katie met at Cottey College and lived in Rosemary suite together. Their shared love for dressing in costume, theatrical singing, and overall silliness bonded the two together, but it is their shared serious side and OCD tendencies that kept the two connected over the past 18 years. They celebrated their 30th birthdays with many other members of the bridal party in a week long San Diego adventure, and last winter Katie (and Jen's husband) surprised Jen when she visited Austin for the best Christmas Jammie photo shoot ever captured on camera.
Groomsman
Dan and Mark are kindred spirits in many ways, but mostly in their ability to find sources of endless giggle fits in places that have no inherent comedic value. They have traveled the world together from Costa Rica to Cambodia, and have been idiots in every country they go to. Expect nothing less at the wedding.
Bridesmaid
Sarah and Katie met in 1999 when Katie started attending Cottey College. Laughter and ridiculous scenarios started the friendship, and even though Sarah sometimes sucked at answering her phone and making phone calls, the two pick up like no time has passed each time they connect. Highlights since college include the San Diego 30th birthday trip, Halloween in Vegas, Sarah's fake and real bachelorette parties, and many Pinterest wins.
Groomsman
Ryan was Mark's boss at the movie theater, and in the twenty years that have passed since then, he's never let Mark forget it. Whether it's automotive repair, financial wizardry, or encyclopedic knowledge of 70's rock minutiae, the depth and breadth of Ryan's talents continue to inspire Mark to reach higher, and crush his soul when he realizes he'll never get there.
Bridesmaid
Kara and Katie were in the same dorm while they attended York College of Pennsylvania together. Kara introduced Katie to east coast culture and accents, and the two have been through everything from 9/11 to baby kittens. The two were sorority sisters, and while Kara was pledging Katie snuck her out of state for a wild Weekend in NYC. They spent a spring break road tripping from PA down to Florida with highlights in Myrtle Beach and Disney World. Ultimately, Kara prepared Katie for New Jersey in laws over the span of multiple road trips along the east and west coast, adventures in Mexico, a Halloween in Vegas, and holidays full of loudly swearing Italians.
Groomsman
Aaron and Mark share a love of the great outdoors, photography, and each other's delightful company. They have twice braved the treacherous waters of the Colorado, battled fearsome skunks, and juiced countless apples in the name of science and/or booze.
Bridesmaid
Molly and Katie met through mutual friends soon after Katie moved back to Arizona in 2004. Their friendship began from a shared love of Grey's Anatomy and was strengthened over hours of scrapbooking and lamenting about Katie's love life. Taurean to the bone, these two love tasty food and drinks and can always be talked into playing any kind of game. Molly laughed through much of Katie's dating history, and was always quick with a nickname and bottle of wine when things didn't work out.
Groomsman
Mike is Mark's brother-in-law, but their bonds go further than the law prescribes. Mike first appeared on the scene dating Lauren when Mark was in grade school. Mike was the cool, tall high school football star with matinee-idol looks and a razor-sharp wit. Needless to say, Mark was smitten from the start. Through the years they shared many laughs, mainly over bathroom jokes. And now that they're both older, and Mark is objectively cooler, taller, handsomer, and wittier, his admiration hasn't waned.
Bridesmaid
Bree and Katie met for the first time in July 2007 as they drove to San Diego for Michelle's bachelorette party. That first road trip set the tone for their friendship, and the two have explored California, Mexico, Illinois, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut together. They also cheered each other on as the two were both dating online, and have managed to see each other several times a year despite Bree moving out of state about 5 years ago. Wine, fancy restaurants with cool drinks, concerts, brunch, laying by a pool, margaritas, and sporting events are easy go-to activities for these two adventuristas.
Groomsman
Jim is Mark's soon-to-be-brother-in-law, but he's already been a brother and a half. Jim is a font of knowledge in building, cooking, and life in general, and he's been imparting this knowledge on Mark for years. He's also generous to a fault, giving up his weekends to help Mark build the finest shed in Scottsdale (and by "help", I mean design from scratch and do most of the manual labor). He's just an all-around great guy.
Bridesmaid
Rebekah and Katie met through mutual Victoria's Secret friends about 3 years ago. They pretty much decided after that first meeting that they should be friends and started scheduling lunch dates. Both love culinary exploration, eating healthy then sneak eating junk food, the Chicago Cubs, and mini adventures through Arizona. They get usually spend Wednesday nights together making bride's dreams come true.
Ring Bearer
We are lucky if Hudson makes an appearance for the wedding. Last we asked, he was too busy...
Mother of the Bride
Mamma Calienté not only birthed our bride, but kept her alive with frozen peas and breakfast for dinner. This was all at Katie's request. She survived years of a child with a lot of questions and no filter, a chair/knot incident, and endless curiosity. Thank you for boiling grass so I could try to dye my socks. Thank you for listening to endless hours of saxophone. Thank you for waiting to discover wine until I did so we could get drunk together. Love you Mom!
Mother of the Groom
This Jersey girl gave me the man of my dreams, so all I can say is thank you. You raised someone who is kind, considerate, not a push-over, and has an adventurous spirit. Thank you for everything you influenced in the man I'll spend my life with, I'm glad he can pump gas even if he hasn't yet taught you... ;)
Father of the Bride
Mr Sight See-er USA built Katie's appreciation for travel, nature, and animals. I can't tell you how many times my Dad flagged down other cars to show them animals on the side of the road, or how many times I was frustrated with him as we fixed my car or did taxes. In the end, you did good, and I'm proud to say I can do both on my own. (Even if I prefer to sous-mechanic and have Mark take the lead).
Father of the Groom
Rick set the bar high for Mark from the start: Law school grad, army officer right out of college, attorney, and came *this close* to sharing the stage with Alex Trebek on Jeopardy! He's the definition of a Renaissance man, and if you think Mark comes anywhere close to that, you have Rick to thank.
Flower Girl
Miri is the newest addition to the circle of girlfriends. Born Dec 16th, 2016 she is practicing walking for her debut down the aisle and is already a fan of tiffany blue daisies.
Flower Girl
She may be cleaning up the petals instead of throwing them, but we are excited for the character Miss Sophie brings to our party!