Akira & Sandra
Wedding Party
Sandra Pieczonka
Bride
Sandy enjoys mornings (especially breakfast food and coffee), traveling, painting, spoiling her new fur-baby (Roanoke), and annoying Akira any time she gets the chance. Sandy knows waaaay too much about crime, coffee, and knows every line in The Emperor’s New Groove. Sandy can hardly believe she's getting married to her best friend, and can't wait to start their new lives together filled with laughter and adventure.
Akira Crabdree
Groom
Akira enjoys the outdoors, traveling, video games, playing with the family dogs (Roanoke and Archie) and cats (Haruma, Hiroto, and Bowie), and making Sandy question her decision to marry him. Akira knows waaaay too much about meme and internet culture. Akira is still unsure why somebody as amazing and beautiful as Sandy said yes to marrying him but he's very excited to start their lives together and have many happy years of marriage to the love of his life.
Paige Favaro
Maid of Honor
Paige enjoys taking her dog (Hazel) on adventures to parks and walking paths; and if she does well and doesn't bark at too many children, runners, or bicycles, then they also enjoy the Starbucks line for a pupcup. One topic Paige knows waaay too much about is IMDB Trivia - Finding out all the fun facts on a show or movie after watching. Paige and Sandy originally met during elementary school, and that continued through their entire school years of having classes and then going into stage crew, where eventually as the years together continued, their friendship became stronger.
Sam Dunn
Best Man
Sam works IT at Northwestern University. He likes to spend his time playing Nintendo games, visiting cafes, and listening to Carly Rae Jepsen. He knows way too much about Japanese rail. “Let’s talk trains”, he says. Sam hopes Akira and Sandy find happiness through every moment in life together. And he hopes that the Chunichi Dragons will win a Japan Series for Akira’s sake.
Hope Judd
Bridesmaid
Hope has known Sandy for waaay too long! They met at a friend’s birthday party. Hope loves animals, getting out and about in nature, and knows waaay too much about exotic animals! Hope’s favorite memories with Sandy are them drinking absolutely way too much and having the absolute best of times at her family’s cabin! She wish’s Sandy and her forever best friend nothing but happiness!
Emily Hampston
Groomswoman
When she's not updating her Goodreads account, you can find Emily hiking through the forest or planning future travels. She knows way too much about local concert venues. One of her favorite memories with Akira was how their friendship of over ten years started just by chatting to each other in between classes at Cudahy Science Center.
Sami Schultz
Bridesmaid
Sami is an enigma. A scientific enigma. She loves trying new things, bringing life to the party or bringing the party to the people. Sami, too, is about to marry her very favorite person in this world - her fiancé, Jeremy, just like Sandy and Akira. Sami knows waaaay too much about Greys Anatomy. She believes that no moment should be wasted, because before we know it, we’re in our 30s worrying about mortgages and car payments instead of the next concert or next bonfire with friends, and Sandy will always be one of those friends that Sami's planning the next concert or bonfire with. Through thick and thin with Sami's garden patch! Sandy and Sami met in a little ol’ town called Crystal Lake in a place called high school. Where they grew from the little caterpillars into the beautiful butterflies that they are today in all our scientific glory! Sami's favorite memory with Sandy is celebrating Sandy's 21st birthday at the cabin! Their mating calls were perfected on the island that weekend. Truly a special moment for us all. Sami hopes for nothing but the best future possible for Sandy and Akira in Virginia….but that one day they'll go back to Illinois so they're not 8,000 miles apart. Never forget about the little things because size doesn’t matter. Life is like a baked potato, it’s only as good as the fillings you add to it.
Katherine Powers
Groomswoman
Katherine likes hand crafts, such as crocheting, sewing, and paper crafts. In 2022, Katherine decided to branch out and start a side business making Disney themed luggage tags for charity. She’s worked as a travelling scientist for the last four years, which has inspired a new love of travelling. She’s been to 20 states (21 soon!) and to Japan twice. Katherine is hoping to visit all 50 states and go back to Japan soon (although she wouldn’t mind seeing some more countries too). Katherine knows way too much about organizing techniques and the growing and manufacturing process of corn and corn products (both of these are from previous jobs). Katherine’s favorite memory of Akira is before they officially knew each other, he sat in front of her in Biochem every day. He’d walk in dressed in his ROTC uniform and set up a full buffet. She knew the person he’d sit with, so she only knew him as “the kid from the navy” until they started hanging out. Katherine hopes Akira and Sandy don’t have to spend such long stretches apart anymore, but hope they remember that distance can still be a good thing! She hopes it makes them cherish the time they have together even more.
Elizabeth Magalski
Bridesmaid
Elizabeth met Sandy at Loyola University in Chicago and is so excited to get to watch Sandy and her LUC sweetheart tie the knot! One of Elizabeth’s favorite memories with Sandy is when they traveled around Germany together. Elizabeth enjoys hiking, reading, yoga, dancing, traveling, and making matcha lattes. She knows waaay too much about Bridgerton!
Kotomi Crabdree
Flower Girl/Usher
Kotomi has a cat that weighs 17lbs, plays animal crossing, loves to read, and knows way too much about skincare! ——— Akira and Sandy: I hope you all have a wonderful wedding day, and a beautiful, long life together! I love you both.
Nathan Furtek
Ring Bearer/Usher
Nathan is just your average guy that wishes he could win the lottery and never work again! He is nerdy with a variety of interests. In high school, he used to play football, wrestle, and did a little parkour. Nathan enjoys frisbee golf with his friends whenever they get the chance, but in his downtime, he likes to play video games, build Gundam model kits, and watch movies and anime. His friends would describe him as a good person that has a go-with-the-flow, chill personality. Nathan believes he knows waaaay too much about Halo lore (the video game series) and wishes he could forget a lot of that information and swap it for something more important, lol. Nathan and Sandy met during their freshman year of high school due to overlapping friend groups and hung out often in the morning before classes and during lunch with their mutual friends. Nathan and Sandy have remained friends ever since!
John Kleczewski
Beer Boy
Attached is a picture of John and his third wife Shania... John was born and raised in the Chicago area and relocated to Raleigh, NC in 2012 for work. He does not miss Chicago winters. John has been a certified Beer Judge since 1998, is learning to play the Ukulele, and cares for bonsai (and pre-bonsai) trees as a member of the Triangle Bonsai Society in the "Triangle" (Raleigh-Durham-Chaple Hill) area of North Carolina. John knows way too much about beer, to the point of occasionally boring family members. Sometimes he can hear their eyes roll when he starts to pontificate... John wishes nothing but the best for Sandy and Akira. They are a fun couple that John and his first wife (Debbie) got to hang out with on the coast of North Carolina last year. They appreciate good beer and good conversation, things John has found that make a great couple. Congratulations to them. Can't wait to see "all ya'll" In June!
Sylvester Pieczonka
Father of the Bride
Syl is a sports nut that loves basketball and football the most. He knows way too much about railroad freight cars. Syl is looking forward to retirement so he can spend more time with his family and hopefully travel to Virginia more often. He is proud of his Polish heritage but loves Italian food and BBQ the most. Retiring soon and looking forward to it! ——— Sandy and Akira: I hope you have nothing but success in your personal and professional lives. Don't forget about family (I know you won't). Visit us often and remember that we love you. Let's fish together as often as possible! Love Dad.
Randy Crabdree
Father of the Groom
Randy loves music and enjoys listening to music and going to concerts. He also enjoys anything about history and visiting historical places. Football is his favorite sport and he likes to watch it at any level - NFL, college, or high school. Randy is a fan of Indy Car racing and has gone to the Indy 500 many times. Fun fact - he’s met Colonel Sanders and Don Knotts! He also knows way too much about history. ——— Akira and Sandy: My only wish for you both is to always be happy and enjoy as much time together as you possibly can, doing the things you enjoy! It makes for lots of wonderful memories. Dad
Wendy Pieczonka
Mother of the Bride
Wendy loves her family, cooking, crocheting and stain glass. She knows way too much about aftermarket bus parts. Wendy is looking forward to traveling more often to Virginia to visit Sandy and Akira and spending more time with the family. She’s extremely proud of her family and their accomplishments. ——— Sandy and Akira: I wish you an abundance of joy and happiness and wish your love for each other grow spiritually and emotionally. I wish you success in life and that your marriage grow stronger each and everyday. Love Mom.
Akie Crabdree
Mother of the Groom
Akie’s hobbies used to be accessory making, stained glasses and paper crafts, but now she loves traveling. Her interests include traveling, watching YouTube for traveling, and knows way too much about Korean dramas! 🤪 ——— Akira: I’m so happy that you found “Miss Right”!! And she is also so beautiful 😻 I wish for your endless happiness and good health!! Love you very much!! Mom