Wedding Party
Ainsley Nelson
Maid of Honor
Ainsley and I met in the music program at BHSU. She is such an understanding person, and most of our time together was always spent gossiping or just telling fun stories. When we had classes together, we would have to look at each other to know what the other was thinking. I spent most class periods reminding her to do the assignments and when they were due. We had the best time on band trips, especially when we roomed together. We would always find something fun to do in the hotels to pass the time. I remember all the time we spent watching "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" She is the nicest person I have ever met, and I am so glad we got to spend the years in college together making memories.
Kirsten Johnson
Bridesmaid
Kirsten and Anastasia met in the flute section of the BHSU wind ensemble. Kirsten was always a person I looked up to. Kirsten was very welcoming when I first started at BH. I remember all the rehearsals we would spend laughing together because of something Dr. Berberick was doing. We spent a lot of time, Kirsten, Ainsley, and I talking about all kinds of things. We spent a lot of the band trips together chilling in a hotel room. Kirsten is a friend I will cherish forever, and I am grateful to have her stand by me throughout my wedding.
Torance Sharp
Bridesmaid
Tori is one of my younger sisters. She is a firecracker type of person. If you have ever met her, you know that she will always speak her mind. As all sisters do, we argued about stupid things when we were young, but all in all, we had a lot of fun together. We sometimes saw eye to eye, but most of the time we would be there just to listen to each other. I remember all the times we would stay up late on the weekends doing the craziest activities. She lives in Oklahoma now with her fianceé and is starting school to become a nurse. I couldn't be prouder, and I love her with all my heart.
Natalie Basset
Bridesmaid
Natalie and Anastasia met a little before college, when they were working at the same restaurant in Rapid City. We were quick friends. I remember the day when we both decided to be roommates at BHSU. We were quick to adjust to living together. We had many movie nights together and multiple Walmart runs. There was never a dull moment in our dorm, and we were always being told to be quieter. Natalie is now a mom to a wonderful baby boy. I am so lucky to get to call her one of my best friends, and that I get to be an aunt to a wonderful baby boy.
Abby Scott
Bridesmaid
Abby and I met when she joined the music department at BHSU. She transferred from a different college and joined the wind ensemble. Abby and I became close on our band tour when we rode in a van with Ethan and Layton. We spent the long drives laughing and watching Marvel movies. After the first bit of a drive, we were already so close, and our friendship grew as time went on. The four of us became a wonderful quartet, and there was never a moment we didn't spend laughing. We even joke that we are the Fantastic Four in real life, just without the superpowers. She is a wonderful person and is such a joy to be around.
Ethan Garrido
Best Man
Ethan and I have been friends since he joined the jazz band at Douglas High School, and we only got closer when he joined me to work at Jimmy John's. Even after he moved to Utah, we would still call each other every night. Even though he was eleven hours away (six if he was driving), we still managed to find ways to hang out, like watching movies on the phone or practicing our instruments together. My favorite memories with Ethan will be riding around on our longboards and drinking way too many Monsters before driving way too fast to Jimmy John's or Haggerty's.
Caleb Cookie
Groomsman
Caleb and I have been friends since we could ride the school bus by ourselves. We became close by sneaking different toys in our backpacks and showing them to each other on the way to preschool, and we have been close ever since. My favorite memories with Caleb involve us playing video games together until it’s way past our bedtimes before school, or staying up all night during sleepovers, talking about anything and everything.
Lucas Stenkamp
Groomsman
Lucas and I have been brothers ever since he was born. As kids, we would spend our time playing LEGO games on the Wii or arguing with each other about something insignificant. My favorite memories with Lucas are playing a game that we called “That Game,” where we would just pretend to be our favorite people from any video games that we played. How lucky is he to have me as an older brother.
Eric Anderson
Groomsman
Eric and I have been cousins ever since he was born. We used to spend all of our time building LEGO and setting up battles for our LEGO guys to fight. My favorite memories with Eric are when we would try to convince each other's moms to let us have a sleepover at my house. More recently, he became my favorite coworker at Jimmy John’s (until he quit).
Jayden Martin
Groomsman
Jayden and I met in my freshman year of high school when we sat next to each other in the trumpet section. We became very close when we came to BHSU, and I convinced him to enroll. My favorite memories with Jayden involve us getting into some shenanigans very late at night, like walking to Taco Bell at 3 a.m., or hiking up Crows Peak the morning after a blizzard.