Anthony & Kristen
Wedding Party
Jennifer Upham
Maid of Honor
Jennifer Upham is my sister, and, most importantly, the only person in the known world who completely understands my sense of humor and overall outlook on life. As kids, our mother always told us (usually while we were fighting) "Be nice to your sister! She's the best friend you'll ever have!" And, as much as we hated to hear it then, it turns out she was right. Jennifer understands the things that no one else does, and just "gets me". Life gets busy, but when we have time, we talk for hours about absolutely everything. When we run out of things to talk about, we move on to goofing off and we do a LOT of that. Jennifer and I dare not sit beside one another during serious events because our combined maturity level is somehow much lower than when we are apart (let's not forget the mistake we made taking American History together.) Jennifer gives the tough, honest advice I sometimes need, and I trust her implicitly. The photo I have attached not only does, but always will, capture the essence of our relationship with unparalleled accuracy. It is for this reason that I repost said photo yearly for "Siblings Day" and for that reason that I have posted it here. I am thrilled to have such an amazing person as my maid of honor and am so thankful she will be standing with me on the most important day of my life! I love you sissy!
Jonathan Bauer
Best Man
Jonathan is not only the best man, but he is also the best cousin I could ask for. I may tease him a lot, but he is a good man and has been there for me when I didn't have anyone else. Any time I have needed a helping hand Jonathan has been willing to help me out. I don't know what I would have done without him there to help me when my vehicles were down and needed repairs and without his help with my move to TN! You mean a lot to me Cuz and I look forward to having you stand up with me on my wedding day!
Kaitlyn Gavin
Bridesmaid
I met Kaitlyn through a mutual friend at Southern Adventist University my sophomore year. We quickly became best friends and decided to be roommates. Unlike sharing a house with someone, we shared the equivalent of a bedroom. You really don't know someone until you have spent 24+ hours in a 12 ft by 8 ft rectangle with them. We didn't even have a TV! Nevertheless, we had a blast when we weren't in class, studying, or working and we remained joined at the hip in the following years. We made so many memories I don't think all the photos in the world could capture them all, though that didn't stop us from trying to document everything in pictures! Kaitlyn lives in Germany now, and although we don't get to talk often these days, I will never forget all our conversations, road trips, and cooking, movies, hymn sing...and the list goes on! I will also never forget her emotional and spiritual support over the years. Kaitlyn has been there for me through some pretty difficult times and stuck with me through them all. She is an amazing friend and I'm so honored to have her standing up with me on my Big Day!
Caitlin Morgan
Bridesmaid
Caitlin is not only a very special and dear friend, but she also holds the title of being my oldest friend! In fact, only my sister tops her in years of memories together! We met when I was 10 years old. Her family had just moved back to the United States from Japan and her parents enrolled her in the small private school I attended. She was a grade ahead of me, but that didn't stop us from becoming the best of friends. I will never forget all our poetry nights, reading books in the dorm at Mt. Pisgah Academy, going to summer camp together, sleep overs, and so many other things! It amazes me how we have grown from childhood into adulthood, so many of those years spent living in different states or countries, and yet, somehow, we still have so much in common and when we do talk it is like no time has passed! I am so lucky to have had so many years of friendship with such a smart, strong, and AMAZING woman, and consider myself even luckier to have her stand up with me on this special day!
Sarah Silva
Bridesmaid
I met Sarah when I was in the 6th grade at a teacher's convention our moms were attending. We had great fun running all over Nosoca Pines Ranch while our parents sat in boring meetings! Just a few years later I moved to NC to go to Mt. Pisgah Academy boarding school and discovered, to my delight, that Sarah lived there! Although we had seen each other here and there since meeting, it wasn't until that year that we became really close friends. Her parents would let the girls in the dorm come over on the weekends and we'd make fondue, play board games, watch romantic comedies, and read poetry late into the night. Our friendship has only grown over the years through shared struggles and long conversations as we both sought God's will for our lives. Sarah and her husband now work as medical missionaries in Chad, so we don't know yet whether or not she will be able to attend, but nothing would make me happier than having her stand up with me on my wedding day!
Megan Kelley
Bridesmaid
I am so blessed to have Megan in my life. We met in college through a mutual friend (who just happens to be her husband and the officiant of the wedding!) We had lots of fun hanging out with our friends on the weekends, but it wasn't until we moved out of the dorm and into our first apartment together that we really got to know one another. We had so many fun-filled days of binging Netflix, doing puzzles, and just talking into the wee hours of the morning! Megan has always been there with a listening ear, friendly advice, spiritual encouragement, and emotional support. Megan is such a sweet, caring person and a Godly woman. I love that she is up for anything whether it be a grand adventure or lounging around in sweatpants and T shirts with a pizza and chocolate chip cookies talking about all the things we should be doing. She is truly one of my dearest friends in the world and might as well be family! We have shared so many memories over the years. Megan has been there for me through thick and thin. There really aren't enough words to state how much she means to me and I am so honored to have her celebrate with me on the most important day of my life.
Liz Banuchi
Bridesmaid
I met Liz at work on 2 Central when she transferred to my unit at the hospital. We bonded over many shared interests and were friends in no time! And God brought her into my life at just the right moment! Liz could never have known how much I needed her friendship and spiritual support and prayers when she introduced herself. We were both pretty new nurses and between the stresses of working in a hospital to having shared religious beliefs it was just nice to have someone who understood. We had many fun times going to church, cooking, singing, or doing Bible studies. Her kindness and willingness to let God use her to bless others are just a few of the many good qualities she has. Thankfully she was patient with my attempts to learn Spanish and she was always so happy to teach me! Liz is a beautiful, godly woman who knows, as I do, how faithful God is in big matters as well as in the little things and I am so honored to share this day with her as a bridesmaid at my wedding.
Sarah Coakley
Groomswoman
I met Sarah through my cousin Jonathan. Sarah is the kind of person who cares very deeply about her friends and is always willing to help out in any way she can. She is so outgoing and is the type of person who won't leave anyone sitting alone. She is kind-hearted and always willing to go the extra mile. We have had many great conversations over the years and have made some great memories. I'll never forget being a "Bridesman" at her wedding, and, now I am honored to return the favor and have her as a groomswoman in my wedding.
Kassy Ola
Groomswoman
I met Kassy through a mutual friend, Jasmine, and just like that I had another sister in Christ. Our friendship grew over long nature walks on Sabbath and through her continued spiritual encouragement. I have always admired her strong faith and willingness to surrender to God. Kassy always seems to have the right Bible verse for any situation. Her quirky sense of humor is always fun. I am blessed to have her as a sister in Christ and am honored to have her stand up with me on the most important day of my life.
Jasmine Gabe
Groomswoman
Never in a million years would I have guessed I’d have another sibling that I’d be so close to. Jasmine's family took me in when I had nowhere else to go. I will never forget our awesome “kid’s nights” and all the fun we’ve had together over the years. Most importantly, I will never forget the kindness she and her family showed me. And who would have thought we would both end up finding the love of our lives in the same way--I think we all would agree long distance SUCKS! We don't know yet if Jasmine will be able to be at the wedding due to potential circumstances beyond control, but, God willing, I’d be honored to have my sister in Christ stand up with me as a groomswoman on our Big Day.
Dennis and Kathy Bailey
Parents of the Bride
My mom and dad are two of the most amazing people I know. They have always worked so hard to give my sister and me a good life. Their unconditional love, support, sacrifice, and dedication to making a happy home for us gave us the foundation we needed to succeed. They always put God first and prioritized teaching us to do the same. They made the difficult decisions while I was growing up, many times knowing they would be met with anger, frustration, or temper tantrums. I often heard the words "we're your parents first, not your friends". I didn't understand then, but I do now. They said this because they knew that, while it would be easier for them to "be my friend" in the moment and to give in to whatever I wanted, they also knew that it would not be best for me in the long run. It was their job first and foremost to teach me how to live. To show me there are consequences for actions, to teach me responsibility, integrity, accountability. All of these things are hard to learn, but even harder to teach. But mom and dad are two of the best teachers I know and also two of my very best friends. I am so blessed to have them there to cheer me on as I walk down the aisle and celebrate this new chapter in my life.
Diana Bauer
Mother of the Groom
Where do I even start? Raising a child is never easy, I am proof of that. To this day I wonder how she managed to love me in spite of all the trouble I caused. I was more than a handful at times (who can forget the time I walked home from Nokesville Elementary School during recess?) I know I am the cause of any gray hairs she has! But she has always loved and supported me through it all. No matter the opposition, mom always advocated for her children, striving to give us the best life she could and her unconditional love for us is the kind of love only a mother could have. I am so honored to have her there to celebrate with us on my wedding day!
Shawn Kelley
Officiant
I met Shawn at Southern Adventist University in Speech class. He was a religion major and I was a nursing major, but leave it to prerequisites to bring two people together who might otherwise never have met. I will never forget the first day of class. I got lost and when I finally found the classroom there were no more seats. Shawn offered his seat to me. Our first assignment was to pick a partner for introduction speeches and Shawn asked if I wanted to be partners for the project. I said yes and so our friendship began...well, with that and lots and lots of gummy fruit smiles! Shawn literally ended up introducing me to every one of my friends from college. We had so much fun goofing off it's a wonder either of us graduated! It has been so rewarding seeing his transformation from the college kid I met so many years ago to a wonderful father to his two boys, dedicated husband to my best friend, and passionate spiritual leader to his flock. I know I can always turn to Shawn for advice, answers to tough spiritual questions, encouragement, and prayer. There is no one in the world I would rather have officiate on the most important day of my life!