BOBBY + MAKAYLA
Wedding Party
Alyssa Brannen
Maid of Honor
Alyssa is my younger sister and built-in best friend!! Growing up people would always make comments to our mom like, "ohhh jeez, two girls two years apart? I bet there are lots of slamming doors!" etc. BUT I honestly cannot think of a single time in my life when we've fought- even the teenage years of sharing a bathroom! (Still not sure how we did that so easily). She truly always has been my other half and I am so thankful for how close we are. She is hilarious, she says it like it is, she has a huge heart, and she is just seriously the best. I wish everybody got to have a sister like her because it is the biggest blessing ever!! I love her so much and am so lucky to have her as my Maid of Honor!!
Zack Brown
Best Man
Zack! He's my only little brother & I've always been proud to call him my brother. It's been amazing to see him grow into the person he is to this day. He's always been the spark to our family. He has a personality that everyone gravitates towards as he's always kind, caring, happy, & funny. He has a great heart & will always go out of his way to make everyone's day. I couldn't think of a better person to be my best man for our big day. He has traveled countless miles for me & it has meant a lot to me that he's always been there for me. I'm always thankful for how he has welcomed Makayla with open arms & always treats her great. We're both thankful for you & are excited to always have you by our side! Kind of excited to hear his best man speech, but also kind of not- lets keep it nice..
Carrissa Brown
Bridesmaid
Carrissa is Bobby's younger sister/best friend and one of my very best friends!! I met her after Bobby and I had only been dating for about a week and we instantly clicked. I knew I liked her right away, but when we accidentally showed up in matching outfits the second day we hung out, it sealed the deal! She is the most loyal person with the biggest heart, she is hilarious and a blast to be around, and it is a big bonus that she is a lawyer because she will bust out legal jargon and threaten to sue anybody who tries to mess with the people she loves (lol) From living together, vacations, wine nights, and more- she is truly the best of the best and I love her so much!! I am so lucky and thankful to be gaining such an amazing sister!!
Bo Darrow
Groomsman
Although we were both QB's at BV, instead of being rivals towards each other, we hit it off from the first day I got there. Bo was my roommate in college & is the coolest & best friend that you could ask for. We've been through it all together & always found a way to have fun no matter how lame it was going to a small college in a small town - from being roommates, our late night talks like we're teenage girls, our video game battles, & me busting him out of jail (had to lowkey throw that one in there, sorry Bo) - there's never been a dull moment. Always a good time when I'm with Bo. Even though he's a Dad now, I'm sure he still hasn't lost his dance moves, so if you see some older dude on the dance floor trying to do the "Dougie" dance, that'll be Bo.
Taylor Chesnut
Bridesmaid
Taylor is my first cousin and one of my lifelong (literally) best friends!! We grew up only about 15 minutes away from each other and I am so thankful for all our countless memories. From forcing our families to sit through all our awful dance performances, to days spent on the lake, to 5 hour long lunches when we were at Iowa State together and everything in between, she is the funniest, smartest (thanks for all the free eye advice Dr. Chesnut), most amazing person that I'm lucky to call family. She is just shy of 2 years older than me and growing up I always wanted to be exactly like her (you would too if you knew how awesome she is)!! If you hear a loud, hilarious laugh at the wedding that is definitely coming from her- dare you to not laugh along with her (it's impossible)!
Adam Cave
Groomsman
Adam played Tight End for the Beavers while I was there. He's one of the most genuine guys you'll meet. He's always been there for me, whether that's to catch passes for me after a grueling Lane Gries (our strength coach) workout or traveling to Minneapolis for a QB workout, he's always been a great friend. He also had to go through sitting by me every summer as interns at the bank - during our time as interns, I had the privilege of seeing him fall through the ceiling while hooking up cameras and I was also stuck witnessing him scarf down a Subway footlong multiple times daily. If you see a guy hanging out at the snack station in the back at the wedding, that is Adam. I'm lucky to call a guy like Adam a lifelong friend, he's a gem!
Katie Hoeft
Bridesmaid
Katie (formerly known as workinitburkett) has been one of my best friends since high school. Everybody warned us that high school friends shouldn't live together in college because it would ruin the friendship but thank goodness we didn't listen!! Katie is hands down the funniest person I know- her one-liners are unmatched and she once even got boys to leave her alone by faking sign language on the fly. She is also hilariously competitive, so somebody please challenge her to a dance off or cake eating competition at some point!! In all seriousness she is an absolutely amazing person and friend, and I am so thankful to have had her by my side through all the ups and downs throughout the years and now by my side on the big day!
Derek Schwartz
Groomsman
Derek Schwartz. He is a BV legend. He's the life of the party and will for sure dance through his shirt by the end of the night. There are multiple false stories about how Derek and I actually met, but I won't get into those as they are false. He's another reason as to why I was thankful I went to BV because having a friend like Derek is something I will always be thankful for. He's always down for a good time and always wants to make sure his friends are having a good time - so if you hear this chant "Shots on Schwartz" - he most likely started it & you should go belly up at the bar. Everyone needs a friend who's not afraid to make a fool of themselves, and that's Derek for our group. He's also a Dad now, but I'm sure he will be the first and last person on the dance floor.
Miranda Bramble
Bridesmaid
Miranda has been one of my best friends since high school and is one of my favorite people in the world!! She is one of the most driven and hard-working people out there (s/o to her for being a pharmacist during Covid!!) but somehow manages to stay incredibly down to earth. Even though we went to separate colleges, we still stayed close as ever & always made up for lost time on the weekends and summers! She's tied with my cousin Taylor for the funniest laugh ever award AND has been known to bust a move on the dance floor after a drink or two, so get excited for both of those!! They say if you are friends with someone for more than 7 years you'll be friends forever, and I'm so thankful to have her with me every step of the way in life!!
Tanner Collins
Groomsman
Tanner Collins. Or as he calls himself, "Tank" or "The Tank". So if some random guy introduces himself to you as 'Tank', this is him. He'll have his chest puffed out and everything else you can imagine to come across as looking like a guy named 'Tank', but he's all bark no bite, so don't be too intimidated. If he challenges you to a 40-yard dash, accept it and throw your life savings on it. Tank and I met at BV while playing football together. There is never a dull moment or dull conversation when you're around him. He'll get you laughing no matter the situation. I couldn't have my big day without having Tank standing up there with me! Last side note - don't let him buy you a beer or else he will hang it over your head forever.
Anne Larson
Bridesmaid
Anne and I got set up on a blind date by our moms- LOL. They were close friends in college and always knew we would hit it off, but Anne grew up in Arkansas so we had never met. When she moved to Des Moines after college, our moms forced the two of us to go get lunch and we reluctantly agreed. Thank GOODNESS we did because we instantly clicked and were inseparable after that!! God knew I needed her in my life and her friendship has been the biggest blessing!! She has an absolute heart of gold, is hilarious, and will drop everything and do anything for the people she loves. (One small example of many- she sends thoughtful, handwritten cards a few times throughout the year just because. What?! She's a gem!!) To know Anne is to love her and I am so lucky to call her one of my best friends!!
Schuyler Radke
Groomsman
His birth name is Schuyler, but he goes by "Rad-Dog" so if you say Schuyler, he won't answer. Rad-Dog and I almost went to Simpson together, what a mistake that would've been. We both wound up at BV and have been friends since day one. Radke is one of the nicest guys you will meet and will definitely have a smile on the entire time you're around him. He's one of the good ones. When he starts talking in 3rd person and yells out "Rad-Dog!", that's when you know he's having a good time. Rad-Dog and his wife, Jordan, came out to visit us in N. Carolina and that is something Makayla & I will always appreciate & cherish! Always a good time when I'm around Radke and I can't wait for him to be up there with me on my big day as we've been through it all since the beginning!
Maddie Kastel
Bridesmaid
Maddie is one of my best friends from college and one of the most amazing people you'll ever meet!! We met and bonded over ice cream which is 100% on-brand for us, lol! Maddie has such a special gift of making everybody she meets feel like a million bucks- people are totally drawn to her and she truly is a light to everyone she's around. She lives out her faith in such a way that it makes others want to know about Jesus, which I think is one of the most beautiful things about her!! Whether you're out on the town, having a girl's night binging on pizza, or having a heart to heart- she's the friend you want next to you through it all. I could have never gotten through life so far without her and am SO thankful to have her by my side on the big day!!
TJ Bruch
Groomsman
TJ!! TJ is one of the most hard-working, caring, and self-less people you will come around. He's another good guy (as are all of my groomsman) and if you get the chance to meet TJ, don't miss out on the opportunity. He's a friend that you're always thankful to have in your corner (as a friend and as someone to have your back). TJ has always been checking in & following my career which has been very cool & appreciated, which means a lot with knowing how busy he is. I couldn't have my big day without having one of my best friends up there with me. Going into BV I had questions about this guy.. in high school while I was pitching vs. his team, he went out of his way to tackle my catcher in the first inning & got thrown out of the game (rightfully so), but he turned out alright!
Emily Nelsen
Bridesmaid
Emily has been one of my best friends since high school and is one of the best people out there!! She has a huge heart, is hilarious, stands up for what she believes in, and always lives her life to the fullest. She does whatever she puts her mind to and is a blast and a half while doing it! She has always been there for me no matter what and she always makes every situation fun! No matter how long we go apart we always pick right back up where we left off. Everybody needs a friend like Em and I am so lucky to have her in my life!!
Dylan Barrett
Groomsman
Barrett was my running back in college, but more importantly, a full-time body guard. You want to be on this guys good side so if you see a guy with a great beard slamming a Budweiser, be on your best behavior & respect him & his space. Just kidding (sorta). Barrett has always been a great friend & has always been there for me through the ups & downs. If the DJ starts playing some death metal music during the reception, this was not by my doing, this is Barrett's so accept it & act like you enjoy it. It only took me about 3.5 years in college to learn that complaining about his music only makes him turn it up louder. I really don't know what our group would've done without Barrett to always be there to keep Tanner & his gibberish in line so that's another reason why we're thankful for him