Maid of Honor
Although I knew her first as Branden's sister, Liz has become one of my greatest friends and I already consider her to be my sister too. Her outgoing personality and kind heart make her extremely easy to love. Our friendship started with a mutual love and appreciation for makeup, but it has grown into so much more. The amount of work she has put into helping me with every aspect of this wedding amazes me every day. I respect her, I adore her, and I love her endlessly. I cannot thank God enough for gifting me with such an amazing friend and sister!
Bridesmaid
There are few people I have known longer in my life than Rachel. We've seen each other at our best and our worst, and I've always known that I could count on her. She has been the truest of friends for two decades and I couldn't imagine my wedding without her by my side. From Daycare days to high school graduation; from campground "cooking" to pretty prom pictures; from crazy late night conversations to early morning church services Rachel has been there for it all. I've had her as a friend through every major moment in my life, both good and bad, and my wedding is no exception. She is a ray of sunshine, a loving soul, and a blessing from God. She has been my family for 20 years, and she will forever remain one of the most important people in my life.
Bridesmaid
Jessica is one of the greatest blessings in my life. Although we've never gone to school together and she now lives so far away from me, no amount of time or distance has ever been able to separate us. I've always admired her hard work and dedication; I've always appreciated her humor and ability to put a smile on my face; and I'll never stop thanking her for the many years of friendship she's gifted me with. Her intelligence, loyalty, and kindness are only three of the qualities that make Jessica so amazing. This girl is my best friend and I will love her always.
Bridesmaid
I may have only known Izzy for three years now, but in that short amount of time she's made a big impact on my life and heart. As one of my first college friends, she's been there for me through some major life changes. She is super genuine, loving, and hilarious. As much as I enjoy our mutual love of the TV shows "Friends" and "The Vampire Diaries," what I love most about being friends with Izzy is that I feel completely comfortable being myself around her, and we can have the most simple or complex conversations. She never judges me (too harshly at least ;) and I never have to be afraid to share my thoughts or pour my heart out to her. Her friendship has meant the world to me.
Best Man
Riley is an amazing brother. He's always looked out for me, loved me, and inspired me as an older brother should. He continually reminds me of the many things I would otherwise forget. I've enjoyed playing and watching football and baseball with him as we've grown up, and I look forward to continuing to do that with him. Riley cares deeply for other people, and his loving nature is one of the many reasons why I'm thrilled to have him as my best man. He's been there for me for my entire life, and I know that he'll always be there for me as my older brother, friend, and role model.
Groomsman
Justin has been one of my best friends since high school. He's such a cool, funny, and nice guy. I love hanging out and talking to him about anything, including cars (which he loves). We have such fun together, whether that's going on drives (like our 2 a.m. drive around New Ulm admiring the stars) or playing video games. We had a blast being in a band together, and I've greatly enjoyed spending these past 7 years with him. I'm especially appreciative of Justin because he's one of the main reasons Nicole and I started dating.
Groomsman
Caleb and I have been friends for 8 years, basically since the day he broke his arm on a Lancer for Day trip in 8th grade. We've had a lot of fun times together, including our Lancer Singers experiences. We began rooming in high school whenever we had a Lancer Singers trip, and we've continued rooming throughout college. He's been an awesome roommate for the last 3 years, and I'll miss him next year. He's shared his love of movies with me, and some of my favorite memories with Caleb include watching movies and tv shows with him, even though I fall asleep half way through all of them. We also spend a lot of time playing video games together. He's a loving guy who likes to have fun, and I love the memories we've shared over the years.
Groomsman
The beginning of my friendship with Matt also happened to be my first interaction with him - we were grouped together in our BHL class Freshman year of college. Since then, we've been on numerous double dates (like our visit to Valley Scare), played lots of Chicken Horse, and had many conversations. One of the worst decisions we ever made was trying to get three people to sleep on a futon together: Matt, Justin, and I. He was there when I proposed to Nicole, and I'm glad he'll be there when I marry her. Matt is hilarious, loyal, nice, friendly, he always puts a smile on people's faces, and he's a wonderful friend.
Usher
I've known Grant since grade school and we've been close friends throughout those years, high school, and now college. I love hanging out with him and talking. Not only is he my brother from another mother, but we also share a birthday (in fact he's the second triplet in this wedding). I really appreciate that he's one of our ushers.
Usher
I first met Michael during our Freshman baseball season in college. Since then, we've grown pretty close. We've played many games (Catan, baseball, basketball, jackbox, etc.), watched tons of sports, and have been on the best trivia team together. I will never forget our late night trips to insomnia cookies and hitting the Tav on the Av. I'm very fond of the memories we've shared travelling for baseball, especially our trips to Florida. He has become a great friend over the last three years and I'm glad to have him in the wedding.
Reader
Simeon is also a very close, though more recent, friend. I met him during my Sophomore year of college. We love playing Jackbox and taking trips to Insomnia Cookies and Kwik Trip. Some of my favorite nights include staying up late in Sim's room, chatting, and falling asleep on his couch. He also shares my birthday (the third triplet, so to say). He's an extremely kind-hearted man and a wonderful friend.
Musician
I have known Ryan since we were babies. He is one of the most hilarious, kind, and loving people I know. His strong faith shines through in everything he does, and he lights a path for others. Through grade school, high school, and now college, I have seen him grow into an incredible man with amazing talents. I am thrilled that he is blessing our wedding with those talents, and I am even more proud to be able to call him my friend.
Musician
Elena is my sunshine: a light for Christ, a ray of happiness, strong in her faith, and a friendly face and kind heart. Ours is a lightning and thunder friendship since Sophomore year of high school. We've been on many crazy adventures, and she has been by my side through many difficulties. I've loved our trips to Starbucks and our 5 hour conversations. Elena's kindness is shown in her willingness to share her God-given musical abilities with us on our wedding day, and for that, and many other things, I am very grateful.
Father of the Groom
I love my dad. Of course, for the obvious reason that I wouldn't be here without him. But I also owe everything to my father. He has taught me so much: how to play sports, wood working, and most importantly, how to grow up to be a strong, Christian adult. I know that I can always count on him, throughout my life, to guide me in the way I should go, sharing his advice, and loving me unconditionally.
Mother of the Groom
My mother is a strong, beautiful, and kind woman who has taught me what it means to be loving. As a nurse, it must come naturally, but I continue to be amazed by the numerous ways she has helped me throughout my life. She taught me how to cook, something that I will take with me forever, a useful skill that I have learned to love. And she has helped me grow. She took the kid God gave her and turned him into a man. She has helped me mature, while also showing me the importance of laughter and fun. Most importantly, she has helped me grow spiritually, constantly strengthening my faith. Who I am today is because she has loved me, nurtured me, and stuck with me through any and all things.
Mother of the Bride
My mom means the world to me. She is the definition of a strong woman. She has taught me the importance of hard work, dedication, education, generosity, kindness, and love. Without her, I wouldn't be the person I am today. Her big, ever-encompassing heart led her to choose to adopt me, and the life she has created for me since has been more than the biggest of blessings. She taught me to always be prepared, but to enjoy life, not sweating the little things. She amazes me, and I will love her eternally. (My mom will also walk me down the aisle!)
Father of the Bride
While he may not be able to read this, I want this to be a thank you to my dad. He was and is my role model, a Christian leader who taught me in and out of the classroom. He lived life in the light of Christ, working hard to raise a Christian family and share God's love, never complaining but praising God for all of the blessings he had. I want to thank my dad for gifting me with a life filled with love and joy and laughter and happy memories that I get to take with me forever. Everything that he taught me in the short 15 years we shared will be carried over into my life with Branden as I attempt to be even half as amazing of a person as he was.
Bride & Groom
Branden and I met in high school, but it wasn't until we went to prom together that we became something more. Finally, in 2018, we started dating. We continue to attend the same school, Martin Luther College, where we're both working on Secondary Education degrees, Branden for Math (with a minor in coaching), and I am majoring in Communication Arts and Literature. We've enjoyed many great memories over the last 3 years, including: going up north, an Ed Sheeran concert, Vespa rides, and many more. We love spending time together, watching TV, going on drives, playing games, doing face masks, etc. In July 2020, we went hiking with friends at Devil's Lake. It was here that Branden proposed, and now we can't wait to spend the rest of our lives together as best friends and husband and wife.