Justine & Benjamin
Wedding Party
Jasmine Koussa
Maid of Honor
Jasmine and Justine have been friends since we were 4 years old, bringing us to 20 years of friendship! We met in 4-year-old preschool, and went through both St. Mary's and Cardinal Mooney Catholic together. Our nickname growing up was 'Double-J, Double Trouble,' first dubbed by the illustrious kindergarten teacher Sister Sean. We've been through first dances, first concerts, and first conventions over the years. I'm now excited to celebrate one of the most important days of my life with her by my side.
David Tomaszewski
Best Man
Although David and Ben attended an accelerated program together in elementary school, since they went to different schools they weren’t close friends until later on. As time passed, David and Ben spent a lot more time together, in activities such as band, where they both played b flat instruments, and Boy Scouts, where both boys earned their Eagle Scout awards. They quickly bonded over common interests such as video games, board games, and general nerd culture. They have continued to be great friends since, and Ben is excited to have David as his best man in his wedding.
Angelina Starceski
Bridesmaid
Justine and Angelina both went to St. Mary's together, but didn't become friends until 4th grade when our Girl Scout troops combined. We became fast friends after that, especially after we realized we shared similar interests such as books, arts and crafts, and the film director Tim Burton. Although we didn't attend high school together, we made it a priority to stay in contact and continue our friendship. We've both acquired new interests since then, and love sharing them with each other whenever we hang out!
Nicholas Cucchi
Groomsman
Nicholas, also known as America's Sweetheart, has brought infinite joy and annoyance into Justine's life since the day he was born. To be honest, I didn't care that he was born; I was more concerned with the R2-D2 plushie our parents got me that day. However, I now know that having a little brother is one of the greatest blessings in my life. As we got older, I realized how wonderful it is to have a brother and friend who stands by me and shares my interests. It brought me great joy when he became good friends with Ben as well. Just one of the many signs that Ben is a definitely a keeper!
Rachel Lang
Bridesmaid
Rachel and Justine also attended St. Mary's together, but didn't become friends until 5th grade. Our paths were fated to cross at some point, especially since we shared similar interests and our grade was only 50 people. The bond between us was forged over manga, videogames, and midnight movie premieres at Partridge Creek Mall. We also didn't attend high school together, but made an effort to continue our friendship through dinner meetups and movie afternoons. To this day, and most likely at my wedding, Rachel will never let me forget the inside joke "Emos Alive." Just watch. She will mention it that evening.
James Briscoe III
Groomsman
James and Ben were assigned as roommates their first year at college, and Ben could not have asked for a better roommate. From the first time they talked on the phone Ben knew they would be great friends. The two caused all sorts of trouble in Hills, and they would continue to be roommates through their third year of college. Though they are no longer roommates they remain great friends, and have kept in touch as much as possible. Ben is honored to have James in his wedding party.
Erika Forest
Bridesmaid
Erika and Justine met while we were at Grand Valley State University. Erika, in a successful attempt to make friends, wore a My Chemical Romance t-shirt to honors orientation day and Justine promptly introduced herself. We've been friends ever since. Throughout the years, we've shopped at many bookstores, drank a lot of tea, and played countless Dungeons and Dragons sessions together. I'm excited to see what kind of class Erika brings to the wedding party on the big day.
Jeffrey Lueders
Groomsman
Jeff is a good friend of Ben and Justine from college. They all met each other in their freshmen housing building, Hills. Since the three had similar schedules, they would often end up eating lunch together. As such, Justine had taken to calling them the trifecta. They often would hang out and watch tv, play games, or go for walks together. Ben would go on to be roommates with Jeff his second year of college. The couple are excited to have Jeff as part of their wedding party.
Caitlin Dietlin
Bridesmaid
Caitlin is Ben’s younger sister. She has always been the most outgoing, and the most popular of the Dietlins. Ben has always admired her for her ability to make friends with seemingly no difficulty. The two shared a lot of interests growing up, such as soccer and band. Overall, Ben hopes that he was a positive influence for his younger sister and will continue to be a positive influence in the future. Besides the occasional threats of bodily harm, Ben couldn’t ask for a better younger sister. He is happy to have her as part of the wedding party.
Michael Dietlin
Groomsman
Michael is Ben’s oldest brother, and a music teacher. Ben has always admired Michael’s commitment to helping spread the joy of music. Ben also appreciates his brother’s commitment to education, despite the warning of their mother. Ben’s parents like to say that Ben tried to emulate everything Michael did. Just ask them about how Michael convinced Ben to throw Christmas ornaments down the stairs or how Ben learned to walk before crawling, leading to Ben’s notoriously excellent handwriting, because he wanted to be his older brother. Despite these experiences, Michael was an outstanding role model growing up and Ben is excited to have him as part of the wedding party.
Jocelyn Armour
Junior Bridesmaid
Jocelyn is one of Justine's favorite little cousins. I've been delighted to watch her grow up into the intelligent, beautiful young lady she is. She likes soccer, guinea pigs, American Girl Dolls and board games, which are all things I think are pretty great. Ben and I are very excited to include her in our wedding, and we hope she enjoys being a part of our big day!
Nathaniel Dietlin
Groomsman
Nathaniel shares Ben’s fate of being the middle sibling. That is to say, the most ignored of the siblings. However, Nathaniel stands out due to his sense of humor, and Ben has always appreciated this about him. The two shared a lot of experiences growing up from playing together in band, to earning their Eagle Scout rank in Troop 125. Throughout the years they have shared their love of video games, and board games, among other things, and Nathaniel has always been a delight to talk to. Ben is thrilled to have Nathaniel as part of the wedding party.