Wedding Party
Jess Aprison
Maid of Honor
Jess has been by my side since our three years as college roommates. Ask her about sports and she'll tell you home runs are kicked into the basket, but she was always in the stands at my track meets yelling "go sports!" She’s now a lawyer, which means she’s brilliant and very good at telling people (including me!) what to do—skills that are particularly handy for wedding planning. Jess will drop everything for the people she loves, regularly checks in to make sure I’m still alive, and somehow always knows what I need to hear. She also swears she’s exactly as tall as me. The definition of loyal and endlessly supportive, Jess is what friendship should be—and I’m lucky to have her still standing tall by my side (give or take an inch).
Jaron Smool
Best Man
Jaron Smool is my Best Man and proof that rivalry can turn into lifelong friendship. We met competing against each other in high school golf, and while there are conflicting accounts about who was better, Jaron will absolutely bet you money that it was him. In fact, he’s never met a situation that didn’t deserve a side bet—low stakes, high confidence, zero hesitation. Jaron is the kind of guy who would drop everything to help me out, no questions asked. We even took a trip to the Grand Canyon so he could search for Bigfoot. I can’t comment on what was found, but I can say the mystery remains unsolved. He’s fun-loving, loyal, and currently living his best life in Arizona (lucky shit). I love him so much that I willingly visited him there in June… when it was 116 degrees. That’s not friendship—that’s love, man.
Dana Millard
Maid of Honor
Dana was my college roommate for a year and a half, which means she's seen way too much and somehow still loves me. Our friendship even survived me almost accidentally killing her with a grape. She’ll do absolutely anything for the people she cares about (including sitting through track meets and driving across the state), is a total badass business owner, and a full-time dog lady. Dana is brave in most areas of life…except when it comes to rice, which she believes is maggots. Plus she's also "almost" as tall as me!
Zach Halstead
Groomsman
Zach Halstead is one of my groomsmen and living proof that friendship can survive a Jeep Grand Cherokee running over your leg. To be fair, that’s a known occupational hazard when you’re part of the highly secretive (and extremely cool) society of car golfers. No hard feelings—mostly because I survived. Zach is delightfully quirky and always prepared for chaos, keeping hacky sacks and footballs in his golf bag for impromptu games during meets. His McDonald’s-themed hacky sack moves are the stuff of legend and may deserve their own documentary. We played both golf and baseball together in high school, where Zach once struck out the entire town of Glidden with his knuckleball. He now lives in Minneapolis, but remains just as unpredictable, talented, and impossible not to love.
Morgan Stipe
Maid of Honor
I officially met Morgan in college when she started dating my brother and told me it was “nice to finally meet me face to face”—apparently she was already very familiar with my backside from competing against me in track. Things escalated when she promptly spilled juice all over my brand-new Harry Potter trivia game, resulting in an immediate loss of beverage privileges and a mandatory sippy cup until further notice. Since then, Morgan has redeemed herself many times over by making me an aunt x3, teaching me how to swear like a sailor, and becoming my go-to crafting partner.
Joe Stipe
Groomsman
I thought I was a good athlete… until I met my future brother-in-law, Joe (and his equally intimidating sister). The first time I met him, he was literally running a marathon—and somehow managed to start a bromance without even breaking stride. We’re both completely obsessed with baseball, which means most of our bonding involves stats, debates, and pretending we could still make the roster. Joe is also making me a Funcle, which alone earns him lifelong respect—even if I routinely beat his ass at Hues and Cues and Nerf gun fights. Apparently our love language is helping each other move, since we’ve already done it three times. He’s a true handyman, and I rest easy knowing he’ll be there to finish any project Dani starts… and then loses interest in.
Amanda Bond
Bridesmaid
Amanda is my cousin and a real-life superhero—by day, she’s a physician’s assistant helping cancer patients through some of the toughest journeys imaginable; by night (and holidays), she’s the family’s unofficial on-call medical professional for every ache, pain, rash, and “should I be worried about this?” text. We grew up riding bikes in the church parking lot and trying to swing high enough to touch the leaves with our feet at Grandma and Grandpa’s house—clearly elite athletic training for our track and softball careers. Amanda has also given me one of the greatest gifts of my life by letting me in the room for the birth of all three of her kids. I’m incredibly lucky to have her as my cousin, my friend, and my lifelong medical hotline.
Andy Golay
Groomsman
I basically lived at Andy Golay's house throughout junior high and high school. I owe his mom a small fortune for the copious amounts of green tea and Nature Valley bars I consumed during that time. Andy’s house was mission control for Halo marathons, Twisted Metal grudge matches, and Texas Hold’em games where confidence far exceeded skill. It was also our rendezvous point for scooping the loop in Andy's Raider. On the baseball field, Andy played third base and had such a cannon of an arm that he once decided to “show off” by throwing the ball clean over the first-base dugout. He didn't get the out—but he did make a statement. As the oldest guy in our class, Andy also took it upon himself to teach this young’un more than a few eye-opening life lessons, for better or worse.
Sarah Snook
Bridesmaid
Sarah's sister almost named her “Baby Danielle,” but thankfully the world got Sarah instead. Another cancer field rockstar, she's also my cousin, fellow ceiling-tile zoologist, and a member of the "Grandma’s bed" club. Along with Amanda and Abbe, we grew up lying on grandma's bed spotting animals in the ceiling tiles, and still gather there to catch up on life and let grandma's famous noodles settle. I also got the privilege of witnessing the births of all three of her kids, solidifying my status as the family's honorary birth coach.
Chase Patrick
Groomsman
Chase Patrick is one of my groomsmen, a longtime friend, and proof that alphabetical seating can, in fact, change your life. We met in elementary school thanks to being placed next to each other—Miller and Patrick—and later survived two years as college roommates, which should qualify us for some sort of award. Chase is a proud, unapologetic Cheesehead, and we once froze our asses off together at Lambeau Field in the name of Packers football. We both take great pride in our youthful appearances and spend a healthy amount of time geeking out over sports. Back in the day, we bonded over watching Rob & Big and Chappelle’s Show, which probably explains our shared sense of humor. I may have the edge in golf, but my chicken wings are no match for his bench-press pythons. We fundamentally agree on just about everything, which makes for some pretty great conversations and an even better friendship.
Abbe Vornbrock
Bridesmaid
Meet my cousin Abbe—you’ll definitely hear her before you see her. Her laugh enters the room about five seconds ahead of her and immediately lets everyone know the entertainment has arrived. She’s an unapologetically obsessed cat mom, a proud girl mom, and an avid thrifter who can turn someone else’s castoffs into a full outfit and a personality. Loud, loving, endlessly entertaining—Abbe is one of a kind, and you’ll never forget when she’s around.
Austin McClellan
Groomsman
Austin’s from Bayard, but we didn’t hold it against him. He’s a farm boy, a fellow Braves fan, and a die-hard Cyclone who can tell you everything you never wanted to know about the Jamaal Tinsley and Marcus Fizer days. He’d also be perfectly happy if everyone forgot about Larry Eustachy. My fellow short guy in the friend group, he just joined our fantasy baseball league this year, and I’m really looking forward to kicking his ass. Same goes for golf. He bought my golf clubs a few years back, but it's still not enough to beat me.
Becky Bock
Bridesmaid
Meet Becky—my bestie since I moved to Templeton in 6th grade, which means she’s bravely put up with me for 26.5 years and deserves some kind of award (or at least a vacation… which she’s taken with me many times). She’s one-fourth of our travel squad, with memories made in places like Cancun and the Dominican Republic. As true friends do, we’ve both vomited in perfect harmony over the side of the boat during a whale-watching excursion. I’ve also lovingly placed a plate of food on her lounge chair just to watch the seagulls attack—because friendship is about trust, obviously. The single best snapshot of our relationship? An ATV ride where I’m driving with a full maniacal grin, and Becky is gripping the dash with sheer terror written across her face. Equal parts patience, loyalty, and “why am I friends with you?”—that’s Becky, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Becky is a pharmacist and my go-to (legal) drug dealer. She's married to Tyler and has two boys.
Regan Grettenberg
Groomsman
Regan is a seasoned wedding-party veteran, making roughly his one-millionth appearance in a suit he definitely already owns. He runs on spreadsheets, not caffeine, despite somehow surviving a stint at Bunn Coffee without actually drinking coffee. He had a legit football career, but unfortunately still lives in the long, glorious shadow of his dad—known in some circles as Mama’s Boy. Regan’s house was the unofficial hangout spot, where we mastered ping pong with T-rex arms because there was only room for the table… even though the place somehow took up an entire city block. You can always tell how much fun Regan’s having by the number of fingers he throws in the air while jamming to a song. He’s had the same haircut since forever and can still give you a full scouting report on high school sports from nearly twenty years ago—whether you asked for it or not.
Megan Owen
Bridesmaid
Megan is another key member of the travel squad, with stamps on our passports from places like Puerto Vallarta and Jamaica. She’s hated cats for as long as I’ve known her, which honestly makes it a miracle that we’ve been friends since high school… but here we are. I find it validating that she's now on the board of the local animal shelter and saving the lives of countless cats! As the first of us to get her license, Megan was our designated driver, holding Petey the stuffed parrot out her window. And no, alcohol was never involved. We explored haunted cemeteries, ran covert missions to shoot fireworks at Becky’s house, and just made great memories. Becky and I once snuck into Megan’s parents' house and hid in her closet to scare her… only to realize about 45 minutes later that no one was home. Megan somehow survived us and still chose to keep us around. That’s real friendship.
Nick Rohrbeck
Groomsman
Nick and I started out as high school baseball rivals, the friendly kind that turns into mutual respect and trash talk. We bonded over baseball and somehow turned that into an epic two-week East Coast road trip, hitting seven major league stadiums in just 11 days. Along the way, he also became the sole witness to my first—and so far only—car accident, which happened in the middle of a Philadelphia freeway and remains an unsolved hit-and-run mystery. A proud Chicagoan and die-hard Cubs fan, Nick casually runs into players and managers while walking his dog. He was definitely the better hitter, but I took great pride in consistently ruining his ERA. Even though he’s moved away and we don’t see each other nearly enough, Nick’s always been—and always will be—a great friend.
Brenda Risvold
Bridesmaid
Brenda is the fourth member of the travel squad and the undisputed planner of the group. While I'm usually in the water and Megan's trying to get Becky unstuck from in the bathroom, Brenda has the itinerary printed, bookmarked, color-coded, and ready to go. She’s dragged us across Las Vegas, Cozumel, and Curaçao, making sure we actually get where we're going. We’ve been friends since high school, back when our weekends included sitting on the corner pillars outside my house, enthusiastically waving at cars stopped at the stop sign—a reasonable hobby. At least once, the police shined a spotlight on us deviant hooligans. One of our greatest ideas (ok, mine) was tying all of us together with rope to see if we could make it out into the middle of the road and back to the pillar every time a car came. For the record: no alcohol was ever involved—we were just naturally creative. Today, Brenda is a pharmacist, married to Jacob, and mom to two girls.
Bill Orton
Groomsman
Bill and I grew up together, surviving everything from grade school to the awkward chaos of high school. He’s always been the guy I turned to for advice—especially during the years when none of us had any idea what we were doing. Bill is the definition of “drop everything to help a guy out,” including showing up for my many moves and once carrying my dresser up three flights of stairs by himself like it was nothing. He’s built like an ox, a proud cheesehead Packers fan, and you can tell how much he loves his kids by how often he talks about them. His physical strength is only outmatched by how big his heart is—something Nova clearly picked up on when she immediately claimed him as her unofficial godfather and snuggled with him for hours the day we got her.
Jessica Zimmerman
Bridesmaid
Dr. Jessica Odendahl Zimmerman has just as many fancy letters after her name as she does in it—and yes, she earned every single one as a pediatric oncologist. Obviously she's super smart, but she was still willing to hang out with us in high school despite our stupid shenanigans. Musically talented, she marched with the Iowa Hawkeye Marching Band (don’t ask me what instrument—I'm 15% sure it was some sort of saxophone). The band is where she met her husband, James, and I get to brag that I’m the proud godmother of the first of their two boys.
Dustin Wells
Groomsman
Dustin and I have been holding it down at Briarwood for a full decade, and yes—we take great pride in that kind of tenure. He’s a numbers wizard, though I do my part to give his brain a break by talking baseball during work hours, much to the chagrin of our boss, John. But that’s only because John can’t focus while watching duck-hunting videos. Dustin may be quiet by nature, but he’s deeply passionate about his friends, family, and his work. He consistently goes above and beyond, and after everything we’ve been through together at Briarwood—from floods and renovations to multimillion-dollar projects—there’s no one I’d rather have in the bunkers with me.
Heidi Miller
Bridesmaid
Heidi is my soon-to-be sister-in-law, and I couldn’t be more excited to officially gain another sister. She’s an incredibly talented graphic and jewelry designer with a fiercely independent streak and an eye for making everything look cooler than it did before. We share the same views on just about everything, which makes for some pretty great Miller family text threads.
Keith Kiburz
Groomsman
As Regan's cousin, Keith and I go way back to our teenage years, and from the start it was clear he was the better athlete… in almost everything except golf, which I will never let him forget. I’ve carried a lifelong chip on my shoulder about beating him at anything I can, especially fantasy sports, making us bitter rivals. Dani dreads the weeks Keith and I face each other. Keith was my mentor during my short career as a PE and health teacher, and he and his wife even let me crash with them during my ten-week stint as a student teacher. To this day, they swear their house has never been cleaner than when I lived there. He’s still a PE teacher, sells sweet corn in the summers, and—painful as it is for me to admit—there’s no one more passionate about sports than Keith, which is exactly why we get along so well.
Kora Stipe
Bridesmaid
Kora is my unicorn-obsessed mini-me niece who runs the show and lets the rest of us participate. We’ve been fine-tuning her block start since toddlerhood, so please pencil her in for record-breaking glory in about eight years. She requests cow rides on demand (RIP my knees), treats my Apple Watch like it’s hers, and has claimed me proudly as her Danibob. Jason went from “no acknowledgment” for almost two years to “Is Jason coming?”, and now gets FaceTimed mid-sprint so she can show off her speed. Tiny human, massive personality.
Nolan Stipe
Groomsman
Nolan is my oldest soon-to-be nephew and has the biggest, sweetest heart. When wedding stress kicks in, he FaceTimes me just to say he wants to give me a hug and reminds me that everything will be perfect because we’ll be with family. He patiently teaches me how to play Fortnite, keeps me current on Pokémon, and absolutely loves Nova and Pixie. I introduced him to my dad’s legendary bedtime Dumpy stories, and now we crack each other up making up new ones about the bear who always saves the day… by pooping. He's Dani's other mini-me in more ways than one, and I love their bond. But there’s nothing I love more than hearing “Jason!” when I walk through the door—especially when it comes before “Danibob!”
Micah Stipe
Groomsman
Micah is my soon-to-be nephew and the very first to fully embrace the Uncle Jason title—which naturally means I’ve also been promoted to Bob Jr. He’s kind, independent, and always thinking about others, but there’s just enough ornery in him to remind me he’s related to his aunt. A fellow Dumpy story superfan, Micah is always up for Fortnite, NFL Blitz, nerf battles, Legos, soccer, or kayaking—basically anything that involves movement, imagination, or mild chaos. Watching him sprint past Dani to give me a hug when we visit brings a very specific sense of satisfaction. She pretends to be offended, but I know my bond with the kids secretly makes her heart very happy.