Wedding Party
Jessica Moritz
Maid of Honor
In 1994, Jessica committed the ultimate offense: she destroyed my reign as the Moritz family's beloved only child. At the time, I considered her mostly a nuisance, and teenaged me never would have imagined that she'd someday become one of my very best friends. Today, she's my go-to for wine nights, cruise adventures, and encouraging spending decisions that probably don't align with our budgets. (She's basically the reason we're getting married at Disney!) But beyond all the laughs and adventures, Jessica has been my rock through both the storms and the celebrations. I am endlessly grateful not only to call her my sister, but also one of my closest friends.
Jena Bolt
Maid of Honor
Jena is the baby sister I was virtually forced to hang out with growing up. (She just didn't understand the intricacies of our Barbie World, okay?) But somewhere between childhood squabbles and adulthood, she became one of my very best friends. As the emotional ones in the family, Jena has always understood my heart and soothed my soul. My only complaint is that the rascal moved to Jacksonville and stubbornly stayed there instead of joining the rest of the Moritz clan in Orlando. (WHY?!?) In all seriousness, it has been one of life's greatest joys to watch Jena grow into the beautiful young woman she is today — talented, passionate, kind, and endlessly thoughtful. I cherish every moment we get together, whether we're battling it out in a fiercely competitive round of Mario Kart or trailing behind our guys as they chase invisible creatures (Pokémon) all over town.
Amelia Adams
Bridesmaid
One day we sat next to each other in Mr. Teagle's high school sociology class, and the next thing I knew, we were best friends. I can't tell you a single thing I learned in poor Mr. Teagle's class, but I'll be forever grateful to him because that's where I met my ride-or-die. For far too many years, we've lived states apart — mostly because Amelia stubbornly refuses to leave Oklahoma and start the Florida compound I've been proposing for years. But no amount of distance has ever managed to keep us apart. Whether we're talking on the phone for hours, escaping to the beach together, or reminiscing about high school shenanigans, Amelia never fails to make me laugh. And I mean really laugh — the kind where your stomach hurts and you start questioning whether breathing is actually necessary.
Shelby England
Bridesman
Shelby and I were not instant best friends. We were more like instant enemies. When I joined his team at Valencia College, Shelby immediately decided I was uptight and, frankly, no fun. Meanwhile, I had him pegged as unnecessarily crass and perhaps not what one would call "warm and fuzzy." Somehow, despite our best efforts, we became best friends. Between our shared love of Disney and far too many office walks spent talking about life while he caught Pokémon, we transitioned from workplace nemeses to inseparable friends. We became so close, in fact, that I eventually assumed the unofficial role of "Shelby Translator," explaining to the rest of the team what he actually meant whenever he launched into one of his signature sassy tirades. When I left Valencia College, this man cried. And, much to my embarrassment, so did I. Several jobs and one highly questionable move to the Florida Panhandle later, we're still as close as ever. He has been one of my greatest cheerleaders, fiercest defenders, and most loyal friends. I still don't know how we went from enemies to besties, but I'm incredibly grateful we did. (Also, for the record, he's still crass, and I'm still uptight. Somehow, it works.)
Jake Flanagan
Groomsman
If you pull up to the intersection of hilarious and calm-as-a-cucumber, Jake would be standing right there with a golf club in hand, ready to tee off. Since we were wee lads, he’s always had a funny quip up his sleeve. While I was stressing about everything under the sun, he was finding the humor in it all. As kids, we were fearless. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of snarky children riding through your well-groomed lawn on bicycles, that was us. From skateboarding in storm drain ditches to lighting firecrackers near one another on the Fourth of July, we did it all. The best friend and daredevil companion one could ask for. Today, he is a husband and father of three and I couldn’t be more proud of him. Still the jokester, plenty of hours are spent quoting our favorite 90s movies, talking about video games, trading tips on how to raise our kiddos, and reminding ourselves that life is too short and to have fun with it.
Josh Flanagan
Groomsman
The second of the Flanagan boys, Josh was the film and video game guru of the bunch. During the summers of middle school, I can recall epic video game tournaments being hosted by him in our three-bedroom rental house. Like Tarzan calling his animal friends out of the wild, friends alike would come from all over town to participate. We might have also had a popcorn tin you’d have to deposit money into if you said cuss words … and we did. At an early age, he took an interest in screenwriting and directing. And as a brother, of course, I was all too happy to be a prop maker or extra for his DIY films. But his talents weren’t limited to the camera. He could also build worlds. For my 11th birthday, he created a party themed entirely around the movie Die Hard, complete with cardboard ventilation ducts, and presents I would have to diffuse and unlock. It was the coolest experience and I’ll never forget it. Today, he’s living life on the West Coast in Hollywood with his wife, Nadia, and husky named Eastwood. And the journey of watching him get there has brought me so much joy. After high school, Josh served in the armed forces, graduated from the university of Texas, and navigated his way through the often unpredictable world of film and entertainment. His perseverance, creativity, and service have forever shaped my approach to life.
Jason Flanagan
Groomsman
Jason is The Leonardo da Vinci of the gang. As a kid, I remember having my Nintendo coloring book open that I got at the scholastic book fair, struggling to replicate what I saw on the page. But he could do it naturally, the rascal. As the eldest brother, I admired his charisma, athletic ability, and way of seeing the world. He could also raise his eyebrow like Jim Carrey, something I’m still practicing to this day. He is also a traveler. For the better part of two decades, he lived in Europe making some of the coolest video games in the world. And my visits there were incredible. I finally got to see with my own eyes what I had only read about in textbooks. And through those experiences, my fear of the unknown was gradually dissolved. Now stateside, he lives in Texas and is a husband and father of three children. One of my favorite things about Jason is his chill aura and love of the beach. It’s the kind of vibe that brings sunshine to your heart on the cloudiest of days. And he has the coolest style. You can always find him wearing board shorts, Quicksilver shirts, and Hurley hats. Through his example in life, I’ve learned how to truly be myself. And the happiest of pirates!
Alex Bolt
Groomsman
My brother from another mother. We first met in 2022. Ahh, I remember it well. Jacksonville, Florida. Fall. The smell of pumpkin spice and candy corn in the air. We carved pumpkins, traversed corn mazes, and discovered a deep love for Legos. It was like meeting my kid self from a different dimension. And that’s pretty darn cool. My favorite thing about Alex is that he reminds me to have fun, something I had forgotten to prioritize over the years. From themepark hopping to running around the nation catching Pokémon, every adventure is a new one. And as a fellow dinosaur enthusiast myself, talking prehistory with him has become one of my favorite past times. Beyond the fun though, you know you’ve got a special person with a heart of gold in your life when the first text of the day from them is, “Hey man, did you catch the new Pika?"