Wedding Party
Hannah Kellison
Matron of Honor
Hannah is Julia's older sister, longest friend, and the mother of the beautiful flower girl. In 2021 Julia had the pleasure of being half of Hannah's Maid of Honor duo, and now, Hannah will return the favor. The couple would describe Hannah as generous, caring, and goofy. A fun fact about Hannah is that she introduced Julia to the world of Disney pin trading when she took Julia (along with the rest of the family) to Disneyland in 2018, creating the Disney fiend we know today. The couple is grateful to have Hannah involved in their special day.
Abbi Swartout
Maid of Honor
Abbi is Julia's younger sister and thus, one of her longest friends. The couple describes Abbi as witty, honest, and thoughtful. Abbi and Julia compliment each other as opposites in some ways, but identical where it matters (both hilarious with wicked collections of Disney pins). Although Abbi is Julia's younger sister, Julia looks up to her in many ways. Abbi's cool, calm, and collected nature will be a much-needed addition to the bridal party.
Justin Grace
Best Man
Justin is Dante's older brother. Dante was born when Justin was just 7 years old and immediately they had a bond that would last forever. It's likely that you will find the two joking, laughing, and/or making funny faces at each other. The Couple is so grateful to have Justin present and playing a significant role on their big day.
Jase Bandoni
Best Man
Jase is Dante's younger brother. Dante was four years old when Jase was born. Jase and Dante spend their time together enjoying funny videos, playing video games, and adventuring. Jase has been one of Dante's great supporters, attending many rugby games and graduations. Given Jase's supportive nature he is a natural choice to be by Dante's side once again, while Dante takes his vows on June 22, 2024.
Tanner Kaulbars
Officiant
Dante and Julia would describe Tanner as a kind and loyal friend. Tanner was a natural fit for the honor of officiant given his gift for storytelling and his close relationship with the couple. Tanner and Dante have been close friends since their first year of undergrad. Dante and Tanner bonded as both rugby teammates and dorm neighbors. Tanner and Dante once aspired to become professional cornhole stars, set to debut in the annual Arkansas State Cornhole Tournament. After a devastating loss in the tournament, they decided instead of being professional cornhole partners, they should just be friends for life.
Colbie Kellison
Flower Girl
Colbie is Dante and Julia's favorite (and only) niece. Colbie doesn't say much, but that's okay! Dante and Julia are confident she will warm up to them soon. Coblie will be celebrating her first birthday the day after the wedding, on June 23rd, making for an extra exciting weekend.
Whitney Lavoie Cook
Bridesmaid
Whitney is Julia's cousin, but Julia and Dante consider Whitney to be more like a sister. Whitney and Julia had the opportunity to live together for a few years during Whitney's stint in California. During this time Julia and Whitney bonded over their love of adventures, and passion for true crime. Whitney and Julia were living together in 2017 when Dante and Julia first began seeing one another. Whitney has seen the couple grow together through their early stages, and will now be present to hear them say "I do".
Ari Roth
Bridesmaid
Ari and Julia met as coworkers at SeaQuest. While working together, Julia and Ari were responsible for facilitating essential workplace shenanigans such as (temporarily) changing exhibit signs and putting frijoles in the registers. Ari and Julia immediately connected over their sense of humor and strong work ethic. When together, you will likely find Julia and Ari either at the gym or enjoying a Mango Cart and Hot Dog at Lazy Dog. A fun fact about Ari is she was the first friend to see Dante and Julia's wedding venue! Dante and Julia are so grateful to have Ari's lighthearted personality supporting them on their big day.
Alora Gardiner
Bridesmaid
Alora and Julia met in 2018 as classmates and soccer teammates at Folsom Lake College. Since then, Alora and Julia have always supported one another success both on and off the field, making Alora a perfect fit for a bridesmaid. The couple would describe Alora as goofy, outgoing, and caring. Alora's bubbly personality and supportive nature will without a doubt add much joy to the couple's big day.
Jacob Ellis
Groomsman
Jacob is one of Dante's longest friends. The two of them met at the age of seven when they began playing football. They continued to grow and play football together for many years. One thing that Dante and Jacob will always remember was at the end of the night when their dads would say "Alright, it's time to go home." they would just run back to their room because they knew Dan and Jeff could talk for hours.
Kyle Curry
Groomsman
Kyle has a very special role in Dante and Julia's wedding as he is not only a groomsman, but the matchmaker as well! Kyle has known Julia since 2011 and Dante since 2013. Dante and Julia would not meet each other until the spring of 2017 when Kyle would connect the pair. As the matchmaker, Kyle was the first friend Dante and Julia called to announce their engagement. Despite Kyle catching Julia on fire, he has remained close to the couple over the years, joining them on adventures and sharing laughter through his gift of storytelling.
Kaipono Kayoshi
Groomsman
Pono and Dante met each other just before high school, during a football camp. They later started playing rugby together freshman year. The two of them played Lock and created the infamous "Lock Love", which symbolized the great chemistry that they shared on the field. Dante and Pono may not be teammates anymore, but they always look forward to lining up against each other, when the time presents itself.
Max Diven
Groomsman
Max and Dante met each other Junior year of high school at rugby practice. They immediately became friends. Dante was very excited that there was another Lock added to the family. Dante's favorite memory with Max was when they roomed together at Nationals senior year in Kansas City, MO. When hanging out with Max, you can count on spending most of it either laughing or smiling.
Devan Devost
Groomsman
Dante and Devan met in the Fall of 2018, as freshman rugby players for Arkansas State. Dante and Devan would go on to spend the next four years together, growing as students and athletes, all the while building lifelong memories. During undergrad, Dante and Devan enjoyed many adventures including traveling to Alabama, Florida, and Chicago. Even though they are now separated in distance, Dante and Devan remain close to this day. Frequently they will sync up online and almost daily Devan will reach out to Dante for help with Wordle. To give you an idea about the type of friend Devan is... at the end of one of Julia's visits to Arkansas, Devan drove the couple an hour to the airport at 3 a.m., only for Julia's flight to be rescheduled. Three days later, Devan again completed the 1 hour drive at 3 a.m (while his car was overheating).
Jordi Hernandez
Groomsman ~ Flower Bro
Jordi is one of Dantes's roommates and close friends made at Life Chiropractic College West. Jordi has developed a close bond with Dante over their shared value of health and wellness, and with Julia over their shared love of seasonal decor. Dante and Julia describe Jordi as a bubbly person with a gift for storytelling. Jordi is a true friend who finds passion and excitement in celebrating others, making him a natural selection as a groomsman.
Makai Manuwai
Groomsman ~ Flower Bro
Makai met Dante and Julia in 2022, when Dante first enrolled in Life Chiropractic College West. Makai and Dante have bonded as not only classmates but roommates as well. The couple would describe Makai as a mellow dude with a great sense of humor. Makai was one of the first friends to learn of Dante's plans to propose and was quick to congratulate the couple following the engagement with a home-cooked meal. The couple is excited to have Makai present and involved in their big day.
Jared Simbulan
Groomsman ~ Flower Bro
Jared is a close friend that Date and Julia met upon Dante's enrollment in Life Chiropractic College West. Jared is a social butterfly who immediately connected with the couple through his welcoming nature and genuine care for others. Jared frequently surprises the couple by capturing treasured candid moments for them to look back on fondly. Jared is a valued friend that the couple trust will ensure people are up and enjoying the dance floor.
Saahil Bhakta
Groomsman ~ Flower Bro
Saahil is a close friend Dante met at Life Chiropractic College West. Saahil and Dante bonded quickly over their mutual love for sports and schooling. The couple would describe Saahil as goofy, kind-hearted, and genuine. The couple admires Saahil's kindness, and ability to make everyone feel welcome. Dante and Julia are very excited and grateful to have Saahil play a role in their special day.