Dayanara & Maximilian
Wedding Party
Courtney Hayden
Maid of Honor
Courtney and Dayanara are practically life long friends; they go all the way back to Bain Elementary School. They met the week after Dayanara had moved to Cheyenne. Courtney made Dayanara’s transition to a totally new place completely worth it. From the beginning, they were close friends. Through all the years, attending concerts, having sleepovers, making silly YouTube videos, through thick and thin since then, Courtney has always been there to support Dayanara. Dayanara feels very lucky and blessed to have had such a great best friend by her side, especially on her wedding day!
Jon Paul Epperly
Best Man
Jon Paul has been Maximilian's friend since first grade. JP was a founding father of the Boys' Marine Corps, a fun game they used to play at recess in 3rd Grade at Davis Elementary School, which also inspired Maximilian to one day join the Military. Since then, they have spent countless days watching and playing football, hunting in Toomsboro, canoeing the gator-infested swamps of the Okefenokee, exploring abandoned mines in West Virginia, cliff jumping in Sedona, roaming the prairies of Oklahoma, walking the streets of Washington, D.C. at 3 in the morning, etc. No matter if it were just a regular day in Marietta or a road trip through Mississippi, it was always clear to Maximilian that Jon Paul was a wild man from the very beginning, and even more importantly, his best man.
Fatima Valdivia
Bridesmaid
Fatima is Dayanara's lighthearted cousin and loyal friend. Dayanara loves her sense of humor and the ability to make everyone in the room smile. She and Dayanara played Just Dance when younger and always felt like sisters. Growing up only a few streets over from each other and spending time at family gatherings over the years, Fatima has always been a helpful friend. She was even involved in the ring-picking and proposal process for Dayanara and Maximilian.
Chad Ganter
Groomsman
Chad is Maximilian's friend whom he met at their University of WYO apartment swimming pool senior year. He introduced himself as "’Hi, I'm Chad, but you can call me Twiggy, since I'm so skinny!’" Maximilian immediately burst out into laughter and knew that Chad was a funny guy. Just a month later, Chad was the one who introduced Maximilian and Dayanara to each other at a dinner party. Chad is a trusted and reliable friend who always comes through whenever Maximilian needs him. It does matter if it is 11PM and Maximilian needs help with an assignment due at midnight, or if it is just a fun party planned for the weekend, Chad Ganter is a true friend: he is the kind of man you know who will always have your back–no matter what.
Isabella Matacotta
Bridesmaid
Isabella is Maximilian’s sister, and since meeting Dayanara a year ago, she has become close in recent months with Dayanara. Isabella is the life of the party, the energy in the room, who is the Las Vegas veteran for Bachelorette Party planning along with Courtney. Dayanara has enjoyed getting to know her future sister in law as they discover they have so many interests and hobbies in common. One of the most important interests that they both love working out! Both have happily embraced the idea of becoming sisters with one another. Isabella's daughter, Talia, is the flower girl in the wedding.
Willard Wiggins
Groomsman
Willard and Maximilian became friends back in 7th Grade when they both decided to join the middle school wrestling team. Quickly they realized that they had several interests in common, as well as just a general love for excitement in life. Regardless if it were just an average day at school or somewhat of an adolescent misadventure full of teenage shenanigans. . . any time that Will Wiggins was around; it was bound to be a happy memory and a story to tell for the ages.
Carson Flint
Bridesmaid
Carson and Dayanara met at Hibbett Sports back in 2018 where they both worked. Dayanara was a little shy and nervous to talk to her, but they instantly became good friends and realized they had a lot in common, like their love for the same music. They always enjoyed doing shenanigans when working together, and she made working through busy times at the store so much easier. Though Carson moved back home and Dayanara went off to college, they still remained friends, and Dayanara was extremely excited when Carson said “Yes,” to being a bridesmaid.
Byron Powell
Groomsman
Byron was Maximilian's roommate his junior year of college at the University of Wyoming. A pilot, Wyoming native, USAF ROTC Cadet, Engineering major = the true renaissance man. Byron and Maximilian have spent many fun weekends camping and exploring the American west. No matter if it's a long trip in the deserts of Moab, a weekend in the Big Horn Mountains, an afternoon rock climbing in Vedauwoo, or just a study break in Laramie - It's always a good time when Byron's around.
Jace DeGarmo
Bridesmaid
Jace was Maximilian's best friend his Junior and Senior years at Jasper County High School in Monticello, Georgia. Jace is a close friend of the couple now, and the couple visits her home frequently in Nashville, Tennessee. Jace will live near the couple's future residence in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Jace likes to show Dayanara around the Music City, and Dayanara has become a very close friend of hers.
Tab Belvedere
Groomsman
Belvedere was Maximilian's freshman roommate at the University of Georgia. There they were students in the same Army ROTC and Swahili classes. Upon graduation, they spent time together training to complete the Infantry Basic Officers' Leadership Course down in Fort Benning, Georgia. Maximilian has spent many interesting days in the company of Belvedere. Be it hanging around UGA in Athens, hog hunting down in Toomsboro, or passing time cleaning M4 rifles down in Columbus, you just can’t have too much Belvedere!
Maria Contreras
Mother of the Bride
Maria is one of Dayanara’s best friends, and is one of the people she always goes to for advice, whether life advice or reminding her how to cook meals. She has seen her go through every milestone of her life like graduation, and has helped her become the woman she is today by teaching her to be courageous and independent. She always ensured that Dayanara never lost her Mexican roots and kept the language of Spanish alive in the house by only speaking it with her. Dayanara is forever grateful for her and even more grateful to have her stand by her side on one of the most important days of her life.
Dan Hess
Father of the Groom
Dan, Maximilian’s father, seems to have done it all– from moving all the way from southern New Jersey to attend college on a ROTC Scholarship at Auburn University, to becoming a USMC Captain and Harrier fighter jet pilot in the Persian Gulf War, to mastering the art of sales in the telecommunications business industry, and becoming an expert outdoorsmen to teach Maximilian the way of the woods from an early age down on the family farm in Toomsboro, Georgia - Dan will always be Maximilian's greatest role model in life and best friend forever.
Lino Valdivia
Father of the Bride
Lino has always been a strong character in Dayanara’s life. He always ensured that Dayanara had everything she needed and pushed her to try new things like soccer (which did not go well, but it was a fun adventure anyway). He always puts a smile on her face with his jokes and spontaneous dancing. They share a love for pop music, and both enjoy car rides together with the music blasting and the windows down. He loves to practice his English with her, and it is he who always speaks English around her. Dayanara feels so blessed to have him join her on the most important day of her life!
Christina Hess
Mother of the Groom
Maximilian's greatest advocate in life and Encourager-In-Chief from the very beginning, Christina, his mom, was the initial architect who shaped the majority of Maximilian's personality. She taught him to love foreign languages, and she is his tennis partner whenever he is on leave from the Army. Though she may have held him to exceedingly high standards of summer study while he was still playing 4 sports in the same season-- she once accused him of having “wasted his entire summer doing nothing but reading the Bible, books on the U.S. Presidents, and playing sports.” However she still deserves much credit for Maximilian's successes to this date and thereafter, as well.
Talia Matacotta
Flower Girl
Talia is Maximilian's niece, and she is also bridesmaid Isabella Matacotta's 5-year-old daughter. Talia likes to call Maximilian "Uncle Sithy,” in reference to the Sith from Star Wars since Maximilian loved Star Wars at a young age. Talia met Dayanara last year, and she seems to enjoy spending time with her future Aunt even more than her old Uncle Max. Talia and Day like to bombard him with their playful humor. Talia hopes to follow in the footsteps of the Hess/Matacotta college traditions and attend either the University of Wyoming or the University of Georgia on a full-ride ballet scholarship in 2036.
Lino Valdivia Jr.
Ring Bearer
Dayanara is so excited to have her little brother be part of her special day. The bright and energetic Lino loves to play and dance all day. They love to watch movies together, especially 'Sing 2'. They also love to make spontaneous trips together to Chick-fil-a while listening to music loudly in the car. Lino always knows how to brighten up the place with his contagious smile and his wild imagination.
Natalia Gallardo
Junior Bridesmaid
The wonderful Natalia has a heart of gold and always knows how to have a fun time with her silly jokes. Since Natalia was born, she has always been a very happy girl who loves to giggle and wear beautiful dresses. They love playing “hair salon,” and she always gives Dayanara great new hairstyles to try out. They also enjoy listening to music together in the car and going out to get Chick-fil-a! Dayanara is so excited to have her in the wedding.
Anthony Matacotta
Brother-In-Law of the Groom
Matacotta is Maximilian's Brother-In-Law, whom he met back in 2013 at a cookout party, where he fell in love with his sister. Anthony is a US Naval Academy Grad, USMC Huey & C-130 Helicopter Pilot, as well as survived a night protecting former V.P. Mike Pence from cannibals in Papua New Guinea. His current 9-5 job is training out in Miramar Marine Corps Air Station in California doing classified wild man things.