Emily & Edward
Wedding Party
Ashleigh Rizzo
Matron of Honor
Ashleigh and Emily met while attending college at the University of West Florida where they were sisters of Alpha Chi Omega. Ashleigh and Emily knew they'd be friends instantly, but after a few road trips together, became best friends and even have the joy of being each other's Maid of Honor in 2021. Over the years they've completed hundreds of Pure Barre classes, trained for marathons, and spent countless hours at the beach, always with an eye on where their next brunch date will be. Ashleigh is a nurse in Pensacola, FL.
Hannah Marie Speer
Maid of Honor
Hannah is Emily's sister and as they've gotten older they've also become close friends, especially when it comes to their love for being dog moms to Remi and Finn. Hannah shares Emily's love of the water and growing up the two could usually be found on a boat or a sandy beach together. Hannah currently lives in South Carolina and is attending Southeastern College, where she is studying towards an Associates of Applied Sciences in diagnostic medical sonography.
Kelly Jensen
Bridesmaid
Kelly and Emily met through Pure Barre in 2016, when Emily was a client and Kelly an instructor. They bonded over good champagne and their love for leggings, early bedtimes and Peloton bikes. It wasn't long before Kelly trained Emily to be a Pure Barre instructor and their friendship grew exponentially outside of the studio. Since then, Emily has been by Kelly's side as she has opened her own Pure Barre Studio here in Murphy, TX. Kelly is the mother to two hairless cats, Pickles and Sprinkles.
Morgan Burridge
Bridesmaid
Having met at the University of West Florida and as sisters of Alpha Chi Omega sorority, Morgan and Emily reconnected when they both found themselves living in Dallas in 2016. They briefly worked together but found much more enjoyment spending time together outside of office hours. Their common interests include (but are not limited to) an obsession with the TV show Friends, a good glass of red wine and taking great pride in being honorary Texans. Morgan currently lives in San Antonio, TX and has been a significant part in helping plan the wedding.
Mitchell Thomson
Best Man
Edward and Mitchell both started at SMU in fall of 2008 and quickly bonded as "foreigners" on the swim team. They bonded over distance sets in the pool and plenty of beers outside of it, with a healthy mix of banter at all times. Mitchell resides in Austin with his wife Anne and silver labrador Lenny. He is an avid amateur cyclist and lifelong St Kilda fan (Aussie rules football).
James Downes
Groomsman
James is Ed's older brother and shares the family passion for cars. His 18th birthday present was a red Mini 1000 and since then has owned (and sold) more cars than most of us have had hot dinners! James has a degree in motorsport engineering from the University of Brunel, and currently works for a company that manufactures and sells race car parts. James lives in Warwickshire with his wife Becky (who thankfully also likes cars), and their two cats.
Nathan Clark
Groomsman
Nate and Ed met at SMU as they both swam middle distance events and were co-captains for the 2009-10 season. For most training sessions they swam in the same lane, Lane 5: dubbed "The Steel Mill" by Nate, and connected outside the pool over all things unapologetically American and quintessentially British. After living together with Mitchell for a year, all three have stayed close friends while advancing in their professional careers. Nate and Ed even trained for and completed a marathon together in 2015. Nate recently moved to Atlanta with his wife Emily and two daughters Zoe and Margo.
Chris Ginder
Groomsman
Chris was the swim team co-captain for Ed's first season at SMU, but their friendship has outlasted their swimming careers. Hours after landing in Dallas in 2008, Chris and his now wife Katie took Ed for his first meal in the states...Chipotle obviously. They stayed close friends through common interests including fantasy football, trips to LSU and making fun of each other at any opportunity. Chris grew up in the Dallas area, has been happily married to Katie for almost 10 years, and is the father to daughter Lucy and son Paul.