Eleanor & John
Wedding Party
Emma Rivers
Maid of Honor
It all started when Emma's mom accidentally took home Ellie's backpack in the fourth grade. They had the same initials stitched onto the same purple camouflage L.L. Bean backpack. Time passed and it wouldn't be until high school when their friendship solidified. Emma is an incredible dancer, and Ellie can hardly follow a beat. Naturally this made for a perfect combination! Although they attended college on opposite sides of the country, Emma in Florida and Ellie in California, their friendship has withstood it all. She is one of the most hardworking, passionate, and loyal friends and Ellie is extremely grateful to have Emma standing next to her on the big day!
Christopher Scalisi
Best Man
Chris and John were friends as soon as they met. Chris played second base at the University of Redlands and John (attempted) to play shortstop. After John was cut from the team his freshmen year, Chris was there to make sure John made the team the following year. He was his catcher, throwing partner, advice giver, and most importantly a great friend. Since Ellie and John moved closer to Burbank, they also are closer to Chris and his girlfriend Lali. They spend time together by the pool, playing catch, and pretending they're still good at baseball. Chris and John could talk for hours about life, and all the good and bad that comes with it. Through it all Chris has been one of John's biggest supporters, and he is so grateful to have Chris as his Best Man.
Charlotte Burks
Maid of Honor
Charlotte is the Sister of Honor. It sounds better than Co-Maid of Honor, and Charlotte in fact is the best sister anyone could ask for. Although when Ellie first found out that their mom was pregnant with her, Ellie was none too thrilled at the idea. Ellie was eleven at the time which would mean that on arrival, Charlotte would be twelve years younger than her. Even though Ellie was often mistaken to be a "Teen Mom" while out and about with both her younger siblings, she wouldn't have traded it for the world. Charlotte is wise beyond her years, caring, and a borderline genius. All of which she, of course, learned from her older sister. Watching her grow into the person she is today has been one of the biggest blessings in Ellie's life.
William Burks
Groomsman
William is Ellie's (not so) little brother. Much like Charlotte, Ellie has had the great pleasure of watching him grow and turn into an incredibly talented young man. Even though William still lives in Vermont, he and John have had a lot of fun playing video games online together. John and William have grown closer over the past year and are not only brothers, but friends. William will be finishing his sophomore year of high school by the end of May 2022, and is an amazing lacrosse goalie. He was the second string goalie for the varsity team as a freshman, and helped contribute to their state championship victory this year! He claims he won't dance at the wedding, so if you see him anywhere but the dance floor, Ellie gives full consent to drag him out there to bust a move!
Kendall Swanson
Bridesmaid
Kendall and Ellie met at The University of Redlands. While Kendall had already quit the Cross Country and Track team, (don't worry, we don't hold that against her), she and Ellie became fast friends. College is hard, and Kendall was a saving grace for Ellie when things proved more difficult than expected. Kendall is someone you want by your side when the going gets tough. Don't let her size fool you, Kendall is incredibly strong both mentally and physically. She is a very gifted Crossfit athlete, and shares her love of competition with Ellie. It's probably a good thing that they were never on a team together. Kendall is the tequila to Ellie's lime, and she wouldn't have wanted it any other way!
Marshall Webb
Groomsman
Marshall and John met at the University of Redlands. During freshmen year, Marshall and John became great friends and could be found procrastinating on homework together and enjoying college. Marshall grew up in Palm Desert and now resides in Washington with his amazing wife Kelly. He is an example of what being a good person looks like. He puts God first and is always there if you need some advice or just want to go on for hours with movie quotes.
Emily Guthormsen
Bridesmaid
Ellie and Emily actually WERE on the same team together in college, and it was a match made in heaven! The two became fast friends and continue to push each other to be the best they can be on and off the track. Emily always has a smile on her face, and will do anything for her friends. It's hard to find a person that doesn't feel immediately at ease by her friendly disposition and sense of humor. Emily is also a top tier sales rep for ADP, so if you need to invest in a payroll service, she's your go to girl! On the big day you'll mostly likely find Emily tearing it up on the dance floor!
Tom Kladouris
Groomsman
Tom is one of John's amazing cousins. He is quite literally one of the best people on this planet and will continuously place his needs aside to help others. John and Tom have a lot in common, for those of you that don't know- John loves cars, boats, anything that goes fast and looks cool. This works well because Tom also likes cars, boats, anything that goes fast and looks cool. It was a great combination! Growing up, John looked up to his cousin Tom and always wanted to be more like him. Tom now lives in Norco in his beautiful home with Zoey, his pup, and Benzo, his newly adopted kitten. Ask Tom where and how he found Benzo!
Yana Lotspeich
Bridesmaid
On multiple occasions, Yana has both literally and figuratively saved Ellie's life. For anyone who doesn't know, Ellie was hit by a truck in high school. Yana was the one with her on that run. At the time, she and Ellie barely weighed 100 pounds soaking wet, but Yana still managed to carry Ellie to a Good Samaritan's car and into the local doctor's office. (Not really the place to take a trauma patient, but that's beside the point.) From then on, Yana has always been a huge part of Ellie's life. She is one of those friends who will drop everything they're doing and come pick you up when you feel like your whole world is falling apart. When they met in high school, Ellie was a freshman and Yana a senior. Although it started as a casual friendship, it quickly turned into a sisterhood.
Ken Gmerek
Groomsman
Ken is married to John's sister Brittney and father to Caleb. Ken grew up in Michigan and adorns Maize and Blue in his daily wardrobe. (#GOBLUE) Ken fit seamlessly into the family and has continued to grow as a person both professionally as a mission director for SpaceX and as a husband. Ken and Brittney reside twenty minutes from John and Ellie, which makes scheduling golf tee times a breeze. Ken is also a master when it comes to smoking ribs on his Traeger Smoker. For John's 26th birthday, all he requested was to have ribs prepared by Ken!
Daniele Fee
Bridesmaid
Most people are lucky if they like their in-laws. Ellie has the privilege of LOVING hers. Daniele is no exception. The first time they met, Ellie was actually a bit intimated by Daniele. Although she is barely five feet tall, Daniele asked the hard hitting questions. It was a borderline interrogation, but only because she loves her brother and wanted to get to know the girl John brought to meet the family. (She's actually a licensed therapist now) After that first in encounter, Ellie realized how passionate, caring, and loyal Daniele is. Ellie was no longer just some girl that John brought home, but another sister. No matter what, Daniele has been one of Ellie's biggest advocates and supporters through the years. Ellie can't wait to make it official, and become Daniele's sister in-law!
Ryan Fee
Groomsman
Ryan met his wife, Daniele, at Cal State Northridge and has been a part of the family ever since. For years Ryan was the closest thing John had to a brother! Ryan has grown as a man and husband to become a person who's outlook on life is unrivaled, which is something everybody can strive for. Ryan's best quality is his dedication to whatever it is he is doing. Whether it be working out, his profession in sound engineering, or DIY home renovations, there is nothing he cannot learn to do. Ryan will have you laughing and feeling like you've been best friends for years after the first five minutes of talking to him!
Brittney Gmerek
Bridesmaid
Brittney is the eldest of the White children, but that doesn't mean she's old. Brittney lights up the room with her infectious laugh and big sister attitude. It's no surprise that she has become an amazing mother to our Ring Bearer, Caleb. She's not a regular mom, she's a cool mom. Although Brittney is a few years older than Ellie, she has always treated Ellie as an equal. She has also served as a mentor to Ellie. She has helped Ellie edit numerous resumes and cover letters for job applications. Brittney has worked incredibly hard to achieve success in the marketing industry, and displays that same dedication and passion towards her family and friends.
Mitchell Ramsey
Groomsman
While Mitchell's official title is Groomsman, he will also be Ellie and John's guardian angel on the day of the wedding. For those who don't know, Mitchell lost his fight with depression in February 2020. He was and is the most selfless, gentle, and brilliant person to have walked this Earth. He was in pharmacy school, and had plans to enter the armed services as a pharmacist. He was Ellie's big brother and protector and he knows that she will be safe with John. Mitchell loved all animals (dogs especially) and hiking the many mountains of Vermont. He and John bonded over their shared love for Marvel movies and super heroes. While his physical absence cannot go unnoticed, Mitchell will definitely be there watching over us.
Caleb Gmerek
Ring Bearer
Caleb is the first grandchild of John and Lauren White, and we are hoping he might be walking come time for the wedding. Regardless, he will be accompanied by his beautiful mother, Brittney. Caleb has brought so much light, laughter, and joy into our family, and we can't wait for you all to experience the cuteness overload that is a baby in a tuxedo!