Ellie & Dean
Wedding Party
Amanda Cisi
Matron of Honor
Amanda and I have been friends for as long as I can remember, so long that I can hardly pinpoint the exact moment it happened — as far as I can remember we met and immediately were inseparable. We played softball either together or on opposing teams for most of our teen years and spent every weekend of summer together at the fields during the All-Star season. Some of my favorite memories of ours are cheering each other on during championship games, swimming and surfing boogie boards in my pool (even if it was swamp green) and endless sleepovers that often left her parents wondering if they would ever see her again. I’m not kidding when I say some of our sleepovers lasted 2 weeks haha I had the honor of being Amanda's Maid of Honor in her wedding and am so blessed to now have her as mine!
Peter Forthun
Best Man
AKA “The Rock.” …and on this rock I will…okay well not actually St. Pete at the pearly gates but he might as well be. He’s set the foundation for me my whole life. He’s paved the path to make my life easier. He’s the truest embodiment of a big brother. One who looks out for his siblings and celebrates them in every way. Through his marriage and family I’m inspired to do great things in my own life. Fun facts, we both lived in NYC 2009-2010, he came to almost every Columbia baseball game my Senior year and shouted my name to the crowd as I walked up to bat (epic memory), his movie and music knowledge runs deep, we’re 21 months apart, I’m Godfather or AKA “Don Dino” to his son Rafael, he’s 100% my best friend.
Alyssa Smith
Matron of Honor
Alyssa and I have also been best friends for as long as I can remember. You see Alyssa and Amanda are twins and I met Amanda playing softball and met Alyssa at the same time but while playing soccer. It's pretty funny though because I didn’t actually realize they were two different people for the first few practices because I was too shy to say Hi and learn their names. Once Alyssa and I started hanging out we too became inseparable and the three of us became the best of friends. Some of our favorite memories involve laying out in the backyard after a long day of swimming and late night walks dancing down the street to some of our favorite songs. Alyssa was the first of us three to get married and has truly set the example for what a strong and compassionate marriage looks like.
Tommy Gonzales
Groomsman
AKA “Gufano.” My longest tenured friend, we’ve known each other since we were 5. We grew up right across the street from each other with almost identical upbringings. Ask us about our families and you’ll find out just how many similarities there are. That’s why it works. Half Italian, half Mexican he knows the meaning of “Blood is thicker than water.” And although we aren’t actually brothers, he might as well be. Fun facts, we are exactly 7 months apart, his parents and my parents share the same anniversary date to the year, he also has 1 brother and 2 sisters, he’s got a steal trap mind for remembering people’s names and details, he started his own supplement company "TREIGN."
Anna Forthun
Bridesmaid
Anna is my my soon-to-be sister-in-law and the eldest of the Forthun daughters. As we have gotten to know each other over the last 3 years I have come to realize how alike we really are! We are both very creative, thoughtful, emotional ladies who suffer from cuteness aggression :) We love animals, especially dogs, and really enjoy arts and crafts. Anna has a dachshund name Santino and you can often find her creating embroidery master pieces full of thoughtfulness for the loved ones in her life. Something I truly admire about her is that she never seems to feel self-conscious or embarrassed. She never hesitates to belt out to karaoke or perform an interpretive dance with her sister, Mary. I guess it helps that she has an amazing voice and some wicked dance skills!
Derek Squires
Groomsman
AKA “Diesel.” There really isn't a story to this nickname other than this guy is a machine. Ask him anything about pitching mechanics or proper training techniques and he’ll blow you away for hours. But more than that, he’s a tried and true friend. With ease, we pick up conversation as if it were yesterday. Whether it's just catching up or deep philosophical conversations, he always brings true value to my life. He knows everything about my college years, so ask away. Fun facts, he’s got TWO college degrees, we traveled Italy together winter of our Senior year at Columbia, we are considered batterymates (baseball term!), and I'm honored to be his Best Man!
Mary Forthun
Bridesmaid
Mary is also my soon-to-be sister-in-law, the youngest of the Forthun siblings, but quite possibly the coolest. She graduated from NYU, has traveled the world (even made it to Prague!), goes to all the best social events, and takes by far the best Instagram photos. Even though Mary is 4 years younger than me, I admire and look up to her for how strong, independent and bold she is. She’s never afraid to speak up if she has a different opinion and she is one of the most open and accepting people I know. She is also incredibly intelligent and really inspires me to step out of my comfort zone and try new things.
Aislinn Vahí Ferguson
Bridesmaid
Aislinn (pronounced Ash-lin) and her husband, Peter, are the first of the Forthun clan that I met and wow, did we hit it off from the very start! Aislinn has been our biggest cheerleader throughout our dating years so much so that just following our engagement she texted me and said, “I’m just happy I get to be with you for the rest of my life!” :) She always made me feel comfortable at family functions which really helped me to open up when spending time with Dean’s family the first few visits. She has always been someone I can confide in about anything and she is always there to offer her support and guidance. Aislinn and Peter welcomed their first baby boy, Rafael, January of this year and he will be turning 1 yrs old just a few days after our Wedding!
Andrew Franco
Groomsman
AKA “Mr. Suave.” This guy has never forgotten to comb his hair or wash his face. Always dressed impeccably and using Spanish to his advantage, he plays the game a little differently. We met 5 years ago through my childhood friend Nicole Miller and connected instantaneously sharing our love for Tequila, pickle backs, and everything Italian. Fun facts, he thoroughly enjoys my broken Spanish expressions, his parents are the salt of the earth, we hiked Zion National Park together (unreal!), we share a love for our Catholic roots and faith.
Nicole Gentle
Bridesmaid
Nicole and I met at Moorpark College and became best friends almost instantly! We are both very go with the flow, low maintenance ladies who love country music and a good time :) One of the best years of my 20’s was when Nicole and I both worked at Island’s Restaurant after graduating college. We already had a very strong friendship but during that year we spent nearly every day together growing even closer. We would work shifts together at the restaurant and then post up at the bar until the other one got off. We'd hangout until closing and a group of us would all head out to go dancing. This would be our ritual at least 3-4 nights a week and were some of the best times we spent together! Fun fact: Tiana and Nicole are cousins!
Kevin Shafer
Groomsman
AKA “Country Boy.” Because he lived in Oklahoma, wears boots, and likes country music, that’s why. Oh, by the way, who needs a friend that’s loyal, caring, thoughtful, and selfless? This is your guy. He’s one of kind always offering everything he has to support others. We met no more than 5 years ago through my childhood friend Nicole Miller and since then we’ve built an incredible friendship. Ask him about weekend trips to the cabin, too many good times with friends there. Fun facts, he used to work on oil rigs, he goes to Stage Coach every year, he’s a pretty-damn-good handyman (DIY).
Tiana Sempero
Bridesmaid
I met Tiana the first day of my second year at Moorpark Community College in Logic class. This brown eye'd girl sat down in front of me, turned around and in a very enthusiastic voice said, "Hi, my name is Tiana! What's yours?!" And that simple, warm introduction opened up a whole new world for me. Tiana is the life of the party, always outgoing and looking to make new friends - quite similar to Dean actually, which explains a lot! From day one she has helped me to break out of my shell and feel more confident in my own skin. She is the best friend who is always there to pick me up when I’m feeling low and inspires me to open myself up to new experiences. It has now been a little over 10 years since that first day of class and just this last April I was blessed to be a part of her wedding!
Paul Auclair
Groomsman
AKA “Maine Man.” Hailing from the great state of Maine where there is an abundance of lobsters and blueberries, his value is untouchable. We became friends through Andrew Franco no more than 4 years ago and it’s been a brofest ever since. This guy has traveled more than all of my friends combined and knows more about China and Korea parts unknown than the late Anthony Bourdain. Need some adventure in your life, just ask this guy. Fun facts, he took me to my first Korean spa (yes!), he’s one for the arts like paintings and photography, he’s got a super genius mind and will blow you away with cryptocurrency knowledge, we seriously bond over our love for classic rock!
Ben Frederique
Groomsman
AKA “Big Ben.” You’re not going to believe how we met. Ask him about the bus trip up to Cornell during our Junior year of HS. He's my first NYC friend and, truth is, I’ve never met someone with more friends than this guy. His close friends list surpasses 100+ and the people who would call him a close friend surpasses 1000+. He’s the one that introduced me to a world of intricacies in NYC that explains why people never want to leave. He’s your biggest advocate, someone you can trust, and always comes through. Fun facts, he grew up on the UWS of Manhattan next to Columbia, his sister worked for Columbia Greek Life while I was at school, he always DJ’ed my fraternity parties, he knows all the best food & drink deals in the city including my all-time favorite “The Silk Road Palace!”