Amanda & Elliot
Wedding Party
Jessi Waters
Best Officiant Ever
What to say about JHWaters - movie quote aficionado, cross-country mover and shaker (literally), and our best couples therapist. Jessi and Amanda lived and played together in San Francisco in the post-college 'Real World' experience, and stayed just as close from across the country (and down the East Coast) when Jessi moved to NY. Jessi and Elliot have gotten to be great friends over the years (and we even had a few months of overlap with Jessi in Seattle!) and were so excited she agreed to tell our love story and marry us in October (pictured here was us asking her!)! We are especially excited to share a wedding year with her, as her nuptials with Katie are just before us in September!
Aubrie Cook
Best Sister Ever
My dear, dear baby sister Aubrie has been my closest friend since 1991 (even when I protested to grandma Fischer)! Aubrie and I have traveled the world, encouraged each other through each and every move, and cheered on our Yankees through and through. I’m so proud of Aubrie and can’t wait to see her on the dance floor all night (and her speech ;)!
Shweta Pai Desai
Best Women
Pai and Ogus have been besties since the early days of Kappa Kappa Gamma at Wash U, and the Pai-Ogus adventures haven't stopped since college! As I noted in a speech at her own wedding last March (2020), Pai's 'say yes' energy makes every day exciting and we've had some hilarious shenanigans in the last 15 years of friendship (including but not limited to sharing a twin air mattress and clutching each other to stay on all night, being the only two to exit a cruise ship to take a (terrible) hike, sharing a mechanical bull). Pai was also the first friend to meet Elliot (only 2 weeks in from the NYE trip pictured here!), and we've enjoyed expanding our adventures to a foursie with Neel and Elliot!
Ikenna Anyoku
Best Men
Everyone always asks how did you meet Ike when one of you lives in New York and the other in California - and boy is it a story. Ike and I met over 10 years ago online playing college football and fast became friends. We have a common love of sports (Knicks and Yankees - we still don't know why Ike cheers for the Jets), journalism and music. Ike is the best storyteller around and is the life of the party - Ike is joined by his amazing wife Eliza!
Lauren Hauber
Best Women
Though Amanda and Lauren knew each other at Wash U, the real fun started when they became roommates and BFFs in SF after college (at the SAC-ramento Street apartment)! As part of the 'gang', Lauren and Amanda continued the college theme-party/shenanigans well into their 20s with more costumes, party buses and curls to count. It has been so fulfilling transitioning (slowly) into adulthood together, and after Amanda introduced Lauren to her now husband Tarik (will forever take credit) and Elliot became a part of the crew, we have been able to continue the debauchery well past living together (or even in the same city) and can't wait for more!
Marcus Berzat
Best Men
Marcus and Elliot have been friends for the last 10 years - they met playing basketball in Oakland or maybe on the internet who knows? Marcus is Elliot's favorite SantaCon partner - they have attended SF, LA and DC! Marcus is from NOLA and a big sports and travel fan but now resides in DC as the leader of the "DC Crew".
Carrie Preston Lace
Best Women
CP and Ogus have been part of the Kappa besties since 2005! Ever since Wash U, we have enjoyed adventures from tailgating at football games, sunbathing in Ocean City, MD (greatest place on earth (TM)), and too many reWUnions/bachelorette parties/weddings to count. Elliot has loved getting to know Carrie and George since meeting them at their wedding (lol) and we can't wait for future adventures with Logan, their son! Note: Carrie is a meat aficionado ever since she ordered 2 beefs for dinner on our cruise, so meat pictured here.
Bob Brakeville
Best Men
My big center who always deals with me being the bossy point guard I am. Bob was the first person I met in California in 8th grade science class. Bob is my favorite Vegas companion (we love a good craps table), first on the dance floor and Rick Fox loving friend. He also loves a good pat on the back! Bob is joined by his lovely fiancé Shelby!
Amy Reams
Best Women
Amy was the third member of the SAC! Amanda and Amy have been gallivanting around cities since 2011 - many years of theme-ing and dancing in SF led to wine-ing and hiking and dog play dates in Seattle! Elliot and Amanda have been so thankful to have Amy and Joanie in Seattle for their first strange year and can't wait for many years to come of pod living, even past health necessity! Amy & Joanie have also paved the way for post-COVID wedding celebrations (married July 4 2021!) and we can't wait to follow their footsteps!
Stephen Dysart
Best Men
Stephen and Elliot met at Nestle (actually on Elliot's first day but Stephen doesn't recall)! They became fast friends being the youngest members of the team while in LA and Nestle made the mistake of sending them to Switzerland at the same time! Stephen is a big 'Dawg' from ATL and now resides in DC!
Alison Curran Smith
Best Women
Alison Marie Curran Smith has been Amanda's BFF since Day 1 of setting foot on Wash U's campus in August 2005 when we both came early for a journalism pre-orientation program. Though our journalism careers were short-lived, our friendship continues to blossom across many graduate programs, increasing miles between us and new furry and human children. With Buck as an early roommate, Al and Ogus have continued the reWUnions and celebrating around the country and Elliot has loved spending time with (one of) his favorite people, Sanders "Cool Guy" Smith and we can't wait to meet Graham soon!
Corey Irizarry/Izzy
Best Men
My close high school friend, Corey (lovingly known as Izzy to me), is my go to beer pong partner. Although we went to different high schools, Izzy and I always have a ball talking sports (seeing Cam Newton in DC) or going through what rules won’t be implemented for the next fantasy football season. Amanda and I will always remember Izzy's bday now - make sure to wish him a happy bday on our wedding day!
Simon Ogus
Brother of the Bride!
Simon and Mandy go way back, a full lifetime! We've come a long way since bickering around the house when Simon made Mandy bring him graham crackers in a game of King/Servant and lots of long car rides to our Big Trees mountain house. It was exciting to overlap in DC for a few years and gave us the chance to grow our adult friendship, and gave Elliot a chance to find a rival in sports trivia! We can't wait to spend time with Simon, his amazing wife Leslie, and their VIP children, Riley and Tucker, this weekend and many more across the country!
Riley and Tucker Ogus
Flower People
Riley and Tucker are the weekend's VIPs: the bride's niece and nephew playing the role of flower/ring people and providing general merriment and entertainment. Amanda and Elliot were so happy to spend so much time with Riley in her first few years (then Tucker for a few months!) as neighbors in the DC/MD area, and can't wait for this pandemic to be over so we can get back to having in-person Aunt/Uncle adventures!