Wedding Party

Olivia Cook

Maid of Honor

Olivia the honorary "redheaded stepchild" of the Farr family, a title she proudly embraces! Olivia and Shannon have been inseparable since they were 16. Their friendship was forged in the fires of high school band practice, solidified during epic homecoming dress expeditions, and celebrated with newfound freedom as the newly licensed drivers traveled across town just for Moe's burritos. Even as life took them to different states for college – Shannon conquering degrees at Arkansas and Purdue and Olivia stealing the show at Auburn – their bond never wavered. They've kept in touch through a never-ending Snapchat streak, spontaneous visits, and enough inside jokes to fill a comedy special.

Matt Lee

Best Man

Matt is a 13-year Alaska resident who first met Ian when he showed up to the rescue squadron prior to Ian attending basic training. Matt and Ian immediately shared a common interest for hunting, fishing, and an overall love of the outdoors and the state of Alaska. And of course, both of them being Texans only helped. Since knowing Ian, they have solidified a lifelong friendship that involves extended hunting trips up to the Arctic Circle, plenty of aircraft recovery trips (with some in foreign countries), and of course plenty of beer and game nights. His dedication to the rescue mission at the Alaska Air National Guard unit and internal fortitude to succeed is what drove Matt to select Ian to work together with him on a team as the crew chiefs of their helicopter (the black cat). Matt feels truly blessed to have Ian on his team and as his friend. When the military pulls Matt and Ian apart someday and life continues on for each of them, Matt knows the friendship will always be there.

Ashley Farr

Bridesmaid

One day, while minding her own business as a troublesome 3-year-old, Ashley's parents bought her a Barbie Doll dream house. She was elated until she realized it was, in fact, a bribe. A way to placate her when they brought home a second child, Ashley's new baby sister, Shannon. The betrayal was deep, but eventually, Ashley was able to forgive them and accept Shannon's rather persistent presence. As it turns out, she's an excellent friend to commiserate with regarding their needy parents.

Tim Rowe

Groomsman

Tim has called Alaska home since 2018 and met Ian in 2022 while serving as a crew chief on HH-60s with the 176th Rescue Squadron for the Alaska Air National Guard. What started as two Texans working long days on the flight line in Alaska quickly turned into a solid friendship. Between trips north to Nome and Faro, competitive game nights, and plenty of good natured trash talk! Tim usually played the responsible “dad” of the duo, while Ian was the one getting picked on and taking it well. He genuinely respects Ian’s intelligence, strong work ethic, and loyalty. He also remains slightly (and consistently) jealous of Ian’s impressive mustache. Though Tim no longer works alongside Ian, he truly misses the long days on the flight line and the time spent on the team. What hasn’t changed is the friendship. He’s proud to stand beside Ian on this day and knows their bond will continue long after this chapter.

Robby Johnson

BridesPerson

Robby met Shannon during karaoke at the award-winning and prestigious Carousel Lounge in Anchorage, AK where they surprisingly learned that they were coworkers with the same job title. His favorite pastimes with Shannon included bring the mood down with depressing duets at karaoke, dominating Dave and Buster's trivia nights, as well as hour-long UNO Flip standoffs during the frigid Alaskan winter. Robby has also spent extensive time with the groom, including almost being crushed by his gun safe and taking Alaska from him in RISK.

John Stoddard

Groomsman

John met Ian when he joined their Air National Guard Rescue Unit. While military paperwork may list John as Ian’s supervisor, years of friendship have proven that they are far more effective at disappointing each other than following a chain of command. Together they’ve endured hunting trips where the only thing harvested was humility, fishing trips where the fish clearly received advance warning, and enough video game defeats to question their collective abilities. Yet somehow they keep inviting each other back. One of John’s favorite memories is a boys camping trip where several members of the group announced they were turning in early. Through a combination of poor decisions, good stories, and an unwavering commitment to “just one more drink,” nobody made it to bed on time. Beneath the jokes, John knows Ian as one of the hardest-working people he’s ever met. Whether at work, in the field, or showing up for the people he cares about, Ian has always been someone you can count on. Over the years he’s become more than a coworker or hunting buddy—he’s become a brother. John is proud to stand beside his friend today and celebrate the best decision he’s ever made. And for once, John has absolutely no notes.

RM Barton

BridesPerson

RM Barton is a writer and teacher who lives in Lafayette, Indiana with their pets, Butch and Otis; their partner, John Kirby; and their step-children, Estie and Lux. RM met the bride while they were both in graduate school at Purdue University, where RM still teaches and works. Prior to Shannon moving to Alaska, RM and Shannon were on a prolific trivia team called "Just Ghosts." Originally from the Appalachian mountains of Western Maryland, RM is an avid outdoor-lover with a particular fondness for camping and hiking. Naturally, RM was thrilled when Shannon moved to Anchorage (and met Ian -- a bonafide Alaska man who also loves the great outdoors) and they're looking forward to many years of outdoor adventures to come.

Hunter Alford

Groomsman

Ian and Hunter met early on at Texas State, and we hit it off right away. The pair shared a lot of the same passions—bow hunting, fishing, and just being outdoors—and from that point on, they became close friends. Hunter and Ian's last year at Texas State was one they'll never forget. They lived together in San Marcos, worked together at Gruene Hall, and spent just about every day side by side. Through the highest highs and the lowest lows, Ian was the kind of friend you could always count on. Ian confided in Hunter one night that he was going to go off, become a bush pilot, and move across the world. Not long after, Ian sold all of his belongings—including his truck—bought a Tahoe, and drove more than 4,000 miles to Alaska to chase his dream. That takes a special kind of courage. While it was tough to see him go, Hunter couldn’t be prouder knowing Ian’s out there living the life he always envisioned.

Lauren Dell'Orco

Bridesmaid

Shannon and Lauren met the way most people do, Shannon was dressed as a bear and Lauren was dressed as Wednesday Addams. Instant friendship obviously! But in all seriousness, the pair met in Eagle River through their close group of friends and found out they lived close to each other in Anchorage. From there Lauren and Shannon started spending more and more time together, getting to know each other through trivia, game nights, thanksgiving dinner and camping trips. What began as a fun connection soon turned into something much more meaningful.

Tom Dell'Orco

Groomsman

Tom first met Ian through another groomsman, Mike Provencher. Whether it was the infamous Provencher spring bash, a Halloween party, or a chance encounter on a backroad outside Hope, Alaska—Ian always showed up ready to turn a good time into a great one. Over the years, Tom and Ian's friendship has grown stronger through countless weeknight trivia wins (with a big assist from Shannon) and competitive board game battles. Tom feels honored to stand by Ian’s side and celebrate this next chapter with him and Shannon.