Jessica & Alex
Wedding Party
Zack Sheldon
Best Man
Zack is Alex's older cousin, and the two instantly became close from the day Alex was born. While Zack was waiting for Alex to be born, he would talk to him and refer to him as “Baby Coey,” which then translated to Alex's middle name being Cody. Throughout Alex’s entire life, Zack has been a major role model and has contributed towards his success. Growing up, they would have sleepovers at each other’s homes and went on many family vacations together. As you can tell, the two have spent most of their lives together. They love to spend long hours discussing issues in the world and the latest and greatest news in sports. To sum it up, Zack is a wonderful person all around. The couple is honored to have Zack stand next to them for their special day!
Victoria Recker
Maid of Honor
Victoria is Jessica's older sister, and the two became best friends from the day Jessica was born. From a young age, Jessica viewed Victoria as one of her role models since, in her eyes, Victoria excelled at anything she put her heart into, from playing sports to music. Jessica knew she wanted to be just like her older sister. On top of that, Victoria has one of the biggest hearts ever. She is considerate of everyone and is very compassionate. Jessica is grateful that Victoria has always been there for her by helping her through all of the difficult moments in her life. Jessica is blessed to have the the best sister in the entire world and knows that who she is today would not be the same without her help. The couple is honored to have Victoria stand next to them for their special day!
Andrew VerHagen
Best Man
Andrew is Alex's younger brother and due to their similar appearance, his "mini-me." Alex was happy that he got a baby brother since he knew they were going to spend so much time together despite their age difference. They enjoy sibling competition, and one of their favorite pastimes is competing against each other in ping pong. Although Andrew wins most of the time, they still enjoy their time together all the while laughing and having fun. They also share a love of volleyball, which both of them have been playing since 5th grade. Andrew is creating his legacy with his volleyball career. Alex could not be more proud of his brother for what he has achieved both athletically and academically. The couple is honored to have Andrew stand next to them for their special day!
Krystel Marino
Bridesmaid
Krystel and Jessica met at Ball State through their sorority, Kappa Delta. They first met in person during the spring formal in 2016 when Krystel walked up to Jessica at the dance and said, “I’m Krystel. Natalie said we needed to be friends.” Natalie, their mutual friend, was correct since the two instantly hit it off. Their friendship blossomed even more when they lived across the street from each other and were able to hang out together all the time. The friends have countless memories together which include going to parties at SNU, fighting over dogs, and just discussing life in general. Krystel is one of the most genuine and caring people Jessica knows. Krystel has a heart of gold and is an inspiration. The couple is honored to have Krystel stand next to them for their special day!
Scott Recker
Groomsman
Scott is Jessica's second oldest brother and one of Jessica's role models. Scott is an outgoing person and can make a room burst out in laughter since he's always being a comedian. Scott loves to have a good time, and you will for sure find him busting a move on the dance floor! Scott has serious moments, as well. Whenever Jessica was going through rough times, Scott always had her back and was there for her. Scott knows how to make Jessica laugh and won't give up until he has succeeded. Scott is very compassionate and is kind to everyone. He is also very hardworking and doesn't back down from challenges. Scott has always had a passion for puzzles, and Jessica is always amazed with how quickly he can solve them. The couple is honored to have Scott stand next to them for their special day!
Rachel Williams
Bridesmaid
Rachel and Jessica met at Ball State through their sorority, Kappa Delta. Throughout college, Rachel and Jessica became close friends and ended up being roommates their senior year. Rachel and Jessica instantly bonded over their love of fashion, movies, music, and dancing. The friends often would blast music and have random dance parties on their front porch (which their neighbors may not have liked). Jessica is lucky to call Rachel one of her closest friends and to be able to talk to her about anything. On top of that, Rachel has a killer sense of fashion and can pull off any style! Rachel is such a kind and genuine person but also the perfect combination of sassy and fun and just a wonderful person all around. The couple is honored to have Rachel stand next to them for their special day!
Ramon Marin
Groomsman
Ramon and Alex met in 2011 during their Junior Year English class in high school. Their favorite pastime together is playing video games, where they dedicate countless hours and many late nights. Both of them are highly competitive, especially in the realm of video games and, more specifically, FIFA. Ramon has also been the first major soccer advocate in Alex’s life and influenced him to take more interest in the game, both playing and spectating. Ramon is credited in making Alex a soccer fan to this day. The friends have an obsession with constantly using the word “Niña,” as well as many other distinct Spanish phrases (which tends to be their means of communicating). The couple is honored to have Ramon stand next to them for their special day!
Julia Dickman
Bridesmaid
Julia and Jessica met sometime after Jessica was born, considering they are cousins and a little over six months apart in age. From the start, the cousins became quick best friends. They would make up dances to songs and would spend family get-togethers playing Powerpuff Girls and other games they could think up in their grandparents' basement. This often transitioned into them trying to schmooze their parents into letting them have a sleepover so that the fun would continue. The two were definitely partners in crime (starting out with when they got in trouble for painting with fingernail polish) all the way through high school and would do everything together. The two are cousins by blood and friends by choice. The couple is honored to have Julia stand next to them for their special day!
Cesar Murua
Groomsman
Alex and Cesar met back in 2012 due to their mutual friend, Ramon, introducing them. Cesar and Alex share a passion for video games where they are big competitors. The friends have dedicated many hours and late nights to playing FIFA and Apex. They have shared tremendous success playing both games while also having a lot of fun in the process. Cesar constantly likes to make cheesy jokes which Alex has had a fair share of exposure to. The cheesy jokes may make Alex do a face-palm repeatedly, but they also make him laughing hysterically. The friends have shared countless memories together, and their friendship has grown immensely. The couple is honored to have Cesar stand next to them for their special day!
Mikaela Schutte
Bridesmaid
Mikaela and Jessica met at Ball State through their sorority, Kappa Delta. The friends met when Mikaela was going through sorority recruitment, and Jessica was luckily chosen to get to know Mikaela during rounds. Jessica knew instantly that she wanted to be friends with Mikaela and also have her as her little! Thankfully, the two became a big/little duo and were close friends right away due to their similar personalities. Mikaela is extremely outgoing and can make friends with anyone! She has such a kind soul and a big personality. Mikaela has always been there for Jessica, and the two bond over anything and everything. Mikaela is a little sister that Jessica never had, and the couple is honored to have Mikaela stand next to them for their special day!
Adam Recker
Groomsman
Adam is the oldest brother of Jessica. There may be a six-year age gap between them, but that didn't stop Jessica from calling Adam her "bestest buddy" growing up. Whenever Jessica got hurt or was going through a hard time, Adam would rush to his sister's side to defend and help her. Because of this, Jessica looked up to Adam and still does to this day. Adam has an immense amount of qualities that Jessica admires. When Adam has a goal in mind, he will work endlessly until he achieves such goal. Also, Adam is one of the most intelligent people Jessica knows. He is always reading up on new subjects, and his continuous quest for more knowledge has always been inspiring to Jessica. The couple is honored to have Adam stand next to them for their special day!
Natalie Tokarz
Bridesmaid
Natalie and Jessica met at Ball State through their sorority, Kappa Delta. When Natalie and Jessica got lunch together for the first time, their friendship started blossoming. The friends bonded over their love of hanging out with Sigma Nu and their love of taking elevator selfies together (to name a few). The two have countless memories together. Natalie became a mentor to Jessica while in college and even played an important role in Alex and Jessica becoming an official couple. Jessica often goes to Natalie for advice since she knows that Natalie will give practical advice. Jessica is grateful and blessed to call such a loving, generous, genuine, and funny person one of her closest friends, and the couple is honored to have Natalie stand next to them for their special day!
Archie
Bestest Boy
Archie entered Alex and Jessica's lives in July of 2018. Alex always wanted to have his own dog, and when he made the move to Cincinnati, he knew that was his opportunity. The moment that Alex saw Archie, he knew it was fate, and the couple drove three hours to adopt him. Archie is a pomsky who constantly loves playing, cuddling, and giving kisses. He also tries to eat everything. He loves all of the attention he gets and being the baby of the family. He loves to pester his older brother when he's bored. He is definitely the best pomsky! "When I met Mom and Dad, I instantly loved them. They're so loving and give me ANYTHING I want. I'm definitely spoiled. I love when they give me belly rubs and...SQUIRREL! Oh, I forgot where I was going with that. Can I go play now?" - Archie
Cortez
Bestest Boy
Cortez entered Jessica's life back in 2010 on her birthday, and what a blessed birthday it was! Cortez has brought so much joy and comfort to her life since then. Alex first met Cortez in 2017 and quickly filled the role as his dad. Cortez hates to leave his parents' sides and loves to cuddle, sleep, play with foxy, and roughhouse. His favorite treats are dentastixs, pizza, and cheese. He is very intelligent and knows how to do many tricks! He's the best shih-tzu ever! "When I met Jessica, I loved her instantly. She really needed to learn how to relax more, and I'm pretty sure I helped her with that. When I met Alex, I knew he was the one for her because he instantly gave me scratches. I will always be a momma's boy, but I also love Alex since he gives me food and attention." - Cortez
Steve and Brenda VerHagen
Parents of the Groom
Steve and Brenda VerHagen are the wonderful parents of the groom. Alex has always admired their outgoingness and compassion for one another and had hoped that he would find that same commitment in the future and has with Jessica. Steve and Brenda have personalities where, no matter how old they get, they will always continue to act like they are turning 25 again. Alex could not have asked for a better set of parents growing up. Steve and Brenda are willing to sacrifice everything for their kids and have a close and unbreakable bond with them. Alex's parents continue to act as the main role models in his life and always will be. “Thank you for everything you have done to help us in planning this special day and for everything overall. We are extremely grateful.” Love, Alex and Jessica
Fred and Teresa Recker
Parents of the Bride
Fred and Teresa Recker are the wonderful parents of the bride. Jessica has always admired their love and how strong their relationship is. She prayed that she would have a similar love in the future and found that with Alex. Fred and Teresa are what the kids call #RelationshipGoals. Jessica has been blessed with near perfect parents, and they have made many sacrifices not only for her, but all of their kids, and Jessica is eternally grateful for them. On top of that, Jessica is lucky enough to consider her parents her best friends and to have such a close bond with them. Her parents have always and will always be her role models. "Thank you for everything you have done to help us in planning this special day and for everything overall. We are extremely grateful." Love, Alex and Jessica