Our Wedding Party

Katherine Julia Gardiner

Bride

Kate is a bon vivant who has traveled the world collecting some of the best and brightest minds as friends and confidantes. She’s excited to invite you to meet Michael and his family if you haven’t already, and to encourage you to explore Wisconsin’s many wacky wonders. She feels extremely lucky to have met such a sweet, kind and generous soul to share her life with.

Michael Daniel Grinn

Groom

Kate says: “Michael feels incredibly lucky to have been chosen by Kate to share this wonderful existence. A lover of adventure, excitement and athletics, he (and his endless font of empathy) are here to celebrate finally finding the love of his life - and delving into his new passion for horse riding.”

Jennifer Kay Walker

Maid of Honor

Jen Walker’s brilliant intellect and sharp sense of humor has kept Kate entertained for more than two decades; her incredible worldview and can-do attitude, coupled with an expansive Midwestern wholesomeness means she’s as comfortable in a board room as she is hand crafting table decorations and … well. You’ll see. Jen currently lives in Washington, D.C. with her incredible South African god dog Zef.

Mark Rosenthal

Best Man

Mark has been Michael’s best friend since their first days at Rutgers in New Jersey. He’s an incredibly driven, competitive and carefree gentleman with impeccable taste in decor. We are thrilled to expose him to the wilderness that is Wisconsin (the lakes are freshwater, dontcha know). We genuinely love spending time with him and his incredible partner Daniel.

Alex Gardiner

Bridesman

Alexander Edward Gardiner, 33, is Kate's little brother. His main claims to fame involve almost drowning off the coast of Kauai with our dad, crashing a cargo plane in central Mexico (RIP the donkey) and having no professional website despite being an extremely professional private pilot who flies Citation corporate jets. He likes his dog, Tank, weightlifting, Ric Flair and any sport that challenges the laws of physics. In his adulthood he’s become a stalwart and true human as well as a genuinely good person; this was an unexpected turn of events following the Diane Explosion Prank of 2002. Kate is sort of sorry for the time she put him in the little red wagon, tied it to Bluebelle the dog and sent it careening down the block at top speed. If Laura Ingalls Wilder could do it … so could she. Alex lives in Dallas. Sort of.

Brandon Rowan

Bridesman

Brandon takes ‘strong silent type’ to new levels but over the past 25 years, he’s managed to live through a wide variety of Kate-lead experiences, including but not limited to: at least ten New Years’ Eves, a wild drive through wine country of the Western Cape, myriad randoms (including standing up together several times in friends’ weddings), and of course a San Francisco Startup Adventure. Despite now living in a part of Southern California best avoided, Brandon has been managed to make it to Significant Life Events near and far, no matter how ridiculous the series of airplanes have become. He is a treasure - and Kate apologizes profusely for the 12 years of screeching on violin and viola at HF. Hopefully Poland was worth it.

Grace Lemmon

Bridesmaid

Grace Lemmon is Kate’s one and only female first cousin, as well as the chief Gianna wrangler for this extravaganza. She’s also the only reason Kate knows how to do virtually any girl thing - be it identify fancy clothes or attempt to put makeup in the appropriate places. A wide variety of youthful experiences were shared - as was a lot of Grandma Lass’s Mary Kay collection. She lives in Chicago with her husband, Goran.

Daniel Hunninghake

Groomsman

Daniel Hunninghake is a tall, charming Midwesterner who wears many hats. Kind and compassionate, he and his fiance Mark have brought sparkle and glee to Michael’s life for many, many years. Beware, he is extremely competitive. He is an avid photographer.

Tara Sporn

Groomswoman

Tara is the life of the party in almost every circumstance. A kind, caring, and gregarious human, she will remember your face, your favorite drink and the details of your love life before you do. She’s been friends with Mark, Daniel and Michael for a very long time. Tara is based in New York City.

Paul Tamshinsky

Groomsman

Pauly is the quiet funny guy who hangs out in the back of the room until something bizarre needs to happen. He’s been friends with Mark and Michael and Tara for a very long while. He is single and ready to mingle.

Gianna Lemmon

Flower Child

Gianna is gregarious and charming and EXTREMELY EXCITED TO ‘live for this stuff’ per her father.

Chloe Gardiner

Flower Child

This is Chloe’s first flower girl experience but she’s excited to pick out a pretty dress.

Tom Gardiner

Father of the Bride

Tom Gardiner is the father of the bride. His interests mostly revolve around sports, waterskiing and the law. He endlessly asks about grandchildren via proxies.

Margaret Lass-Gardiner

Mother of the Bride

Margaret Lass Gardiner is the mother of the bride. Her interests are art, sheep herding, border collies, exceptional road trips and philosophical debate. She rarely asks about grandchildren. We never know where she is.

Inessa Grinn

Mother of the Groom

Raised as an only child, she bore two sons. Where do we go from here? She’s run a marathon, she’s done a polar bear swim with Michael and she’s very intense; it’s always and forever present. She kept her hair during chemo, looking like a drunk penguin. She would love a golden retriever, her favorite color is yellow

Michael Shmulevich

Stepfather of the Groom

Michael is a ping pong hero, senior Olympian, runner, swimmer, biker. There is no task - or competition - Michael Shmulevich will not compete in. He’s an incredible father, husband, mentor and supportive figure to generations.

Yan Grinn

Father of the Groom

Viktoria Grinn

Stepmother of the Groom

Daniel Kent Lemmon

Usher

John Gardiner Sandman

Usher

Jacob Sandman

Usher

Ryan Gardiner

Usher

Anna Sandman

Usher

John Patrick Alexander Lass

Usher

Sean Gardiner

Usher

Ian Gardiner

Usher

Patton Lass

Usher

Killian Gardiner

Usher

Lee

Ring Dog

Harriet

Ring Dog

Harriet was fired from shepherding because she hates working when it is hot out, cold out or she is otherwise less comfortable. She genuinely enjoys her companion in life Lee, fetch, all food items, swimming in dank and disgusting bodies of water and soft surfaces meant for humans.

Copenhagen

Horse of the Bride

Dave

Pony of the Bride

George

Donkey of the Bride