Wedding Party

Haley Ktsanes

Co-Maid of Honor

Shelby and Haley met during Welcome Week their freshman year at Loyola University Chicago, living just down the hall from each other in Simpson Hall. They quickly became close friends, exploring the city of Chicago together while navigating and balancing college life. Over the years their friendship grew stronger, eventually becoming roommates. Haley’s sense of humor helped carry them through the many late night study sessions and city adventures. Even after graduation, and with Shelby moving abroad, they’ve stayed close and supported each other through many life stages. They have been lucky enough to find a life-long friend that is worth traveling infinite miles for.

Rachel Allenbach

Co-Maid of Honor

Shelby and Rachel’s friendship began in seventh grade, where early on Rachel convinced Shelby to take French instead of Spanish, insisting it would be easier. The consensus shows that it wasn’t, but it was the start of many years of friendship. They stayed close through high school, sharing memories in theater, working through the IB program together, and spending many weekends at Disneyland. Although they pursued different paths after graduation, their bond remained strong. No matter how much time passes or how far apart they are, Shelby and Rachel know they’ll always be the best of friends who would be there for each other at the drop of a hat.

Jenny Burghard

Bridesmaid

Shelby and Jenny first met during freshman orientation at Loyola University Chicago, where they soon crossed paths again during Welcome Week, not knowing the adventures their friendship would bring to their futures. They stayed close throughout college and even studied abroad together in Rome, where Shelby accompanied Jenny on her first plane trip. That marked the beginning of many international travels together. Even after graduation, their friendship continued, crossing continents and reuniting in Australia while Shelby was in Vet School. Through all of the adventures, they've been lucky enough to find a loyal friend in each other and a lifelong adventure partner.

Brittany Short

Bridesmaid

Shelby and Brittany met in vet school at the University of Sydney. They bonded over the shared experience of moving from North America to down under in Australia, often laughing over the cultural differences between Americans, Canadians, and Australians. With their families far away, they quickly became each other’s vet school family. Along with Amanda, they formed the “DVM Squad”, where their friendship had originated in their trials and challenges of vet school, and has been the name that lives as the title of their group chat to this day. Despite the distance after graduation, they’ve stayed close, helping each other navigate the challenges of life as young veterinarians.

Amanda Storer

Bridesmaid

Shelby and Amanda became friends during vet school at the University of Sydney, where they made up the “DVM Squad” with Brittany. After supporting each other through the challenges and successes of vet school, they reconnected in Texas. Amanda began her residency in emergency and critical care at Texas A&M, and not long after, Shelby moved to Austin. Despite their demanding schedules, they managed to stay connected as close friends, spending weekends together and encouraging each other through the next phase of their careers. Amanda now lives near Philadelphia and hopes to return home to Toronto, Canada someday, but their friendship remains close despite the miles between each other.

Jackie Gilmore

Bridesmaid

Jackie became Shelby’s sister-in-law when she married Shelby’s older brother, Josh, on New Year's Eve in 2019. Since Jackie came into Josh’s life, Shelby and Jackie have been lucky enough to combine their families and see each other grow. They’re fortunate enough to live near each other in Austin, where Jackie brings her and Josh’s new puppy Finn to visit Shelby at her clinic, and frequently bring their families together for life events and house parties. Jackie is a talented writer where she recently published her first of many books, and Shelby couldn’t be more proud to call her both a sister and a friend.

Sarah Callia

Bridesmaid

Sarah is Matt’s sister and since Shelby met Matt, Sarah’s warmth, kindness, and sense of humor have made it easy for Shelby to feel welcome in their family. They have been lucky enough to get to know each other, taking an interest in each other’s personal lives and professions, and bond over the struggle of having an older brother. Along with Matt, they’ve shared numerous trips to Louisiana with each other over the holidays, and share a common bond of their interests in traveling, skincare, and the finer things in life. Shelby and Sarah are excited to have a lifetime of sisterhood and friendship ahead of them.

Conor Mitchell

Co-Best Man

Conor was Matt’s first friend when he moved to Austin from New Orleans in the 5th grade. They became best friends in the cub scouts, and spent nearly every weekend with each other through middle school on Lake Travis, or riding go-karts and bikes around Conor’s neighborhood in the Texas hill country. Conor used to visit New Orleans every summer for several weeks, staying with Matt and his family, joining on many vacations to the Gulf Coast. Conor and Matt kept in touch after high school, not letting the distance between them in college get in the way. Conor graduated from Texas A&M and earned his masters from the University of Texas, and to this day his contact-name still reads “Tiger Bait” in Matt’s phone. Conor and his fiancé Reid live in the same neighborhood as Matt and Shelby, and have become very close friends of Shelby’s as well- even bringing their pets to her clinic. Conor is one of the most thoughtful and kind-hearted men that always brightens up a room, he’s as close as you can be to a brother from another mother, and Matt is proud to call him a lifelong friend.

Patrick Slater

Co-Best Man

Patrick and Matt became best friends over 15 years ago in high school. Most weekends were spent fishing the lakes of Central Texas when they weren't traveling to football games or marching band events, where Matt played on the drumline and Patrick on trumpet. Even after high school and through college, their friendship never missed a beat. While Matt was at LSU, the two made countless road trips between College Station and Baton Rouge to visit each other, tailgating for nearly every LSU vs. Texas A&M game. To this day, Matt has yet to beat Patrick on the golf course, but he’s always happy to take a swing tip or two. Patrick has one of the biggest hearts of anyone you’ll ever meet, and he’ll be a lifelong friend to Matt.

Josh Gilmore

Groomsman

Josh is Shelby’s brother, and now a great friend and soon-to-be brother of Matt’s. Josh and Matt have hit it off over the years talking about sports, watches, and many other things they share laughs about. Josh even got Matt interested in Disc Golf, where they play around some of the local Austin courses at sunrise before the work day. Josh called Matt after he figured out that Matt was going to propose to Shelby about a week before it even happened, and was as elated as anyone could possibly be, in his own words "I'm getting a Brother!" to which Matt echoed the same. Being the kind and generous man that Josh is, he welcomed Matt to the Gilmore family with what turned into a 5-hour long wagyu steak and bourbon dinner at J. Carver's in Austin. Needless to say the two of them celebrated knowing there is a lifetime of friendship and brotherhood in their future.

Jon Gamel

Groomsman

Jon and Matt became close friends early in high school when Jon was a Trumpet player while Matt was on the drumline. Jon spent nearly every weekend with Patrick and Matt fishing the lakes of Central Texas, and attempting to build makeshift boats out of anything that would float. Their friendship has matured over the years, but maintained consistent as they’ve moved into new stages of life; sharing interests in woodworking, golf, fishing, grilling, knives, old school off-road SUV’s, and home improvement projects among countless other things. Jon is as solid of a man as they come; he’s a lifelong friend, a great husband to his wife Kaitlyn, and an active father with their two boys.

Will Thomas

Groomsman

Will is Matt’s best friend from college at LSU. Will lived in the dorm directly next to Matt's, the two of them met in the common area one day during the first week of Matt’s freshman year in 2013. The two of them quickly bonded over their love for Louisiana sports and good food. They would go to the LSU Gym and Dining halls with each other nearly every day for several years when they lived on campus near each other. Will and Matt’s friendship matured through the years, and Will came to many of Matt’s family parties and events in Baton Rouge over the last decade. After Matt and Will graduated, Will returned home to New Orleans for a short stint, followed by a move to Washington DC for several years. In the summer of 2025, Will made the decision to move back to a warmer climate after having his sights set on Austin, Texas for quite some time. Matt and Will had never lost touch after college, but have been fortunate enough to live only 15 minutes from each other once again! Will is a genuinely kind hearted, curious, and supremely intelligent friend. Matt is lucky enough to have such a close friend in Will for over a decade now, and for many years to come.

Reid Connolly

Officiant

Reid has been a part of Matt's life for over 7 years, and Shelby's from the very beginning of her relationship with Matt. He is engaged to Matt's Co-Best Man, Conor. Matt and Reid have always shared a very similar sense of layers-deep, witty (and sometimes crass) humor, and Shelby shares a common bond with Reid in their love for animals and equestrian sports. Only a month or so after Matt and Shelby started dating, Matt introduced Conor and Reid to her over dinner and drinks in Austin's Eastside. During a brief moment when Shelby excused herself from the table, Reid chimed in to Matt saying "She's absolutely beautiful, inside and out, marry her!" to which Matt replied, knowing how lucky he was and that he knows that Shelby is the one. Since then, Matt and Shelby have known for years that one day, when they get married, they'd love to have Reid officiate their wedding. Reid is an incredibly thoughtful and genuine friend to all, and very eloquent with his words. Matt and Shelby are humbled and honored to have such a great friend in Reid standing with them and officiating their special day.

Poppy

Canine Press Secretary

Minnie

Wedding Planner