Wedding Party
Ryan Schmidt
Best Man
Stephen's twin brother born five years apart. Ryan has been there through it all. The extra player in Stephen's backyard football games, a wrestling sparring partner, second hand man on a series on canoe voyages, and expert navigator of the most challenging video games. What more can be said of the man who has been with Stephen since the very beginning. He is everything to be wanted in a brother and naturally, Stephen's best man.
Morgan Holl
Maid of Honor
It is easy to say that Grace won the roommate lottery when her and Morgan were randomly paired as roommates freshman year at UW-Oshkosh. The girls went on to stick together through college to graduate together as nurses. Nothing quite makes two people closer than four years of late nights of studying, daily walks to class in subzero temperatures, and margarita celebrations. Truly, there isn't anyone Grace has lived with longer, made more memories with, or has been a better friend than Morgan.
Andrew Woyak
Groomsman
"Get to know the name Stephen Schmidt because your going to be seeing a lot of him" were the words from Andy to his parents after the first day they worked on a school project together in high school. Andy and Stephen went on to be roommates at UW- Oshkosh, spending many late nights discussing philosophy class, playing poker and pulling pranks. Not many people can say their friendship has survived a SWAT team, a move to another country, and alligators but these two can. Having Andy stand up in the wedding is truly worth every penny spent on liability insurance.
Kate Cieciorka
Bridesmaid
One of Stephen's closest friends from high school, now also one of Grace's favorite people. Kate is a cherished friend of the couple and their good friend Andy's better half. Kate is all the fun and hilarity of Andy but with more hair and better jokes. Over the last few years Grace and Stephen have loved growing closer to Kate, whether it be their trip to Mexico together or their times spent at Stephen's cabin, the big day wouldn't be complete without Kate alongside them to celebrate.
Kenny Thompson
Groomsman
Kenny is Grace's older brother, and more importantly, the wedding party member with the best mustache and dance moves. Jokes aside, Kenny has been a great friend and mentor to both Grace and Stephen. Always willing to give advice, even if it is mostly unsolicited, the couple has found Kenny to be someone they always consult for his opinion. Stephen and Kenny have created a bond of their own over the years from their mutual love for pipe tobacco, ice fishing, and cold beer. Although the couple is suspicious Kenny only accepted their offer to stand up in order to be the first in line to the buffet, they are overjoyed to have him by their side on their day.
Morgan Ewings
Bridesmaid
A great friend to Grace since high school, Grace believes one of her greatest accomplishments was playing match maker in setting up Morgan with her older brother Kenny (who are getting married next year)! Since then, one of Grace's favorite parts of every holiday or family camping trip is having Morgan as her card playing and wine drinking partner. The two have also recently bonded over a shared profession, as it has quickly become tradition to swap nursing horror stories over a few drinks.
Lucas Treptow
Groomsman
As you can see from the picture, these guys have a friendship that wears many hats. These two have logged endless hours in the wilderness, at the card table, finding trouble and escaping it with a touch of cleverness and a boatload of serendipity. Of course never failing to go to church the next morning for a prank that went too far. While Grace and Stephen have been working across the country, Lucas has demonstrated that distance is merely a word and not an obstacle, having visited them for weeks in Washington, and Idaho. That said, all in attendance can be sure to thank Lucas for making any plans for elopement impossible... but of course, Grace and Stephen could not tie the knot without this guy to be their to witness.
Janis Freeman
Bridesmaid
Travel nursing has brought Stephen and Grace many joys, the best being their friendship with Janis. After spending an entire weekend on the night shift together, doing everything from swapping book recommendations, laughing at each other's nursing stories, and helping each other through some cringy work moments; Grace knew Janis would be a good friend. Since then Janis has become the couple’s go to breakfast buddy, the only person that could ever talk Grace into riding a mechanical bull, and the best tour guide, showing the couple the best tex-mex and honky tonks in Dallas when they visit her. Grace and Stephen could not be more thrilled to have their Texas bridesmaid flying into Wisconsin come August to be a part of their day.
Gator Schaefer
Groomsman
Gator and Stephen first became friends at 6th grade junior lancer football camp where they shared a seat on the bench as they watched the starters play. Fifteen years later, you could almost call them friends! Red dog beer, cheap cigars, and never ending smack talk are the highlights of their friendship. Notably, he was also the 2021 runner up to Stephen in fantasy football. Be sure to ask him about it!
Kayla Thompson
Bridesmaid
The Thompson's farm is not only the venue for the wedding, but also the place Grace and Kayla grew up together learning how to milk cows and drive tractors. Kayla is Grace's older cousin, so naturally she always had the responsibility of doing Grace's make up and dressing her up. Kayla will now be entrusted to help Grace get dressed up one more time, this time to walk down the aisle.
Dan Shay
Groomsman
Dan is basically the same person as Stephen but with a better beard. Stephen met Dan on the Burn Unit at Columbia St Mary's hospital where they would work together for two years. Throughout that time, countless jokes, pranks and potential disciplinary action loomed on the unit each night these guys worked together. Stephen says that the burn unit was the best job he ever had and it was no doubt because of the friendship he has with Dan.
Thomas Hawthorne
Bridesman
The man who started it all, Thomas has been friends with Stephen since kindergarten and is one of Grace’s best friends since college. Most importantly, he is the guy that introduced the couple! Thomas has been there through the entirety of the couple's relationship, from introducing them at his birthday party, to all the cross-country road trips, canoe voyages, and karaoke nights since. While Thomas often finds himself on the losing end of high stakes bets, he can untangle himself from any hairy mess he finds himself in. No doubt, he has been the source of many laughs shared by the couple, and has found a fitting hobby in stand up comedy, owing a wealth of his material to the couples unrelenting pranks on him.
Joey Lu
Groomsman
Stephen and Joey's friendship is one built on pick up basketball games, surreptitious road trips, and extensive fishing expeditions. No doubt you get pretty close with a person when you sit in a boat for hours and do not catch any fish. This is a guy that will go any place, play any game, or meet any high stakes challenge and leave his competitors in the dust. Truly, there is nothing this guy can't do when he wears his cpap the entire night. A man of many talents and our favorite photographer, we are happy to give him a break to be in the pictures instead of taking them come August.
Brady Robinson
Usher
"Brady Blackwoods Blobinson" became a great friend of the bride and groom in the first year they were dating while he was roommates with Stephen. Brady taught the couple many valuable lessons, chief among them were making cribbage a high stakes game, applying ranch dressing to a dish, and how to make your voice heard in a house with five guys. Above all though, Brady showed them what it means to show up for your friends, coming along on impromptu cross country camping trips, assisting with Grace's birthday celebration at Lambeau, or competing at the state chili cookoff with them annually. The couple knows they could go five years without talking to Brady and he would drive across the state for a grill out at a moments notice. What more could someone ask for in a friend?
Drew Shupe
Usher
Everybody needs that guy who will tell it like it is, and Drew is exactly that person. The kind of guy that will "call a spade a spade" and "take you behind the woodshed" if you don't use you head, he comes fully equipped with the perfect blend of conventional wisdom, paternal authority, and looney tune witticisms. Drew is a man of many talents, and best of all being his culinary gifts. Never shying away from sharing his talent in the kitchen with Grace and Stephen, he and his brother Spencer led them to fourth place in the Wisconsin state chili cook off. Today, Drew works as a nurse across Wisconsin, establishing law and order and demanding peace and quiet on whichever unit he is running.
Spencer Shupe
Usher
Spencer (left) and Stephen first became friends while working as nurses in Appleton. After many long nights of battling delirious patients and tyrannical staffing ratios, the two rallied behind regular breakfasts and a refreshing drink at Mike's Diner, bonding over politics, books, and tales of childhood delinquency. Shortly after, Spencer invited Stephen to join a house of four guys to be a tie breaking vote in the daily debates and arguments that took place there. Along the way, the two spent many late nights cooking, watching sports, and talking about anything and everything under the sun. Although the two eventually took jobs in different states, living together created a friendship that will last a lifetime.
Glenn Malecki
Usher
Believe it or not, this guy takes care of children in an ICU. This man is better than any other at walking the tight rope of professionalism and reckless debauchery. Both Stephen and Glenn were enrolled in nursing school and therefore quickly became close as they helped one another navigate college life. Stephen taught Glenn about the campus library and Glenn taught Stephen where to go when the library was closed on a Saturday night. Against all probability, these two goofs became highly successful students, scholarship recipients, and heads of campus organizations. More important and most impressive of all, they became close friends throughout their college journey. Today, the guys work as travel nurses, working in any state that recognizes Glenn's license as legitimate.