Wedding Party
Julianna Certa-Werner
Maid of Honor
Julianna is my older sister whom I have quite literally known for my entire life, and, naturally, is my first MoH! She is the calmest and most collected sibling, which doesn’t really make sense if you know that she’s a Gemini. Nonetheless, she has been a source of constant support – whether that be coming down to LaCrosse and buying me a morning latte, helping me through my current MSN program, or visiting out of the blue for the fun of it. Not only has she been a mentor and support to me, but she has also been a close friend to Jeff throughout the years, joining in on his antics.
Hope Certa-Werner
Maid of Honor
Hope is the younger sister, so I have known her for all of her life. Thus, she is the other natural pick for my MoH. As youngsters, we would always get into fiery, but ultimately trivial, spats. But, throughout all of our fighting, Hope always had my back. This has remained true as our relationship matured; no matter the circumstance, Hope has always been there to support and encourage me. It is truly an honor of mine to have such an enduring solidarity with my sister. Beyond myself, Hope and Jeff have been close friends nearly the entire time we have been dating, resulting in a ton of great memories of the three of us.
Summer Roe
Bridesmaid
Summer has been my best friend since 7th grade at Cathedral, and with that length of time comes a whole plethora of history, including but not limited to: 3AM bouts of Wii Monopoly, sneaking Q*Bert online during class, buying way too much chocolate-covered bacon for two teenagers, and playing Mancala for the hundredth time -- insisting we weren't invested in the game only to end up counting out the spaces to win. So much of who I am as a person came from our countless memories together, and without her, I would not be where I am today. I am so lucky to have had such an authentic and lasting friendship.
Maya Jahnke
Bridesmaid
Y'all, when they say trauma makes you bond with people, they were probably talking about the biology program at UW-LaCrosse. It was through this program that Maya and I met. And I promise you, it was our study sessions (which was a lot more yapping than it was studying) that kept me sane. Maya quickly became my best friend at UW-LaCrosse, and I have made so many amazing memories with her. Whether it be pit-stopping at Señor Villa for late night margs, celebrating at the Hibachi Grill, hitting the LaCrosse dance floor, or hanging out in K-Town, the memories Maya and I have made are some I deeply cherish.
Barb Certa-Werner
Mother of the Bride
As mother of the bride, I obviously owe my life to my mom. But more than that, I am grateful to my mom for her generosity and diligence throughout the years. Even as an adult, she always makes sure to treat me – whether it be taking me clothing shopping or getting a pedicure. These little acts truly mean the world to me. She is such a caring and considerate mother, and I am excited to not only have her present as my mother, but also as my officiant!
Joel Certa-Werner
Father of the Bride
As father of the bride, my dad not only gave me life, but also became a role model for benevolence and humility within my life. He instilled values within me that still guide me today. And, he’s a pretty great baker to boot (shoutout to the caramel rolls he makes me)! I am extremely lucky to have such a wonderful dad within my life.
Bonnie Newman
Best Woman
As best woman, Bonnie's role in this wedding revolve around planning a debaucherous bachelor party and potentially a speech for the ceremony. As an older sister, her role has a much wider scope of job descriptions, including: advisor, sparring partner, and alcohol supplier (among many more). Despite aging, along with school and work moving us further apart, we remain the closest of comrades. I am thrilled that she has accepted the title of Best Woman and know that she will offer more support than I could ever ask for, as she does so every day.
Jacob Nelson
Groomsman
Jacob and I hated each other when first introduced in middle school. I was more outspoken in my distaste, and made him be the dishwasher in our home economic class. Somehow, that spite turned into a 12+ year friendship. I have talked Jacob into going to the same college as me, being roommates at said college dorms, and also into eating dollar store oysters for fun. The streak continues, as I talked THE "Little J Fine" into standing for my wedding. I am proud to be an original member of the "J Squad," and cannot wait to see how long we can keep this spiteful friendship going.
Joy Cooper
Groomswoman
Joy Cooper (also known simply as Joy) was introduced to me through her good friend Bonnie, whom she met during their college years in River Falls. I have spent many nights in various apartments shared by Bonnie and Joy Cooper, acting as an absolute demon and mocking Joy's anime taste and inability to digest bread. Despite all this, Joy Cooper continuously and enthusiastically invites me and whatever chaos I bring with me to sleep on her couch whenever I am in town. Joy Cooper is one of the kindest people I know, and I am so excited to make fun of her bread intolerance at the reception dinner.
Justine Peterson
Groomswoman
As cousins, Justine and I would often get together for the holidays at my grandparents house and play pretend in the basement. I like to believe that my insolence as a pretend student gave her the drive and inspiration to become the real teacher she is today. While we continue to see each other sporadically as adults, we always pick up immediately where we left off, and she always seems to answer my phone calls at one in the morning when everyone else has long gone to bed. She has answered my call once again, and I am happy to have her standing with me for my wedding.
Jann Newman
Mother of the Groom
My mother was responsible for my nourishment pre-birth. Post birth, my mother generously decided to continue to keep me well nourished, which I believe was vital to my growth. Like my father, my mother is no stranger to working long hours with minimal respect and pay. Despite this, she would come home from work and provide my sister and I with everything a growing child needs, whether that be a well made meal or persistent reminders to brush teeth before bed. I still continue to go to my mother with any random problem I run into as an adult, and my mother always steps up to the plate with an answer. I'm glad to have her as a resource full time now that she is retired.
Paul Newman
Father of the Groom
My father is responsible for my brown eyes. Through them, as I grew, I saw a blue collar family man who dedicated his time and money to help help his family reach their full potential. Despite numerous layoffs, shutdowns, and even the departure of some of his fingers on a jobsite, my father persevered and never complained. Both him and my mother are responsible for my work ethic, which sent me through college on a merit scholarship. My easygoing nature and my exquisite sense of humor come from my father. He continues to keep me grounded, despite his new (well earned) life as a carefree retiree.
Cookie Pants
Ring Bearer
Cookie Pants is a our dog we adopted from the Milwaukee Humane Society two years ago. Now, with his Canine Good Citizenship under his belt, he will be dappered up to help us celebrate our special day!