Wedding Party

Harald Bjerga

Officiant and Father of the Bride

Harald Bjerga is the Campus pastor at Gracepointe Church in Northwood Ohio. He and Ellie met when his wife, Kim Bjerga, brought her into the world. He has seen Ellie through the ups and downs and pushed her to be better Christ Follower. He met Justin when he was in preschool but got to know him when the Bjerga family moved back to Ohio in 2017. He has encouraged the couple to remain faithful to the Lord and then to each other and he will continue to do so as long as the Lord allows. He looks forward to seeing his family grow!

Kim Bjerga

Mother of the Bride

I know the bride because I gave birth to her! I've lived with her for these 21 years so far. I adore her and couldn't be more pleased for her!!! I know the groom because he and Elizabeth were in preschool and church together. He has been a friend to her ever since they were little, and I consider him to be a great friend not just to her, but to our family as well. We are truly blessed!

Timothy Havice

Father of the Groom

22 years ago Pam and I were out looking for a puppy.... and found this little blue-eyed baby boy with the most beautiful frosted hair and we decided to take him home instead. ❤️ He has been the biggest blessing in our lives and now we are happy to share him with Miss Ellie and her family as the two of them move forward to start a life together in marriage.

Pamela Havice

Mother of the Groom

22 years ago, Tim and I sat in a toledo restaurant in awe, as we had just learned we were having a baby boy. Words cannot express our love for him.... Remembering back to 2006, when Justin and Ellie rode the turnpike cars at cedar point, never knowing that one day they would become husband and wife. We are so blessed .

Jason Yockel

Master of Ceremonies

While I have not had the privilege of meeting Justin yet, I have had the honor of knowing Ellie for almost 9 years (WHOA! That is a long time!). I met Ellie when her mother worked at SHHS in Hagerstown, Maryland. While Ellie was never officially in my class, she was most definitely one of my students. We spent nearly every morning together before school started. It started as tutoring her in Honors PreCalculus and then it turned into like a morning Bible study. She would tell you that I was a Godsend to her at that time but what she does not realize is that she was most certainly MY GODSEND! She challenged me to be a better Christian and helped me become a better teacher for all of my students. I am honored that she has asked me to be a part of her most special day.

Hagan Bjerga

Best Man

My name is Hagan Bjerga, the one and only brother of the bride in question. I have known Ellie her whole life and have been with her through all her life's wanderings. She has been a constant companion to me throughout all of our moves, fights, struggles and many victories. I have known Justin since we were very young. We went to church together but it was not until recently that we've gotten to know each other better. He has quickly become a very good friend and I'm exceedingly blessed to call him Brother.

Sarah Bjerga

Maid of Honor

Sister of the Bride How do I know the bride and groom? Well I met the bride when my parent's brought her home from the hospital. The Groom? Well...he was always just around but then I reconnected him when I moved back to Fremont. I got to know him and realized he still loved my sister. I might have been a double agent in their relationship, but they're together now, so I guess I did a job well done. He is the other brother our family has needed and he loves my sister, so I am happy!

Caleb Grabowski

Groomsman

I met the bride and groom when I was still eating goldfish out of a cup! We all went to Wee Care together. From a young age at Church, it’s been a roller coaster of emotions with Justin and Ellie. I remember always thinking, (with my little boy mind) “they are gonna be married some day!” I don’t know what voice inside my head was telling me that but I could always tell! The love these two have for Jesus and each other is motivating and inspiring. It’s impossible to meet them and think they are ordinary. Their relationship is a union ship of unbreakable love and undeniable sacrifice. I don’t regret ever meeting these two.

Annika Tolley

Bridesmaid

I don’t think I remember a specific time when my adventures with Eli began. I suppose I met her shortly after Christmas junior year. We were a year apart, and so didn’t have many classes together during school hours, but every time I would go over to their house (eventually I could find my way through their death-maze of a neighborhood) I never failed to receive the rib-crushing hug and the giggly smile we all know is an inherent part of this girl. When she first mentioned Justin, we were sitting on their hammock one afternoon. I could tell this guy was special, the way she talked about him. She had wanted someone like him in her life as long as I have known her, and from everything I have heard from my sources about this IKEA man, I couldn’t have chosen someone better for her.

Brayden Palm

Groomsman

I met Justin and Elizabeth in 2001, Kindergarten year. Justin was one of the first people to reach out and do his best to befriend me. Even though I was a quiet and awkward kid, Justin would always surround me with friendship whether he was making me ride a roller coaster for the first time or teaching me how to play chess, his kind heart always showed me love, care and kindness. I'm extremely lucky to have Justin play a role in my life. When I saw Justin's Facebook status change to "In a relationship with Elizabeth Bjerga" I thought, "Wow! They look great together!". Elizabeth and Justin now get to spend the rest of their live's together. Justin challenged me to leave my quiet comfort zone and showed me what true friendship is. They are the definition of unconditional love.

Kayla Prario

Bridesmaid

Hi all! I’m Kayla Prario, I have lived in Colorado my whole life, but love to travel! I’ve known Ellie since high school! We’ve been close friends for 5 years now and we’ve held together with our love for music, books, and art. I am super elated for Ellie and foresee one of the happiest marriages I’ll ever know.

Nathan Baker

Groomsman

I am currently attending the University of Toledo to be a Mechanical Engineer. I spend most of my time hunting and fishing anything that I can. And I am constantly seeking a new challenge. I met the bride and groom way back in preschool! I may have, accidentally, let it slip that Justin had a crush on Ellie (don't judge me I was five). It all worked out in the end though so they can thank me later. I didn't see Justin again until middle school and then kept up with him all through high school. We managed the equipment truck in band together, played in the same jazz band, and shared a lot of the same classes. A few years after high school I caught up with Justin at a football game and Ellie was with him. They looked so happy together! Funny how life come full circle.

Annelise Martson

Bridesmaid

Our 5 star friendship began with our older siblings who knew each other through a Bible study. Every Sunday afternoon the Bible study group would get together to play Frisbee at a park. Ellie and my friendship has been quite a comedy. Ellie has played the part of the dramatic, hopelessly romanic heroine and me.....well, let's just say I'm not any of those... and so we have lived and laughed A LOT (because we can't take each other seriously). Then the stage set changed. Winter came and Ellie was gone. But winter ends -earlier for some than it does for others - and Ellie's spring began with a boy named Justin. He swept her off her feet. On December 1, the stage set will again change, and you will be a wife to the one your heart desires.

TJ LeJeune

Groomsman

I know Justin from high school where we met in band. We were great band buddies. He was bigger and stronger than me, and he would put me in headlocks and also give me noogies! He made band fun and memorable!

Casey Apodaca

Bridesmaid

Casey Apodaca met the bride, Ellie, when she first moved to Colorado and joined the same church single's group in 2014. She was quickly "adopted" into the Bjerga family and became fast friends and a second family. A lover of Ellie's tight hugs, laughter and deep conversations, Casey is so grateful to call Ellie a dear friend and sister and to welcome Justin as a brother! Casey is newly married and lives in Colorado Springs with her pilot hubby, where they dream of where they will adventure next.

Audrey

Flower Girl

Audrey is the sweet daughter of Ellie’s bosom friend Katie. Katie was Ellie's neighbor when she lived in Hagerstown. Their friendship began with a concern about a dog and blossomed into a sisterhood, with so many fun and inspiring events in between. This will be Audrey’s very first wedding appearance and she thinks her dress is beautiful.

Lindsay

Flower Girl

Lindsey is the daughter of Mr. Yockel and is super excited to be a flower girl in Ellie’s wedding. When she was first told that she was going to get to be a flower girl and wear a pretty dress, she was super excited. At first, I think it was just because she got to wear a special dress because she really had no idea what being a flower girl even meant. Approximately 3 days after being told that she was going to be Ellie’s flower girl, she asked “What is a flower girl and what do they do?” So, her parents found some YouTube videos of flower girls doing their jobs. For the next 3 days, she continuously asked if she could watch more videos so she can know exactly what she was supposed to do. Needless to say, she is super excited to be a part of Justin and Ellie’s special day.

Anabel

Flower Girl

Our family came to Gracepointe church for the first time almost a year ago and from the first time Anabel went into Grace Kids with Ellie she seemed to have a connection. Anabel usually has a hard time opening up to people but it was different with both Ellie and Justin. We are so grateful that they have helped her come out of her shell. We are so blessed that she get to be a part of their special day.

Emily Koranda

Honorary Bridesmaid

I know Ellie from church here in Colorado! We became quick sweet kindred sisters and sisters in a Christ! I have not met Justin in person yet but have over FaceTime and what a sweet and good man for Ellie!! I am very excited to be apart of this day!

Jordan Kornoelje

Honorary Bridesmaids

Jordan currently lives in Phoenix, AZ with her husband and just completed her Bachelor's in Psychology at Grand Canyon University. She met Ellie at Crossroads Community Church in Parker, CO. At first, Jordan and Ellie did not like each other at all. But God works in mysterious ways and granted them an opportunity to grow closer and become friends. She remembers fondly the days when Ellie and Justin first started hanging out again and Ellie would confess her true feelings to Jordan. She knows Ellie is going to be the most beautiful bride and hopes Justin knows what a lucky man he is!

Derek

Honorary Grooms man