Wedding Party
Connie Jung
Maid of Honor
As much as I loved growing up with an older brother, I’d always dreamt of having a sister. As though I had somehow manifested her, Connie Jung (no, we’re not actually related) entered my life. We first met when I moved into the house right across from hers, and we instantly bonded over the fact that I had just gotten braces, and she had just finished hers. In spite of our four-year age gap, she somehow manages to be both like an older and younger sister at the same time. She’s truly an OG friend/soulmate who has been there through all of my various new chapters and seasons in life. I should also mention that it’s not uncommon for us to have entire conversations in a faux British accent for hours on end, likely stemming from our former love for TOWIE. I love binge watching reality shows with her and having all day hang out sessions catching up with each others’ lives. To this day, we still send each other novel length mass texts and somehow still find something new to talk about everyday. Currently, Connie is working as lead medical editor for Minds + assembly, and in her spare time you can find her hanging with her slightly nervous but adorable dog Sonny!
Yoon Ko
Bridesmaid
The first time I met Yoon during medical school I remember thinking, “wow, she has such a calm, cool confidence about her.” She quickly became one of my best friends in school. Whether I was confiding in her about school stresses, boy troubles, or general life musings, she was truly a lifeline and rock. And I would not have been able to get through medical school without her. I’ve also always been amazed by how incredible of a listener she is. She has the most special ability to make you feel as though you’re the most important person in the world when you talk to her. I was also very fortunate to be in driving distance of her during residency, and one of my favorite weekend getaways was to visit her in South Jersey and hang out in Philly together. She also makes the most incredible coffee in the mornings! Yoon has since finished residency, and although I’m sad she’s back on the west coast, she’s currently working as an attending Family Medicine physician for Kaiser in NorCal!
Justin Panthappattu
Bridesman
“It all started on night float” could easily be the theme of our friendship. Justin was one of the first Internal Medicine residents I met after I’d switched residencies from Peds to IM at Hackensack, and we had an instant connection. Our first rotation together was on night float after I had just switched over from Peds and had no idea on how to even manage a COPD exacerbation, let alone somehow do it on night float. But Justin was the most patient, kindest co-resident I could’ve asked for, someone who truly made night float actually feel fun. Justin is the type of friend who will high-five you after successfully reviving an unstable patient in v-tach, and he’s also the type of friend who will voluntarily stay behind for 4+ hours in the ICU just to keep you company on nights. He is hands down one of my biggest cheerleaders and the ultimate hype man. We’ll both be graduating from our residency program in a short few weeks, and he’s going to be the rising 4th year chief for the Internal Medicine residency program at Hackensack this year!
Chandni Bheeman
Bridesmaid
Although Chandni and I both attended the same medical school, it’s during residency that our friendship truly blossomed. We re-connected at work after finding that we’d both matched at Hackensack, and I’ll never forget discovering our mutual love for Warsan Shire’s poetry during one of the first dinners we had together as first year interns. She’s made some of the most challenging parts of residency bearable. Some of my favorite memories with her is getting takeout and boba and just vegging out at her place. She’s the type of friend that I can talk to for hours on the phone and still have more to talk about. She’s also the type of friend that will drop everything to be there for me and to celebrate special moments together. She’s literally the sweetest human I know, and our shared dream is to one day come back as attending specialists at Hackensack so that we can have lunch together every day and work on notes in each others' offices. Currently, Chandni is an Endocrinology fellow at Rochester and is only one year away from being an Endocrinologist!
Chea Lu
Bridesmaid
I still remember the first day I ever met Chea so vividly. We were both in our medical school’s library and were introduced by a mutual friend. We somehow got to the topic of makeup (instead of studying), and I knew from that point on that we’d be lifelong friends. In addition to our shared love of hair/makeup/clothes/shoes/rooftop bars, Chea was also an incredible mentor during med school. She was in the class above mine, and I’d always reach out to her about study advice for med school exams, boards, rotations, applying to residency, etc. I love how unapologetically bougie she is, but the best part about Chea is that her heart is even bigger than her incredible shoe/bag collection. She’s also one of the kindest, most generous people I know. I don’t think I can ever recall a single time when she’s showed up to my place empty-handed. Whether it was during peak COVID times when she’d gift me a gorgeous sparkly mask, drop off a bottle of my favorite moscato, or wine and dine me in an incredible Vegas restaurant — she’s someone who expresses her love and friendship in the most thoughtful ways. There’s truly never a dull moment with her! Currently, she’s living the most fabulous life in Vegas, where she’s an attending Family Medicine physician!
Donya Rejali
Bridesmaid
I once read a quote on Instagram that said, “be soft and kind but take no shit.” That quote always reminds me of Donya, who is one of the kindest, most empathetic, and gentle-hearted humans who somehow also manages to be so badass. She is the type of friend who always has your back no matter what and is always looking out for you. She and I go way back to medical school when we lived on the same floor in our dorms and have gotten even closer throughout our years of residency. It’s actually through her and her husband Nima that I met David, and I’m amazed by her natural intuition and ability to see the potential in people. I was honored to be a part of her bridal party when she got married and so happy that she’ll be a special part of our wedding as well. Donya recently became a new mom to the most precious little baby girl Skylar. She will also be graduating from her Psychiatry residency at the end of the month and embarking on a new journey with her husband and baby girl back in California, where she’ll be an attending physician at Kaiser!
Kenny Wu
Best Man
There’s an ancient Chinese saying that roughly translates to: “if you choose to be friends with a Kenny Wu, you are choosing a life of challenges you likely never asked for, fears you never knew you had, and most importantly, memories you’d never trade for anything.” With a combination of charm and persistence, he has inspired (others would say forced) me to literally climb mountains. I am forever grateful for his continued belief in me. Kenny is ridiculously well-traveled, an avid rock-climber, whiskey enthusiast, and on top of all that, has an excellent mid-range game. He is constantly on the hunt for the best deals, and will let you hear about it when he finds them. Kenny is currently in an exciting transition in his life moving to London with his partner Jessi Johnson.
Jonathan Maner
Groomsman
If someone asked me why Jonathan Maner is beloved by everyone he meets, I’d say it’s because he has no preference. He could be equally as happy in Hawaii as he is in Torrance, CA. I know this because some our best times have been just sitting in our apartment, eating Hi-Chews and watching Crazy, Stupid Love. He has been my wingman, my accountability brother, and my number one fan. Much like Michael Jordan, who was cut from his high school basketball team, Jon was beat out by candidates half his size when trying to be a campus security officer at UCLA. He took that personally, and used his failure as fuel to become the police officer he is today, on track to become a detective of financial crimes. Jon is a gym rat, speaks fluent Mandarin, makes a legit mojito, and believes he can run a 40 under 4.5 seconds. He currently lives in Dallas with his fiancee Pauline Wong.
Brian Wong
Groomsman
Of all the life lessons I’ve learned, the one that has impacted me the most is this- “It don’t matter if you win by an inch or a mile. Winning’s winning.” Dominic Toretto and I went to UCLA together. He was gracious enough to accept me into his chosen family because as he would always say, “I don’t have friends, I got family.” He has literally provided me shelter, food, and clothes on multiple occasions. I am humbled by his friendship and his big heart, which is likely a little bigger than it should be thanks to our late-night Jack in the Box runs. Brian is a life-long Golden State Warriors fan, a medical marvel, and surprisingly good at karaoke. He works for Edmunds as a car writer, car YouTuber, and car influencer. Essentially, he drives fast cars for a living. Brian currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife Grace Song
Jessi Johnson
Groomswoman
As an only child, I imagine having a Jessi Johnson in your life is like having a little sister- someone who in the same breath can frustrate you and make you laugh uncontrollably. Someone who you’re comfortable enough around to go through their personal mail and eat their hard-earned Triscuits. Someone who fills you with pride as you get to watch them turn into the accomplished human they are today. Jessi is USC’s only writing professor whose class is worth taking. She speaks Italian and Japanese, can play the ukulele, is trained in Kendo, and has a sophisticated whiskey palate. Jessi was recently awarded the Fulbright scholarship and will be moving to London with her partner Kenny Wu.
Alexander Ro
Groomsman
A former lover of Alex Ro once stated unironically, “I wish I could clone you.” Fortunately for humanity, we haven’t perfected that technology yet. And fortunately for me, the Alex Ro that I know is one of a kind. He is refreshingly honest, and has always valued depth in his relationships. Having gone on a romantic oyster-shucking date with him, I hate to say it, but I kinda get what all the fuss was about. Alex can dance salsa, cooks a mean steak, and is a loyal Lakers fan. Together, we have lost an incredible amount of money betting on them. Luckily, Alex’s betting days are behind him as he is now the proud father of a beautiful boy. He and his wife Sanghee Suh live in Atlanta. And he was recently accepted into Georgia State law school.