Wedding Party

Sonia Jones

Mother of the Bride

Joseph Jones

Groomsman

Linda Hope

Mother of the Groom

Andy Hope

Father of the Groom

Karla De La Cruz

Maid of Honor

Our friendship is almost the age of most of my students...Dana and I met on the first day of college. It’s most likely that we saw each other and decided yep, we’re friends now. And it was the beginning of a beautiful, kind of crazy, friendship. We have been through many stages in our life together, from FIG day activities and crazy teachers in college to after school activities and crazy kids at work. Hmm, I guess not much has changed after all (Just kidding, there are more stories to come when I’m not limited to a character count.) I’m excited that Dana has met her soul mate, and that I have been able to share some long lasting memories with her and AJ now. I’m honored to stand beside you on your special day to witness what will become another memorable time in you and AJ’s life.

Breanna Bronson

Groomswoman

AJ and I met thanks to Uncle Sam and we were brother and sister from day one. We studied together, drank together, woke up at 5AM to drive to drill together (one-time AJ had to crawl through my window to wake me up … thanks, bro), vented to one another and were there for each other. AJ came into my life when I needed a brother and I'm forever grateful for him. One day he told me about this woman named Dana and how she wanted to meet me because she knew how close AJ and I were. When I did meet her, it was a wrap. There was no doubt in my mind that Dana was the woman for AJ. Leaving Austin meant leaving AJ, which was difficult, but knowing he had Dana made it doable. I'm incredibly grateful that I get to be part of their day. Love y’all!

Lauren Berrong

Bridesmaid

I had the great pleasure of meeting Dana through the chaos that was my first year of teaching. As my neighbor teacher and team lead, Dana was the immediate and constant support system I desperately needed. Through tears, laughs, and trips to Bender, we made it through the most bonkers classes of kiddos you’ve ever seen (we still need to write a collection of memoirs from that year). I am so incredibly honored to stand by Dana on her special day.

Derek Estrada

Groomsman

I’ve known Aj since freshmen year of high school. We became really close friends when we would play basketball late into night on various different courts of Midland and talk about life in the parking lots after hooping. Even though we have both moved away, we always keep in touch, catching each other up on our lives like we never skipped a beat. Throughout the years, Ajs grown up to be an amazing father to kylee, friend to me, and even more overall awesome person. Aj has gone a long way from his Afro, nerdy glasses, unibrow high school days. I met Dana at a restaurant in Dallas during Red River rivalry weekend. She was as sweet as can be and I could tell she was the perfect fit for Aj. Ajs like family to me and I couldn’t be any happier for the both of them.

Meagan Best

Bridesmaid

I heard about Dana long before I met her because she has such an amazing reputation as a groundbreaking educator. I met her face-to-face in San Antonio for a school training, and I know I creeped her out when I told her how much I had heard about her and how excited I was to meet her (haha)! Little did I know how close we would become, and I am SO thankful we have. Dana is an endless source of strength, advice, support, and laughs. I am so thrilled that she is marrying the love of her life, and I am excited to be there every step of the way!

Matthew Story

Groomsman

Dang I love AJ and Dana. I met AJ in the army and even though he thought I was a jerk, I knew we were going to grow to be friends. AJ is not only a friend, but a brother to me. I know I can always trust and rely on him. He is a great man that I am thankful to have apart of my life. I remember when I first saw AJ and Dana together, I knew she was the one for my man. She helps keep him in line. My favorite moment with them is when I first met AJ’s daughter, Kylee. Seeing them all together was perfect. They completed each other and it was amazing to see how the Lord put Dana and AJ in the same path and watching them grow to love each other to now living the rest of their lives together, as one. You guys are the best and I am so blessed to be apart of yall’s life.

Selene Espinoza

Bridesmaid

I met Dana on the journey to becoming educators at UT our freshman year. How we got from strangers to sisters is truly a blur of adventures, laughs, homework, roadtrips, volleyball games and food. Dana cracked my shell open and taught me to be the truest me I could be. We've grown through so much together and I'm truly blessed to get to be there for her as she marries the love of her life!

Trevour Gonzales

Groomsman

Tia Hoover

Bridesmaid

Once upon a time there lived a Buffalo and a Knight stomping around the small town of Schertz, TX. Little did they know, they’d grow, transform into Longhorns, and become the best of friends. I can’t list the millions of memories that I’ve shared with Dana from graduations with Vince Young, to being roommates and the infamous quote board, to shaving cream fights, to snow days, from the spring break trips to the LA visits, and even starring in some of my first movies… we’ve seen the highs and the lows and it’s only made our friendship grow stronger. I’ve never seen her so happy than when she would talk about AJ. I saw her walk the stage, I shared in her first legal drink, and I cannot wait to stand beside her while she marries the love of her life!

Jon Carter

Groomsman

So I first met AJ at the unit, but we really connected for the first time in the booth (if you don’t know what that means ask AJ). He immediately struck me as a highly observant person when we talked. Though we were in the booth for over an hour, how many people can say they effectively got to know all they needed to about someone’s character in that time? AJ and I sure did and as he might say, from then on it was a burrito. The first time I saw Dana and AJ together, there was such a mutual happiness. Dana is such a strong and capable woman more than willing to support the group or lead the charge when called upon. I’m excited to be a part of their big day and couldn’t imagine a more perfect union. #Goals

Katie Oh

Bridesmaid

The first night I met Dana my brother needed to get the spare key he had entrusted to me for safe keeping. Little did I know, I was not going to ever need to safeguard a spare key for him again. He now has a wonderful, beautiful, and compassionate woman in his life to entrust all spare keys to and I couldn't be happier for both of them.

David Oh

Groomsman

YsaBella Licciardi

Bridesmaid

I met Dana and AJ through our friends, and have been happy to call them good friends ever since! One of my favorite memories with them both is the time that we all went to Harry Potter trivia. I am a huge Harry Potter fan, and when I asked if any of our friends wanted to go to this trivia event with me, Dana and AJ were the only ones who said yes. Despite really knowing nothing about Harry Potter, they both were enthusiastic and happy to support a friend in her nerdy passion! Needless to say, I carried the team, and we finished in second only after losing in the sudden death round. I've made so many random silly memories with Dana & AJ in the time that I've know them, and am so honored and excited to be a part of their big day!

Michael Cimino

Groomsman

AJ was the first person I met with the same career in "information gathering." We share a flare for omitting details in conversations to see if the other will catch on, a love of Star Wars, and a habit of drinking liquor straight. Plans for projects like building a patio or hosting a Mario Kart tournament would quickly dissolve into going to Pinballz to celebrate his Old Man's birthday or arguing over the latest Marvel movie. AJ trusted me to assist in his proposal party by cooking fajitas, and in his wedding by making the altar. AJ can always be counted on to bring a surprise to the table, be it his flip phone or a $20 scotch that smells like the floor of a bar, and over the years has become one of my closest friends. I am happy to share in this auspicious day with him and Dana.

Mario Piña

Bridesman

Once upon a time there was a girl named Dana. She loved two-stepping and dragged out her non two-stepping friend name Mario. After an embarrassing attempt at getting Mario to dance, she meets up with a lonely student teacher to dance, and boy did they dance. They locked eyes and it was love at first sight… ok maybe it wasn’t just like that, but we totally had a good time that night. Let’s take this back a little, Dana and I became good friends in college after being involved with every organization. Fast forward, Karla and I are looking for a place to live. And so is Dana! It would only make sense the three of us would become roommates. Long story short, I was there at day one for this incredible couple and I can’t put into words how excited I am to stand as her one and only bridesman!

Cale Hammarstrom

Groomsman

I met AJ through a guy I knew on New Years Eve and immediately took a liking to him because he did not shy away from my Army humor and complimented my borderline obsessive amount of Star Wars merchandise. Love of UT football, Star Wars and whiskey made AJ an endearing person to be around and rapidly turned into a good friend. AJ is the only vegan (vegetarian? Keto? Who gives a fuck) I know who will unabashedly say that his favorite restaurant is Pluckers, the last place I would ever think when it came to vegan options. While I still maintain that Dana is far too sweet for the world, she is perfect for AJ and I’m happy to be a part of their journey. I’m also pretty sure I’m only in the wedding party because Dana will use it to extort baked goods from me until my dying day.

Kylee Hope

Flower Girl

The beautiful flower girl is AJ's daughter Kylee Hope. This day is one she has looked forward to for a long time! She's estatic to meet all of her new cousins from Dana's side of the family.

Austin Cervantes

Ring Bearer