Michelle & James
Wedding Party
Cheryl Hurst
Maid of Honor
Cheryl is Michelle’s younger sister. Being only 22 months apart meant they grew up close, pretending to be pirates in their homemade pirate ship (after a new fridge was delivered, leaving behind the best gift of all: a giant, 2 children sized box) or pretending their ship got capsized in a rain storm by putting the sprinkler above the pool. If you hear a group of people laughing at a smart, yet sassy, story, it’s likely Cheryl’s the one telling it. You can break the ice by asking her about the UK, her PhD, or weightlifting.
David Moras
Best Man
David and James met in their formative Middle School years, bonding over Halo LAN parties, comic books, and escaping the summer heat at the movie theater. Their friendship grew through countless hours of band practice where David was Drum Major and James was Band President (only David was charismatic enough to make it cool). David and his family are a big part of why Texas still feels like home. Though 2 toddlers now occupy his evenings, you can still ask him where to find a burrito at 2 a.m.
Allie Foilb
Bridesmaid
Michelle and Allie met in grad school, where they bonded over happy hour, cottage trips, and co-organizing the department wide grad student conference (nothing like joint frustration to bring you closer!). When Michelle wanted to get her ring-finger sized, Allie’s the one she asked to come with her to prevent the awkwardness of looking at rings alone. It was still awkward and Michelle panicked when the sizer got stuck. Listen for a contagious laugh coming from a tiny brunette and you’ll find Allie enjoying a drink while talking about anything from Behavioral Neuroscience to Taylor Swift to her adorable rescue dog, Olive.
Erich Brandeau
Groomsman
Erich is James’s best friend from college and still the source of James’s most memorable adventures, whether it’s finding the perfect Christmas tree, attempting a multi-day hiking trip through way too much snow, or packing up everything he owns and driving across the country. You can’t afford to get too much rest when Erich is around, not just because the bass from his sound system will shake you awake, but because you know you’d regret missing out on a great time. After all, if something fun and crazy is happening, Erich is probably at the center of it. When you meet him, break the ice by asking him how he sends things to Mars.
Molly Lewis
Bridesmaid
Molly and Michelle met in Chicago over coffee, where Molly was telling Michelle about meta-analyses. Michelle and James quickly became friends with Molly and Dan (Molly’s husband) and are so thankful that making adult friends in a new city came so easily. You’ll find Molly on the dance floor with an old fashioned in her hand and you can get on her good side by asking about her Bernese Mountain Dog, Rhoda.
Matthew Dungan
Groomsman
Matt is James’s big brother. Growing up, Matt was always entertaining James, enduring hours of cartoons on Nickelodeon, 12-hour family road trips to Albuquerque, and frequent wrestling matches. James likes to think he held his own in these bouts, but all we know for certain is that the living room furniture always lost. As adults, James still looks up to his brother. When you walk around Austin, you may be passing buildings he designed!