Ian & Courtney
Wedding Party
Jill Hallgren
Best Woman
Jill and Ian met at a dormitory happy hour when they were both graduate students in London. They instantly bonded over a shared love of Birkenstocks, footwear that immediately identifies the wearer as an American.
Danny Espy
Man of Honor
Courtney and Danny met during their sophomore year of high school when, as two background actors in a ballroom scene in a play, they couldn't stop laughing. Fate had it that their original partners got annoyed and Courtney and Danny were partnered together. They've been best friends since.
Colin Barnard
Groomsman
Ian and Colin "met" at Navy Officer Candidate School when Ian was screaming at the top of his lungs to intimidate the new candidates. They later--and serendipitously--served together on USS Arleigh Burke.
Moriah Kairouz Batza
Bridesmaid
More like sisters than friends, Courtney can't imagine her life without Moriah in it. The two met in grad school at American University in DC and have been friends ever since. From wine nights to COVID hikes to Saturday cookouts and Nats games, Moriah and Courtney have done it all -- including Moriah traveling all the way out to Fargo, North Dakota to visit Courtney during campaign season.
Joey Alpert
Groomsman
Ian and Joey became friends while sharing a stateroom (bedroom for non-Navy types) on USS Dwight D Eisenhower. They bonded during the highs and lows of deployment. They became truly close, however, during several (barely) memorable outings to Dan's Cafe and Johnny Pistolas in Adams Morgan.
Rebecca Ruttle
Bridesmaid
Courtney met Rebecca during a summer production of Fiddler on the Roof with Vandalia Youth Theatre. She is another member of the high school-era theatre crew that Courtney considers more like family than friends. The two became even closer when they both lived in New York City after college. Rebecca is one of the most steadfast friends Courtney has ever had and she's so honored Rebecca is sharing this day with her.
Katie Drapcho
Groomswoman
Katie has the (dubious) honor of being the catalyst for this wedding. If she hadn't taken pity on Ian as he whined in an Uber about his dating foibles, she never would have introduced the happy couple. If you see her smiling smugly during the ceremony, know that it's because Courtney and Ian are the third married couple she successfully set up.
Coleman Hemsath
Bridesman
Coleman has the distinction of being the oldest friend in Courtney and Ian's wedding party. Courtney has known Coleman since elementary school when they rode a bus shared by a Jewish school and Catholic school. Add in a decade of theatre, college visits, and Dayton escapades and it's very obvious why Coleman is by Courtney's side on this special day.
Jim Duncan
Groomsman
Jim and Ian worked together at the Office of Naval Intelligence before Jim decided to pursue his true passion of not being in the Navy anymore. They bonded over a shared interest in the bhagavad gita and Sanskrit. Or rather Ian's interest in making silly jokes about both and Jim's interest in ignoring them.
Katelyn Sedelmyer Lyons
Bridesmaid
Katelyn and Courtney met the first day of grad school at American University when Katelyn (rightfully) complained about the lack of food at orientation. The two luckily stumbled upon food, made it through the day, and have been friends since. Courtney had the great honor of officiating Katelyn and her amazing husband Andrew's 2020 wedding. P.S. Katelyn loves cats as much as Courtney does. Need we say more?
Sam Gasbarre
Groomsman
Ian and Sam served together on USS Arleigh Burke. They became friends because Ian knew all the rules and Sam knew how to break them. They were so inseparable that, when it came time for all the junior officers to rotate jobs on the ship, the captain simply swapped the two of them. They like to think that their sailors didn't notice the change.
Alicia Watts
Bridesmaid
Courtney and Alicia met during their freshman year at Allegheny College in the lobby of their dorm during sorority recruitment. Although being in the same pledge class brought them together, there's no doubt in either of their minds that they would have become best friends even without Alpha Chi. Alicia and Courtney went 10 years without living in the same state, but that hasn't stopped them from staying close.
Lynn Cherry
Bridesmaid
Courtney and Lynn met in grad school at American University in DC and their friendship has seen numerous moves across the country, job changes, loss, and plenty of wine nights through it all. Lynn's light-heartedness and humor are unmatched. You'll probably catch the two of them belting ABBA at the top of their lungs at some point during the reception. Get excited!