Wedding Party
Payton Coffey
Best Man
Ian and Payton have been friends since high school. Long after their storied soccer careers at Airport High School, they have kept in touch with long phone calls and late night video gaming between Midland and Ann Arbor, Toledo and Madison, and Denver and New York. Now, Ian gets to mooch off his house and visit him and Marisa in Colorado to go on amazing hikes, to find the silliest event happening that day (including Shrekfest), and to turn off the Xbox whenever he doesn't like what's happening. Payton brings out a joy and sincerity in all who meets him. He finds a way to lean in to every moment, regardless of how silly; to tell the people he loves how much he loves them; to always move at the right pace for him while reminding others to slow down.
Jenna Hoelz
Matron of Honor
Jenna is Luke's eldest sister and co-matron of honor. Erstwhile antagonists, as kids they argued over who got to ride shotgun. After Luke finished undergrad and Jenna started her career as an Occupational Therapist, they lived together in Minneapolis, along with Jenna's now-husband Matt and their dog Luca. They've bonded over a polar vortex, seventeen-mile hikes in Wisconsin's Northwoods and nighttime treks across a frozen bay of Lake Superior, scores of fruit crisps, errant baseballs, and road trips to Glacier and along the West Coast. She brings intention, humor, generosity, and good-heartedness to scores of memorable weekends, and in recent years has even managed trips to Madison and Ithaca to celebrate her birthday with us. Vibe starts 5/5.
Alex Schyllander
Best Man
Alex and Ian met at the community college, where they joined then-called Gay-Straight Alliance at the time Ian was leading the group. Always willing to lend a hand, Alex succeeded Ian, leading Pride floats in Detroit, putting on groundbreaking events that won awards at the college, all while finding a way to laugh off the stress together with Ian. Ian and Alex moved in together when they attended nearby colleges. The time together was extremely special, filled with late nights talking with a glass of the nicest two-buck chuck Trader Joe's could find. After Alex moved to D.C. and Ian to Madison (and eventually New York), Ian and Alex stay connected through holiday celebrations spent at Jenny's, visits in D.C. and New York, and phone calls that can span hours. Alex is one of the people that shows up whenever you need them; that can dish a hilarious joke at the perfect moment; that can impress you with their incredible work-ethic while staying grounded to their true purpose and commitment to their loved ones.
Lauren Stelter
Matron of Honor
Lauren is Luke's sister and co-matron of honor. As kids, Luke cringed at Lauren's unconditional support, but now they're just grateful for a really cool sister. A lover of a creative flourish and celebrator of things big and small, Lauren's time running around Milwaukee as a social worker has given her an enviable knack for expert-level recommendations, whether a bar in Bay View or a coffee shop in Walker's Point. Lauren has shown Luke and Ian places where they've made key memories and to which they long, always, to return. (Indeed, Luke and Ian almost got married at Mothership when they shut down for the RNC last year.) Her and Greg's wedding was the first one Luke and Ian attended as a couple. Lauren is one of the most caring people around, whether it's at home with Greg and her four kiddos or elsewhere.