Wedding Party
CallieRae
Maid of Honor
We best-friended so hard I just started showing up to her family vacations like I’m on the guest list (I’m not, but no one’s stopped me yet). It all started with a Ford Ranger—because obviously that’s how lifelong chaos begins. And now she’s partially responsible for the rock on my hand… so really, this is all her fault.
Luke
Best Man
Luke is Jacob’s best friend—though if you rewind to their church days as kids, they were more like rivals in a very polite, “peace be with you but also not really” kind of way. Now they actually like each other and keep in touch while Luke is off being impressive in the Air Force in North Carolina.
Lauren
Bridesmaid
We’ve been best friends so long we genuinely stopped counting—like, math gave up on us. We even bowled together in high school, which explains a lot about our life skills. Lauren is basically my personal nurse triage hotline (“Is this serious or am I dramatic?”), and somehow also my biggest cheerleader—no pom-poms required, just encouragement.
Tony
Groomsman
Tony is Allyson’s big brother, which means growing up was basically a daily episode of “we’re not getting along today.” He was all about sports; she was all about… literally anything else. Their one shared peace treaty? Summer movie lunches in the basement of their childhood home—snacks, TV, and zero competition. And now, plot twist: they’re actually best friends.
Katie
Bridesmaid
Katie and Allyson met through Katie’s husband, Jake. Back when they lived close to each other, they spent plenty of time bonding over their favorite sport: Mario Kart. Katie was also the kind of friend who made sure Allyson never went hungry, regularly inviting her over for warm meals… and probably a side of friendly trash talk after a race or two.
Charlie
Groomsman
Charlie—also known as Chuck—is one of Jacob’s close friends and apparently a self-appointed relationship expert. On one of Jacob and Allyson’s very first dates, they went to brunch at Outboards with Charlie and his girlfriend, Larissa. After one meal and presumably a solid vibe check, Charlie confidently told Jacob that Allyson was “the one.” Honestly, bold move—but clearly, he knew what he was talking about.
Jaide
Bridesmaid
Jaide and Allyson got to know each other through her husband, Tanner—because apparently great friendships come with a plus-one. They quickly realized they had a lot in common, especially their shared love for Harry Potter. When Jaide met Jacob, she instantly called it—that’s the one. Meanwhile, she and Allyson also agreed that Tanner and Jacob were busy forming their own little “bro-mance” on the side.
Carter
Groomsman
Carter is Jacob’s co-worker and good drinking buddy. The two of them have worked side by side for four years at Ram Concrete. You can either find them both covered in concrete or having a drink in their hand.
Leah
Bridesmaid
Leah is a close friend to Jacob and Allyson—and from day one, she made Allyson feel like she’d always been part of the crew. When Allyson moved to Thorp, Leah basically became her built-in support system, social coordinator, and honorary life guide. Despite Allyson’s wild work schedule, Leah made sure she always felt included, important, and never out of the loop. Honestly, elite friend behavior.
Sam
Groomsman
Sam is one of Jacob’s closest friends—basically a “where you see one, the other isn’t far behind” situation. They met through work over the years and somehow turned that into full-on inseparability. Whether it’s ATV rides, ice fishing, hunting, or making the trek to South Padre, they’ve pretty much covered all the “guys being dudes” activities. At this point, it’s less of a friendship and more of a long-running adventure series.
Brianne
Bridesmaid
Brianne met Allyson through Jacob—and it didn’t take long to realize they were a perfect personality match. Brianne brings enough spunk and energy to power an entire room (and probably the next one over too). She has this talent for making you feel like the most important person there—even if there are hundreds of people in the room. Without her nudging (okay, probably pushing) Jacob into the first date, things might look a whole lot different today. So really, she deserves at least partial credit for this whole love story.
Kyle
Groomsman
Kyle and Jacob are great friends—and Kyle (with his wife, Brianne) deserves some serious credit for not letting Jacob fumble the ending. When Jacob was ready to call it quits before the first date, Kyle stepped in with a well-timed push to send one more text. And honestly, because of that moment… you’re literally reading this right now. No pressure, Kyle, but that was a pretty big assist.
Mitchell
Usher
Mitchell—also known as Fuzz—is one of Jacob’s close friends and conveniently the neighbor, so there’s really no escaping him (not that you’d want to). He’s the life of every party, usually found front and center on the dance floor like it’s his full-time job. If there’s music playing, you can bet Fuzz is already mid-move.
Ryan
Usher
Ryan is Jacob’s brother-in-law—and soon Allyson’s too—and he set the tone right away by making her feel like part of the family from day one. As a firefighter for Eau Claire City, he’s already a real-life hero, but he also managed to be a top-tier host at Peters family functions, making sure Allyson felt comfortable and included. Ryan and his wife Sarah (Jacob’s oldest sister) have been in Jacob and Allyson’s corner the whole time—supporting, encouraging, and probably keeping things on track behind the scenes. Honestly, a solid mix of family, support system, and subtle relationship MVPs.
Mark
Officiant
Mark started as Allyson’s co-worker but quickly got promoted to dear friend of both Allyson and Jacob. When it came time to think about who should marry them, there was zero debate—Mark was the first (and only) choice. He welcomed Jacob into the “work family” immediately, no questions asked, which soon turned into the two of them hanging out while Allyson was, of course, stuck at work. Now, Jacob and Allyson couldn’t be more excited to have Mark be the one to officially unite them in front of all their family and friends—talk about a full-circle moment.
Amy
Personal Attendant
Amy is Allyson’s sister-in-law—and a full-blown kitchen superhero. Homemade pasta? Easy. Salad dressing? Obviously from scratch. If it can be made, Amy’s already perfected it. Honestly, the only thing she can’t whip up is patience for nonsense—which is exactly why Allyson wants her nearby on the big day, keeping everything (and everyone) in line.
