Wedding Party
Mia Esposito
Maid of Honor
Hi my name is Mia Esposito and I am the Maid of Honor. I’ve known Jess for the last fourteen years. Even though we both attend the same History of Jazz class at the University of Miami we didn’t really become friends till the 2011 Teach for America Corps. Over the years, our friendship bloomed over our love of travel, tasty dinners, and library books. When Jess met Paul I knew she met her perfect match and the addition of Justice made them a beautiful family of three. There’s so many great memories we’ve shared together but one of my favorite has to be spending breakfast with them at home on Long Island when I’ve come to visit. It’s never a dull conversation and always so thoughtful. I’m so happy to be able to celebrate their love as a member of their special day.
Will Dennis
Best Man
I have the honor of being Paul’s Best Man. I’ve had the privilege of knowing Paul for over 15 years, with countless memories between us, from our college days to now. Some of my most cherished moments, though, come from the four years we spent living together. One memory that stands out is Paul’s... well, let's just say *questionable* cooking skills back then. Jess, I’m sure you’ve helped him improve that over the years! 🙃 I couldn’t be more excited to witness this incredible union, and I know the best is yet to come for these two.
Mariana Katzfey
Bridesmaid
I've had the absolute pleasure of being friends with Jessica for over 13 years. From the moment we met, her tenacity and warmth stood out, and she quickly took me under her wing to explore the best that Miami had to offer. Since then, we’ve shared countless adventures, but one of my all-time favorite memories was our unforgettable west coast road trip. I look back so fondly on us living our youth to the fullest. We've created a lifetime of special memories together, and I'm so honored to be standing by her side as a bridesmaid on her big day.
Ryan Brown
Groomsman
My name is Ryan K Brown Jr. and I have the pleasure of serving as the tallest and youngest Groomsman. I’ve had the privilege of knowing Paul since my Freshmen year at The Pennsylvania University. That puts us just past 15 years on knowing each other. Paul was slightly older than me so all my early memories of him were of seeing him lead student organization and getting down on the dance floor. One of my favorite memories of Paul is when he decided to put his dance moves to the test at my wedding back in 2017 and lead one of the most memorable swag surfs in African American history. Yes I said African American History. It was that epic. I can’t wait to see what new heights the swag surf reaches following Paul and Jess’ nuptials.
DeAnna Bartold
Bridesmaid
Jess and I have been friends since our challenging days teaching at Achievement First. Our friendship developed over coffee and lessons plans. Once we took our trip to Puerto Rico and shared a room, this sealed the deal that this would be a lifelong friendship. It is an honor to be one of Jess’ bridesmaids on her special day with Paul. We have so many favorite memories, including moving to New York and traveling to New Orleans together, but my all time favorite is when I babysat for Justice one evening and stayed the night. In the morning, Jess, Paul, and I were having breakfast, but Justice decided it was now time for me to go and brought me my sneakers😅.
Olayi Oyekanmi
Groomsman
My name is Olayiwola Oluwaseun Abiodun Ishola Adegoke Oyekanmi. Paul honoured me by asking me to be a groomsman at his wedding. Interestingly enough, Paul and I met in college, but we didn’t become friends until I moved to NYC for grad school. Paul was a familiar face who helped me familiarize myself with the city. Before I knew it, aquaintanceship (idk if that’s a word) turned to friendship, then turned to brotherhood. I also constantly make fun of his unnecessarily deep voice.
Katerina Macias
Bridesmaid
Hi, I’m Katerina and I’m so happy to be here as a bridesmaid! I’m the bride’s sister, and I honestly don’t even have the words to describe how much she means to me. One of my favorite memories with her is from a time when I was sharing everything going on in my life. I’ve always felt close to her, but that day, I really felt like she understood me completely. She listened, cried with me, and made me feel so loved. It’s moments like that with her that remind me how lucky I am to have her as my sister. She’s my rock and I love her more than anything.
Naeem Holman
Groomsman
Peace! My name is Naeem Holman, and I've known Paul since our Penn State days. One of the key qualities that connected me to Paul was his moral fiber. It was part of our foundation in college as student leaders, and as advocates of social justice to this day. I also connected to Paul because we were both partiers at a party school, lol. Whole Lotta shenanigans, which built a great friendship. I'll spare him (and you) those details, but I'll be forever grateful for Paul reading a poem important to me and my wife at our wedding. It's with this appreciation and honor that I serve as one of his groomsmen.