DAVE & JESSICA
Wedding Party
Diane Lam
Matron of Honor
Jessica met Diane through their sorority, Sigma Omicron Pi—Diane repped the Alpha class while Jessica came in as Lambda. Though their paths crossed early on, the real friendship kicked off once Jessica was old enough to hit the town, and the two quickly became partners-in-crime. Their bond deepened when they both moved to Boston—Jessica for grad school and Diane to teach at Harvard (yes, the Harvard). Between study sessions and navigating a new city together, they became each other’s constant. Over a decade later, their friendship has only grown stronger through double dates, new adventures, and countless spontaneous hangouts. Diane is the kind of friend who just gets it—always down for anything, always showing up, and always making life more fun. Jessica couldn’t imagine this day without her by her side.
Joe Hall
Best Man
Despite being the younger brother, Joe has always had wisdom beyond his years – and this is despite me inflicting a mild head wound by accidentally hitting him with a hammer when he was 3 years old. He has always been someone I can rely on for advice and support in the good times and the bad. I always look forward to catching up with Joe on our family vacations to talk about life, trade book and television recommendations, and play the latest round of tiny towns or dungeons and dragons (for which he makes an excellent DM). Joe currently resides in Buffalo and spends his time as a professor of English and a published writer of poetry. He is passionate about writing, reading, social justice, and tabletop gaming among many other things.
Vivian Van
Bridesmaid
Vivian and Jessica go way, way back—all the way to sixth grade, when Jessica had just arrived from China and spoke little to no English. Vivian experienced “Fobby Jess” in all her early glory and somehow still decided to stick around. Their friendship blossomed through years of teenage chaos, AP Bio cramming, and the infamous Bad Monkey’s Club—a top-secret (read: wildly unorganized) notebook-passing society featuring celebrity crush rankings, dramatic doodles, and important tween intel. Alongside Julie, Judy, Angela, and a few other legends, they made the most of those school years in the most ridiculous and unforgettable ways. Vivian has been a constant through awkward phases, glow-ups, and everything in between. Jessica is beyond lucky to have had her since elementary school—and even luckier to have her by her side on such a big day.
Tom Hall
Best Man
As the youngest, Tom had to put up with plenty of flack from his older siblings, but he took in in stride and always retained his sense of humor. Tom has always been able to make me laugh, a quality which can’t be underestimated these days. A man with taste ahead of his time, he was listening to Bob Dylan and Wu-tang alike by the time he was in middle school. As he got older, we bonded over 90s hip hop, videogames and comics (of which he has an excellent collection). Tom graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and has a distinguished career as a chef. Currently he continues to invent some of the best and most original tacos in the mid-atlantic. Every single time a go back east I stop at Taco Bamba, and recommend you do too!
Grace Hsieh
Bridesmaid
Jessica met Grace in college when they pledged their sorority together—and let’s just say, nothing bonds two people quite like going through hell week side by side. From stuffing their cheeks with marshmallows for “Chubby Bunny” challenges to late-night cram sessions memorizing sorority history (and praying they wouldn’t get called on), they’ve survived it all together. Grace is endlessly talented—she’s always doodling Pokémon on people, turning everything into art, and giving friends hilariously accurate nicknames that somehow stick for life. Her creativity, loyalty, and low-key chaos make her one-of-a-kind, and Jessica is so grateful to have her as not just a sister, but a lifelong friend. She’s been there through the wild times, the hard times, and all the in-betweens—and now she’s here to celebrate one of the best times of all.
Ken Quinto
Groomsman
Ken and I met during our pediatric residency at UCSD and became fast friends. Within a few weeks we were playing pickup basketball against the undergrads (Kobe!), finding our favorite spot for taco Tuesdays, and heading to Vegas for an impromptu weekend road trip. Ken’s wit and wisdom kept me relatively sane during those long days of residency. We’ve always been able to pick each others’ brains when contemplating career changes, family and anything in between. Ironically the California native is now in Virginia with his amazing family but we still find time to catch up and commiserate, laugh and reflect on this crazy life.
Chiharu Roman
Bridesmaid
Jessica met Chiharu just as she was wrapping up college, through their sorority. Chi was a few classes ahead, already a staple in the San Diego scene—a pro promoter, insanely well-connected, and basically knew everyone. She took Jessica under her wing, showed her the ropes... and also got her blackout drunk way too many times to count (oops). Beyond the wild nights and dance floors, they became roommates and true partners in crime. Together they shared sleepless nights, deep talks, questionable food choices, and the kind of laughter that leaves your abs sore for days. Chi has always been the definition of fierce, fun, and full of heart. She showed Jessica that it's totally possible to be capable, confident, and loving—basically, a total boss with a big heart. Through every high and low, she’s been a steady presence, and Jessica couldn’t imagine this moment without her.
Matt Smith
Groomsman
I met Matt on probably my first day of college at University of Maryland (Go Terps!). He lived two doors down from myself and my roommate (who is also a groomsman). We all became fast friends during those formative years of late-night shenanigans and incredibly stressful Maryland-Duke basketball games. All three of us somehow ended up on the west (ish) coast and have been fortunate enough to consistently catch up during our yearly snowboarding trip. Since the pandemic we’ve also been lucky enough to connect during weekly online sessions of rocket league. Matt is one of the most humorous humans I know and has provided both the substrate for many unsolicited bouts of laughter and plenty of sage advice over the years. Volar, pollo y estrellas, volar!
Caroline Herlihy
Bridesmaid
Jess met Herlihy during grad school in Boston, and what started as classmates quickly turned into lifelong friendship. In the ten years since, they've gone on 15+ trips together—including amazing places like Singapore—but nothing tops their legendary ten-day adventure through Spain. With their trusty (and slightly cursed) rental car, Felix, they bravely took on tiny cobblestone roads, mysterious signage, and a very questionable parking garage situation that ended with an entire family trying to help them escape… and a very scraped-up car. (Only $200 in damage, a casual $500 bribe to local cops—no big deal.) Known affectionately as Jliu and Herlihy, their nicknames are just one sign of how well they click. Jess is the yin to Herlihy’s yang, and even though they live in different cities now, whenever they reunite, it’s like no time has passed. She’s the kind of friend who’s always down for an adventure—planned or chaotic—and Jess couldn’t imagine this day without her by her side.
Michael Richardson
Groomsman
Michael and I have known each other for almost 25 years now, meeting during the first year of medical school at University of Virginia. He was a UNC alum who hated Duke and loved Will Ferrell – we became fast friends. As the above photo indicates, he is also passionate about cosplay. After 3 years at UCSF for internal medicine he moved to San Diego and has been here since. We’ve celebrated a lot over the years - from wild nights downtown and rec league softball victories to seeing him grow into a respectable adult with an amazing family. It’s been a privilege to have him by my side navigating life in America’s finest city.
Andrea Mehringer
Bridesmaid
Jessica met Andrea while working at Philips—Jessica was in marketing, and Andrea was the Director of MarComm. What started as a professional connection quickly turned into a meaningful friendship… especially after they realized they lived just a few blocks apart. They met right around the whirlwind of COVID, when the world felt upside down. Outdoor walks, vent sessions, and spontaneous neighborly check-ins became their lifeline. Through all the uncertainty, Andrea was a steady, grounding presence—a constant source of love, warmth, and real talk when it was needed most. She’s the kind of friend who just gets it—supportive, thoughtful, and always showing up in the quiet, powerful ways that matter most. Jessica is so thankful for her friendship, and couldn’t imagine saying “I do” without Andrea by her side.
Chris Eskuchen
Groomsman
I met Chris in 3rd grade, so approximately 400 years ago - We had to play Nintendo by candlelight and listen to Wu-Tang on the gramophone. I’ve been lucky enough to know Chris for almost 40 years – soccer teammates, college roommates, imbibers of exotic and domestic malt liquors, and much more. Along with Matt, we’ve been able to keep in touch with snowboarding trips and through online gaming the past few years. Chris is currently in Flagstaff and has grown into an accomplished outdoorsman and dedicated father and husband. I regularly get top notch book recommendations from him (and his son!)
Angie Lulu Liu
Flower Child
Jessica’s little sister may be nine years younger, but she’s always had main character energy. As a toddler, she was known for biting Jessica on sight—an early power move that gifted Jessica a lifelong fear of teeth. Since then, she’s thankfully evolved into a charming, chatty force of nature. She can pick up new languages with ease, yet somehow can’t do math to save her life. She also has a magnetic gift with strangers—put her in an elevator, and people will turn around to talk to her. (Honestly, Jessica’s still not sure how she does it.) Between her charm, chaos, and contagious energy, she’s the perfect flower child. Jessica is so proud to have her lead the way and fighting for our country.
Ted Tan
Flower Child
Meet Ted Tan – Flower Child Extraordinaire As the oldest of all the cousins (on both sides), Jessica ruled the households with an iron fist, and Ted has had the privilege of being the first to endure my draconian ways growing up. Somehow, he survived… and went on to become one of the most respectable, kind-hearted men I know. We are beyond proud to have him standing with us on our wedding day — and in true family tradition, he’ll be the flower child, alongside my baby sister Angie. Fair warning: these two are diabolical together. Petals will fly, dignity may not. You’ve been warned.
Jessica Hall
Officiant
Jessica (the officiant, not the bride—yes, this is already confusing) is Dave’s amazing older sister. She’s coming all the way from Maryland to officiate the ceremony, and Jessica and Dave couldn’t be more honored to have her leading the celebration. Over the years, she’s generously welcomed the other Jessica into her family adventures—from Yellowstone to Yosemite, and most recently Olympic National Park. These annual trips have been filled with hiking, laughter, and more bonding than anyone asked for—but Jessica’s not complaining. Fun fact: if the bride changes her last name, she and the officiant will have the exact same name. So technically, she’d be Dave’s sister too. (Don’t worry—no one’s fighting over middle names. Yet.) Her wisdom, warmth, and love for both Jess and Dave make her the perfect person to help them tie the knot—even if she’ll be clarifying “which Jessica” all weekend long.