Wedding Party
Amarsha Freeman-James
Matron of Honor
Amarsha, affectionately addressed as 'Sissy', is Kristen's favorite and only sister. She and the bride are 11 years apart and often joke that their parents have two only children. Kristen was Amarsha's maid of honor over 19 years ago and could not imagine anyone else standing directly to her left on the big day. Kristen admires her sister's strength and is counting on her to help keep her calm, collected and lipstick perfect.
Luis Daniel Chavez
Best Man
Danny and the groom are like brothers and were born only 15 days apart. The running joke is that their mothers were racing each other to give birth. Together, these two have participated in an abundant amount of mischievous acts as kids and as young adults. They literally had each others back thru some of the roughest times as teenagers. The groom admires Danny's perseverance and hard working ethic to overcome all adversity that crossed his path while never failing to provide for his family. Danny enjoys running and biking and has completed numerous marathons. In 2018, the two completed the LA Marathon together with their other cousin and partner in crime, Laura. Go #TeamChav3z
Marisela Regla
Matron of Honor
Marisela is the peanut butter to Kristen's chocolate and her number one Chica! The two met while working at Loyola Marymount University and spent almost everyday together for 9 years. When Marisela was pregnant with her first baby, the two of them took afternoon naps together and indulged in all their hearts' cravings (Kristen had the pounds to show for it). It was her baby-shower where Kristen and Jesse met for the first time. Get ready to be charmed by Marisela's wit.
Victor Regla
Best Man
The groom and Victor met at John C. Fremont High School in the 90's. During their sophomore year, he and Jesse attempted to carpool but that only lasted for a month or two. Victor was notoriously punctual, a stickler for time and refused to wait longer than 5 minutes for the groom. Victor has always been mature, both mentally and physically. The groom can attest to him having a full grown mustache at the age of 16. The groom admires Victor's tenacity to succeed and strong family core values. Victor loves to dance and get people in the mood to groove. Please limit his alcohol consumption because he will compete for the spot light with his daughter Fernanda.
Zoë Brown
Flower Girl
Zo-Bear, as Kristen refers to her, is the daughter of one of Kristen's oldest friends, Kelley. Her mother and the bride have known each other since they were Zoë's age. Kristen fell in love with baby girl as soon as she laid eyes on her, immediately following her birth. She is extremely smart, speaking fluently in both Spanish and English and has recently started to read. If you hear anyone screaming, "Tia, Tia!" there you will find Zoë.
Olivia Parada
Flower Girl
Olivia has the warmest and most outgoing personality. She is currently all about Disney Princesses and cannot wait to wear her flower girl dress. She is also very competitive and challenged both Jesse and Kristen to a relay race the last time they were together (no need to ask who won). She recently learned to speak English and is starting school in the Fall. It has been really sweet for the couple to witness how much she's grown in such a small amount of time.
Audrey Prunty
Flower Girl
Meet little Miss Audrey, who will be the youngest of the flower girls. She is currently the baby of the bride's family. She loves exploring, climbing stairs and running from her Auntie Doris (the bride's mother). When she is not busy telling you the sounds that the animals make or singing "The Wheels on the Bus", she likes to enjoy watching TV and dancing to Bruno Mars.
Abraham Chavez
Ring Bearer
Abraham, also known as AB, is the groom's youngest nephew. He has an affection for cars and trains, in particular Thomas and Friends. He can hold a conversation in both English and Spanish. AB is a ball of energy and a force to be reckoned with; watch out for him hopping around and throughout the fiesta.
Fernanda Regla
Bridal Bunch
Fernanda is the daughter of Marisela and Victor. She is special to the couple because it was her babyshower where Jesse and Kristen met. Kristen often refers to Fernanda as her 'littlest homegirl'. At four years old, Kristen taught Fernanda how to chew gum and how to confidently rock a good pink lipstick; which Kristen is reminded about frequently by her mother. The couple is expecting Fernanda to get the party started with her dance moves.
Santiago Regla
Bridal Bunch
Santiago is Marisela's and Victor's baby boy and the biggest flirt in the wedding party (just ask the bride's mother). He will charm you with his raspy voice and sweet hugs. Like his sister, Fernanda, expect to see him on the dance floor.
Samantha Vasquez
Bridal Bunch
Sweet Sammy is the groom's youngest niece. She is very competitive and loves to play board games. She and Kristen often times practice their Spanish together by playing Loteria (she always claims card #16)! Sammy also loves to dance and is usually Kristen's dance partner at family parties.
Ernesto Quiros
Usher
Ernesto, referred to as Ernie by family, is the groom's second youngest nephew. Do not let his megawatt smile fool you. He is very witty and will keep you on your toes with his sharp comebacks. He has grown so fast, it was only 6 years ago when he was playing with LEGOS and peewee league baseball. And please do not touch his hair!
Myles Henning
Usher
Myles is the bride’s godson, protector and gentleman. Kristen and Myles’ mother, Myisha, have known one another for over 28 years. Kristen’s one job during Myles’ birth was to capture every tender moment on camera but undoubtably went into shock the moment he crowned. Myles was Kristen’s best friend until Jesse entered the picture. Their bond became immediate, both often times ignoring the bride when together. Long gone are those days of Myles calling the bride Kwismen, in his English accent.
McKayla James
Goddaughter
Mick, MickMick is the bride’s favorite [only] niece, goddaughter and personality twin! She’s smart, beautiful, well rounded, loves a good handbag and manicure (doesn’t sound familiar at all). Mick took an immediate liking to the groom, calling him Uncle Jesse and telling the family he was handsome. The two bonded over the concept of flying cars. One of Mick’s passions includes dancing. So, if you see two off-beat ladies dancing, that would be Mick and her TeeTee Kristen (just kidding)!
Natalia Vazquez
Goddaughter
Nat is the groom's favorite [only] goddaughter. She has some serious dance moves that she acquired from playing Just Dance video games on Nintendo Wii and watching YouTube. It was tradition for the groom to purchase Just Dance every year for Christmas and then challenge Nat to a dance off. Expect to see her on the dance floor stealing some moves from her godfather!
Maneka Anguiano
Officiant
Maneka, often referred to as Manny-Fresh by the bride, is one of Kristen’s favorite people and inspirations. The two started off rocky in high school but quickly bonded during their undergraduate years at Loyola Marymount University. Maneka explained one of life’s greatest lessons to the bride, that your success cannot be measured by the success of others. These two have debated over religion, life’s choices, cultural ideas and many more but in the end LOVE always wins.
Derek Ferretti
Officiant
Derek is referred to as ‘D’ by the groom. Do not let his physical size fool you, he is a giant with an even bigger heart. D's passions include auto racing and collecting vintage cars. His collection consist of Japanese and good old American muscle cars. If he's not wrenching on his multitude of cars, you can find him on the race track improving his lap time. He races any chance he gets, just ask him about his speeding ticket outside of Costa Nova, Portugal while on a family trip.
Courtney Domio
Bride's Babe
Courtney is simply amazing and has the biggest heart. Court and Kristen met at their freshman dorm, The Furama Hotel, in 2001 and have been by each other’s side ever since. The bride introduced Court to her now husband and the two are expecting their first baby in April of 2020. Court and Kristen have shared life’s lows and highs together. If asked, Kristen would say it was their Thursday night pizza dinners and hugs that helped her stay grounded while in Nursing School. It is sweet to see the friendship the groom and Court have cultivated over the past five years. The two share a similar sense of humor and are at times the only two laughing.
Lorena Quiros
Bride's Babe
Lorena is the groom's oldest sister and confidant. The nine year age gap is merely a formality because the two are extremely close. Jesse often jokes about how his first job was taking out the trash and sweeping the floors of the Mini-Mart where Lorena worked in exchange for candy and/or chili cheese Fritos. Big sister also taught the groom how to throw the best parties and color coordinate his clothes. Lorena and Kristen share a passion for crafting and the bride is always excited to see Lorena's ideas come to life. Lorena is the mother of the groom's oldest nephew, Alex, his soon to be fellow Matador, Eric, niece Jasmin and nephew Ernie.
Monica Vasquez
Bride's Babe
Monica may be the groom's youngest sister but it is Kristen who affectionately addresses her as Sistah. The groom has the fondest memories of walking his baby sister, who is 2 years yonder, to elementary school and teaching her how to tie her shoe laces. Monica wears her heart on her sleeve, demonstrates her warmth and welcoming nature to family and friends. From the moment she and bride met, the bride knew they would be true sisters-in-love. She is the mother of three of Jesse's nieces, Amber, Natalia and Samantha. If you hear anyone asking for tissues, more than likely, it is Monica because she is usually the first to shed a tear or two at family events.
Joanne Wilkinson
Mistress of Ceremony - Reception
Jo is a one of a kind and completes the infamous trio, Trés Amigos! Jo and the bride met while attending Loyola Marymount University. The bride often jokes that it is hard to tell who met Jo first with how well the she and the groom get along. The three share a love of travel, food and tequila. It became tradition for the trio to have dinner or coffee near LAX just before Jo would board a plane back to NYC. Jo has a way of captivating the crowd and the couple could not have thought of a better hype woman- sorry, mistress of ceremony!
Francis Prieto
Master of Ceremony - Reception
Francis named after St. Francis of Assisi; the patron for ecologist, a title honoring his boundless love for animals and nature. And an even bigger love for Star Wars!! The groom and Francis met years ago when the groom completed a summer internship at the company where Francis worked. He mentored the groom to his favorite restaurants and dive bars instead of testing toys for safety and durability standards. The groom admires his honesty, truthfulness and sense of humor. His outspoken views will give you the gut wrenching truth, perfect elements for an “Emcee”!