Wedding Party
Carson Funk
Groom
Julia Jones
Bride
Bryce Long
Best Man
Bryce and Carson met in a Church Ministry class sophomore year at Liberty. At some point, they ran into each other while playing volleyball on campus. After that, they ended up hanging out a lot. In January of 2024, they roadtripped to Atlanta for Passion with a group of friends. This sparked an accountability friendship for all aspects of our lives. Bryce is one of the Godliest men in Carsons life and has been through it all with him. Fun Fact: Bryce played college baseball and wants to own a Chick-fil-A Bonus Fun Fact: Bryce is also single and ready to mingle ;)
Audrey Wheeler
Maid of Honor
Audrey was one of Julia's first friends and roommates at Liberty! They met freshman year, in their community group, (shoutout to Gracie and Morgan, C1F3) and have been inseparable ever since!! Audrey has been one of Julia's friends for a short amount of time, but it feels like they've grown up together! She has been so consistent, through different seasons of life; new jobs, classes, dorms, graduation, etc., and through it all, Audrey continues to be like a sister to Julia and the rest of her friends - she is always there when they need her! Audrey and Julia also love matching and going on coffee dates whenever they can! They are actually sisters that were lost at birth. Fun Fact: Audrey is the adoptive mother of a Hawaiian whale named Kuulia (coo-leah).
Alden Dorey
Best Man
Alden is one of Carsons lifelong friends originally meeting in Cub Scouts. In middle school, they ended up attending the same school and hanging out almost weekly between electives and P.E classes, and then in high school, when they got their license, they became trouble. Between laps around downtown Lexington to sitting in "the hairshops" parking lot and a cookout milkshake, or chatting about God and what he was doing, they were always up to something. Once Carson moved off to college, they kept up and always made time to go on a wild adventure. To this day, if you find them together, they are probably up to something really dumb! Fun Fact: Alden likes to unicycle
Allie Gattis
Maid of Honor
Allie and Julia met during their first summer at TVR and immediately bonded over their love of frisbee! JK, they were both shy and played frisbee with a group, then talked about how funny and lowkey awkward it was. Allie has been by Julia's side during all the camp and life moments - seeing her cry, laugh, and hold her hand through it all!! She got to witness first hand the development of Carson and Julia's relationship, saving it at times lol, and reminding Julia how crazy she was when she needed it! She is always down for an adventure and never fails to bring joy and laughter to any situation! Fun Fact: Allie loves and knows ASL!
Cohen Whitley
Groomsman
Cohen and Carson met the first week of their first year at Liberty. They were placed in a community group together, that is where they got to see the real side of each other. They started to hangout and get dinner with a group of guys on the hall and then boom - it was an inseparable bond (unless it was his and Mikaylas date night). During that year Cohen heard all about Carson's desires to find his wife (he also heard about Carson's dating catastrophes). Cohen transferred to a different school and moved back to NC. Even after Cohen left, they kept up and have hung out many times, keeping the friendship alive!! Fun Fact: Cohen can do a backflip
Abby Jensen
Bridesmaid
Abby Jensen, sweet Abigail. She was (and still is at heart) Olivia's roommate for four years, and would later be one of Julia's roommates!! Abby was the one Julia met with Olivia playing manhunt - a memory that would be burned in their brains FOREVER. Freshman year would not have been the same without them! Julia and Abby were also both Exercise Science majors, and Julia abandoned her in the program (rip). They were later roommates for two years, making some of the best memories with the rest of the roommates (Audrey, Olivia, and Kayla). Abby never fails to bring laughs, jokes, and encouragement whenever its needed, and loves a good Chick-Fil-A run! (only on Wards rd. of course) Fun Fact: Abby wanted to enlist in the Military as a child, but her dreams were crushed by her development of asthma :(
Jonathan Senga
Groomsman
Jonathan and Carson met while serving at Eastlake in 2021. Jonathan was a worship intern while going to school at Liberty and Carson spent every free moment at the church hanging out. After a while Carson started inviting the young adults to come over for game nights and Jonathan quickly found out how comfortable the Funks basement couch was. It then became the usual thing for Jonathan to crash at their house and stay up until an unreasonable time of night talking about everything - theology, ministry, relationships, and the list goes on. Jonathan's friendship quickly became one that helped Carson to grow in his knowledge, and that is still how it is today. Even after Jonathan took the leap and moved to Florida, as he had often talked about while discussing dreams, the two keep up with each other and cherish every visit they have! Fun Fact: Jonathan is a musician and has music on Spotify
Olivia Wilhelm
Bridesmaid
Olivia was one of Julia's roommates in college and has seen the many sides of Julia - the freshman year to senior year transition, and what a transition that was! Olivia was the first of the group that Julia met, not knowing that they would be living together and best friends! Julia and Olivia met freshman year playing manhunt on Liberty's campus. She was with her roommate Abby (another roommate, friend, and now bridesmaid!). They were all out of breath and decided to walk instead of run, started chatting, and the rest is history! She is the best makeup artist, stylist, and has saved the day on many occasions! Fun Fact: Olivia enjoys riding her side-by-side with her family!
Ethan Painter
Groomsman
Ethan and Carson met while working at Crazy Horse Marina at Smith Mountain Lake during the summer of 2022. Carson worked as a boat rental agent, and Ethan worked for Crazy Horse as a dock hand. One day, while working, they were chatting and somehow discovered they actually went to high school together and had never met(very rare for Carson to not know someone). Throughout the summer, they were out super late on boats, being lake guys, going fishing and making so many great memories on the water. After that summer, it didn't end. To this day, they still are the "lake boys"! Fun Fact: Ethan thinks he's a pro golfer
Kayla Natelborg
Bridesmaid
Kayla Grace is another of the best friends/roommate group from Liberty! Kayla and Julia also met freshman year (they don't really remember how, it just happened). Kayla has brought many, many, MANY laughs over the years, whether it was dancing, making jokes, or singing, Kayla never fails to bring a smile to her friend's faces! She has had to comfort Julia through many assignments, watched Julia cry, laugh, and stress over Hebrew exams, stayed up until 3:00 am working on assignments, and never failed to be a helping hand! She has also seen many sides of Julia, from crazy CSER hours, to stress, to sickness, to basketball practice, Kayla and Julia have been through it all! Kayla has been such an encouragement over the past four years of college and continues to be!! Fun fact: She is Caitlyn Clark in disguise
Jameson Campbell
Groomsman
Jameson and Carson landed on the same hall of the "Shoe" at Liberty during the 2024 school year. Throughout the year, they bonded over the youthfulness and immaturity of the guys on the hall, that is where their friendship started. They would take weekly adventures into the mountains or town with a small group of friends to escape the craziness of campus life. In the fall of 2025, they both moved off campus with separate groups of friends, but made sure to hang out often. Many times, Jameson would end up making dinner for the two of them and their friend Mason. Jameson and Carson spend a ton of time yapping about camping, traveling, music, Church and the Bible. Fun Fact: Jameson has driven across the country 5 times
Grace Bennett
Bridesmaid
Grace is Julia's literal twin - Julia's own mom has even gotten them confused. They first met at camp in 2023, and were immediate friends! Grace and Julia have so many things in common, from music, to clothes, to hobbies, the list goes on! Grace is actually one of the funniest people ever and never fails to make you laugh! Grace and Julia are inseparable at camp, and love to twin, most of the time its on accident! Grace is such a joy to be around, is such a good listener, and always shows the love of the Lord SO WELL! Julia and Grace have become best friends over the years, and life would not be the same without Grace in it! Fun Fact: Grace LOVES Grandma hobbies! (sewing, knitting, reading)!
Adam Westgate
Groomsman
Adam is one of Carson's best friends he met at Liberty. Adam was Carson's neigbor his sophmore year - they had many interesting encounters over the semster on their hall, so many great memories made! But over time, they became the best of friends and continued to bond with guys on the hall, over their love for ministry, and love for others! Many of their adventures and key memories together consist of going bowling (many times a week) and long drives on the parkway. After they both went to separate halls the following years, the continued to meet weekly for lunch to catch up, pour into one another, and just grow in their relationship - getting all the life updates! They are still best friends to this day, even though they are no longer able to see each other every day, they stay in touch and stay up to date on all of lives big moments! Fun Fact: Adam can wheelie for over a mile on a bike!
Braylin Miller
Bridesmaid
Braylin is one of Julia's best friends from Liberty!! They met in their major, COAL (shoutout!), and instantly became friends!! They had many classes together at Liberty, with their professor KO and bonded over their love for the Lord, camp ministry, and Western NC, lol! They have spent hours upon hours studying in the old Youth Lounge (rip) of the tower, working on budgets, facilities, and the list goes on! Through graduation, distance, and assignments, they have stayed the best of friends! Braylin actually was one of the people thats responsible for Carson and Julia ending up together! She was the friend that was staying one weekend when Carson invited them all on the boat, and the rest is history! Carson had to return the favor for Braylin and set her up with one of his best friends, Adam Westgate, and they have now been dating since August!! The Lord is GOOD! Fun Fact: Braylin has heterochromia and her eye colors change every day!
