Wedding Party
Heather Villa
Best Woman
Heather met Ryan in 2012 at one of his infamous "Family Nights" at UCI, and from that moment, their bond grew into something more like family. Over the years, they’ve shared countless adventures, from cheering on the Ducks with season tickets to spontaneous trips to Newport Beach. Ryan has always been the kind of friend who shows up no matter what, and Heather is honored to call him one of her closest and most cherished friends. Heather was lucky enough to have Ryan stand by her side as her Man of Honor on her wedding day, and now she’s thrilled to return the favor as his Best Woman. She couldn’t be more excited to celebrate this incredible chapter in Ryan and Karen’s lives and feels privileged to stand beside them as they officially begin their journey together as husband and wife.
Steph Le
Maid of Honor
Steph met Karen at work after college. Her first impression of Karen was that she was the cool, smart, and slightly mysterious girl sitting in the corner of the lab. Over time, their friendship grew through a shared love for the outdoors, reading dystopian or romantasy novels, and listening to The Fray. They've spent countless hours after work pushing through Insanity workouts, running on high school track fields, and even squatting 5 gallon water jugs! What really solidified their relationship was their deep conversations after those workouts, which happened to always be in a car. Those moments were filled with laughter, dreams, and even discussions about love—especially about Ryan. Seeing their journey has been incredible, and Steph can't wait to celebrate their love on their wedding day!
Kathy Lopez
Groomswoman
Kathy and Ryan met during their undergrad at UCI in 2011, bonding over their ability to converse in Spanish. Ryan quickly became Kathy's confidante. They developed cherished routines together—sharing burritos on campus, Ryan tutoring Kathy in math (her most difficult subject, and the source of many tears), and creating memorable off-campus adventures. He became like family to her, or as she likes to say, "my little Big brother." This adopted brother Ryan has since frequented all of Kathy's family celebrations, from birthdays and baby showers to backyard asadas. When Kathy moved to New York, their friendship stayed strong. One winter, Ryan connected Kathy with Karen, who was visiting New York, and a new friendship blossomed. Between the sushi dates, live shows, and all the teasing Ryan can (usually) handle, their bond grew just as deep. Kathy couldn't be more excited to celebrate these two beloved friends joining in marriage as one.
Ryan Mai
Bridesman
Ryan Mai first met Ryan Idrogo in 2012 at a Halloween party—and the rest is history! Ryan I. played a crucial part in Ryan M.'s college experience, even going so far as to provide a roof over the head of Ryan M.'s "special friend." Let's just say, Ryan I. has seen it all! When Ryan M. first met Karen at a hockey game in 2016, he remembers thinking, "Who is this random girl?" Little did he know, through many outings and hikes, they'd end up sharing more than just a love for sushi. Turns out, they also share one brain cell (and a birthday!). From discovering their relationship during their first Escape Halloween to witnessing the epic proposal in front of Osaka Castle, Ryan M. has had a front-row seat to Ryan I. and Karen’s love story. He can't wait to celebrate this next chapter with them!
Xander Idrogo-Lam
Groomsman
Xander, affectionately known as Tubs, Bubs, or Tubby (courtesy of Ryan’s endless nickname creativity), is one of Ryan's taller yet somehow still "little" brothers. Xander has been in Ryan’s life since achieving self-awareness—a solid two years ago, give or take. Known for his impressive talents like breaking Ryan’s Lego masterpieces and publicly outing Ryan’s cooties collection, Xander has kept things in Ryan’s life interesting. He has always looked up to Ryan (just metaphorically) and couldn’t be more excited to celebrate Ryan and Karen’s Wedding! Love you guys!
Nina Tran
Bridesmaid
Nina is Karen’s older sister, the one who was always there for late-night phone calls as she walked home alone or for Skype dinner dates while they were 100 miles apart in college. Their relationship is a bit like Anna and Elsa’s —Nina is the older sister who just wants some peace and quiet, and Karen is the younger sister who insists on doing everything together. From long drives to and from Santa Barbara to running errands and getting their boba fix, they’ve developed a bond that only comes from spending countless hours of quality time together.
Derek Sun
Groomsman
Derek first met Karen through a brief encounter through a mutual friend in college. In some twist of fate, they ended up becoming colleagues at the same company after college and then housemates shortly thereafter. It was there living together at the house in Irvine where Derek met Ryan. Living together they all went on many adventures and shared lots of great memories together, forging a lifelong friendship. As their friend, Derek has watched their love and relationship blossom. He is looking forward to celebrating this chapter of their lives and many more.
Tina Kieu
Bridesmaid
Tina first met Karen in high school during their freshman year and instantly thought Karen was the coolest, especially with her stylish highlights! Years later, Tina was invited to join Karen and her friends on a trip to Las Vegas, where Tina meets Ryan for the first time. He proudly showed off his impressive “Vegas IQ” and his knowledge of getting in and around sin city. Tina and Karen have stayed close, enjoying trips across the country from Hawaii to New Orleans. Now, Tina is beyond excited to be by Karen’s side as she embarks on her next big adventure with Ryan!
Kaylee Idrogo-Lam
Officiant
Kaylee Idrogo is the youngest and favorite sister of the groom, Ryan. Growing up, Ryan was always her biggest supporter. Whether he was patching up the holes in the wall from missed hockey shots or passing pucks to improve Kaylee's shooting game, Ryan has always had her back. Even though she was only 3 years old the last time they lived together, Kaylee never knew when he would hop a flight and surprise her at one of her numerous sporting events. Seeing him from the ice and hearing him cheer louder than anyone in the stands, whether it was soccer, hockey, or lacrosse, meant the world to her. Even though she doesn’t remember the time that they lived together, Ryan has always shown up in her life, especially when it has mattered most. Being part of his wedding day is such an honor, and she is beyond excited to celebrate him and Karen as they start this amazing new chapter together. Love you both so much!
Jimmy Tran
Officiant
As Karen’s sibling, Jimmy has been lucky to share countless childhood adventures with her: summer water balloon fights, sibling trips to Utah (where art thou Nina?), amusement park escapades, and endless sibling rivalries. No matter what game and much to Jimmy's annoyance, Karen always found a way to pull off questionable moves to secure herself victory. Even with the physical distance brought on by college and Karen's cross country move to NYC, Karen continues to draw Jimmy into her hobbies for example introducing him to rock climbing, for which he’ll always be grateful. Through Karen, Jimmy also had the chance to meet Ryan at his fun house parties in Irvine and during all-night anime marathons. Ryan has an incredible way of making everyone feel included, even someone as introverted as Jimmy. Jimmy is excited to celebrate on May 31st and wholeheartedly congratulates Karen and Ryan on their wedding!
Nickolas Idrogo-Lam
Pianist
Nickolas, the youngest of the three Idrogo-Lam boys, has had the joy of knowing Ryan since birth. Growing up, he looked up to Ryan in countless ways, from his passion for computers and engineering, sparking Nickolas’ own pursuit of an engineering degree, to their shared love of Pokémon, which began when Nickolas stole Ryan’s cards and literally swam in them. Despite being almost exactly 10 years younger, Nickolas relishes every chance to outshine his brother... most notably in Ping Pong and Halo. Even now, Nickolas continues to learn from Ryan, whether it’s making pasta for the first time or going to his first NHL game (go Ducks!). He’s also loved getting to know Karen better, from running half-marathons and hanging out in LA to spending holidays in Minnesota. Nickolas couldn’t be more excited to see both families come together to celebrate this amazing day! <3