Wedding Party
Karen Lacy
Maid of Honor
My little sister, my forever bestfriend. Karen and I are 8 years apart to be exact, so naturally growing up I was the mean big sister and she was the annoying little sister who stole my clothes lol As the years passed and we both got older, our bond has became beautiful and strong. She is my confidant, my best hype woman and the person that I know will always be there to listen to my irrational thoughts and bring me back to reality. She is the kindest, calmest and coolest person I know and I am beyond honored to share this moment and life with her.
Christopher Royster
Best Man
With only a two year age gap, Chris and I have always been close. Growing up in our early childhood years, I can remember sharing rooms with a bunk bed, wrestling, and dressing in similar outfits because that's what our mom dressed us in. As we progressed into elementary, while our interests slightly differed in that Chris liked to play with action figures, watch Disney Channel and I, ESPN. And as our individual personalities developed, one constant and common denominator is that our indefinable brotherly bond has always been strong. As someone I can now talk sports with, get fashion advice from and just converse about life overall, I am blessed to have my brother stand with me on this special day.
Teena Turner
Bridesmaid
Teena and I met on a random Saturday in the lobby of Gymtek in Lakeland Florida. She looked over, complimented my outfit and BAM we became inseparable. We clicked instantly, she was a bright light in a new city where everything seemed different and scary. It wasn't much later than Teena and her girls were regular dinner guests at my house where endless laughter reigned and dinners ended with a choreographed dance by the girls. Some of the best days in Florida have been occupied by our outings, our chats and running to each other's houses to hang out. She's loyal, supportive and the brightest light and I can't wait to go into another chapter with her by my side.
Trevor Franks
Groomsman
Trevor (cousin) and I have been close for as long as I can remember. Growing up in near proximity to two of my cousins in Maryland, outdoor 2v2 basketball with my cousins and brother was a staple in our childhood. The teams were consistently Tyrell and Chris, versus Trevor and I. We were always on teams. No matter if it was playing 2v2 basketball or playing video games, Trevor and I were on the same team. My cousin is someone in which I feel we've always had very similar styles of humor and are truly able to laugh at the same things. Some of my favorite memories include writing lyrics to song instrumentals, recording funny videos and playing intense FIFA matches on Xbox. Fun Fact: Trevor was the first person I showed a screenshot to after Kathya and I matched on Hinge.
Mercades Aldridge
Bridesmaid
Mercades and I met in 2015 when we were both working at Hobby Lobby in Lawrenceville. At the time, I was going to work with a full beat- lashes + bright pink lips so naturally we bonded over our favorite YouTubers and new makeup products. Over the years we grew closer and closer and were determined to convince our manager that all tasks required two people lol She's been with me through so many ups and downs and has been super supportive through it all. Our bond has remained strong and keeps getting stronger over the years. She's one of the sweetest souls I know and I could not imagine doing this day without her by my side.
Jez Siarez
Groomsman
Jez and I met in our sophomore year of high school after I had transferred from a previous school after attending only one year. As the new kid, I quickly realized Jez seemed to be the guy who was good at everything: sports, playing musical instruments, academics, and even good with the ladies. I knew that this was someone I wanted to be friends with. That said, Jez and I only spent one year together as classmates, our sophomore year, as he would proceed to leave for public school our junior and senior year. Nevertheless, our friendship has stayed strong over the years. Even though our routes through life have been different (going to different colleges/currently living in different states), our paths towards shared destinations have always seemed similar: we are both nurses and are set marry our respective fiancés in early 2025.
Kayla Saturday
Bridesmaid
Kayla and I met in 2019 at a company we both worked for at the time. We both were graduating that spring and quickly realized we had ALOT in common. Our bond grew right before our eyes from friendly coworkers to bestfriends. It started with lunch trips filled with work gossip followed by Target trips and a Starbucks treat to a love confession when we realized we were bestfriends. lol Kayla has been my voice of reason when I needed a friend to tell me how it is, even when I was not ready to hear it. She is the most selfless, hard working, funniest and most deserving soul and I can't wait to experience my special day with her by my side.
Jonathan Reynolds
Groomsman
After moving to Orlando, Florida in 2017, Jonathan and I had met at a photography networking event. As these events typically require one to be a certain level of outgoing, Jonathan carried himself with a calm demeanor, and as a fellow black photographer, there was some common ground that made him an easy person to talk to. We quickly bonded over the fact that we both were shooting with Nikon cameras, a brand which is often viewed not as favorably as its alternative counterparts. Having collaborated together on multiple shoots over the past few years, Jonathan has also been a friend I have been able to lean on. After an unfortunate event of having my 50mm lens stolen, Jonathan allowed me to borrow his 50mm lens for a paid shoot I had with a booked client. This will always mean a lot as he not only allowed me to borrow the lens, but delivered it to my house and trusted me with it while using it for my client.
Erialis Hollingshed
Bridesmaid
It all started in Warner Robins, at Thomson Middle in 7th grade. Erialis came up to me, the new girl in school and was determined to know where I was from and immediately tried to get to know me. We spend all middle school and highschool years as bestfriends, with sleepovers every weekend and have remained friends to this day. She has seen me in potato shoes (Birkenstock clogs) that have managed to come back in style and straight bangs with scrunched hair lol Needless to say we've started from the bottom, now we're here! I am excited to share another chapter with her.
Kyle Burkett
Groomsman
Kyle and I met in 6th grade of elementary school at Heritage Academy in Mrs. Clark's class. Coming from being homeschooled K-5 grade, Kyle was my first best friend. For context, in a time where we didn't yet have cell phones and people still had landlines, I am still able to recall his old home phone number by heart. Some of my favorite memories include playing on the JV basketball and soccer teams together, going over his house and playing Nintendo 64/Mario Smash Brothers, RuneScape, watching movies and riding bikes around the neighborhood. I also enjoyed very much eating his mom's cooking despite near death experiences after coming into contact with peanut butter.