Grace & Keith
Wedding Party
Craig & Robin McCoy
Officiant (Craig) and UBC Wedding Coordinator (Robin)
We are so excited to have the dynamic duo of Craig & Robin at the helm of our ceremony. Craig is the choir director at University Baptist Church, and Robin is a soprano (and Grace's next-seat neighbor) in the choir. Craig and Robin, with their kids Brent and Catie, have been Grace's family-away-from-family while she's been in North Carolina. When Keith came into the picture, he was welcomed with the same McCoy hospitality, humor, and generosity. We've enjoyed many Monterrey's lunches and home-cooked dinners with Craig and Robin, and the McCoys have generously included us in their family holidays at times when we couldn't make it up to Jersey or Michigan. Week after week, Craig and Robin are always checking in to make sure we're staying well fed and out of trouble.
Kristen (Ashbaugh) Strong
Matron of Honor
Kristen is one of the famous "Roberson roommates" who lived with Grace on South Roberson Street in Chapel Hill. Kristen was a witness to the early days of Keith and Grace's relationship and a staunch Keith supporter from the start. Over the last couple of years, our friendship with Kristen and her husband Adam has increased our appreciation for Dierks Bentley, introduced us to the strange land of California, infiltrated our vocabulary with Kristen-inspired language constructions, and taught us much about Trader Joe's selection of alternative meats. Most importantly, we so admire Kristen's boundless optimism, compassionate heart, enthusiastic support, and generous friendship.
Kelsey Oesmann
Bridesmaid
It all started at band camp. While auditioning for the Marching Virginians Flag Corps, Grace and Kelsey discovered their shared Jersey roots and bonded over their love of pizza, bagels, and sarcasm. In the decade since their formal declaration of best-friendship on the band bus, Kelsey and Grace have accrued so many shared experiences and inside jokes that they sometimes struggle to hold conversations that make sense to anyone else (...sorry, Keith). With her contagious passion for her work, her heart for service, and her affinity for bad puns, Kelsey is a reliable source of inspiration and laughter.
Troy Roersma
Best Man
Troy and Keith met at a middle school bus stop, and grew close through cross country races, BB-gun wars, and firework fights, from which Keith has scars. They once even constructed a large wooden trebuchet, which malfunctioned, causing Troy to bleed profusely. Today, they bond over safer pastimes involving craft beer, board games, and heated Nintendo-related trash-talk with Troy's eldest son, Lee. Keith looks forward to visiting Troy, Katie, and their boys, Lee and Dean, each time he returns to Michigan.
Keven Ji
Groomsman
Keven and Keith were introduced on the medical school interview trail, where they noticed each other's shirts repping Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gyms. The two quickly became close friends, competing together at grappling tournaments around North Carolina, coaching the Duke Jiu-Jitsu team, and wrestling on mats in Keven's apartment. They offer sincere apologies to Keven's neighbors about that. When not attempting to disarticulate each other's joints and trade anoxic brain injuries, they enjoy spending time with classmates and exploring North Carolina.
Rachel (Fiske) Rodgers
Bridesmaid
Rachel and Grace met in Honors Bio back in 2009. They grew close over D2 lunches with the "lunch brigade," late-night (/overnight) study sessions, and innumerable adventures during their summers in Blacksburg. Rachel has been a loyal friend, confidant, and partner-in-crime. She has an infectious laugh, knows more idioms than you can shake a stick at, and graciously extends forgiveness... even to those who might set a pot of spagetti on fire or melt a spatula into a tray of brownies in her kitchen. We were honored to sing and play in Rachel and Ed's wedding a couple of years back. These days, we look for excuses to catch up with Rachel and Ed over Hokie football, on a roadtrip, or at a fair somewhere and hear about their latest adventures with their adorable son, Will.
Rebecca Hagge
Bridesmaid
Grace and Rebecca met in the second grade. Despite attending different high schools, Rebecca and Grace remained close, sharing their love of the outdoors, laser tag, guppy breeding, and the Lord of the Rings soundtrack. Rebecca and Grace overcame brief stints as frenemies, first in middle school, and then that one time Rebecca came over and ditched Grace to watch Babylon 5 with Grace's parents. These days, when Grace visits her family, plans to meet Rebecca at the skating rink, Sweet Lew's, or the Mulholland or Hagge house are never far behind.
Mike Roselli
Groomsman
Mike is one of Keith's more recent friends, the two meeting and playing music together in 2018, when Mike was dating one of Keith's roommates. That relationship fizzled out, but Mike and Keith kept jamming afterward and eventually started a band together. Today, they play gigs across the Raleigh area and enjoy exploring open mic events, checking out local bars, and playing board games. Keith appreciates Mike's sense of humor and his consistent offers to take care of Ruka when Keith is out of town.
James Campbell
Groomsman
James and Keith met as medical school classmates, and Keith credits James's lectures for what little of their anatomy course he actually remembers. Over the past five years, they have become close friends, often visiting for dinner, playing poker, watching football, trading dog-watching responsibilities, or simply exchanging notes on how to ace their rotations. Keith has enjoyed getting to know James, Jasmine, and their growing family over the time they've shared at Duke.
Ruka
Pup of Honor
We adopted Ruka ("ROO-kuh") just a couple of weeks before we got engaged. When we were meeting and considering him, Responsible Adult Keith was just about to say that he didn't think it was a good time to get a dog... when Grace turned to Keith with puppy dog eyes of her own. Since that day, Ruka has brought so much joy and laughter into our lives. He's got an extensive catalog of tricks and vocalizations; he loves dog parks, peanut butter, and chew toys; and he is a foe to insects and squirrels alike. He's too bouncy to hang around people in dressy attire, but we hope you'll get to meet him sometime during the weekend or on a future visit.