Melissa & Phil
Wedding Party
Casey Knepfler
Maid of Honor
Melissa and Casey met at WMU in 2012 and although it was a rocky start, the two of them grew closer together over the years. Casey was an RA in the same building where Mel was a Grad HD. After working together for years, Casey went to grad school where she became a Grad HD herself. Casey and Mel bonded over shared experiences and were able to grow and stay connected over the years they spent apart. Now, Casey and Mel finally live in the same town and they often spend time together on weekends and holidays. Mel is grateful for the long lasting relationship and considers Casey a sister. Casey is an amazing aunt to her nephew Mikey and to Connor and Mocha(Mel & Phil’s dog and cat!). Mel and Phil are so happy to have Casey and her fiancé, Pat, as part of their special day.
Jennifer St. Amour
Bridesmaid
Jennie and Mel have been friends since 2010 when they were Resident Assistants together at WMU. Jennie and Mel have many great memories together as they have grown into adults. They share a love for Harry Potter, LOTR, and Disney. Jennie and her husband, Nate, live in Kalamazoo and just welcomed their daughter into the world this past September 2021. Mel is honored to have spent a lot of time with them during that time and loves seeing what awesome parents they’ve become!
Holly Rivard
Bridesmaid
In 2017, Mel and Holly blindly joined a local kickball group. Bonding over casual sports, beers, and The Office jokes, Holly eventually invited Mel to join the weekly Ladies Night. Holly and her husband Steve are proud parents of two rambunctious little ladies. Mel and Phil have been honored to have babysat and celebrated Holly and Steve’s first child’s Baptism. We will always be thankful for their friendship and are excited to be involved with their family and watch their girls grow up.
Lukas Bassett
Best Man
Lukas and Phil first joined forces as coffeesmiths at a Biggby Coffee in the town of St Johns, MI. Since then, their bond has only gown through video games and science. Lukas is now married to Vivian and in med school. Despite a busy schedule, Lukas and Vivian, find time to visit Phil and Mel every year. We all loved going on summer hikes and playing games together these past years and we look forward to many more in the future!
Chris Axford
Groomsman
Chris and Phil’s friendship began on an awkward image-hosting social site; their love of memes transcending the borders of Canada and the United States. Chris and his partner, Makayla, live in Alberta, Canada with their fur child, Odo. To this day, Chris provides Phil with invaluable scouting reports for his fantasy hockey team that are repaid in kind with mediocre puns. We are so excited to have them in the great USA for the wedding!
Austin Chulski
Groomsman
Austin had the (mis)fortune of meeting Phil when they worked together at Performance Validation. After receiving an unexpected birthday gift, Austin immediately quit the company for greener pastures. Austin and his wife, Mariah, and baby have hosted Phil and Melissa for numerous excursions to the Grand Rapids area including one last trip around the town the night before COVID-19 shut down the state in 2020. They are looking forward to more fine dining and May 5th celebrations in the years to come.
Pat Meyers
Officiant & Event Brewer
Pat is Casey’s fiancé and has been an amazing friend to us over the years. Not only is Pat officiating our ceremony, Pat is an amazing brewer and works for Bells in Kalamazoo. He has graciously offered to brew a signature beer for our special day.