Wedding Party

Lana Dahl

Bridesquad

Kristen’s younger sister by a couple of years & her partner in crime for all of the best 80s and 90s things - matching sweat suit outfits, bowl haircuts, bike riding without hands, yard gymnastics, competitive swing-set routines, frog collecting, & roller blading. Like a proper middle child, Lana excelled at getting us into trouble much of the time, and has worked hard to maintain her so-called "black sheep" status (have you seen her sleeve?). Our teenage years were marked by nerdy obsessions with Harry Potter & Lord of the Rings books and, later, films. We are forever bonded by our love of Legolas. Lana may have a hard Ravenclaw exterior, but deep down she’s a marshmallow Hufflepuff. We are currently convincing her to open a vet practice in Hawaii when she graduates from TAMU.

Shea Dahl

Bridesquad

I was nine when Shea was born so, naturally, I was an overbearing mother hen to her. Mostly, this meant keeping the peace between her and Lana. Diplomatic from birth, she maintains that both parents and sisters are her "favorite". Shea was an adorable muse for our choreographed 90s pop dance/gymnastics routines - which I selfishly hope resurface at the reception. Shea’s always been (and remains) the most caring, nurturing Dahl sister - which works out well for her family & her ICU patients. She FULLY commits to her precious days off, so you may see her napping at the reception after dinner and drinks. But don’t worry, she’ll be right back to rage! Holds the trophy for Most Visits to Hawaii so far.

Brittany Knee

Bridesquad

The Ilana to my Abbi. Brittany may tell you she's socially awkward, but truly, she knows no stranger. My dearest friend since we met as servers in Pensacola during college, we bonded over countless brunch shifts, highs and lows of the service industry, and the best blue cheese dressing east of the Mississippi. Despite being younger, she's been a role model for life chapters I was late to (or have yet to reach) - marriage, dog & cat mama, boat & home owner, interior decorator with an unrivaled green thumb. When together, we’re perfectly happy to flake on social plans, watch Spongebob and talk til 4am. Shamelessly cliché, but she was the cheerleader I needed through 6+ years of graduate school that took me far from home & our hangs. We’re gonna open up that eco-lodge in Costa Rica one day!

Whitney Scheffel

Bridesquad

Whitney and I met in graduate school at Dauphin Island Sea Lab, as she was newly dating my labmate, Steve. Extrovert to the max, Whitney pushed me out of my comfort zone and quickly had me attending graduate student costume & theme parties, Mardi Gras parades & formal balls, and social festivities all over the Lower Alabama Delta! Whit & Steve became my roommates in Gainesville, FL in 2017, and we lived in domestic bliss for two years cooking, tailgating for Gator games, decorating for holidays, and surviving all of the hurricanes. Kiah and Dill miss them dearly and still bark excitedly at the sound of any 1999 Camry on its deathbed driving by. Tom is still working hard to best their exalted roommate status.

Travis Richards

Officiant (Grus perspicillatus)

Description: 73” (185 cm). Human-sized troglodyte, pale coloration with brown cap, sometimes mimics fashion choices of The Groom Voice: Accent-neutral (Ohio-type), but juveniles of this species begin their life in Birmingham, Alabama. It has been hypothesized that parents mediate accent development, prohibiting the use of “y’all” or “Roll Tide!”, commonly heard calls in similar species Habitat: Pristine streams, mud flats, drainage ditches in Houston and Pelican Island, TX Range: Resident along the US Gulf Coast, from TX - FL Panhandle G. perspicillatus is a prolific hunter of small-bodied prey, capturing reptiles, amphibians and comically small fishes. Upon capture, he will bore his companions with encyclopedic knowledge of his quarry. Lifelong friend of Groom and Bride.

Tom Horn

Former roommate, forever dive buddy

Big and loud, Tom is a surprisingly gentle soul who seeks nothing but a peaceful existence amid his 1) dog, 2) cat, 3) underwater bachelor pad that is somehow “a job”, 4) technical diving, 5) freediving to 100+ feet, 6) fishing for big game, 7) two-year-old son, and 8) his wife Jessica who is just as adventurous as he. Makes sense, right? Always cheerful (sometimes annoyingly so), Tom has always been a role model for living life to the fullest, and unselfishly at that. Wedding entertainment: If you want to see this giant human cry, ask Tom about Umu the Blenny King.

Jeff Plumlee

Like a grandfather, but younger

Jeff is like a younger brother to me. Except, he 1) is (quite a bit) older than me, 2) doesn’t like to be reminded of it, and 3) is on track to entirely eclipse my career with his own when he finishes his PhD in fisheries ecology. Though Jeff is capable of great silliness, he is very practical. When asked where he would choose to fortify in event of a zombie apocalypse, he replied without hesitation “Indiana”. This makes sense, I suppose - arable land and a vantage point over extensive plains that could make even zombies say “oh, nevermind”. It’s this kind of pragmatism, know-how, and friendship that one needs in their wedding party, and Jeff Punlee is the man for the job.

Jon Rick

I'd say "brother from another mother" but I hate that phrase

Jon and I are both sort of known as fix-it guys, likely because we both hail from the Meadowbrook School of Home Repair. We spent many of our formative years surreptitiously repairing furniture, fixtures and appliances minorly (sometimes majorly) damaged in the commission of some ridiculous stunt or another, and our parents were usually none the wiser. In retrospect, I suspect they mostly chose to ignore the sawing, hammering, sanding, and loud whispering for the sake of their own sanity. Sorry, parents. Jon is family at this point - it’s been 26 years since he sat down and befriended me on my first day at a new school, and the inside jokes and life experiences between us are beyond counting. p.s. Ask him about golf, I dare you.

Dan Torres

That guy who is always collecting friends

Dan mainly traffics in beer and art these days, but I’m not convinced he wasn’t an intelligence operative in a past life. Whether old friends or new acquaintances, he has an annoying habit of remembering obscure yet meaningful details about anyone he meets. He’ll invariably leverage this information to “buy thoughtful gifts” or “make people feel important”. Gimme a break. This is nothing more than a clever ruse to drag one unsuspecting victim after the next into his ever-growing circle of high-quality friends, like some kind of gregarious black hole. I’m onto you, Torres.

Barrett Wolfe

Unfairly cool name, but at least the personality matches

Barrett has a rather interesting family history. At some point in the past 40,000 years, the Cro-Magnon people made a westward migration into what would become Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The individuals that participated in this migration were likely hardy, humorous, and obnoxiously intelligent types, because there’s simply no other way to explain Dr. Wolfe’s demeanor or hat size. He has an astonishing intellectual range – while in grad school together, I learned he is not only capable of jaw-dropping stupidity, but also of painfully precise logic that gave most other students around him a case of impostor syndrome. Everyone needs a friend who will talk them into both wise and unwise situations at the right time, and Barrett is that friend.

Rayann Dahl

Mother of the Bride

Robert (Bob) Dahl

Father of the Bride

Danette TinHan

Mother of the Groom

Erik TinHan

Father of the Groom