Wedding Party
Kristen Otto
Maid of Honor
Kristen is Lauren's sister, best friend, confidant, and adventure buddy. The two of them have been inseparable since Lauren was born, and they have only grown closer as adults. Kristen and Lauren love having adventures together, more specifically traveling, taking as many cruises as they can, and holding/riding/swimming with as many wild animals as will allow them to do so. Kristen lives in Alexandria, VA and has been a pillar of the fundraising and development department of George Washington's Mount Vernon for over 15 years. If you put Kristen and Lauren together, you can bet there will be never-ending silliness, music, dancing, and laughter! Lauren is honored to have her sister and best friend standing next to her for this unforgettable moment.
Tim Wisniewski
Best Man
Tim is Marc's brother, and their relationship is very similar to that of Kristen and Lauren's (though the Wisniewski brothers do not seem to interact with as many wild animals or dance as much as the Otto sisters). Marc and Tim grew up together in the Lehigh Valley and could always count on one another throughout whatever trouble they were getting into. (Please note that Lauren is writing this section following 2 years of stories about these brothers as told by the one-and-only Pam Wisniewski [their mother]). Tim is an over-the-road truck driver and utilized this career choice to explore the United States. He has visited every single one of the contiguous states and has only Alaska and Hawaii left to explore. Tim enjoys hiking, seeing new sights, meeting new people, and about every board game imaginable. Marc is very happy to have his brother by his side for this occasion.
Tom and Kathy Otto
Father and Mother of the Bride
Tom and Kathy are Lauren and Kristen's parents. Lauren tells everyone that her family is as "Blair County" as anyone could get. Tom grew up as a basketball star attending Bellwood-Antis High School. Kathy was a musician and homecoming queen at Tyrone Area High School. The two of them met in the library at the Penn State Altoona Campus when they were 19 years old after mutually admiring one another from afar and being introduced by mutual friends. They married at the Otto family's church, The Church of the Good Shepherd, in Tyrone, PA in 1978 and have been married for 47 years. They are both retired educators, enjoy the outdoors and staying active, and love their sweet black labrador retriever, Sierra.
Rich and Pam Wisniewski
Father and Mother of the Groom
Rich and Pam are Marc and Tim's parents. Although Pam was born in Saudi Arabia and holds a dual citizenship, both Rich and Pam grew up in New Jersey (which no one would ever be able to tell from their accents). The couple married in 1977 and has been married for 48 years. Though they originally settled in Long Island, they moved to the Lehigh Valley when Marc was 3 years old and raised their family in Easton. Rich is a United States Army veteran who made his living by exceling at all things mechanical, electric, or in any way maintenance related. Pam worked as an aide in special education classrooms, a tutor, and has dedicated her life's work to ministering the Gospel and the promises of Jesus Christ to others, focusing specifically on working with women in need of help recovering from trauma. The couple is retired and stays busy with their small pups, Roxie and Ralphie.
Michael Boytim
Bridesman
Mike is Lauren and Kristen's cousin and completes the trio of best friends. Mike is from Kathy's side of the family (the Boytims), and in all honesty, none of the now-besties knew of each other's existence until their early 20s. Kristen and Mike both attended Lycoming College and happened to have a class with one another. When Kristen heard that Mike's last name was Boytim, she approached him, and the two found out that they were related! Mike developed close friendships with both Kristen and Lauren that flourished throughout their 30s and continues into that other decade that no one wants to talk about. Mike is a sportswriter for the Altoona Mirror where he has worked for almost 20 years. Mike is the reason that the Otto family loves cruises, and he enjoys traveling the world on as many cruise ships as he can! He can be found enjoying fun theme nights, eating great food, or running as many trail races with Lauren as the two can handle. Mike and Marc have also become quite close (against all odds (IYKYK)), and the couple is honored that Mike will be with them for this special day.
Mike and Sherree Luke
Bride's Aunt and Uncle
Sherree is Lauren's Aunt and also one of her closest friends. Having previously dated many years earlier, Sherree and Mike found one another again later in life and were married in February of 2017. The couple lives in Bellmeade where Sherree runs her own business from her home office and Mike enjoys retirement after a career with People's Natural Gas. Sherree loves the beach, and Mike loves fishing, so it is a match made in heaven. The two try to get to the ocean for some R&R as many times as they can throughout the spring, summer, and fall months. Although it took Sherree a while to get Mike to agree to get on an airplane, the two have made it to California, have gotten lost in the wilderness together, and are planning to make this desert adventure into the trip of a lifetime!
Roth and Elizabeth Reason
Officiant
Marc and Lauren are thrilled to have Roth and Elizabeth join them for this joyous occasion! Roth is a Presbyterian Orthodox minister and has been one of Marc's best friends for years. The two met while ultra trail running in Danville, PA. They have been there for one another through many of life's ups and downs, no matter how long it has been or what may be happening. In January 2024, Marc and Lauren had the privilege of attending Roth and Elizabeth's beautiful wedding in Central PA. Lauren recalls that it was the most beautiful wedding she has ever attended, and she could feel the presence of God during the ceremony. Roth and Elizabeth quickly relocated to Yuma, AZ following the wedding so Roth could begin his work planting churches. When Marc and Lauren got engaged, the one thing the couple knew was that they wanted to ask Roth to officiate the wedding. Elizabeth, a former wedding planner and photographer herself, will be acting as the photographer for this occasion as well. Marc and Lauren are thrilled and so blessed to have such amazing friends play such vital roles in their special day!