Wedding Party
Lizete Chavez
Bride
“It all began with my favorite number, nine. In the beginning of the summer of 2021, I had decided I would get a tattoo of my favorite number in angel number style, “999”. For me this means seeing the good in the bad, since 999 upside down 666. So, I did, in August 7th after playing a big beach volleyball tournament I went to get my tattoo. Little did I know what would happen the following day. In August 8th, a friend invited me to sub for his league. We played two matches that day and the second one was the one that changed my life. While we were playing I noticed a tattoo on one of the guys from the other team, “999”. My team won the match and after it I decided I would go up to this guy since we both had the same tattoo, and ask what those numbers meant to him. “Seeing the good in the bad” he said. I showed him my tattoo and explained it also meant that to me and that I had gotten it the day before. We both were surprised. After that I was invited to another gym to play volleyball and when I walked in, there he was. The “999” guy from the league. We played and I won’t lie, I flirted a little bit. I noticed Emily already knew him so I convinced her to invite him to an open gym Mandy and I ran on Tuesdays. We then began to hang out and talked until I eventually asked him to go to a Friendsgiving with me. The rest is history lol.”
Andrew Leon
Groom
“It was the routine Sunday for me as I played in my volleyball league. I did notice a cute face across the net but didn’t think anything of it. It was only after the game that liz would walk up to me asking “what does 999 mean” when I was two words into explaining she cut me off and pointed at her tattoo which was also “999”. We proceeded to laugh about how a coincidence it was but quickly carried on our separate ways. Not coincidence but fate is what I would call it when crossed paths months later In an open gym where we would deepen our connection and be what we are today.”
Michelle Ovalle
Maid of Honor
“So, it was 2012 in 6th period lunch and I just remember you laughing! You were probably telling a story or something, and when I finally sat down. You quickly asked "wait, you have this lunch period?" Which to I replied "nah, I ditched French." We both died laughing and I knew from that day we'll be bad bitches for life.”
Kevin Leon
Best Man
Emily Stummer
Bridesmaid
“Surprisingly, I have actually known Andrew longer than I have known Liz. It was the summer of 2020 and I just got back into playing volleyball when I met Andrew and a bunch of his friends from volleyball. We played grass and sand all throughout that summer, and flash forward to April of 2021… I met Liz at a spring indoor volleyball tournament, not knowing at the time that I had just met a lifelong friend, person to gossip with, laugh with and eventually connect with many more people of her friend “group”. I am forever grateful for those connections I made in the summer of 2020 and spring of 2021 with Andrew and Liz.”
Torrin Ley
Groomsman
“Me and Andrew have known each other since the beginning of my freshman year of college. We’ve been playing together at Judson for about two years now. We had the same weightlifting class, and when we greeted each other we became workout buddies, soon enough he had invited me to hangout with him and his friends during the halloween weekend, and from there I could never be as grateful to have meet someone that I can call my life-time friend.”
Amanda Graves
Bridesmaid
“I met Liz playing volleyball at Oakton in 2016. We weren’t really close at the beginning of the season, but we started hanging out more after the season was over. We started going to open gyms together and got tacos a lot. By year 2 of Oakton vball we were getting food all the time before practice or after games.”
Marco Jimenez Garcia
Groomsman
“I always tell Andrew how I met him but he always tell me he doesn’t remember but, we first met when we had social studies in 6th grade and the teacher sat us together. We never talked before that even though we had home room together and out of no where this man says “ wanna have a contest?” And he proceeds to ask who can draw the best dragon. My dumba** was trying so hard to impress him so I did the best I could and when we finally revealed our dragons he pulled out the dumbest looking dragon and it looked like he didn’t even try. I laughed so hard but ever since that we’ve been good friends, he even introduced me to everyone I know now and I will never forget that.”
Mary Arredia
Bridesmaid
“Well, at first I think I met you when you were 17-18 years old and would see you on an almost weekly basis. Did we ever speak to each other? No. Were we friends? No. Did you make fun of my dance moves during every open gym? 100% For some reason, November/December of 2021 (I think lol) I decided to start running women’s open gyms. Before the open gyms, we started meeting for weekly drinks and somewhere in the mix you became my best friend.Something in the universe brought us together and we have been stupid together ever since, love you man!”
Jorge Lopez
Groomsman
Maria Villaneda
Bridesmaid
“Okay the very first memory of you that will always stick out is before we even got close you and Mary went to waupaka and you went out and picked out flowers for her to bring back and that’s when I knew you were the sweetest person ever. Also I knew we’d get along bc you knewwww how to drink and youre Mexican so obviously knew you were the best person to keep around.”
Lexani Gomez
Groomsman
Avyion Leon
Ring Bearer
Kim Panzarella
Officiant