Erika & Zach
Wedding Party
Dana Brown
Maid of Honor
Erika’s life changed on April 25th, 1997 when Dana Brown made her grand entrance into this world. A talented young lady with a larger than life personality, Dana breathes life into any party. She has accomplished so much as a performer in her career, but through all of her success, she has always had her feet on the ground and always comes back to reprise one of her favorite roles to play in life (besides Mom to Mochi) as Erika’s “Sissy”. Some of Erika and Dana’s favorite things to do when they’re together are going to New York to go see a Broadway show, participating in escape rooms, and playing retro video games together. When Dana accepted her current contract to work for Universal Beijing as the Fairy Godmother from “Shrek”, she stayed committed to keeping in touch daily and still being there for her sissy. Dana was ecstatic to be home from China to see her big sis get engaged, and is excited to celebrate with family in 2024!
Michael Toolan
Best Man
If you went to Kutztown and had any interaction with the KU music department, you knew that Michael Toolan and Zachary Lefurge were attached at the hip. They were practice partners nearly every day for 4 years, and pushed each other to become better musicians, and better people. They were so close during college that they even had a joint senior recital together in 2016. After College, Zach was fortunate enough to be able to play trumpet under Michael’s direction at SALT Performing Arts, which was the beginning of Michael’s journey into the Musical Theatre world. While Michael has taken his music career on a different path than the trumpet, Zach has always been proud of his Bill Adam Routine partner, and loves to watch his career flourish in London from afar. Michael currently teaches conducting at the London School of Music, is the piano accompanist for Pineapple Studios, and is the Musical Director and staff accompanist at the Bird Conservatoire of Musical Theatre and Dance.
Kristen Lefurge
Bridesmaid
Kristen Lefurge (formerly Jeremy Lefurge), is Zach’s younger sister, and someone that Erika has become close with over the last 10 years. Erika and Kristen bonded over wine tasting in the Finger Lakes region of New York on trips up to visit Kristen and her longtime girlfriend, Alice. Erika, Zach, Kristen, and Alice love to go out to explore near Kristen’s home in the Rochester, New York area, and they also love going to one of their favorite restaurants, the New York Beer Project in Victor, New York to share jumbo soft pretzels and warm chocolate chip cookie desserts. Zach and Erika are excited to have Kristen on Erika’s side of the aisle alongside Dana as the sisters of the bride and groom. Zach and Erika don’t get to see Kristen very often, but they are excited that they will have another chance to see her in August of 2024!
William Wysocki
Groomsman
William Wysocki is a friend that Zach holds near and dear to his heart. The two met through the Music & Arts store in Ridgewood, New Jersey, where Zach managed for three years. William applied to be a clarinet instructor at the store, and when he was being interviewed, neither of them could’ve predicted the beautiful friendship they currently have. Working weekends at the music store was never Zach’s favorite thing because it took time away from being with Erika, but the All-Star lineup of teachers on Saturdays made it fun and something he looked forward to every week, and William was the leader of that team of teachers. The first time they hung out outside of work was when Zach was watching his fur nephew, Mochi, in New York . William invited him out to a hang at the Bar at Manhatta on St. Patrick’s Day 2021, and it kicked off a series of New York adventures together. Some of their favorite things to do when they have the chance to meet up is to go to baseball games to root for the Baltimore Orioles or the New York “Fighting Showalters” (R.I.P. 2022 - 2023) in Queens, eating at new restaurants, and on occasion, gaming together. William is an outstanding clarinetist, and an even greater friend.
Samantha Slater
Bridesmaid
Samatha Slater is Erika’s best friend and former roommate from Kutztown University. While the two lived on the second floor in Dixon Hall during Erika’s junior year and Samatha’s sophomore year, they slowly began to get to know that crazy trumpet player who lives upstairs on floor 3 a little bit better. During college, Zach, Sam, and Erika would routinely get dinner together at South Dining Hall, and hang out after classes. While life got busy and they moved to different states after college, Erika and Samantha stayed in contact and have been supportive of each other. Erika is excited to spend more time with Sam in the months leading up to the wedding and beyond.
Michael Mathes
Groomsman
When Zach went to interview for Music & Arts, he had no idea what to expect, and he certainly didn’t anticipate gaining a big brother in his life, but that’s exactly what he got. Michael Mathes, or Mikey as Zach calls him, was Zach’s first manager at the Music & Arts location in Crofton, Maryland and to this day, is Zach’s favorite Music & Arts manager that he’s worked for (sorry Andrew!). When Mikey announced he was leaving the store, Zach gathered up the Store #1311 team to go to their favorite meeting spot, Fat Boy’s Crab House to celebrate Mikey’s next adventure. In the beginning of 2023, Mikey encouraged Zach to apply to work on the Pro Sales team for the company he works for - Costello’s ACE Hardware. After a lunch of encouragement and two great interviews, Zach left the music store to once again work in the same company as Mikey. While they’re not in the same department, Zach knows that he can always call on his friend to hear him say “Zachary Binks!” receive great work and life advice. Mikey has become a significant role model to Zach, someone that he is thankful to have in his life, and someone he is excited to be a part of this once in a lifetime experience.
Jessica Braun
Bridesmaid
Jessica Braun and Zachary Lefurge’s friendship goes all the way back to pre-K when they were in the same daycare together. Throughout their friendship, they’ve always wanted one thing for each other - each other’s happiness. When Jess and Ashley made the journey out to Kutztown for the 2014 Big Band Bash, they met Erika for the first time, and a friendship was born. Jess and Erika have enjoyed playing volleyball together, partying, traveling, cooking, and even working together, as Jess is the director at the Drayer Physical Therapy in Byram Township, New Jersey where Erika currently works. Zach considers Jessica to be his closest friend, someone who he can talk to about anything, someone who he can call at any time for life advice or help, and one of the only friends he willingly drives to the airport. Erika loves the fact that she “stole Zach’s bestie” to be a confidant of her own, and she is excited to have Jess in her bridal party!
Martin Rzeszutko
Groomsman
Zach first met Martin Rzeszutko at Lenape Valley Regional High School where they were freshman in German class together. They were assigned to the same group for a project, and their friendship would’ve started there if Zach wasn’t a procrastinator. Soon after, they became close friends. Some of their favorite stories to reminisce on are writing messages in a secret code the created together, goofing off in class, but most of all, they love to talk about their days as “gym class heroes” when they played floor hockey and went undefeated for the marking period in Ms. Hoover’s gym class. Between the end of high school to present day, Zach and Martin enjoy going to the Rockaway Mall Red Robin to catch up and to talk about how bad their respective sports teams are doing. Martin, Sandra, Zach, and Erika enjoy playing volleyball and partying together, which is something they got to do a lot of together in 2022 and 2023. Martin has always been a great friend, and Zach looks forward to many more adventures to come.
Ashley Hebble
Bridesmaid
Ashley Hebble and Zach also have a long friendship together that dates back to Byram schools. Ashley or “Pebbles” and Zach, aka “Zachy-poo” performed one semester of East Stroudsburg University Winter Guard together in 8th grade, and became best friends during that experience. They went on to lead the Lenape Valley Marching Patriots to many winning seasons, and enjoyed their senior year with fellow bridesmaid Jessica Braun as a first time guard member, and father of the groom aka “Daaaaaaad” as the color guard instructor. Ashley met Erika at the same time as Jess when they came to Kutztown for the 2014 Big Band Bash, and yet another one of Zach’s besties was stolen. Jess, Ashley, and Erika really bonded when they celebrated Ashley’s 28th Birthday in Atlantic City in 2022, and enjoyed celebrating Erika’s 30th birthday in New York the same year. In 2023 they took their first girls trip to Nashville, Tennessee and had a great time together. Erika and Ashley enjoy occasionally going line dancing, partying in Atlantic City, and eating Mexican food at Don Jose in Netcong, New Jersey. Erika loves spending time with Ashley, and she is looking forward to more great times in the years to come.
Evan Shibley
Groomsman
Evan Shibley may be the newest friend of Zach’s in his side of the wedding party, but he is someone that Zach thoroughly enjoys being around. When Zach decided to switch from being a Yankees fan to the Mets fan in 2022, and a rivalry (and friendship) was born. Evan is dating Zach’s best friend Jessica Braun (see Erika’s side of the wedding party), and Zach couldn’t be happier to see his longest tenured childhood best friend happy. Some of the things that Zach and Evan have enjoyed doing together is go fishing, playing catch, attending Mets vs. Phillies games, road raging in Mario Kart, and cooking pizza in Zach’s Ooni Pizza Oven. When you meet Evan, he is usually a man of few words, but when he opens up, he lights up a room with an out of pocket joke and just by being his goofy self. Zach and Evan are learning and growing in their friendship, and Zach is excited to not only have a buddy to go to Mets/Phillies games with, but to also have Evan be a major part of his life for many years to come.