Wedding Party
Joanna Bartone
Matron of Honor
Joanna and MacKenzie met in Fall 2018 when MacKenzie started going to the small group that was hosted at Joanna’s house. Joanna was the first Christian MacKenzie met with such a similar story to hers and because of that, they instantly became friends. Joanna often describes their friendship as a “brownie friendship” that quickly became so rich and so sweet. Joanna moved to Morgantown in May of 2019 but their friendship has only gotten sweeter with time. They often schedule trips to visit each other to catch up and share of God’s faithfulness to each of them. Joanna and her husband, Stephen, now live in Morgantown with their son, James.
Dan Aleksiejczyk
Best Man
Dan and Jacob met during Housing and Residence Life training in the summer of 2016 and attended grad school together at Ohio University. Dan introduced Jacob to Dungeons and Dragons and the two spent many late nights together playing Terraforming Mars. After graduating, Dan moved to the Carolinas with his wife, Kassandra, but Jacob and he stayed close through their shared hobbies and annual visits. In the spring of 2025, Dan accepted a job at Ohio University and returned to Athens, living with Jacob for a couple months. Dan and his wife, Kassandra, now both work for Ohio University and live a house over from Jacob.
Ally Velraj
Matron of Honor
Ally and MacKenzie met when MacKenzie joined the small group led by Ally’s husband, Sam back in 2021. The two with their daughter Olivia quickly became like family to MacKenzie as they often welcomed her into their home, sharing meals together, talking through big life decisions, and watching their little family grow from 3 to 5 as they welcomed 2 other kiddos into the mix. Ally has been a consistently loving and thoughtful friend that often reminds MacKenzie of God’s enduring love. Ally and her husband Sam live in Athens with their three kids - Olivia, Joshua, and Jonathan.
Ike Hesse
Best Man
Ike and Jacob have been best friends since Ike was born. For the majority of each of their lives the two shared a home, whether it was the same room when living with their parents, the same residence hall at Ohio State, or one of the many spaces they've lived in together since Ike moved to Athens in 2019. The two have always been close not only as brothers but as best friends, supporting each other and spending time sharing hobbies like videogames, working out, and watching Studio Ghibli movies. Though Ike hates to admit it, he is also the best friend of Jacob's dog, Alfie. Ike currently works for Ohio University and lives in Athens.
An Dinh-Brown
Bridesmaid
An lead the first small group that MacKenzie regularly attended in Fall 2018, where she learned a great deal about the joy of following Jesus through An. While in Athens, MacKenzie and An bonded over runs on the bike path, dinners in the dining hall, and adventures with the ladies in small group like ice skating or trying Korean BBQ in Columbus. Over the years the two have enjoyed exploring multiple National Parks together like Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, White Sand, and Guadalupe Mountain. An and her husband Isaiah now live in Toledo with their daughter Samara.
Zach Swope
Groomsman
Zach and Jacob met in the summer of 2016 after Jacob moved to Athens to start grad school. Zach had been working for Housing and Residence Life for a year already and the two quickly became great friends. The two worked for Ohio University together in multiple roles from 2016 to 2025. During that time, Zach and Jacob spent many late nights watching movies, playing boardgames, and exploring the world of Dungeons and Dragons together. Zach, alongside his wife, Meg, and two children, Juniper and Micah, moved to Canton in 2025 where Zach started a new position in higher education.
Ibi Max-Harry
Bridesmaid
Ibi and MacKenzie met in the Fall of 2019 when she first moved to Athens to pursue her Ph.D. Ibi was new to the United States and MacKenzie was new to life in Athens without many of her friends who left the area. Despite the major changes in their lives, the two were blessed with the friendship they found in each other. They have spent many seasons of life together in Athens and Ibi has been a constant source of joy and encouragement to MacKenzie along the way. Ibi and her husband, Ini live in New Haven, CT where Ini is finishing his master’s degree from Yale University.
Nate Reynolds
Groomsman
Nate and Jacob met at Dan's bachelor party in the summer of 2018. The two grew closer as they attended church and played Dungeons and Dragons together. Nate and his wife, Tana, invited Jacob to weekly dinners where the group would often share meals, play boardgames, and sing Baby Shark to Nate's daughter, Emelia. Nate and his family moved to North Carolina in 2020 after Nate completed his PhD at Ohio University but Jacob and he remained close through regular calls, Dungeons and Dragons, and virtual boardgame nights. Nate and Tana currently live in Raleigh with their two children, Emelia and Connor.
Serenity Mason
Bridesmaid
Serenity and MacKenzie met while attending Brookfield church, but became friends after the two spontaneously went to lunch after church on a Sunday in 2023. They quickly bonded over deep conversations and goofy behavior. The two can hang out for hours doing a variety of activities like competing in wii sports, playing pickle ball, attending concerts, watching movies, going on walks, or just simply enjoying conversations on the couch. Serenity is finishing up her bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies at Ohio University in Athens.
Trace Bradley
Groomsman
Trace and Jacob become friends in elementary school in 2001. Trace and Jacob grew up together, often spending the weekends hanging out. The two attended different high schools and colleges, but stayed close, always attending a superhero movie midnight premier together when they could. After college, Trace moved to Chicago and Jacob moved to Athens so the two didn't see each other as frequently but tried their best to stay in touch. Since Trace moved back to the Dayton area in 2021, its been easier for Jacob and Trace to get together on the weekends to catch up. Trace currently lives in Dayton with his wife, Katie, and their son, Taran.
Ally Hesse
Bridesmaid
Ally and MacKenzie have a newly formed relationship as MacKenzie is marrying into the Hesse family. Ally is Jacob’s youngest sister and coincidentally lives in MacKenzie’s hometown of Syracuse, NY. Ally and MacKenzie have many shared interests like baking, tennis, and hiking. MacKenzie is excited to share these hobbies and discover more about Ally in the coming years. Ally graduated with her master’s degree from Ohio State last spring and is currently a house mom for a sorority in Syracuse, NY.
Kevin Scott
Groomsman
Kevin and Jacob met on their freshman floor section at Ohio State in 2012. The two spent time together watching movies, participating in hall council, and attending Buckeye games. Their sophomore year, both Kevin and Jacob worked in the same building and during their senior year, they worked at the same movie theater. After Jacob graduated in 2016, the two kept in touch by playing Dungeons and Dragons and organizing trips together. They see one another for a Hocking Hills cabin weekend and attend a game at the Shoe at least once a year. Kevin and his fiancée, Katie, both currently live in Columbus and work at Ohio State.
