Wedding Party
Heather Williams
Bridesmaid
Heather and I met during my first year of teaching in Winchester, VA 18 years ago! We taught at the same school, but we bonded over running into each other in Kohl's one Saturday afternoon right after I had gotten my eyebrows waxed and looked like a crazy person. Heather invited me out that night and it quickly became clear that we would become the best of friends. Being friends with her meant I was quickly welcomed into the cool crowd at work, because she's obviously president of the cool kids club. All of my stories while living in Winchester involve Heather. The cool thing about Heather is that when you become friends with her, you also gain her whole family. My favorite nickname, My-Ling, was unintentionally given to me by her dad and we'll never stop laughing about it. She remained an intentional friend when I moved and we became masters of phone dates and weekend visits. She's way more responsible than me, but she's also the friend I'm the most likely to be with if I'm getting in trouble. We fondly refer to each other as "our person" or the "Christina to my Meredith" (although we've never fully established which is which). Heather has been by my side through every single one of my life's ups and downs for the past 18 years and I know she'll remain by my side for all of the years to come. Things we love doing together include traveling to beaches, drinking wine, cheering for the Steelers, laughing at inside jokes, and sharing our beloved Auntie stories!
Jillian Smith
Bridesmaid
Jillian and I met during my first year at Johnson 13 years ago! Her classroom was right beside mine and we bonded over an unexpected earthquake, sharing stories of work miseries and celebrations, our faith, and wine. I had no clue what I was getting myself into when Jillian and other co-workers invited me to join them in their quest to visit every VA winery during that year. I quickly learned this was serious business when Jillian sent me the itinerary for the first day I was joining and it included 11 vineyards! Really, we're just lucky I was invited considering I brought Moscato the first time she invited me over for dinner. We're even luckier she taught me the error of my ways and I now reach for dry reds and would rather never drink wine again than have to drink Moscato. We've traveled on many fun trips together and joke that I think of an idea for us to do and Jillian makes sure it's legal and that we stay alive while carrying out said plan. She's the Enneagram 6 to my 7, the friend who is terrified to ride with me because she claims that I always speed, the friend who will wait for me and worry that I've been detained as I yell as the customs agent "How was I supposed to know I'm not allowed to use pink ink on this form?!", one of my most thoughtful friends, the friend who had champagne chilling in anticipation of my engagement, and one of the first people I tell regardless of whether I'm sharing happy news, sad news, or just a funny story.
Jana Frankenfield
Bridesmaid
The first thing you'll notice about Jana is that she has the best hair of anyone you've ever met in your entire life, but there's so much more to her than just her perfect hair. Jana and I met at IUP over 20 years ago and quickly formed a deep friendship. She immediately took me into her friend group and showed me the ropes of navigating college life at IUP. After graduation, I moved to Virginia and Jana was in eastern PA (don't worry, even though she's from the other side of the state she was born into a family who cheers for the correct Pennsylvania football team). We kept our friendship strong by traveling back and forth to each other's towns and taking some super fun trips together! As if having two brothers of my own wasn't enough, I inherited 3 more brothers through my friendship with Jana. Her family always welcomed me into the fold and made me feel right at home...even if making me feel at home meant picking me up and tossing me into the ocean while I innocently sat in my beach chair :) Jana is my biggest encourager and cheerleader and the kind of friend everyone needs. We can share our truest, most honest thoughts without worrying about being judged, regardless of how crazy the thoughts are. This is usually because the other one of us already has the same thought. We can also share clothes, which is a huge perk when I'm packing to visit her. There's never a shortage of good food, good wine, quality conversation, and ALL.THE.LAUGHTER when Jana and I are together!
Winslette, Maggie, & Cal
Ryan's Attendants
Y'all. These 3 kids have hearts of gold. Ryan & I are so lucky to have front-row seats in raising them and watching them grow into the amazing people they are. Cal will serve as Ryan's best man. Cal is a master Lego builder, an expert video game player, a talented artist, thoughtful, and silly! Ryan says that watching Cal and I together is like watching a cartoon :) Cal asks lots of questions about the world and we adore his curiosity. He also just started his lacrosse career and it's fun watching him learn and grow in this area. Winslette and Maggie will be bridesmaids and then join their dad to stand with him during the ceremony. Winslette is a talented volleyball player, a loyal friend to those she loves, a wealth of knowledge, and loves skincare, makeup, and interior decorating. Maggie is a social butterfly, a hard worker, loves to shop, and is great at thinking of ways to be thoughtful and cheer people up. It's fun to watch these girls navigate life in middle school and figure out who they are and what their role in the world is. It's important to us that the kids are a big part of our wedding, as the wedding is not only about us becoming husband and wife, but all 5 of us becoming a family. All 3 kids have welcomed me with open arms since the very beginning and they've completely stolen my heart! They're sure to bring lots of quality entertainment to our wedding day.
Auntie Lyse's Nieces
Flower Girl
Emmaline, Margot, Grace, Esme, Willa, Joey, and Lucia! I could not be more honored to have all 7 of my nieces participate in the wedding as flower girls. These girls are the true joys of my heart and I adore being their auntie. Watching them grow and develop into the beautiful people they are is a pure joy. I'm so proud of who they are becoming. They are going to be stunning flower girls and there's a good chance they just might steal the show ;) I'd be remiss to not mention their moms (my sisters-in-law), Christine and Lara. These two women are the most steadfast, gracious mommas to my nieces. I feel so grateful that my nieces get to grow up with the wisdom, love, and guidance of Christine & Lara. My brothers sure chose well when they chose their wives & gifted me the sisters I've always wanted! I love how they've always welcomed me into their homes & their lives & have always been supportive & encouraging to me.
all our nephews
Ring Bearer
My 3 nephews, Isaiah, Henri, and Max, along with Ryan's nephew, Brooks, will be our adorable ringbearers. Although there was initially some hesitancy about committing to such an important role, along with some questions about how they would afford my ring, I think everyone is officially on board! These handsome Croce boys hold a special piece of my heart and watching them grow is so fun! They're smart, silly, and sweet balls of energy who bring excitement wherever they go. I'm not surprised that they are turning into such wonderful men, because they have my brothers as their dads. My brothers are two of the most steady, generous, and kind men I know. They are a safe space for me and I've leaned on and appreciated our adult friendships more than I ever thought I would. Brooks is, without a doubt, Winnie, Maggie, & Cal's favorite cousin and he's the cutest, silliest boy in any room! Watching him with his dad (Ryan's brother) and Rachel (Kyle's girlfriend, whom we all absolutely adore) it's clear that he is growing into a kind and loving dude! Get ready for a wild rumpus as this self-proclaimed "Boy Gang" (Cal included) heads down the aisle and then takes over the dance floor!
Dave Koehn & Chris Blair
Reception Emcees
With Ryan's friends Dave, the former voice of Virginia and the current voice of the Milwaukee Bucks, and Chris, the voice of LSU, on the mic we're confident our reception entrance will be exciting (or at least well articulated). While they'll leave their play-by-play duties at home for the night, they'll keep us all on track for the big moments during the reception.
Becca Covington
I-Do-Crew VIP
What happens when the shortest girl & the tallest girl form a friendship? You get Maelys & Becca & a bunch of pictures where our height difference looks hilarious. Becca & I met when she started teaching at Johnson and her friendship over the years has been invaluable. She's been a constant presence in my life through all of the ups and downs of the last (I don't even know how many) years. We've walked through some of the lowest lows of life together and through some of life's highest highs. She is an intentional friend whose love & care for me is fiercely loyal. I value Becca's strong faith & how she always points me back to mine. Becca and I have taken many fun spring breaks, summer trips, and long weekends together and always return with some type of crazy story. Living 5 minutes from each other during Covid proved to be a lifesaver and we spent many days in Becca's backyard sipping drinks, talking about everything under the sun, and hanging out with Livy. In addition to being a cherished friend, Becca is one of those people who is amazing at everything she does. Her eye for decor, her event planning & hosting skills, and her cooking are just the tip of the iceberg of her talents. I can't imagine going through this engagement and wedding season without Becca's presence, involvement, and encouragement. Becca and Livy will be sitting with my parents during the ceremony.
Alissa Drolshagen
I-Do-Crew VIP
Alissa and I met at spin class at the gym during the Covid Summer of 2020. The fact that we were both there told me we had something in common....we're both extroverts who crave social interactions and love going to the gym. Alissa can talk to anyone, so she struck up a conversation with me and we realized we're also both teachers. We quickly became "gym friends" and would look forward to catching up while working out. Eventually, one of us got brave and initiated the first "hey, we should grab a drink after class" and that's where our real-life/outside-of-the-gym friendship was born. I met Ryan shortly after and Alissa & her husband, Jonathan, became one of our favorite couple friends to double date with. In the years since, Alissa and I have walked through both happy and sad times together and our friendship has continued to grow. Alissa's daughter is the same age as Winslette, so having a friend who truly understands parenting during the middle school years has been such a gift. She's the kind of friend who always has my back, my personal hype-woman, thoughtful, and FUN. I'm so grateful to have her in my life. Knowing that Ryan and I really want our wedding to have personal touches from those we love, Alissa has agreed to make the wedding cake that we will cut into! We are so honored and excited to have one of Alissa's cakes for our important day (she also made my 40th birthday cake, which was gorgeous & delicious)!
Preston & Jay Jay Holloway
I-Do-Crew VIP
Preston & Jay Jay are two of Ryan's closest friends. I'll have him update their bio at some point, since I don't know all the details of their years of friendship. I know Preston and Ryan met at UGA and when Preston met Jay Jay the three of them formed a tight friendship. Preston & Jay are family to Ryan and me. We love visiting them at their gorgeous historical home in Georgia and Ryan, in particular, loves snuggling their Basset hounds. Jay is a talented home decorator, dynamic cook, the most gracious hostess, and the most thoughtful person in the world. I love knowing that I can call her any time & she's such a consistent support. Preston and Jay are the kind of friends who will drop everything to be there when you need them. True story: I was more nervous to meet these two than I was to meet Ryan's parents for the first time! I knew their opinion & approval of me was going to be something Ryan held in high regard. Preston & Jay both welcomed me with open arms and I'm so grateful I've been adopted into the friendship. Preston and Ryan could talk about bourbon and UGA football for hours and I love doing tequila tastings with Preston. I actually have a bottle that I've been excited to open with him & am pumped we get to drink it together while they're here for the wedding. You'll find Preston & Jay Jay sitting beside Ryan's parents at our wedding ceremony.