Wedding Guests
Meet the Hendrens
Groom's Side
Starting strong with our groom’s family. His mom Mari is proud, strong, and definitely not stubborn (unless you ask her kids). Her home is always full of warmth and enough food to feed a small sports team—because, well, she’s had practice. As a working mom, her sacrifice and perseverance kept the Hendren household running. She’s proudly Puerto Rican, and you’ll know exactly who her side of the family is at the wedding—just follow the music & dancing. Byron is her steady counterpart. With roots in central Illinois farming, Byron brought unwavering dedication to his role as a father— Rumor has it he wouldn’t let anyone else hold baby Bryce & no sporting event of all three kids was ever missed. Bryce is also the proud oldest of the Hendren sibling trio. His younger brother, Beau is on the path to becoming a dentist. He keeps life interesting with golf swings, sports bets, and a wardrobe proudly sponsored by Walmart. Bri on the other hand, has a taste for the finer things in life. Thankfully, she now works at Goldman Sachs, although Byron’s wallet is still recovering from her pre-paycheck era. Then there are all the grandparents- the true stars. Kenny and Cindy have supported Bryce through every season of life, and his Abuela gives him a special connection to the other half of who he is. Need a conversation starter? College sports are always a hit- All three Hendren kids were cheerleaders at the University of Illinois (yes, seriously!). Just don't mention Purdue...
Meet the Paz Family
Bride's Side
Maria is the bride and the youngest in the Paz crew! Olga was the kind of mom who showed up for everything, volunteering at every school event and packing homemade lunches that her kids didn’t appreciate enough at the time. She is selfless, funny, and the heart of the family. She also loves a good margarita & is often the surprise life of the party! Humberto has always been extremely hard-working and a safe place to land for his loved ones. He was always present and supportive of his kid’s wildest dreams (In fact, if you're looking for Maria's diplomas, you'll have to look in Humberto's office). Ana, the only and eldest sister, has been there for every single chapter. From eating lunch with her in high school, to being her college roommate, to countless sister trips, she has always been Maria’s biggest fan. She is now married to Connor now and they are expecting their first baby in July! So, the Paz family is growing in more ways than one. Evan will be lucky to have Ana, just like Maria was. Our family is proudly Guatemalan, with aunts, uncles, & more cousins than we can count—plus two incredible grandmothers (one of whom just turned 96!). Most of this side still lives there, and while the in-person representation of the Paz side might be small, they are a tight-knit bunch. Maria misses them all deeply. Sparking up a conversation with Olga or Ana is easy- Just ask about the undisputed favorite child of our family, our 16-year-old Maltese "puppy" Chico Paz.
Bryce's Day Ones
AKA the Bloomington crew
These are the friends who’ve been with Bryce since the very beginning—childhood pals turned chosen family. This group grew up together and somehow managed to stay just as close, even as life took them in different directions. Zach and Laura have known Bryce since they were kids, and they’ve been part of his life through every chapter. Bryce stood proudly by Zach’s side at his wedding- but he never lets him forget that he was Laura’s homecoming date back in high school first ;) Now, Zach and Laura have a daughter, Ellie, who’s already winning hearts as the group’s first little one (ask to see pics, she is adorable!). Nick is another lifelong friend—important not just to Bryce, but to his whole family. His loyalty runs deep, and he will defend his friends with whatever he has (even if that's a hockey stick in PE). He married Rachel, who has become the perfect addition to this tight-knit crew, and finally gave Maria a fellow bookworm. Fun fact: Nick was the very first person to predict this marriage (we’re still not sure how he knew). Kyler and Matt complete the Bloomington OGs—one’s a golf pro in the making, and the other’s a pharmacist, ready to patch him up when things go sideways (we'll let you guess). Whether they’re trading stories or tearing up the dance floor, this crew shows up big - just like they always have.
U of I Alumni
Orange & blue forever
Bryce's love for the University of Illinois runs deep- and he's not alone. Many proud alumni will be in attendance and thankfully finding them is easy- just shout "ILL" and wait for the "INI" to be yelled back from across the beach. Among this crew are Ivan and Omar. Fellow U of I male cheerleaders and instant brothers. Nothing bonds a few 18 year old guys in college than matching uniforms. Ivan recently finished dental school and is now getting even MORE training in sunny Puerto Rico on his way towards becoming an oral surgeon. He’s always ready to have your back, day or night- just hope he isn't arriving on his motorcycle. Omar married his beautiful wife Lana and has approximately 10 different careers (kidding....mostly). As captain of the U of I cheerleaders, he’s been the ultimate hype man from the very beginning. Word on the street is that there are also a couple of old stunting partners invited...so who knows, maybe we'll get a half-time show at cocktail hour.
Randy Melanson
MVP of our Med School Era
Yes, Randy gets his own section—and once you meet him, you’ll know why. He started as Bryce’s med school roommate, but the real magic happened when he met Maria… and she met her true soulmate. They bonded over their love for the Northeast, Dunkin’ Donuts, and (formerly) shots of tequila. He didn’t just survive med school with us—he housed us, too. The three of us (plus an 80 lb yellow lab named Dunkin) squeezed into his two-bedroom walk-up on the South Side of Chicago. Raising an untrained puppy during a freezing Chicago winter created a bond that’s hard to explain—but impossible to forget. Maria credits randy for getting her through med school and he is equally as important to Bryce. He has TRULY been there for every part of this love story—blizzard, bottles of wine, tears, and all. Oh, and did we mention he’s not earning just one doctorate, but two? If all goes as planned, we’ll also be raising a toast to Dr. Randy Melanson, PhD*—just before he heads back to Chicago to begin M3 and finish his MD. Yes, he’s crazy. Yes, we adore him. *Pending successful thesis defense, but we are choosing to ~manifest~
The Duke Residents
Left AMA
If someone shouts, “Is there a doctor here?!”—don’t panic. With 10+ Duke residents in attendance, this may be the safest resort in Mexico (on paper, anyway). Just... maybe don’t count on them being in any condition to actually help—that depends on the hour. Looking for love? We won’t name names, but a few of them are still single. Feel free to treat it like a guessing game—HIPAA-friendly, of course. Their only job this weekend? Forget about residency and have fun. If you see one with an empty drink, be kind to your favorite overworked doctor and help them fix that. This crew brings the chaos—in the best way. So, if you're wondering where the party’s at, just follow any of the boys and their stolen dance moves (looking at you Eric) or any of the Duke girlies (you know who you are).