Julia & Mario
Meet Our Wedding Party
Tian Colby
Maid of Honor
When I was getting ready to go off to college, my mom was having a severe case of "Empty Nest Syndrome." She sat my brothers and I down to tell us that she wanted to adopt a little girl. We, of course, thought she was crazy, but she insisted that she just "knew" that this little girl was going to be special. It turns out, as usual, I hate to say, that my mom was right. It's hard to imagine a time when I didn't have a little sister in my life. Tian brightens up any room she enters, and her big heart always makes everything better. People cannot help but gravitate towards her because she truly touches the lives of each person she encounters. She is not only my sister, but also my best friend, and I could not do this without her. I am beyond grateful to have the best Maid of Honor out there!
Aimee Deutsch
Best Woman
Aim and I met during our teen tour days on "Fire & Ice." Since then, our friendship has been through four brutal years of JFK, four long-distance years of college, and six hilarious, but "grown-up" years as roommates. I got my sarcasm from her, which I wear as a badge of honor since Aimee can't be in a room without making everyone die of laughter. She has gotten me through every challenging moment, and always knows the exact right thing to say to make me smile. There is nothing I enjoy more than a night on the couch with Aim, eating spooey and ripping apart an awful scary movie. Everyone knows we STARTED Marinara Pizza and Schitt's Creek, and I cannot wait to share many more firsts with her. I am honored to have Aim, not only as a best friend, but also as a "best woman" on my special day.
Colette DiLauro
Best Woman
Colette and I met within the first week at Lehigh University. Even though she wasn't in my freshman dorm, she would NOT leave me alone! We quickly became best friends, and decided that we needed to live together Sophomore year. I had the best time spending nights in AXO with Co, sitting on her bed watching Family Guy and laughing so hard that everyone else wanted to kill us. Since our party days, Co is my favorite person to have game nights with, where we have a "wild" night playing Codenames. I enjoy planning cooking nights with her, where she cooks the delicious meals and I...well...watch. I could not imagine not having met Co in college, and I could not imagine not having her as a "best woman" at my wedding.
Meryl Lyons
Bridesmaid
Even though Meryl considers me just an "Internet Friend," when I put an ad on Craigslist five years ago for a roommate, I made the best decision ever. My mom was extremely worried that finding a roommate on Craigslist would end up with me being murdered, and called me a hundred times that day. When Meryl showed up with her mother, I knew she was no murderer. Meryl has since become my favorite person to watch murder documentaries with while vegging out on the couch and ordering an obscenely expensive array of Seamless. Even though Meryl is an Eagle's Fan (Yuck!), watching sports together and finding excuses to drink is kind of our thing. I am so excited to pick up where we left off on July 29th with my best friend!
Erin Reffsin
Bridesmaid
Erin has been my mentor in all things "fun" and "pretty" ever since I can remember. When I first started wearing make-up, Erin sat me down and had a very serious conversation with me about what was acceptable and what was not. To this day, I have her to thank for never looking "too orange" or "too clowny." I'll never forget when Erin decided that we were now exclusively using the word "situational", and I just went along with it because her opinion meant EVERYTHING TO ME. During family functions, we always sneak away to gossip about everything and nothing, and it is my favorite part of holidays. Even though we live far away, and don't get to see each other a lot, I could not imagine not having Erin standing beside me on my wedding day.
Nicole O'Connor
Bridesmaid
After years of interviewing to find my perfect school, I finally accepted a job at Simon Baruch Middle School. I heard I would be working with a co-teacher, which was already new to me, and I hoped that we would be a good fit. Now three and a half years later, she is not only my perfect match as a coworker, but she has also become one of my best friends. Whether we are taking trips to AC or Washington D.C, or we are playing the Switch on the couch, I always have the best time with her and James. Nicole is not just a great friend to me, but she is also an amazing second dog mom to Hudson. Just like at work, I am so lucky to have Nicole by my side to help calm me down!
Emily Zinno
Bridesmaid
One of the many reasons I feel so lucky to have met Mario is because I have gained a sister and a lifelong friend. From the second I met Emily, she was welcoming and warm; she made me instantly feel like I was part of the family. I love how Emily is always smiling, and is always able to put a positive spin on any situation. She never hesitates to offer her help, and after seeing her as a beautiful bride herself, I am so grateful for all her advice! When I am with her, I am instantly in a better mood. I cannot wait to see our relationship continue to grow, and I feel so incredibly honored to have her with me on this special day!
Andrew Friedman
Bridesman
So I won't make him wear a dress, but my wedding would not be the same without Andrew right there with me. Andrew and I met freshman year of college, where we shared the same dorm. He quickly became my support system, as we stayed up all night talking about LITERALLY EVERYTHING, and we would eat microwaved cookie dough with forks. I can always depend on Andrew; he got me a gift each year for my birthday (even though we were broke college students), and when I needed a heart-to-heart, I knew exactly who to call. Although we both have changed quite a bit since our college days, one thing still remains the same: I am so grateful to have a friend like Andrew in my life.
Kyle Ditmars
Best Man
Who better to serve as my Best Man than a cousin, and one of my best friends who feels more like an older brother than anything. Kyle and I have grown up together, but have been especially close during the last 5 years with trips to AC, Belmar, and watching the Jets lose at MetLife. Kyle has taught me a lot about life and love through his marriage, and I'm very happy to have him beside me through my own wedding experience.
Clarence Williams
Groomsman
Anyone who's ever met Clarence knows that his smile and laugh is infectious, and it’s hard not to have a good time when you're around him. Clarence and I have always had something to bond over, from high school wrestling, to beach trips, and of course, Game of Thrones (Team Targaryen). Through good times and bad, I've always felt that Clarence has had my back and I couldn't ask for a truer friend.
Herb Smith
Groomsman
Herb was my first real school friend at St Helena's, probably starting when we got in trouble throwing spitballs in the St Helena's bathroom in 3rd grade. Since then, we've never been too far apart, so I guess it makes sense that only 6 months separate our weddings. I am very happy with how close we've always been, and I am excited to tackle married life in unison.
John Nolan
Groomsman
One of the core St. Helena's crew, John has been a close friend for almost two decades. While other groups of friends may have been at parties or at the mall trying to talk to girls, we were down in John's basement watching reruns of “Seinfeld” and “The Colbert Report.” Even though he's a few thousand miles away in Indiana (I don't actually know the distance), John is still a big part of my life and I am so happy that he's in my wedding party.
Michael Zinno
Groomsman
The first brother (in-law) I've ever had, Mike and I have had an immediate friendship since he and Emily started dating over 6 years ago. Mike's one of the most laid back, friendly, and good hearted guys I know, and has been a great addition to my family. Hopefully my wedding can be half as fun and beautiful as his and Emily's last year.
Jeremy Bressler
Groomsman
Jeremy has been nothing but welcoming since I met Julia. He really has a heart of gold and values his family above all else. I'm excited to have him as a future brother-in-law and cannot wait for him to be a groomsman in our wedding.
Matthew Bressler
Groomsman
Can't forget about my other other future brother-in-law. I've always had a good time with Matthew at family holidays and events. I can't wait for all of the future parties and Giants games, and am proud to have him as my groomsman.