Kate & Dan
Wedding Party
Amanda Raines
Matron of Honor
Amanda Kay (Cribs) Raines and I became best friends in the Fall of 2007 where we lived two doors down from each other in Stambaugh Hall at Ohio Northern University. Through absurd memories of living together for three years in college, one memorable summer couch-surfing at the Cribley household, a near-death stolen smiley potato, and epic travels around the country, we always manage to have a good time. But, it's the late night & early morning phone calls, the moments of silence and knowing looks that makes Amanda stand out. As my "Little" in Kappa Phi, Amanda was given to me as a sister in Christ and sister for life! Amanda has shared her husband, Jamie, with me since our college days and these two were the first to promote me to that status of "Aunt" of Lily and Cooper!
Lindsey Jett
Bridesmaid
Lindsey (Berens) Jett met me in the Fall of 2007 after meeting at Tom and Heather Borchers' wedding. From square-dancing, country concerts, bonfires, crashing a million family parties, some ridiculous birthday celebrations, we can always make each other laugh when we need to most. We also often say what the other needs to hear most (in the midst of laughter or tears). We have never once doubted whose corner we sit in. I introduced Lindsey to my best friend Bryan (Jett) and the two married and have given me two little loves named Kendall and Cole.
Christa Burbage
Bridesmaid
Christa (Borchers) Burbage has been stuck with me always looking up to her smart, ambitious, hilarious big cousin for 31 years. From learning how to show pigs, the first of many inebriated nights, late-late-late night convos during sleepovers, and laugh-out-loud funny family memories, we have been blessed to not just be cousins but the best of friends. We are always able to catch up (quick and loud) and have a great understanding of so many moving parts of each others lives because they've seen it all. It's awesome to watch Christa's family grow to include Brad Burbage and now their adorable animated little boys Boone and Tabor. I am so thankful to have someone that loves her so unconditionally and pushes her to always be true to her roots and wings.
Amanda Stump
Bridesmaid
We met because I adopted her at the time soon-to-be husband, Tyler, as my new best friend when I moved to Chillicothe in 2014. For the past five years she's been slowly roped into more 4-H responsibilities with camp and Jr. Fair Board that lead to late night memories on golf carts, in offices, and campers and oodles of laughter. I've seen her wrestle a man to the ground over a spoon, listen and offer me a drink when I've been in the bottoms of despair, and she's the first person to reassure me that Dan really loves me as much as I think he does. I didn't know how much he loved me til she said "you've finally found your Tyler." She's my go to gal for every day highs and lows and I'm glad we'll be doing this rollercoaster called life with our boys together forever.
Tacoma Morrissey
Bridesmaid
Tacoma (Morrisey) Schwartz and I have been wreaking havoc on cities together since 2005 after going on a Teen Entrepreneurship trip to Philadelphia sponsored by Rotary. Coming from different high schools, Tacoma and I found activities outside of school to get caught up in like late night pranking, playing spoons (the card game), buying hermit crabs, meeting up in Atlanta or Ormund Beach, road trips to visit her at Alabama (Roll Tide!), and crashing family parties. Despite Tacoma's move to Texas to be with her new husband Colton, the two have remained connected. I'm lucky to have someone who always reassures me that I am okay exactly as I am and that I deserve the world-- just like her.
Garrett T. Wells
Best Young Man
First council of all things important. Mini-Dan, only more charming. Lover of creeking, Angus cows, pigs, prime cat genetics. Oh, and the smokin' hot groom's son.
Ben Buchwalter
Best Man
Ben has been my best friend for several years now. We were introduced by Nathan Huff the year prior to his daughter Kenna starting 4-H. He needed to purchase her fair pigs and was looking for a place to keep them for the summer as they were still living in town at that time. For next 3 summers they kept their pigs in my barn we spent countless hours walking pigs, in lawn chairs, on tail gates, with a couple cold drinks and sharing some tall tales or big dreams. Ben was the first person I told about Kate & I’s first conversation at the fair in 2018. His immediate reaction was “Dude she’s HOT and would be perfect for you!” Ben and his wife Daisy were the first of my friends that went out to eat with Kate & I a few months into us dating. They have shared our excitement all along the way.
Tom McCall
Groomsman
I first met Tom when I went to work for the Virginia Angus Association after college. My forth day on the job, we had the April board meeting. After the meeting ,Tom invited me out to he and Sarah's place for dinner, living only 15 minutes from the office. As I pulled into their place, Tom was putting a cooler into his truck. He told me “come on….Sarah hasn’t put the steaks on yet” We spent the next hour riding though his cows, checking for heats, drinking beer and talking cows as the sun went down. For the next 3 years I was an adopted member of the McCall family that included helping out on the farm, taking their boys to soccer after school and long debates on Angus genetics and breeding philosophies. Tom has been like an older brother to me and is a great mentor to look up to.
Greg Wells
Groomsman
Greg is my older brother and has had to put up with me more than anyone else! I’ve always been a few steps behind him from little league baseball, 4-H & FFA and in college at the AGS frat house. He helped to blaze the path for me as I often watched how he did things, learned from him and then tried to one up him when it was my turn. As to be expected with brothers…we had our share of knock down drag outs while growing up, but we have a lot of great memories too. He has always been more into crop farming while I’ve been pulled towards livestock. Our paths took different directions after college, but are both back home now and often work together helping each other with our respective farming ventures. He’s gotten pretty good at being my holder when castrating piglets!
Allen Gahler
Groomsman
Allen and I first met while I was still working for Cotton and Associates and he had my current job with the Ohio Angus Association. After helping him start the Ohio Angus Fall Female sale and we became friends. When he decided to make a career change, he encouraged me to take the job. Thanks his help with my transition into the position and his current role as the Ohio Angus Treasurer, our friendship has continued. Our kids are close in age and have become friends at Angus shows and events. Al's wife, Susie, and Kate have also hit it off; as Kate said “Oh my Gosh I love her” probably 5 times on the way home after meeting at the first Angus event. We can’t wait to see the memories that will be made between the Gahlers and Wells as our kids grow up showing Angus heifers together.
Tyler Stump
Groomsman
I knew of Tyler through the Ross County 4-H program while growing up, but never got to know him as he was several years behind me. Shortly after Kate and I started dating we went out for beer and wings with Tyler and his wife Amanda. They have been some of Kate’s closest friends in Ross County since she moved here in 2014. We have quickly become good friends and often are over at the Stumps for dinner or vise versa. Tyler and I share a common interest in music and have a similar sense of humor. His forestry and chain saw skills have come in the handy this past summer cutting and clearing trees for my ongoing fencing project on the farm. Kate and Amanda haven’t minded as it’s giving them plenty of “girl time” to discuss wedding plans, watch chick flick and catch up on gossip.