Mary Kay & Chase
Wedding Party
Jessica Sheffield Kirby
Matron of Honor
Jessica and Mary Kay met at a mutual friend's party when they were in college at the University of West Georgia. They knew they would hit it off when Mary Kay offered to share the quesadilla that she "found." Chase knew THEY would hit it off when Jessica crushed "Total Eclipse of the Heart" at a Halloween karaoke party. Chase later sang "Honor to Us All" from the MULAN soundtrack, and Mary Kay sang the Ursula song from THE LITTLE MERMAID.
Rachel Blankenship
Bridesmaid
Rachel and Mary Kay met as bridesmaids in Jessica's wedding years ago. They knew they would be friends when one of them (but which?) suggested that instead of running up a tab after their fancy dinner, they drink champagne and play with makeup by the hotel pool. Since then, they've been painting Atlanta red. Mary Kay knew Rachel would like Chase when he showed up for his first game night at her house and when there were no seats left, just pulled her rocking horse up to the table and made himself comfortable.
Emily Denaris
Bridesmaid
Mimi and Mary Kay met at West Georgia where they bonded over their love for costume parties. When Mary Kay moved back to Atlanta from her MFA, they reconnected through all kinds of fun events. Chase even met Mimi at her Halloween party (when she lived down the hall from Mary Kay in Castleberry Hill). Mary Kay knew Chase had won Mimi's heart in two ways: 1, he baked her a kolache after her nightshift at Grady during the pandemic, and 2, when she came down the hall to get it, Chase was watching through the peep hole. When Mimi went to knock, Chase knocked BACK at her first, from inside the apartment.
Mary Beyer
Bridesmaid
Mary and Mary Kay became friends during their service in AmeriCorps. They're both writers, they co-hosted a horror movie podcast through the pandemic, and they are still thick as thieves despite the time zones between them.
Abena Koram
Bridesmaid
Abena and Mary Kay met in Pure Barre class in 2018 (the life of a kindergartener ago!). Mary Kay wore a shirt with a unicorn on it that said, "Feminist Killjoy" and Abena said "I like your shirt." And then they became best friends. They even went to the same farmer's market together that reconnected Mary Kay and Chase.
Jeffrey Peterson
Best Man
Attention: this is the friend responsible for connecting the bride and groom. *applause* After Chase got accepted into Atlanta Quest indoor drum line, he stalked and AIMed Jeffrey until they finally became friends. Jeffrey and Mary Kay are both writers who were friends at West Georgia, and when they both moved back to Atlanta after tours in different Masters of Fine Arts in writing programs, they re-friended working at Madcap Review. Chase and Mary Kay re-met at TWO of Jeffrey's birthday parties (on subsequent years). Jeffrey's birthday is January 11, for all those who wish to celebrate.
Lucas Davidson
Best Man
Chase and Lucas met in ninth/tenth grade drum line, and they stayed friends even though when Lucas brushed his teeth the toothpaste went alllll the way down his arm and dripped into the sink. (Lucas doesn't do that anymore. He also doesn't let his undershirts hang below the polo sleeve anymore.) But really, they've done so much together. They went to high school together! They went to Greece together! They visited Jeffrey in New York (which reunited the trifecta)... and is why there are TWO best men! Mary Kay and Lucas became friends when they all went to Cafe Intermezzo on her birthday on a not-double date. She knew they'd be friends when Chase tasted her drink, and Lucas got her Hannibal Lecter reference immediately ("People will say we're in love"). She knew they'd stay friends when he screamed "Oh YEAHHHH" like Jon-Ralphio Sapperstein at the party later that night.
Tyler Short
Groomsman
Andrew brought Tyler to live with them at Bubble Creek, and even though Chase and Tyler weren't friends at all, Chase gradually realized they had a lot of things in common.... Like, they have "the same taste in movies, music... we both can't make a decision... and then I realized, I love this guy. He's my best friend." Mary Kay knew she would love Tyler too when, on her first July 4th at The Lake, Tyler ran through the house chanting, "It's happening! It's happening!" and she followed him outside where they all went hoarse from cheering on the neighbors' fireworks show.
Spencer Rice
Groomsman
Chase and Spencer lived together through most of college. They did everything together freshman year. They overslept for a race together. They pulled an all-nighter together to write a ONE PAGE ESSAY. People asked if they were ever NOT together.
Logan Gott
Groomsman
Auditions for 2012 Mystique... the talent was "not the greatest." So, Chase scouted Logan to come to auditions, made it immediately, they drummed together, then worked as staff together, and they have been friends ever since.
Andrew Lundstrom
Usher
Chase and Andrew HAD to be friends: they lived in the same dorm. They were both in the Redcoat Band. They had the same major. And Andrew always wanted a ride. Then they became SERIOUS friends when they "founded" Bubble Creek (the house they rented). Their favorite thing to do is to show off their traditional ski moves (both water- and snow-). Mary Kay loves that they both bring the party energy.
Ashton Fannin
Usher
Chase and Ashton knew each other from UGA, but they became friends at Bubble Creek, where they gassed each other up with interpretive dance, Mario Kart, and Settlers of Catan--which, by the way, if you need to learn how to play like Mary Kay did, Ashton is the one to teach you. And he always wins at games because he knows the rules by heart. Just generally, look to Ashton to make everything fun. Even yardwork.
Piper Foulks
Flower Girl
Mary Kay's sassiest cousin--just like her mama, Katlyn. (Seriously. It's a time warp. It's AWESOME.)
Jonah Foulks
Ring Bearer
Ring MASTER, according to his sister, Piper.
Sara Loomis
Officiant
Sara and Mary Kay met at Georgia College, where they studied creative writing. They traveled to Lebanon, endured many insincere dudes and karaoke nights, and ran a half marathon together, but their best accomplishment is being the greatest at CatchPhrase. Examples: Sara: These guys are hot. Mary Kay: Firefighters. Mary Kay: They're not a cult, but they're real strict. Sara: Vegans. They are of one mind. Sara is a really tough sell, but Chase rose to the challenge of hilarity. He especially loves that their hangs always consist of eating cake (or waffles) and dragging movies that have no plot.