Family Feature
Susan Nicklas
The Mother of the Groom!! Mrs. Susan Nicklas!! Second only to marrying Matt, marrying into this family is the thing I am most excited about. Anyone who knows the Nicklases is probably a little jealous that I get to join them—not just because I get Matt, but because I get family game nights, family trips, dinners around the table, and a front-row seat to the love they all share. Susan is one of the women I look up to most. She is kind, thoughtful, and has a way of making you feel truly heard. She is calm, patient, fiercely loves her family, and somehow makes everyone around her feel cared for simply by being herself. Watching the way she loves her children has shown me the kind of mother and person I hope to be one day. I feel incredibly lucky to not only gain a mother-in-law, but also a role model, a cheerleader, and someone I know I can always count on. I am so grateful that I get to become a Nicklas, and even more grateful that I get to call Susan family.
Kevin Nicklas
Evin with a K has officially been bumped to the second evin in the Nicklas family (I don't make the rules—that's just the way it is). Father of the groom, the altar's best electric guitarist, the classic rock expert, and, alongside Susan, the creator of three of the coolest people I know. One of my favorite things about joining this family has been hearing Matts stories about growing up with his dad and the long hours spent on the baseball field together. I get to see pieces of Kevin in Matt every day. Their charisma, kindness, and dry sense of humor are so similar that sometimes all it takes is one comment to have me crying laughing. But more than anything, I see the way Kevin loves his family—with patience, encouragement, and a steady presence that makes the people around him feel safe. I feel incredibly lucky to be marrying into a family built by Kevin and Susan, and I am so grateful to get to call him family.
Michelle Nicklas/Whalen
Michelle is the oldest of the Nicklas kids and has been such a good role model for me as Matt's partner. The first time I ever met her—or anyone in the Nicklas family—I was invited into her bridal suite and got to spend the day with her and all of her friends. She kept me in the loop, included me in everything, and shared such a special day with someone she had just met. What may have seemed like a small thing to her completely changed my experience joining this family. She opened the door for me to feel welcomed, and I'm so grateful she held it open. I didn't have older siblings growing up, so getting to see the relationship Matt has with his, has been so special. From family trips to board games to teasing Matt together, Michelle has made me feel like I belong. She is thoughtful, funny, and one of the many reasons I feel so lucky to be becoming a Nicklas.
Brendan Whalen
Brendan is proof that the Nicklas family has a type when it comes to the people they bring into the family. He is kind, funny, easy to be around, and fits in so naturally that it's hard to think there was ever a time he wasn't part of it. He has added so much life and laughter to the Nicklas family, and it has been fun getting to know him through family trips, holidays, and all of the little moments in between. One thing I've noticed about this family is that the people they choose tend to reflect the same love and kindness that made me want to be part of it in the first place, and Brendan is no exception. He has been nothing but welcoming to me, and I am excited for many more years of family gatherings and continuing to pick on Brendan whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Kim Nicklas
Kim is, in many ways, my opposite—and I mean that as one of the highest compliments. Where I tend to color outside the lines, Kim is thoughtful, organized, and the kind of person who actually reads the instructions. She somehow manages to keep the Nicklas family in check while the rest of them find creative ways to bend the rules. From the moment I met her, she was kind, welcoming, and a big part of why I felt so comfortable becoming part of this family. As the first in-law, she's carved the path for the rest of us and shown me what it looks like to love this family so well. I admire how steady she is, how she cares for the people around her, and how effortlessly she makes everyone feel included. I'm so grateful to have her as a sister-in-law, and I look forward to lovingly stressing her out every time we sit down to play a board game.
Noah Wood
My childhood was filled with surprises, adventure, and more love than I knew what to do with, and so much of that is a direct reflection of my Noahdad. He taught me that life is meant to be lived loudly—with jokes, adventures, and an open door for anyone who needs a place to land. Some of my favorite memories are the ones where nothing extraordinary happened at all, because somehow he made ordinary days feel magical. Noah has the biggest heart of anyone I know. He is the kind of person who would give the shirt off his back to someone he's never met and somehow make them feel like they're the one doing him a favor. He gives freely of his time, his love, and himself, never asking for anything in return. Stepparents don't always choose to step in and love children as their own, but Noah did. He never treated me like anything less than his daughter, and I have never questioned for a second how much he loves me. I am endlessly grateful that I get to call him my Noahdad.
Sean Murphy
The person who will probably be the saddest to see my name change from Murphy to Nicklas is my dad. Being a Murphy has been one of the greatest privileges of my life because it meant being raised by a man like him. My dad inherited the name Murphy, but he wasn't handed the love, security, or sense of family that should come with it. He built those things himself. He took six letters and filled them with kindness, laughter, and love. He created roots where there weren't any before and made sure that I inherited more than just a last name—I inherited a home, a safe place to land, and the certainty that I would always be loved. He was the first man to ever love me, and now he will be the first and last man to walk me down the aisle. The legacy my dad created is something I feel unbelievably lucky to carry it with me into this next chapter.
Bri Murphy
Bri is my second mom and one of the brightest lights in my life. She will be wearing blue on our wedding day, but she has been bringing color, warmth, and love into our lives for far longer than that. From the moment she became part of our family, she embraced us wholeheartedly and showed me that love isn't defined by biology—it's defined by the people who choose you, support you, and show up for you every day. She has added so much joy, laughter, and stability to our family. The love and care she pours into my two little brothers shines through in who they are every day—their kindness, humor, and ability to make everyone around them feel welcome are a reflection of the incredible mother she is. Bri is my dad's person in every sense of the word and watching the life they've built together has been such a gift. Our family is brighter, stronger, and filled with more love because she is in it, and I am endlessly grateful to call her my second mom.
Chase House
Chase has been a father figure in my life for almost ten years now, but somehow I have a hard time remembering what life looked like before he was around. He showed up, loved my mom, and in the process loved all of us too. This is the man who has been to every event, every milestone, and every moment he could possibly make it to. He took Madly as his own, always made sure I had a voice in his home, and somehow convinced me that he plans on paying my phone bill for the rest of my life. (I probably shouldn't be reminding him of that in writing.) Chase looks tough on the outside but is one of the biggest teddy bears I know. He is kind, caring, and the type of person who would do just about anything for the people he loves. He chose us. He loved us long before he had any obligation to, and he never made us feel like anything less than his daughters. I am so grateful for the love, stability, and laughter he has brought into our lives, and I feel lucky to call him one of my dads.
Robert Hummel
I realized while writing this that I had to genuinely stop and think about what my Papa's first name was. This man has never been anything other than my Papa. His identity in my life has never needed another title because he has filled that role so completely. Anyone who knows me, knows that wherever I am, my Papa isn't far behind. He's my biggest supporter, my safest place, and my greatest ally. There has been a theme throughout my entire life—I have always tried to sneak just a little more time with him. I raced my cousins to get the first and last hug goodbye. I hid in his car hoping I could stay with him and my grandma a little longer. I stretched visits, lingered at the door, and found every excuse to squeeze a few extra moments out of our time together. And if you look closely at our wedding day, you'll see that theme still exists. He'll be dancing with me, and I'll still be there, trying to steal a few extra moments with my Papa.
Delia Hummel
Delia is where I trace my lineage back to its very first spark of feistiness. My grandma has been the heart of so many of my stories and has never once gone overlooked in my book. Growing up, I was captivated by her stories—stories of magic, family, adventure, and a life lived boldly. They painted a picture of the kind of life I knew I wanted to create for myself: one full of love, laughter, and people gathered close. She grew up fighting boys, sneaking out, and refusing to let the world tell her who she was supposed to be. That same fire carried her into motherhood and eventually into grandmotherhood. She built a family that stretches far beyond herself, and somehow, she has made each of us feel like we are her favorite. My grandma is woven into the fabric of who I am. She taught me that strength can be quiet and love can be fierce. So many of the things I cherish most about myself—my stubbornness, my love of stories, my loyalty to the people I care about—have roots in her.
Daniel Wood
As a kid, going anywhere with my grandpa came with one expectation: no matter where we were headed, we'd be there at least an extra hour. Everyone knew him, and somehow he knew everyone by name—with a small detail thrown in just to remind them they mattered. I'm convinced his brain is 90% science facts and the other 10% is a catalog of every person he's ever met. As an adult, I've realized this walking phone book is the most lovable human I know. He walks into a room and gets stopped by everyone—not just because of his optimism, but because he genuinely wants to know people. He has spent his life sharing his curiosity, his kindness, and his joy with everyone lucky enough to cross his path. Getting him and my grandma as bonus grandparents is one of the many reasons I believe my life has been so carefully designed to bring the very best people into it. If you haven't had the chance to meet him in his lab coat, I hope you get to meet him today and see the best teacher I've ever had.
Carol Wood
My sweet grandma is a foundational piece of who I am. One of my earliest memories of her is from when I was about five years old. After hearing me use a the Mrs. Wood title one too many times, she finally stopped me and said something to the effect of, "Start calling me Grandma." It seemed like a small moment, but it was a defining moment for a blended family. From that point on, there was never any question about where I belonged. She claimed me as her granddaughter, and she has loved me that way ever since. My grandma and grandpa played a huge role in raising me and spent countless hours teaching me about life, love, and family. Blended families are often described as complicated or messy, but I've never seen mine that way. I've always seen them as a collection of all the people who chose to love me. My grandma is one of the most important pieces of that story, and I am so grateful that I get to call her mine.
Logan Casey
Loogie is the baby of the Murphy family and my babiest youngest brother. He is the coolest eleven-year-old frat boy I have ever met and is more popular now in the sixth grade than anyone at this wedding has been in their life. He is a small mix of Bri's love and light and Sean's humor and effortless charisma. We can't wait to watch him absolutely steal the show as our Ring Bearer.