Wedding Party
Madly Wood
Maid of Honor
My baby sister, my best friend since 2007, and my lifelong teammate. I'm sorry to anyone who has ever played a game against us because our alliance is unbreakable. Our pact to never hurt each other goes far beyond board games, though it does become especially obvious when one of us is losing. No matter what, we've always been on the same team. As the older sister, I was supposed to be the brave one—the protector. But almost from the moment she was born, Madly decided that role belonged to her too. She was the one checking under my bed when I was scared, barging through doors I was too afraid to open, and reminding me that I never had to face anything alone. Having a sister who makes you feel that safe is one of the greatest gifts I've ever been given. One of my favorite memories, was on my 20th birthday, I woke up to wildflowers she had picked outside, my grandma's lemon cake recipe waiting on the table, and her playing "Fast Car" on the guitar. She had secretly memorized the entire song before my birthday because she knew it was my favorite. That's who she is—someone who loves quietly, thoughtfully, and with her whole heart. She has celebrated my wins as if they were her own, protected me when I needed protecting, and reminded me over and over again how lucky I am to have a sister who is also my best friend. Sharing this day with my baby sister is such a gift, and I am so excited for everyone to get to know one of the brightest lights in my world and my Maid of Honor.
Arista Bohnas
Bridesmaid
Arista Bohnas has been my closest friend since we were fourteen. There is something so special about meeting someone as a teenager and getting to grow up alongside them. She's seen me through so many different versions of myself and has loved me through every single one. Arista is the steadiest and kindest person I know. She has this quiet strength about her that makes you feel safe, and no matter how hard life gets, she somehow finds a way to make you laugh through your tears. She has been one of my greatest teachers and one of the people I know I can always count on. In our second year of college, Arista started a tradition that she's kept for the past four years—painting me a giant 36x36 canvas for my birthday. The first year she did it, she didn't even have a car. She rode her bike two miles from Michaels back to her dorm with this huge canvas balanced over her head, all because she wanted me to feel special and celebrated on my birthday. That is who Arista is. She loves people in big, thoughtful ways and never hesitates to put in the effort to make the people she cares about feel seen. Friends like Arista are rare. The kind who brings you breakfast before school, cheer you on through every stage of life, and somehow make the hard days lighter. I have been unbelievably lucky to hold onto this friendship for so many years, and I can't imagine this day without her by my side.
Jena Jones
Bridesmaid
Jena has worn just about every hat in my life—pseudo mom, sister, best friend, and one of the people I trust most in this world. One of my favorite memories with her was after a five-hour drive home from Georgia. We got back around 11 p.m. and still had to get her cow back into the stall. When we arrived, the fences around the horse pasture had been knocked down, the cow had a broken foot, the bugs were relentless, and we were running on only a few hours of sleep. It had been one of the worst days imaginable, yet somehow we found ourselves laughing so hard we cried. That memory perfectly captures Jena to me—no matter how messy, exhausting, or overwhelming life gets, she somehow makes it feel light. I have never met someone who makes me feel so safe when I'm scared, so calm when I'm panicked, or so loved when I'm hurting. Jena has been my constant source of love, guidance, and support. When Eros got sick and I was having one of the hardest weeks of my life, Jena showed up the very next day—not because I asked, but because that's who she is. She took care of me while I took care of her. I am so incredibly lucky to be loved by her and even luckier to have her standing by my side today.
Elizabeth Wood
Bridesmaid
Introducing my mom and my very first best friend. My dad has always described my mom as a "pitbull," and I can honestly say I hope everyone gets to experience a love like hers at least once in their life. She's earned that nickname because the second someone she loves needs protecting, she is there—loudly, fiercely, and without hesitation. I've never been the most outspoken person, but I think that's because I never had to be. Growing up, I always knew I had someone in my corner making sure my sisters and I were safe, loved, and never alone. To this day, she is my first call for every emergency—and just as many non-emergencies. My mom had me young, which meant we got to grow up together in a lot of ways. And little me got all the benefits of having a mom whose imagination knew no limits. She flipped coffee tables over and covered them with sheets so I could captain our makeshift boats, made laser traps from yarn in our hallways, and always made sure our childhood was filled with laughter. People often talk about the things a young mom gives up, but I have never once felt like a sacrifice. She named me Heaven because she said I was her gift from God, and she has spent my entire life making sure I knew exactly how loved and wanted I was. I am so lucky that I get to call her my mom, my protector, and still, after all these years, one of my very best friends.
Julia Mar
Bridesmaid
Julia has become one of my closest friends and such an important part of my life here in Phoenix. She is one of the kindest people I have ever met and is always the first to show up when someone needs her. She has a way of making people feel loved just by being herself. She is a little bundle of joy—funny, positive, and unapologetically herself. Board game nights wouldn't be the same without her contagious laugh, competitive spirit, and ability to make even the simplest moments feel special. She is the kind of person who is loved by everyone who knows her, and it's easy to see why. Even though our friendship is newer, she has made such a big impact on my life. I am so thankful for her friendship and so grateful to have her standing by my side on this special day.
Jordan Donohue
Bridesmaid
Jordan is someone I met through Matt at the very beginning of our relationship, and I had a feeling almost immediately that we were going to be friends. She welcomed me with open arms and somehow made navigating adult friendships feel easy. You'll notice a theme with the women I am lucky enough to call my closest friends—they are fiercely loyal, protective, and love the people in their lives wholeheartedly. Jordan is no exception. She is the kind of friend who shows up, tells you the truth when you need to hear it, and makes you feel like family. Some of my favorite memories are the simplest ones: sitting on the Nicklas kitchen floor talking about life, laughing until we cry, or just existing together after a long day. Jordan has a way of bringing color, light, and happiness into every room she walks into, and her friendship has made my life so much richer. She has been there through milestones big and small, cheering me on and reminding me that I always have someone in my corner. Her friendship is a gift, and I am endlessly grateful that life brought us together. I can't imagine this day without her standing beside me, and I am so excited for everyone to get to know one of the most loyal and loving people in my life.
Kristina Miller
Bridesmaid
One of the coolest parts about marrying Matt is the incredible people I get to welcome into my life, and Kristina is one of the very best. From the moment I met her, she has been a bright light—a spunky ball of energy who somehow manages to make everyone around her smile. She is funny, caring, and the kind of person who brings joy wherever she goes. Whether she knows it or not, she has lifted my spirits more times than I can count and has a way of making hard days feel a little lighter. Kristina has such a big heart and loves the people in her life fiercely. She shows up with encouragement, laughter, and an energy that is impossible not to love. The world feels brighter with her in it, and I feel incredibly lucky that our paths crossed. I am so grateful for her friendship and so excited to have her standing by my side as I marry into this wonderful family. I can't imagine celebrating this day without her.
Mike Nicklas
Best Man
Mike Nicklas is Matt’s older brother, but he fills that role in so many ways beyond just title. I’ve always seen the way Matt looks up to Mike and how naturally he wants to include him in everything—whether it’s sending him a picture of something small that reminds him of Mike or sharing the little parts of life with his brother. When I look at Mike and Matt, I see two little boys who are still stubborn, still fighting, and probably still bonding over Star Wars, but also two men with a deep bond and a fierce instinct to protect each other on and off the ice. I know Matt never pictured his wedding day with anyone else standing beside him, and I think that says everything about the kind of bond they share. I’ve loved getting to know Michael and feeling so welcomed into the Nicklas family by him—he’s just one more thing Susan and Kevin did right.
Connor Donohue
Groomsman
Connor was the first friend of Matt’s that I was introduced to, and while I knew pretty quickly that I was going to become best friends with his wife, I also knew my heart had space for him too. Matt grew up with Connor, and it has always been clear to me that Connor was never just a friend to him—he’s one of the people who helped shape Matt’s childhood, stood beside him through every version of growing up, and became family somewhere along the way. Their bond is one of those friendships that never needs forcing—it picks right back up, no matter what. I saw the tears in Matt’s eyes when he watched Connor get married, and again when they shared that they were pregnant. Connor is one of the kindest people I know, with a quiet kind of funny that sneaks up on you. They’ve gotten to grow up side by side, from little boys playing at parks to men getting to stand next to each other for some of life’s biggest moments.
David Zimmerman
Groomsman
Zim was one of Matt and my roommates for a little while, which gave me a front row seat to the kind of friendship he and Matt share. Their friendship is easy, loud, and full of life in a way that is impossible not to notice. Zim loves loudly, and somehow Matts love gets even louder when he’s with him. I have seen Matt in so many different lights, but there is something really special about the version of him that comes out around Zim—lighter, freer, and so fully himself. I see little pieces of everyone that Matt loves in him, but I also see little pieces of Matt in Zim too. I’ve watched the way they guide each other, check in on each other in quiet ways, and are always looking for ways to show each other love. He has brought so much color, humor, and life into both of our worlds, and we feel incredibly lucky to have someone like him standing beside us. Thank you for being our favorite ginger, for loving loudly, and for bringing so much heart and goodness into our lives.
Jason Roberts
Groomsman
Jason was the last of Matt’s friends that I got to meet, but somehow he was one of the ones I had been waiting for most. The way Matt talked about Jason made it feel like I already knew him long before we were ever introduced. Through all of the stories, the laughter, and the love Matt had for him, I felt the bubbly Jason energy before I ever got to experience it for myself. By the time I finally met him, it felt less like meeting someone new and more like finally putting a face to someone who had already been such a meaningful part of Matt’s life. I know how grateful Matt is that you decided to do the damn moon journal twice through, because if you hadn’t, he may have never gotten the gift of your friendship—and that would have been such a loss. Jason brings such a beautiful energy with him, the kind that makes people feel lighter just by being around him. We feel so lucky to have him standing beside us.
Michael Mace
Groomsman
Michael — oh my goodness. Some people walk into a room and you notice them, but Michael walks in and somehow EVERYONE feels noticed. He has this rare way of making every person around him feel special, like you’re the exact person he wanted to see that day, while also making it feel like he’s known you forever. Matt has always spoken so highly of Michael, Connor, and Jason, and I remember feeling so relieved when I finally met them and realized I was being welcomed into such a genuinely fun, loving, and easy group of people. Michael carries so much joy, warmth, and love with him, and I’m beyond excited to get to celebrate surrounded by the kind of energy only he can bring.
Austin Spencer
Groomsman
Austin has a quieter kind of funny and a quieter way of loving Matt too, but that doesn’t make it any less obvious. You can feel how much Matt is loved just by watching the two of them together. Matt has built such a beautiful village around himself, and Austin has clearly been one of those foundational pieces. From all of the stories I’ve heard, I know Matt has always gravitated toward people with good hearts—people who love deeply, show up consistently, and make life feel a little steadier just by being in it. Austin is so clearly one of those people. I’m so excited to have him, and the beautiful family he has built, be part of our day, and even more excited for all of the new stories still waiting to be made between them.
Dylan Casey
Groomsman
Dylan is the biggest little brother of the bride. He is a beautiful boy with the softest heart, full of empathy and kindness. He was the first teammate my dad ever introduced me to, and before long he became one of my best friends. One of the best things to come from split families is the beautiful blended families they create, and Dylan and my relationship has been one of the greatest gifts to come from ours. One of my favorite things is watching Dylan and Matt together. Dylan looks up to Matt with the kind of admiration only a little brother can have for an older sibling, and I love seeing the trust he has in Matt to love and protect his big sister. And knowing Matt, I know he takes that responsibility seriously. Dylan is thoughtful, funny, extremely loyal, and so deeply loved by everyone lucky enough to know him. I feel incredibly lucky that I get to be his big sister, and I can't wait to share our big day with him!