Matt & Chy's Forever Begins Here
Wedding Party
Meyana Thorne
Maid of Honor
I met Meyana at the auditions for UMD STEPP my freshman year of college. I was extremely nervous at the auditions and I could tell she was as well so we naturally gravitated towards one another. We really began to grow close when we started choreographing routines and navigating the antics of STEPP and UMD together. I always admired how creative she was and how she could turn any negative situation into a positive. She has literally been there for all the major milestones in my life over the past 5+ years. And thank God for Meyana. She coordinated with Matthew to keep our engagement a secret and then made up a story so we could get our nails done together! Thank you Meyana for not having me out here looking crazy on my engagement day! You are truly God sent!!!
Phil Marcus
Best Man
Phil and I met when we were kids in elementary school but we hung out in different circles at the time. Fast forward a few years later as teenagers at Lake Braddock Secondary School (LBSS) we became basically the same person, with everyone referring to us as “Matt&Phil.” Our friendship went beyond LBSS and into a variety of different sports, including basketball, football, and track, co-captains during our junior and senior years, and working together at Greenspring village as 16-year olds. Despite going to two different colleges, we always kept in touch, and Phil remains the most naturally optimistic person I know and someone who I can always count on for balanced advice. If only he’d have advised us against throwing that party at my parents' house when we were kids!
Taylor Ferguson
Bridesmaid
Taylor and I went to high school together but didn't get close much later. It is so hard to find good friends and I am so thankful I found Taylor. We got super close when she came with me to Atlanta for my birthday in 2019. Taylor, Meyana and I gallivanted around Atlanta literally running nonstop from brunch to TopGolf to lounges and Sip & Paints. We had such a good time seeing the city, and wait, can I please acknowledge her artistic skills. She killed the game at Sip & Paint! And in early 2020, we danced our hearts away to some of our 2000's favs at the Millennium Tour. We have grown super close in such a short amount of time and I'm thankful for this friendship and all of the memories we have developed.
Melanie Akwule
Groomswoman
Mel and I met in high school, and we initially despised each other. Over time, we got over our differences and since then we’ve been the best of friends. She even convinced me to join the track team during my last two years of high school. Although Phil and I were co-captains of the boys track team, Mel was the captain of the whole team and later went on to run for Georgia Tech. Despite being the same age, Mel has been like a big sister to me, and we argue like siblings until someone says “you got it”. Despite being on the west coast for the past few years, our friendship has remained the same. As a business owner, she continues to take on the world like she used to take on the hurdles back when we used to run around the track on those cold days in high school.
Chandler Johnson
Bridesman
Chandler and I were best friends in middle school where he sang and I danced. We would talk on the phone everyday after school literally about nothing! I will never forget our middle school musical days. Now, every time I see "The Wiz" on TV I think of him. In our middle school musical, he played the Tin Man while I was in the dance company, and every other scene we were easing on down that yellow brick road together! Chandler and I were virtually brother and sister. He would come over my house all the time and I would go to church with his family. Unfortunately we went to two different high schools and we grew apart, but thanks to the power of social media, we reconnected! Though so many years have passed, I feel like we haven't missed a beat. and now our relationship is even stronger.
Morganne Harrison
Groomswoman
Morganne and I met through a mutual friend back when I was a junior in high school and have been friends ever since. As we’ve gotten older she remains the voice of reason and perspective for whenever I’m about to do something foolish. She’s one of the nicest people I know, and always seems to find time to help everyone, and I mean everyone. One time when we were on the phone catching up she put me on hold, and I overhead her asking a homeless man what he wanted from subway, when I asked her about what prompted her to do that she responded “I can’t help it Matt. That’s just who I am”. Over the years, that statement epitomizes her, and she is always willing and able to make time to help anyone with anything.
Iman Ahmed
Bridesmaid
Iman and I met freshman year at UMD. We lived in the same dorm, just one floor apart, and ironically we were 2 of about 10 people in our scholars program so we naturally bonded off that. Our friendship really grew when we struggled through ECON200 together and than struggled through a random Physics class together. I still don't know why we took that class. Iman has always been the level headed friend that I need. Doesn't let anyone see her sweat and I have always admired that about her, and this will definitely come in handy on my wedding day when she is there to keep me cool, calm and collected. I definitely could not imagine my wedding without her.
AD Adedapo
Groomsman
AD was one of the first people I met whilst at college. We had both found ourselves living on the southside of campus, which was typically reserved for upper classmen, amongst people we didn’t have much in common with. Oddly enough, we happened to be on opposite sides of the street on that day and made eye contact and gave the universal “head nod” gesture and have been friends ever since. Since walking across the stage in 2012 we’ve remained very close, I even had the honor of being one of AD’s groomsmen at his wedding in 2018. AD, or brother AD as I call him, has always been just that. A brother with whom I’ve laughed, cried, and joked with/on as we navigated not only south campus as college freshman, but life in general.
Evelyn Murphy
Bridesmaid
Evelyn and I worked in the same division for a while but we didn't really get to know each other until I moved into her office in November 2018. I was just coming back from working overseas and was not super excited about moving to a new office but one day a dramatic coworker made a comment, and like clock work from across the room we both turned around and looked at each other. We were both thinking the same thing and randomly, that was the moment our friendship began. After that, we started the infamous Mug Club, shopping together at my favorite store TJ Maxx, and always talking about Christmas decorations and Hallmark Christmas movies that all have the same plot but for some reason we both continue to watch them.
Aaron Johnson
Groomsman
Aaron J along with AD was another one of the first people I met at college. Oddly enough he was AD’s roommate and I actually met the two of them together as we realized a commonality in our situations. Later we roomed together as sophomores, and I was certain we were going to get kicked out of that apartment because of the frequent parties, but somehow we made it through. One of the first people that made me realize the beauty of traveling was Aaron. Despite being the youngest, only by a few months, Aaron has always been the old soul of the group. And whether he’s telling me about some of the places me and Chy should make it a point to visit, or telling me this is the year for his New York Knicks, I left every conversation with Aaron learning something new and that continues to this day.
Kai Willis
Bridesman
If you didn't already know, Kai and I are 9 years apart and as weird as it seems, it works out perfectly being so far apart in again. I still remember the day he was born. I couldn't wait to hold him, and once they came home from the hospital and normal life resumed, I'm pretty sure I thought he was my own child. I always wanted to hold "the baby" and I loved him even when he spit up on my face...multiple times. Now, years later, I truly cannot keep up with how much he has grown and changed over the years. He is older, smarter, wise and keeps developing each day. And if any of you out there are looking for a stylish, young Kai is out her as a fashion killer keeping all ya'll on your toes.
Gentry Jones
Groomsman
I met Gentry during my sophomore year in college. One day I came back to the apartment Aaron and I lived in, and him and Aaron were just hanging out and soon enough that became a regular occurrence, the three of us just hanging out. Of my college friends Gentry, or Gent, has always been the one to keep the mood light, but he’s also been a great friend keeping us all accountable even if sometimes he hurt a feeling or two. As a CPA now the sky is the limit for Gent and we continue to crack jokes about any and everything whilst celebrating each other’s accomplishments along the way.
Chanequa Pettaway
Bridesmaid
What is a girl without her big sister? Though we are 7 years apart, we are all close (including my brother) and the relationship is unbreakable. We have been through so much together from bumping heads when we were younger to traveling together. Some of the best moments we have spent together was traveling to Miami to surprise my mom for her birthday. Chanequa always has everything planned and knows the best places to shop, party, grab drinks and get the best food, which makes traveling with her AMAZING! Chanequa and Matthew are the same when it comes to traveling I literally always look to then when it comes to planning and getting activities ready for a trip. Nonetheless, she is the best and I couldn't imagine walking down the aisle without her.
Deonte Carter
Groomsman
Deonte, or Carter as we call him, was another friend that I met at UMD, but unlike AD, Aaron and myself, Carter lived among the other freshmen on North campus. I can’t recall the circumstance where we got introduced to each other, but ever since that moment Carter told us about what was happening on north campus, and we told him about anything going on south campus. Carter became another constant in our friend group, especially during sophomore year where we would get together at our apartment and play spades (usually for money). Although we don’t have as much time to catch up over a game of spades, Carter has become a great friend, who never is too busy to lend a helping hand and be the final vote among the many arguments in our friend group.