Wedding Party
Hope Hensley
Maid of Honor
Hope is a one-of-a-kind, creative, selfless, and fun-loving sister! While she objected at times to my endless imagination's worth of childhood games in the front yard, she never turns down a concert, a roadtrip, or a spontaneous adventure that may or may not end with her skydiving; she brings joy and life to every party. Ask her about Baby Elvis (Ellie) or our world famous pool games!
Jacob Lagus
Best Man
- Relationship w/ Groom: barber - Greatest Accomplishments: father of Matt and Hannah's first niece, third place in fantasy football league last year, and makes a mean scrambled egg.
Jill Gierke
Bridesmaid
Jill and I met freshman year of college during a fire drill; she quoted Hot Rod, and at that moment I knew she was a friend who was too legit to quit. We lived as roommates sophomore year of college, as well as sophomore year of adulting post-grad, spending lots of time playing pickleball, grilling jalapeño cheddar brats, and filming cooking show videos to send to Max. She has an uncanny ability to empathize and speaks with wisdom (not to mention, she's mom to Ruthie, one of the best gals on planet Earth). Ask her (or her dad) about #MNtoMTNs.
Sam Lagus
Best Man
- Relationship w/ Groom: mini-basketball arch-nemesis - Greatest Accomplishments: convinced all his former teachers to call Matt "Sam", remembers 70% of the lyrics he used to know from Hamilton, and never loses hope in Minnesota sports teams.
Kate Lagus
Bridesmaid
Kate is a special friend and soon-to-be sister! I met this sunflower-loving mama first through Jill (see above) while at Bethel, not knowing that one day we'd be hanging out at family gatherings (score!). We share a love of sweet treats, deep conversations, and crushing it in the classroom. Kate is a fierce encourager, radiantly joyful, and someone who is dependable to walk (or dance) through all seasons of life with, not to mention she is now mom to the World's Best Niece. Ask her about our own personal Eras Tour!
Max Gierke
Groomsman
- Relationship w/ Groom: preschool classmate - Greatest Accomplishments: participated in a 45-minute long freestyle rap battle, was mildly successful investing in dogecoin, and knows enough Spanish to get himself into trouble (but not out of it).
Gabby Botterbusch
Bridesmaid
Gabby and I met in 7th grade at my first club softball practice in Denver. With thick eyeliner, a black bandana, and cutthroat attitude, I knew Gabby was not one to mess with. The Lord has a wonderful sense of humor, though, and before I knew it, Gab was my best pal. We have walked (and ran) many miles of life together -- from the trails to and from our middle school, softball and track teams throughout high school, and now cheering each other on from miles apart. Gab knows and loves my heart deeply, is a friend to all, and loves harder than anyone I know! Ask her about Sean John Jay-Z, our Psyclones adventures, or her beautiful daughter, Emmylou!
Jake Schulz
Groomsman
- Relationship w/ Groom: let groom copy his math homework once - Greatest Accomplishments: able to recite entire scenes of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, co-author of the "soon-to-be New York Times bestselling" book "Desperate Passion," and a novice geography student.
Maddie Bomsta
Bridesmaid
Maddie and I played softball together at Bethel; while we loved all of our college experience, we both equally agree that we LOVE freshman year! Since graduating, we both have taught in the same school district, at buildings only a parking lot apart, and have consistently met for the past 5 years to pray together and stay up-to-date in each others' lives through dating, engagements, weddings, and now parenthood for Mads + Brady (S/O to Blakely!). Maddie is down-to-earth, loyal, sassy, and it is the highest compliment when her former students tell me how similar we are! Ask her about Pam's hot chocolate or a being fly on the wall!
Jackson Arland
Usher
- Relationship w/ Groom: cast the shadow the groom (and everyone) lived in during high school. - Greatest Accomplishments: had a 2.0 kill/death ratio against his brother in Call of Duty in middle school, ate vegan for a whole month (and kept going for 6+ years), and owns a ferocious dog named Wigglebutt.
Krista Gilmore
Personal Attendant
Sista Krista and I share a love of mountainous adventures, floating in lakes, and the exact same sense of humor (Vine references, mostly). We met as college freshmen, lived in more than one precarious college-house over the years, and served several years in Kids Ministry together. Krista is beautifully and goofily herself in all situations, and champions me to love Jesus and other people well. Ask her about her first day of nursing clinicals or our adventure at Mt. Bierstadt!
Josh Tank
Usher
- Relationship w/ Groom: personal naturalist - Greatest Accomplishments: lives by the phrase "the more you wing it, the higher you fly," can grow an afro, and once described his ideal mate as a blonde-haired, blue-eyed soccer and violin player (unbeknownst to him, an exact description of the groom).
Anna Hultgren
Personal Attendant
Sweet, Sweet Ann and I shared a bedroom together our senior year of college; she personally inspired my 19-day streak of late night Duolingo in German and somehow still remained friends with me after hearing me whisper "Ich bin ein frau" as we were getting ready to sleep. Anna has since stood by my side in more ways than one - on the ice at countless broomball games, as a legendary Spikeball partner, and as a wise, steadfast friend and spiritual sister. Ask her about her Saturday morning gaming and Big Bootie Mix volume 11!
TJ Arland
Usher
- Relationship w/ Groom: roommate's dog's friend - Greatest Accomplishments: had a 0.5 kill/death ratio against his brother in Call of Duty in middle school, got a triple in rec-league slow-pitch softball, and once directed a musical about his own life.
Ken Hensley
Officiant/Father of the Bride
As Hannah's father and Matt's soon-to-be Father-in-Law, Ken gets the best of both worlds, and is absolutely THRILLED to gain his very first son! Perhaps even more thrilled than he would be to play in a Pickleball Pro tournament...perhaps....
Chris Schramm
Usher
Relationship w/ Groom: friend Groom hung out with him in college to seem cool Greatest Accomplishments: left the Pacific Northwest to go to college in Iowa, defies gravity on the pull-up bar, and has cool scars from falling off his skateboard.
Sam Dittrich
Officiant/Groomsman
- Relationship w/ Groom + Bride: none—found on www.rent-a-pastor.com - Greatest Accomplishments: won two out of his three fantasy football leagues this year (thanks to autodraft), is 7th-string bass player in the church worship band, and scored exactly one touchdown in high-school football.
Cordell James May
Usher / Musician
- Relationship w/ Groom: German tutor - Greatest Accomplishments: former owner of a killer man-bun and frosted tips (not at the same time; neither pictured), went camping and forgot the tent poles, and co-wrote a detailed song about Matt's backside.
David Lee
Usher / Musician
Relationship w/ Groom: secretly loathed Groom in middle school Greatest Accomplishments: memorized the last section of Tchaikovsky's "Trepak" (and locked eyes intimately with Groom while performing it), gives top-notch hugs, and once tenderly serenaded Groom's mother with John Legend's "All of me."