Matthew & Joshua
Wedding Party
Landis Masnor
Best Man
Matt and Landis have been friends since they met in high school marching band, way back in 2005 in Berryhill, Oklahoma. Landis was a goofy teenager (not dissimilar to Matt) who frequently invited himself to Matt's house after practice to eat the Meads' food and introduce Matt to music he didn't like then but grew to like later. Through the years, they've stayed friends between moves in Oklahoma and to Memphis, Chicago, DC, Haiti, and South Carolina. Landis and Matt may have lived apart, but they matured together and have remained close for 14 years and counting.
Hon Sheikh Kareem Elsaadi, Esq
Best Man
Best Friend to the Groom, Senior Counsel for Social Justice, Supreme Checker of Facts and Singer of Disney Musicals. Kareem and Josh met while in college as co-officers of their school's Debate Society, where he masterminded the coup d'état that everyone saw coming (RIP AJ). Kareem is best known for his work in mistaking Josh for a woman the first two times they met. Kareem and Josh are coauthors of the acclaimed study that was good enough to present to a room full of other people who had studies that were good enough, "DTF: A mixed methods exploration of mate acquisition processes in the digital world," which the pair presented at the NCA convention in Dallas where that woman in that bar knows what she did and I'm STILL SHOOK.
Cara McGrath
Groomswoman
Even though they knew OF each other before from overlapping friends and interests, Matt and Cara met at one of those stupid house parties you go to in college. They quickly bonded over cat memes, wine, and how stupid boys are (were?), usually all at the same time. After Matt moved to DC, Cara moved to Uganda as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Cara wrote Matt many letters from Uganda and Matt never wrote her once. They're still friends because Cara is a good person despite her dark exterior (she only wears black).
Alma Musvosvi
Groomswoman
Her Excellency, Executive Vice President for Life, Lady of all the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Seas and Conquerer of the British Empire in Africa in General and Zimbabwe in Particular, Catfisher of Josh and Eternal Inspiration to Wokeness. Alma and Josh met in college, where she literally bought a yoga mat to trick him into thinking she did yoga because she heard that he did yoga when in reality neither of them really did yoga. They have been friends ever since.
Brooke Myers
Groomswoman
Matt and Brooke met in a sad classroom orientation at OU just before leaving for a study abroad program in South Africa. They bonded on the 28-hour journey from Tulsa to Johannesburg and over the subsequent three months in Pretoria, having adventures bungee jumping, riding ostriches, diving with sharks, and checking out one too many bars. They lived with each other for the last two years of college and didn't end up hating each other - a testament to their still-lasting friendship.
Ruthie Gopin
Groomswoman
Ruthie is Josh's oldest and most patient friend. They met as classmates in a Takoma Park Homeschooling Cooperative and that should tell you everything you need to know about them and their parents. They solidified their nearly decade-long relationship over a healthy debate about the aesthetic values of the Hudson River School Movement (there aren't any) and the future prospects of a healthy and prosperous two-state solution (there aren't any). Ruthie is best known for her lifetime achievement in telling Josh to calm down and get over himself, and for her unwavering commitment to shielding him from Pride.
Jami King
Officiant
Jami and Matt met through Landis in high school, but Jami and Matt became friends in their own rite through many a conversation about God, politics, education, and international affairs. In one such discussion on same-sex marriage in Memphis in the summer of 2009, Jami pressed a little too hard after Matt asked what was *supposed* to be a hypothetical question and inadvertently yanked him out of the closet. He remains grateful to this day. Jami first learned of Josh (Saqi) a week after Matt and Josh started dating - she was convinced it wouldn't last. Nevertheless, Jami and Josh have become close friends through interstate visits and similar deep conversations. Most of these have happened while Matt has been out of the country. They don't need him to keep a good conversation going.
Dr. Barry Casey
Officiant
Barry has known Josh nearly half his life, as he and the Tobings have attended the same church and worked in similar institutions for the past 10+ years. Barry met Matt only a few weeks after Josh and Matt started dating and their families have seen each other regularly throughout Josh and Matt's nearly 5-year relationship. Barry holds a Ph.D. in Religion and has over 35 years of experience teaching religion, philosophy, and communication (among other topics), both in and out of the classroom, including being a mentor and excellent conversationalist and listener at family gatherings.