Monique & Jake
Wedding Party
Maggie Laskovics
Maid of Honor
Maggie is my best friend. We met in during our freshman year in college at Chico State. We lived in the same dorm, on the same floor, and we had an English class together to help seal the deal. I thought she was rude when we first met. I was kind of shy and focused on school, but Maggie helped me come out of my shell. We became roommates when we moved off campus, when we evolved into codependent shoppers together.
Cherie Mix
Bridesmaid
Cherie is my younger sister. When I was about 7 and Cherie was 4, we were the same size. We have very different personalities for coming from the same parents—same-same, but different. According to Jake, Cherie is the person that can make me the laugh the hardest. She saved me from being an only (younger) child. I would put on the Mr. Potato Head glasses and pretend to read to her when we were really small. Cheri is a very bad driver; I always take the wheel when we go out together.
Nicole Gise
Bridesmaid
Nicole is my older sister, but is also kind of a second mom. I remember spending many nights with her, and when I was little, Nicole would take me everywhere. I admit to being a bit of a problem child so on this one trip to the mall, after being whiny, she was carrying me out and had shopping bags hanging from her arms. She made a misstep and stumbled at the curb. As she fell, she managed to put me down so I was standing up, but she landed on her knees and ripped her jeans. Ripped jeans came into style soon after that and I always thought she started that fad when she fell. Nicole has a bubbly and outgoing personality, and I always know I could call if I ever need her.
Bella Grabowski
Bridesmaid
Bella is my cousin, but she’s more like a little sister. She really likes soccer and plays for the Dominican Youth National Soccer Team. We both like watching weirdo TV shows, and any weird behavioral ticks I may have, I picked up from Bella. One time she was home by herself, but was convinced someone broke into the house. She called me to call her parents. Nobody was there but Bella was convinced. She’s my crafting and baking partner—we always have projects to do when we get together. She helps me stay in touch with what young people think is cool, but she also tells me when I'm acting like a boomer - which is more often than I care to admit.
Yesenia Resendez
Bridesmaid
Yesenia was my little in my sorority. A little is a new sorority member that I helped mentor when she joined. She was a late add to the sorority, but very sweet, very nice, and thoughtful so it was easy to become friends even though we didn’t know each other before. We hung out a lot, going to parties together and watching TV—even taking a golf class. We don’t get together very often anymore but when we do we pick up right where we left off. Yesenia’s only fault is that she’s a Raider and A’s fan. Watch out for her alter ego, though; Yolanda usually shows up with alcohol.
Jaclyn Soller
Bridesmaid
In the dorm, Jaclyn lived across from Maggie, and I met them at about the same time. We bonded over listening to the same kind of music our parents listened to. Because of that, the Rugby House became a favorite party spot even though we didn’t know any of the rugby players. They always played that great oldies music that we both loved to dance to. We also did lots of TV bonding over Grey’s Anatomy. Jaclyn is the kind of friend that I can just go hang with and do nothing. Even if we haven’t seen each other in a while, we pick up right where we left off. Jaclyn’s the one that gave me the nickname MoMix.
Paige Walters
Bridesmaid
I met Paige when she started dating Tyler, Jake’s roommate. It was nice to have an ally when dealing with these crazy guys who were in our lives. One time after a round of partying we decided to clean out their disgusting house; there was just too much mess for us to live with. Hanging with the guys could be very stressful—boys will be boys, and I was often the only girl—but with Paige there, I knew she had my back. When she moved in with Tyler and became Jake’s roommate too, she and I would often sit and chat long after the boys went to bed. She also became my go-to wedding consultant since she and Tyler have already been down this wedding path.
Tyler Walters
Groomsman
Jake met Tyler at DeAnza College where they played baseball together. They were pursuing similar majors and when Tyler was accepted at Sonoma State, Jake decided he wanted to go there too. Unfortunately, the Kinesiology program was full, so Jake had to find another program to study if he wanted to go there. Suddenly psychology became interesting and that’s how Tyler and Henry found a new roommate. Tyler was a regular at the pre-concert gatherings at Jake’s house—the first to arrive and the last one to leave—and sometimes he didn’t leave. He does owe Jake a tooth, so if you see Mr.Trashcan at the wedding, you can ask Jake or Henry or Tyler about that.
Ronnie Martin
Groomsman
Ronnie and Jake met through baseball. Ronnie was part of the dreaded Briarwood league while Jake played for Homestead Little League. They got to play together in high school before Ronnie defected to football. They always hung out together, and Ronnie was part of the pre-concert party scene too. One summer while Monique was finishing an internship in Washington, Ronnie seem to fill the gap when Jake was suddenly geographically single. Every time Monique called Jake and asked what he was doing, he was hanging with Ronnie.
Justin Contreras
Groomsman
Justin, more typically known as J or J-con, is another baseball buddy. They played together in high school and college and were roommates at Sonoma State. J was the “clean” roommate and could guilt Jake into helping by just starting to pick up around the house. J and Jake’s main style of interaction is smack-talking each other, and they don’t pass up any opportunity to “rob” a casino. Being one of the younger guys of the group, J was glad when he could finally throw away his fake ID.
Zach Smirnov
Best Man
Zach is Jake’s older brother and was the object of many lessons learned. If Zach did it and got in trouble, Jake never tried it. They shared an interest in soccer and baseball and played on the championship Marlins team. They’d play video games together and in high school would ride their bikes in San Jose Bike Party. Sometimes, they’d ride all over town only to find themselves at the donut shop at midnight. They were loyal to each other and kept each other’s secrets from their parents.
Nicholas Molina
Groomsman
Nicholas can claim the title of knowing Jake and Monique the longest. Jake met Nick back when they were in kindergarten together, and Nick is Monique’s cousin. Their grandma used to watch them together so they grew up more like siblings. Jake claims that Nick used to bully him in junior high back when Nick was big and Jake was so small. They played a lot of baseball together, went to concerts and generally had a good time.
Christopher Molina
Groomsman
Chris is Nicolas’s younger brother and was always hanging around but Jake always treated him like one of the gang. When he got his driver’s license, Chris was often the designated chauffer of the group, driving these inebriated guys back and forth to the concerts. When Jake and Monique became an official item, Chris welcomed Jake to the family as his cousin too. He also got Jake his current job coaching baseball.
Stephen Jaramillo
Groomsman
Stephen and Jake connected through baseball, too. They competed against each other in Little League, but were drafted to the same team in Pony League. They played baseball in high school, perfecting the 4-3 put-out at first base. He went to college at Chico State and lived down the street from Monique. You could say Stephen was somewhat responsible for Jake and Monique becoming an item.
TJ Conroy
Groomsman
TJ and Jake met at DeAnza College where they played baseball together. One summer they went to gym together every day to keep fit and make gains. TJ wasn’t much of a concert guy, but could be counted on for a poker game in the garage or a trip to the casino. Whenever Jake and Monique go out with TJ and his fiancé, Kiley, they end up at a casino. The boys swear it’s unplanned, but Jake always has a $100 bill in his wallet for these unplanned forays.
Greg Grabowski
Officiant
Greg is Monique’s cousin and everyone in the family says that they’re besties since they FaceTime at least once a week. He went to podiatry school in San Francisco when Monique was little and visited the family often. They became very close, more like he’s an older brother. He’s the one that got Monique into running, so by proxy got Jake into running too. If Monique isn’t at home, chances are she’s at Greg’s house in Washington. They have no secrets so if you tell one, you’ve told them both.