Wedding Party
Kate Barr
Maid of Honor
Kate and I grew up two blocks away from each other on Henry Avenue, but the universe wouldn't have us meet until the first day of high school in the "caf." And we more than made up for those 12 years we missed out on! We find ourselves asking each other: "Do you think anyone in the world is having more fun than us, right now?" The answer to this rhetorical question is always "NO" and sums up our relationship quite perfectly. Whether we are hiking through beautiful national parks, gripping onto the side of a boat for dear life, partying until the sun comes up, or chilling on the couch watching Bravo, we are always having the most fun together.
Matt Parks
Best Man
“Parks” and I became friends our Senior year at Michigan. Like many other college memories, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly when or how we became friends. However, what I can say definitively is that we’ve spent the last decade on a mission to live our best lives. From annual trips to THE lake house, several trips across the country and abroad, birthdays, New Year’s celebrations, concerts, and a lifetime worth of music discovery (including pineapple beats), we have together been on a relentless pursuit of the “Good Life”. What you may not know about Parks is that he’s absolutely obsessed with space, so don’t be surprised on our wedding night when you find Parks gazing at the stars and wondering about life on the next undiscovered planet.
Tara Pavlatos
Bridesmaid
In the early 2000s, Tara and I first shared math classes and cheer practices. Over the years we’ve shared countless laughs about the cost of installing walls, not trusting people, and warehouses. Most recently, we’ve shared tips and tricks about purging all of our things so we could pack only what is necessary and move across the country to live a Covid-Nomad lifestyle, her to Arizona and me to California. Through everything we’ve shared, she always keeps me smiling (and it’s not only because she sends me the cutest / funniest gifs - half of them being French Bulldogs).
Matt Herrmann
Best Man
“Herm” and I have known each other since our formative days of middle school. Herm and his family moved to the Detroit-area from Cleveland (thank God) in 7th grade, and that would mark the beginning of a lifelong friendship that I could only characterize as an “adventure”. I vividly remember Herm’s brief rap career in 8th grade, shooting hoops in our backyards, tennis tournaments, late-night video games and jamming out to music on Napster. Herm (and his Ja Rule impersonations) will be missed at the wedding, as he couldn't make it back from Shanghai for the occasion. He will be with us in spirit and may even make an "appearance."
Katrina Beechey
Bridesmaid
Katrina and I bonded over a series of random situations while studying abroad in Buenos Aires in 2006. We would follow each others journeys through social media (back before we had Whatsapp) and whenever we were on the same continent (planned or unplanned), we would have to get together and catch up for hours or days or weeks. No matter how long it's been since we've seen each other, we pick up right where we left off! She has this uncanny ability to calm all my nerves, so needless to say, she will very much missed over the wedding weekend.
Mike Young
Groomsman
Mike and I first became friends over one of life’s great pastimes: Michigan football and a box of pizza. As it often goes, it’s hard to pick a point in time where we became great friends, but it’s easy to recall the experiences we’ve shared over the last decade: once-in-a-lifetime trips abroad (including a World Cup in Russia), rowdy football Saturdays, and countless “turn-up” pregames in Chicago. Mike and I also share an affinity for punctuality, so at the wedding, expect him to show up on time (early) and show out when his song comes on.
Ginnette Harvey
Bridesmaid
Ginnette changed my life when she took a chance hiring me way back in 2010 in NYC. About two years later we moved to Chicago and our friendship really took off. We went to all the hot clubs, fancy restaurants, and brunches (and still do today). A few years after that, she had an adorable baby boy who stole not only her heart, but mine. When I think of my friendship with Ginnette, I often go back to the time she asked me to be her son’s emergency-contact-mother (in my words) for school, when she convinced me to run a 15k with no training, or when we chat about life for hours at the spa. She is a true BOSS is every sense of the word and I absolutely love her!
Ryan Mortimer
Groomsman
Everyone needs that friend to call Mr. Reliable. For me, that’s Mort. Mort and I first met pledging our fraternity at Michigan. Since then, Mort has consistently come through in the clutch, saving the day and arguably preserving life when the boys got a little too reckless. Whether it was coordinating an elaborate party or trip, finding a seemingly impossible ride home after a long night out, or simply just knowing exactly what to say or do to get us out of jam, Mort always figured it out. At the wedding, you can expect Mort to be keeping everyone in check and ensuring we don’t need to use our wedding insurance.
Lindsey Morrone
Bridesmaid
The first night I met Lindsey, I knew we were bound to be best friends. It was a no brainer - I needed to be friends with this girl who was the life of the party! She had me at her big lovable laugh and live in the moment energy. From our days scraping by, sharing a converted one bedroom apartment with a makeshift living room wall in New York and renting mattresses on the floor of attic in the Hamptons to luxury vacations of the Mandarin Oriental in Vegas and SLS in Beverly Hills, this girl and I have seen some things!
Andrew Caponi
Groomsman
Another classic tale of pledge term friendship, "Caponi" and I first became friends at Michigan picking up beer cans on the lawn after a long football Saturday at the frat house. Best remembered for our Beer Pong team name, “The Halfrican Dynasty”, Caponi and I not only shared great memories throughout college, but we spent our first few years out of college living together in Chicago and figuring out the true meaning of “adulting”. As an accomplished triathlete, you might find Caponi coming off an ambitious Napa bike ride or swim. But if he’s not in his jammers, you’ll definitely find him at the bar.
Simi Singh
Bridesmaid
How many clubs have you been to where you meet your best friend?? It was by some miracle that of all the rooftops in New York City we could have gone to, Simi and I went to the same one on the same night and were one table away. The rest is history! I can always count on her to plan our next group trip, chat on the phone for hours (because we’ve actually never lived in the same place at the same time), or answer all my medical questions. She is a social butterfly with a soft heart, which are only two of the many reasons I love her so much!
Michael Slovitt
Groomsman
“Slovitt” and I became fast-friends in our fraternity at Michigan. From the spontaneous roars of “WOOH!” and “Let’s Go!”, it was very apparent early-on that Slovitt could bring passion and high-energy to… well… just about any situation. It’s been our shared passion for new experiences, our “hype men” mentality, and our unabashed commitment to great times with great friends that has kept our bond strong for all of these years. Expect plenty of “WOOHs!” and “Let’s Gos!” from “Slovitt” at the wedding.
Chelsea Jenkins
Bridesmaid
Austin first introduced me to Chelsea at a packed bar a March Madness Michigan game. She came in with a big smile and giant hug - I knew this family was a keeper!! Her energy lights up the room, her positivity radiates through everything she does, and anytime I’m down, I remind myself that I need to channel my inner Chelsea and love this beautiful life! I’d be remiss not to mention that I am forever grateful that she groomed Austin to be overly accepting of the "I'll be ready in 5 minutes" that we both share.
Ryan Estes
Groomsman
Despite both attending the University of Michigan and having many mutual friends, it wasn’t until “Estes” and I had a chance to hit the streets of Chicago as twenty-somethings that we became great friends. We lived together, spent way too many late nights at the Hangge Up together, and ultimately formed a friendship founded on the love of Michigan, music, and late-night breakfast at the Tempo Café. Don’t be surprised if “Estes” shows up to the wedding in Michigan gear.