Sara & Nathaniel
Wedding Party
Blake Gettlin
Matron of Honor
Blake is my big sister, and mostly in part because of our untraditional 12 year age difference, she is so much more than just that. Blake is my north star, my sense of calm and stability no matter what the circumstances are, there is no one who just "gets it" quite like she does. She has always been many steps ahead of me, paving the way for the type of wife and mom I could only dream to be one day. Blake is my voice of reason, she was always my favorite person to see in the audience at every single dance recital (sorry there were SO many!), she inspired my love for GW and the confidence to build my life in Washington, DC. In 2010, I stood by her side as her Maid of Honor, it is the ultimate gift that so many years later she will be by my side as my Matron of Honor. Make sure you find Blake on the dance floor boogieing away when the band plays “Firework” by Katy Perry!
Julia Gettlin
Maid of Honor
My niece, Julia, has illuminated my entire world. I will never quite understand how genetics work, and how it happened that Julia is just like me. Julia is creative, she is an incredible artist, her dance classes bring her so much happiness, and the quick witted remarks that come out of her mouth never cease to amaze me. She sees the world around her through purple sparkly glasses, with joy, with love, with a healthy dose of independence and knowing exactly what she wants. Julia is not just forging her own path in this world, she's cartwheeling, twirling, singing, and giggling her way through life. Watching Julia grow up is the honor of a lifetime, being her Aunt is the greatest gift, and I am overjoyed for her to be my Maid of Honor. It'll be hard to miss her, but make sure you give Julia her space so she can bust a move when the band plays “The Life of a Showgirl” by Taylor Swift!
Caroline Strauss
Best Woman
A core, visceral memory I have from childhood was the day my parents told me I would be getting a baby sister. It’s a clear, crisp memory that I’m grateful to have because it’s truly the earliest memory I could have of one of the most important people in my life. Caroline is five years younger than me and although that felt like a pretty big age gap while growing up, now it’s a gift- I have this cool younger sister to watch grow up and build her own version of the world while also keeping me up to date on the important new tv shows and music I’d otherwise miss. Caroline is tenacious and creative, attentive and kind. She’s an amazing friend and a top-notch dog aunt to Feeny and Orli. But above all, she’s the definition of a built-in-best-friend that I’ve loved having since the moment I met her. Thinking about who would be my “best person” for my wedding and who I’d want at my side through the whole wedding journey (besides Sara, of course), I came to an easy answer- the best person I know. A note from Sara: Early on in my relationship with Nate, I was told that Caroline once asked for a big sister for Hanukkah. While it's not exactly what she asked for, gaining Caroline as my sister in law is so, so special. Caroline has shown me how meaningful the relationship with a younger sibling is and I am so excited to not only be your sorority sister, but to be your sister in law as well! Catch Caroline on the dance floor when the band plays “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter!
Rachael Smith
Bridesmaid
Rachael and I met in Hebrew class during my sophomore year at GW. Somewhere in between complaining about having class on Friday, and relearning the aleph bet, we uncovered a shared love of camp, BBYO, and our respective NFL teams. We became fast friends as I tried to avoid dirty rushing her into joining SDT. My efforts failed as it became obvious pretty early on that she would not only join SDT, but would also be my little. Rachael was a pillar of my college experience. You could often find us, side by side, with bottles of white wine in our purses. I often joke and remind Rachael that she is average, but that could not be further from the truth. Rachael is extraordinary, she is the world's best doctor, bringing baby after baby into this world with deep trust and compassion. She is brilliant, loyal, kind, funny and caring. Even through the most unimaginable challenges and losses, Rachael shows up with unwavering love. Rachael is my person. I can't wait to "dance it out" with her when the band plays “Dancing Queen” by ABBA!
Sarah Cahn
Bridesmaid
Sarah and I met in BBYO and quickly became "the Sara(h)'s". In so many ways, I don't know who I would be today if it hadn't been for Sarah's friendship in High School. I am endlessly grateful that Sarah's family had an open door policy, meaning that Sarah would open the door, get in the shower, and return having found that I arrived with my bag packed to stay for the weekend. We grew up during all of those weekend visits, sitting around her kitchen table and wandering through Urban Outfitters. During one of my trips to Kent State to visit her in college, I remember her saying that I was the only home friend who had come to see her, I knew then that I would always do everything in my power to show up for her. We have watched each other fall in and out of love, both meeting the men of our dreams, and getting engaged 6 months after one another. Getting to plan our weddings together is a dream, and knowing that she has been by my side for all of life's less glamorous moments is arguably even more important to me. Because of Sarah I am a better friend, I'm a better person, I am more carefree, I am more me. You can find Sarah on the dance floor grooving when the band plays “September” by Earth Wind and Fire!
Jessica Rosenblum
Bridesmaid
Jess and I met when I started going to Camp Timber Tops in 2006. She would laugh at me if she knew that writing about how much she means to me made me so emotional, but I truly believe there is no friendship quite like the ones you make at camp. We literally grew up together, summer after summer, sometimes with our beds being so close to one another that we'd wake up with one of our limbs hanging over into the other persons bed. We stood together in front of the singular full length mirror and learned how to put on makeup, straighten our hair, shave our legs, and more importantly learned who we would be for the rest of our lives. Jess is unapologetically herself, she is bold, she is deeply loyal, she will always tell you the truth, and she will always take out her phone to take a video when you're crying. Growing up with Jess as my friend is a privilege that I don't take for granted, I am so lucky that she came into my life, tennis racket in hand in '06, and that she will be by my side for this adventure too. After more than a decade spent at an all girls camp, it makes sense that she can't wait to dance like it's line up when the band plays “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper!
Jessie Heines Wolf
Bridesmaid
I met Jessie when we were both working for Hillel International. Neither of us were from DC and yet we became friends at a moment when we were both figuring out how to start our lives, our careers, and our families here. Making friends as an adult is hard, but there is nothing hard about being friends with Jessie. She is steadfast in her love and support, she is practical, rational, always a calming and reassuring presence in my world. Even more than the stable presence she brings to my life, she fills my life with joy. The type of joy that comes from endless laughter, bad dance moves, sitting on the couch in our coziest clothes, overflowing bags of beauty samples, watching any sporting event on her perfectly sized TV, walking into most Jewish events in DC side by side, and the shared love of running errands in the suburbs. Jessie and her husband, Freddie, have become family to me in DC, and I am so lucky that we get to navigate this stage of life together. Make sure you join Jessie on the dance floor when the band plays the Hora!
Alana Kasindorf
Bridesmaid
I consider it to be one of the biggest blessings that Alana found her way into my life on two separate occasions. Alana first popped up in my life in college, when the SDT national office sent her to GW to solve all of our problems and make sure we were perfect. Our time with Alana came and went, but we didn't stay in touch after her visit. Several years later, my friend Ian posted a photo with his new girlfriend (spoiler alert, now they're married!) and much to my surprise, I recognized her, it was Alana! I immediately texted Ian asking if Alana remembered me from her time at GW, sure enough, I'm hard to forget. I felt lucky to have the chance to meet her once, but for her to seep into my life in the most magical way the second time around is truly a gift. Alana is a friend in the truest sense of the word, she is thoughtful, she pours her heart into handmade cards and gifts for even the smallest moments worthy of celebrating. Alana is true to herself, I am constantly in awe of all of the silly, caring, loving, goofy pieces that make her so fabulously her. Alana and Ian make DC feel like home, every homemade dinner, and pajama mandatory gathering prove to me that the happiest moments in life aren't about what you are doing, it's about who you are with. You'll definitely hear her excitement echoing through the crowd when the band plays “Satisfied” from the Hamilton soundtrack!
Naomi Fainchtein
Bridesmaid
I've often said that my friendship with Naomi was a perfect example of "when you know, you know". We just happened to be starting new Hillel jobs at the same time, just happened to be assigned to the same group that met on zoom all summer long, just happened to both be at schools in DC, and just happened to both be huge Taylor Swift fans. Naomi has taught me fierce determination, never giving up on the things you want, and pursuing them with your entire heart. Naomi's friendship has made me a better person, more communicative, more open, more trusting, more patient. Naomi and her husband Avi live a life that is beautifully and deeply Jewish, it's inspired how I see my own Jewish life and home. The most incredible gift in being friends with Naomi is getting to have a front row seat to watch Matan and Raffi grow up. Naomi can't wait to dance and sing like we're at The Eras Tour when the band plays “Paper Rings” by Taylor Swift!
Joe Freedman
Groomsman
Aside from the fact that there were some family friend dinners in our childhood that we believe we were both at and just never interacted, I feel like I’ve known Joe (Joey to me) forever. We’ve been through many exciting chapters of life together. From meeting and becoming friends as brother Alephs in Fisher AZA, to working as RAs together in the same dorm in college, to countless memories from Grand Rapids to Louisville to home and back, Joe has been right there with me through it all. Joe and Bri (his incredible wife and my great friend) set such a beautiful example of marriage that serves as inspiration to me as I show up as a fiancé and a soon-to-be husband. I’m honored to have him joining me as a groomsman on my wedding day and to many more exciting chapters to come. Joe is most excited to hear the band play the Spartan fight song! Go Green!
Claudia Gellman
Groomswoman
For as long as I can remember since the first day we met, my life has always had Claudia in it. Our friendship started fast and so special, becoming friends across BBYO events and weekend hangouts, late night trips to Eddie’s Coney Island and exploring all around town. It is not lost on me how lucky I am to have a friend like Claudia and not only that, but to have gotten to be friends for over a decade. Claudia brings the party to every room she enters, always inspiring fun wherever she goes. Her bright and colorful look on life inspires me to keep dreaming up new ideas and work to put them into motion. As a friend, Claudia is deeply inclusive and holds her people close- weaving friends together and forming community. To know Claudia is to love her and it’s a true joy to get to call her a groomswoman and have her stand with me. Excited to dance the night away, Claudia is most excited to hear the band play "Dancing in the Moonlight" by Toploader!
Jason Markowitz
Groomsman
Some of the loudest laughs and funniest moments I can remember are with Jason. A friend who’s equally as willing to joke around and talk about the important things in life, Jason’s friendship means a lot to me. From early beginnings as brother Alephs in Max Fisher AZA working to make our chapter the best it could be, I knew Jason would be a great friend and a longtime friend. With a rich catalog of memories together, spending time with Jason is always a blast as we weave our present day lives with jokes from the past. I’m grateful to have Jason as my friend now and through so many exciting chapters of life and I’m deeply honored to have him join me as a groomsman on my wedding day. I know that memories old will blend with memories new and I’m thrilled to get to make them with Jason. Dancing the night away all night, Jason is most excited to hear the band play “Play That Funky Music” by Wild Cherry!
Ilana Woronoff
Groomswoman
Ilana is, truly, one of my oldest friends. It’s absolutely wild to me that I can say that I have friends in my life that I’ve known for over 20 years and Ilana is the prime example of who I think of when I say that! We first became friends at Adat Shalom religious school. From there, our friendship continued into high school with BBYO and synagogue involvement, then to Michigan State (with fun stops like Poland where we got to celebrate Ilana’s 21st birthday and somehow I ended up with all of her drinks), visits to Ann Arbor while Ilana was in grad school, me copying her and buying a Subaru Forrester, and seeing each other every time I’m home in Michigan, Ilana is a forever friend. Ilana and I have truly grown up together, learning a lot of lessons about life through our long phone calls and catch up sessions, and now standing together as Sara and I get married. I’m truly so, incredibly happy to have Ilana be one of my groomswomen. Ilana's ready to put on her dancing shoes and is most excited to hear the band play the Hora!
Jeff Litten
Groomsman
My friendship with Jeff is one that I not only cherish deeply, but also have such wonderfully vivid memories of. For those who don’t know, I met Jeff on his first day of his freshman year at Michigan State while he was moving into his dorm room. Why? Because I had the honor and privilege of being Jeff’s RA. We built incredible memories that year that created an incredible foundation for our friendship. From working on the same RA staff together, to traveling to Israel together, and building quite a reputation for ourselves as local karaoke stars at Crunchy’s in East Lansing under the stage names “Natey and Jeffy,” Jeff is a friend I will always show up for and I know he’ll do the same. I’m honored to have him stand up with me on my wedding day and, if you’re lucky, maybe you’ll hear some impromptu karaoke throughout the wedding weekend. Jeff is most excited to hear the band play (and dance along to) "Wobble" by V.I.C.!
Emily Linden
Groomswoman
Technically, Emily and I have known each other for a very long time, with our first meeting happening in BBYO. But, I have no recollection of that and my first memory of Emily (that she won’t let me ever forget- and for good reason) takes place in August 2013 in North Case Hall at Michigan State where Emily, a brand new freshman, recognized me and said hi, to which I essentially blew her off because I had no clue who she was. As wild as our friendship began, Emily went on to be an incredibly bright light in my college, post-college, and young adult life. Emily was one of my only friends in Lansing, Michigan, after she moved back in 2019, and as she made Lansing home, it helped me feel even more at home there. Emily is the best aunt to Feeny, one of the most creative people I know, and a true, dear friend. I am elated to have her join Sara and I as a groomswoman for our wedding! Emily can't wait to hear the band play "TiK ToK" by Kesha!
Ian Solow-Niederman
Groomsman
The journey of my friendship with Ian has been fun in all the best ways. From first meeting and being Hillel colleagues, to being roommates at the work conference where Sara and I started dating, to Ian moving to DC, then me moving to DC, I’m over the moon that now we’re here! I so appreciate Ian’s enthusiasm to try new things, put himself out there, and savor the great moments in life- all traits I aspire to strive towards myself. With my transition to living in DC being a bit rough around the edges, I have and continue to look up to Ian as someone who moved here and made the city his own. To have Ian stand up in our wedding as a groomsman means the world to me and feels like such a wonderful celebration of this friendship I cherish deeply. Ian is ready to party and is most excited to hear the band play “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers!
Freddie Wolf
Groomsman
From the very beginning of my relationship with Sara, I had always heard about her friend Freddie and how special he was. What was true then and continues to be true now is that the bond between Freddie and Sara is something truly meaningful. From the moment we met on my first trip to Washington, D.C. after Sara and I started dating, and I got to see that special friendship up close, I was excited for the opportunity to build my own friendship with Freddie. Freddie is the kind of person who works incredibly hard, knows how to have a great time, and at the same time brings a grounded, down-to-earth presence that helps everyone around him feel the same. He is someone I truly value having in my life, and I’m grateful for the friendship we’ve built and all the moments we’ve already shared. I’m incredibly honored to have Freddie standing with me as a groomsman on my wedding day, and I’m deeply excited for all the memories still to come. Catch Freddie on the dance floor when the band plays "Higher Love" by Kygo and Whitney Houston.
Michael Gettlin
Groomsman
A note from Sara: I was eight years old when Michael came into my life. From the first night that Blake brought him home to meet us and he invented some wacky game to play with me, I never had a doubt that Michael was the perfect addition to Blake's life, and to mine. I am so grateful for the overflowing love and support that comes from having Michael in my world. I'm grateful that he introduced me to camp, always makes me feel at home, understands that I've never seen the movie he is quoting, and more than anything loves my sister just as much as I do. A note from Nate: I’d known for a while before we started dating that Sara’s older sister was married to a guy from Philly named Michael. I have a few memories of Sara telling me about Michael and how happy he made Blake and how much he meant to Sara. But let me tell you, after getting to know Michael, invoking happiness on those he’s around is not just reserved for one person- Michael is friendly, kind, and welcoming to all. I’ve truly loved getting to know Michael since Sara and I started dating and I’m really thankful for how he included me into the family very early on. Having Michael stand up as a groomsman in our wedding feels like the perfect fit and I can’t wait to get to celebrate with him. You can be sure that Michael will be on the dance floor when the band plays “Don't Stop Believin'” by Journey!
Leo Gettlin
Groomsman
A note from Sara: I didn't know it was possible to love someone as much as I love Leo. Leo made me an Aunt one week before my 20th birthday, he is the greatest birthday gift I've ever received. Leo is arguably better at math than I am, also thinks the New York Giants are a bunch of bums (but loves them anyway), and cares for others more deeply and compassionately than I ever thought a kid would be capable of. I am in awe of the person Leo is growing up to be and will always be overwhelmingly grateful to be his Aunt Sara. A note from Nate: Leo is, simply, the best. He’s a great brother, an awesome athlete, and works really hard to be excellent in all he sets out to try- seriously, he kicks my tush in Madden every time we play together. Plus, when we first met, Leo talked Pokemon with me- which meant the world to me. I know how much Leo means to Sara and at the same time, Leo means a lot to me too. I feel lucky to have gotten to be a part of his life and truly cannot wait to be a part of it moving forward. Having Leo join me as a groomsman is a privilege and I can’t wait for him to be there with Sara and I as we celebrate! Lake Owego Camp for Boys doesn't have dance as an activity choice, but you can bet that on't stop Leo from hitting the dance floor when the band plays “Not Afraid” by Eminem!