Wedding Party
Katie Murphy
Maid of Honor
Katie is my younger sister, best friend and friendly-neighborhood-amateur-Veterinarian. Kidding about the last thing, but she always seems to find animals that are in need of help including a duck that couldn't fly and a bat that just wanted to be roomies. We have made a lot of memories growing up, from playing Pretty, Pretty Princess as kids, enjoying Windex-flavored Jell-O on our adventure to Florida or sitting in my car in soaking wet ponchos waiting for Rascal Flatts to go back on stage. Thank you for always reminding Paul to eat the bananas that I buy and never eat, and quickly becoming our honorary "third-wheel" when Paul and I started dating. I couldn't imagine a better person standing by my side on our wedding day.
Jim Volk
Best Man
Jim has been my best friend for the better part of my adult life (I use the word adult very loosely). I legitimately changed my Xbox Live name because of this dude. The HURM/FERN combo has been a force to be reckoned with since the Call of Duty: Ghosts. Jim was very unsure if he even wanted to be friends with a kid with strange colored hair (so glad THAT didn't last forever), but I'm happy he could look past the pink hair. From parties in my dorm room at NIU, assisting him with choosing an engagement ring for Meghan, and everything in-between, I couldn't ask him to be a better best friend. Just don't expect him to stay awake in the car when traveling more than an hour away. But in the strange event that he is awake, he will just sing out the words on billboards in an assortment of voices.
Meghan Volk
Bridesmaid
Meghan and I became friends by virtue of her boyfriend (now husband) being best friends with my soon-to-be husband. Through many double-dates, our shared love of the health industry made us able to have our own conversations rather than listening to Paul and Jim talk about video games or sports during dinners. You were there for me and my family while my father was at Loyola, for which I couldn't thank you enough. It was so nice to see a familiar face. It was also amazing to be a part of your bachelorette weekend, where I got to know everyone on a whole new level, haha. I was so glad you made it out for mine. If you ever want to retire from nursing and pursue a career in the culinary arts, I would fully support that decision!
Nick Volk
Groomsman
You can't have one without the other. Amiright? Nick and Kelly were my Oak Lawn hotel for the better part of 5 years, coming home late, but always stopping for Rosie's or El Gallo, and catching up on TV shows, none of which I even watched and was always so lost (besides Scorpion, that one was ok). Nick was always a staple in ping-pong-table-humus-eating-game-days, Thursday night football parties, and apparently my long lost brother when we shop at Jewel together, with Jim standing right behind us. Nick is easily my favorite road trip pilot/co-pilot (you seem to always drive in the nice summer weather, and I'm stuck driving, trying not to crash, for all our winter trips). You started this whole "lets get married" trend, makes you wonder, who's next?
Lauren Malmquist
Bridesmaid
Lauren and I met our sophomore year at Manteno High School, and it was her infectious laugh and signature dance moves that I knew that we would be great friends. We can always reminisce about the night where we slept on my trampoline, our late night walks to the park (where we would be promptly kicked out because it was 1 AM), spinning cotton candy at Café Liquid, teaching you how to Soulja Boy in our senior English class, or showing off our DC's line dancing skills at Stampede Saloon, where we just did the electric slide because we could not remember the line dance we had just learned. If she isn't the first one burning up the dance floor at our wedding, trying to teach people how to Tootsie Roll, I will be disappointed.
Rick Chrapkiewicz
Groomsman
Rick and I have been friends since the Simmons days, which is 18 years by my count. We've been to more Cubs games together than I can even count. Even through the bad years (2012-13), and the good years (2015-present), we have always bled "Cubbie Blue" together. We will forever have an on-going debate over our East-Side vs. West-Side travel little league teams. Rick also invited me to start joining him on the Galena golf trip (I was brought on to be his personal "ringer" and was legitimately told not to disappoint him) where he taught me to play Mississippi Stud like a boss, to have full blown Blink-182 karaoke sessions until 3, 4 or 5 AM before our 8 AM tee time, and to always remind me that we just live in Scatman's World.
Allie McDowell
Bridesmaid
Allie and I also met sophomore year at Manteno High School, and from the moment we met, I knew we would be friends 4ever. She was always my late-night karaoke partner singing songs from Say Anything in my Volkswagen Bug and always shared the struggle of permanent cotton candy hair. I'll also never forget when we ate at least $300 worth of Dippin' Dots straight out of the storage freezer, because - why not. Allie is one of the funniest people I know, and always knows how to make any intense situation hilarious (like the Arizona dance floor mosh pit)! Although we don't see each other as much as we may like, it only takes a few moments to catch up and get back to our usual shenanigans.
Phil Harvey
Groomsman
I don't even know where to start with this one. 5th grade kickball during recess, always robbing home runs? Phil and I been through some serious adventures together: breaking your back at Steve's Box, football/baseball games at the Columbus Manor Park, expressing our emotions through the majesty of song (even though I was never a "rock star with groupies"), long nights at Club Harv (did you ever find your Jesus piece?), driving 30 miles in the wrong direction trying to find a hospital near Cascade Mountain, union golf outings, and the never ending quotes from Wedding Crashers, Couples Retreat and The Break-Up. I just have one question. Why would I want to do dishes?