Michael & Erika
Wedding Party
John Paulus
Best Man
Partners in crime since 1992 and my primary co-conspirator in many broken household items. An expert in movie quotes, games of all kinds, and general tomfoolery. John can also identify the flag of every country by memory. A savant of obscure information. John shares my disdain for crowds and is a great partner for a 5am hike or 11am lunch outing. John and his wife Erica live a few miles away, and we continue our quest of convincing friends and family to move to Utah.
Kelly Hanson
Maid of Honor
My younger sister, best friend, and an all-around awesome person. She’s been a constant travel, hiking, and skiing buddy. Kelly is also great to talk to about anything, as she’s always learning new things. She's dependable and caring. So glad to have such an amazing sister!
Thomas Paulus
Groomsman
The youngest born Paulus boy, and still referred to as "baby" despite being draft eligible and recently of legal drinking age. Often tormented as a "dingus" for his monologues on Audi car stats, the superiority of Androids over iPhones, and other technical nuances that are over the heads of John or me. Significantly more useful at home projects than either John or me, Thomas has always had a peculiar interest in how things work. My "go to guy" for product research and my most reliable brother for DIY projects.
Katie Kenney
Bridesmaid
My cousin, but more like an older sister. Katie was always the fashionable older sister. She helped Kelly and I get ready for many high school dances and is still our fashion consultant. She travels with Kelly and me regularly, and we try to do sister trips every year. Katie is always full of energy, humorous, and friendly. She’s also very curious, so if she asks you a ton of questions when first meeting you, don’t be surprised.
Jon Ylinen
Groomsman
Jon and I met at a North Star Summer Summit and hit it off immediately. Despite never living in the same state at the same time, Jon and I manage to chat a few times a week to discuss: the optimal work/life balance, workout programs, travel destinations...and most importantly, our "formulas." Extra thanks to Erika and Alyssa for nodding and agreeing while Jon and I refine the equations. Jon has always had his act together 2-4 years ahead of me when it comes to life's important milestones, so Jon has become my primary consultant in all of life's important, and incredibility unimportant, issues.
Mackenzie Caum
Bridesmaid
Kenzie and I met at summer camp when we were 11. We lived together during college, even shared the world’s smallest dorm room. Kenzie is always organized and prepared, bringing most of the practical things for the dorm room. She was also always up for an adventure. We tried playing racquetball in college and played for a whole year, only to learn that we played it wrong because we never wore goggles and were too scared to hit the ball hard for fear it would hit us. Thankfully we gave up racquetball after a year and moved on to less dangerous activities, like hiking. Kenzie and I get together regularly for hiking, and she continues to be organized, practical, very thoughtful, and a great friend.
Ross Cameratta
Groomsman
Teammates since 2008 and we have been stumbling through life side-by-side ever since. After graduation Ross moved to Philly to join me working at North Star. While teammates, we shared a love for studying gymnastics. As 30 year olds, we share an appreciation for no longer being gymnasts as it now looks really dangerous. A mixture of goofball and philosopher, Ross gets wiser by the glass. Like a fine Cabernet, he scores medium in sweetness and high in intensity. We've talked through every big decision over the last 10 years, and he always provides a trusted opinion.
Hannah Lee
Bridesmaid
Hannah and I met in middle school. We did track together and often wondered why they did track because we didn’t like it. In high school, we switched to cross-country running and skiing. We lived by each other in college and continued to go skiing. We also traveled to Europe together in college. Despite not living in the same state, Hannah and I have remained close, and we’ve been pen pals. Hannah is a great friend, dependable, adventurous, and fun, so glad to have her as a bridesmaid. (second from right in photo)
Travis Heaver
Groomsman
Travis and I grew up seeing each other at gymnastics meets each weekend, and then walked onto the U of M team as Freshmen. As the lone Freshmen on the team, Travis and I knew we would be more helpful for the team GPA, than for our athletic prowess (seriously, there were 20 guys on the team and we were wondering who was 19th and who was 20th on the depth chart). We were roommates for 3 out of 4 years in college, and Travis has traveled with Erika and me to Ireland, Amsterdam, Norway and Sweden. He is always ready to say "yes" to a fun a plan...as long as someone else is planning
Kelly Menard
Bridesmaid
Despite not being blood related, she is a sister to the Paulus boys. Immensely accident prone, Kelly was often the unfortunate victim of a trip to the ER or the Katie Paulus home triage unit while trying to “keep up with the boys.” Undeterred by these setbacks, Kelly has never been short on enthusiasm. If she happens to be your partner in racket sports, be careful, as this enthusiasm can become a hazard. Joyful and effervescent, Kelly is always ready to make a new friend or include one more in the party. Say “Hi” to Kelly, she will for sure say “Hi” back!
Josh Wokurka
Groomsman
Another college teammate and the younger brother I didn't know I needed. Lighthearted and a "class clown," Josh is often the instigator of the party. At work, we have dubbed him "the beautiful mind" for his...unconventional work process. With his travel perks, Josh could be convinced to meet you just about any where in the world at any time. With his ability to fall asleep anywhere and fit a weeks worth of clothing into a backpack, he is ready for a good time at a moments notice. Even when situations get tense, Josh is always ready to lighten the mood.
Erica Paulus
Bridesmaid
My "Klutz" companion here in Utah, we are constantly adding chaos to Michael and John's well calculated systems. Not intentionally, but we both have a habit of spilling things on them. In our first double date where I was able to meet "C" (when we are all together we go by "C" and "K" to keep things less confusing), we went to Snow Bird for Oktoberfest. We ended up playing a "couples" game of corn-hole, and C and I were on one side, with Michael and John on the other. It was more or less a game of Michael vs. John, with the occasional inconvenience of needing to throw the bags back and break up our conversation. Fun loving and outgoing, she is always fun to hangout with!
Katie Paulus
Mother of the Groom
Callsign: Katesp5. The master of ceremonies and all things photography related. Never send her a snapchat you don't expect to be memorialized in a family photo album or video for eternity. Keeping Michael organized since 1989 she excels at packing lists, and most recently, tasks and due dates with all things wedding related. The ring leader of the family circus, and the perfect woman to keep 3 wild boys in line. Excerpt from sometime in childhood. Mom: "Go pack: 5 pairs of socks, 8 underwear, 2 shorts, one swim suit 4 shirts." Michael: "Why so many underwear?" Mom: "You just never know." Mother knows best.
Greg Paulus
Father of the Groom
Firm but fair. If you struggle saying "no" to your kids, seek out Greg's counsel. I couldn't ask for a better role model on honesty, integrity, and hard work. Calculated and pragmatic to a fault, you might not always like his advice, but its ALWAYS well thought out. We are lucky to have him (ask my Mom about the Christmas Card story). Also a ruthless card shark and master of board games. Occasionally the recipient of cards being thrown at him.
Chris Hanson
Mother of the Bride
My mom and best friend. She was always very vibrant; loved meeting people and making new friends. She skied with Kelly and me when we were young. Also went to every sporting event we ever did. She was a dedicated mother. She was also a fighter, battling breast cancer for years, but never let it affect her doing things in life; especially her being a mom. She was always there for our family and wanted to celebrate life. She insisted that we do the hokey pokey and have a dance party at her celebration of life, and we did. So, in honor of my mom, we’ll be dancing to the hokey pokey at the wedding.
Keith Hanson
Father of the Bride
My Dad and one of my closest friends. His favorite thing is taking photos at tourist traps, just kidding. Dad usually makes a funny face in the photo (as shown above). He has a great sense of humor and is always joking. Also full of knowledge. He’s a great resource for book recommendations and a constant traveler as well. I’m lucky to have been a part of the many trips he has gone on. If you need a book or travel recommendation, you should talk to him.