Lauren & Andrew
Wedding Party
Mollie McHugh
Matron of Honor
Mollie and I first met in 2010 at her annual Kentucky Derby party. That next Spring we (see also: Brenna Ryan, Meghan Smith) joined a New York Social Sports Dodgeball team and became best friends over the course of consecutive Wednesdays where we hardly played dodgeball and definitely drank a lot of cheap beer. Then there was the time we did a Century Ride for Mollie's bday, the time we went to the first Electric Zoo concert, the Chili Cook offs, Cinco de Derby parties, Santa Cons, and always nonstop laughter. I think our similar senses of humor- Mollie is the funniest person I know- is the foundation of our friendship and what keeps us close and I am so thankful to have Mollie in my life as my dearest friend and now as my Matron of Honor.
Ben Rapaport
Best Man
Ben was born April 5th, 1985 and I was born April 30th, 1985. Our mothers were friends during their pregnancies so Ben and I have quite literally been friends our entire lives. This is Ben on a recent trip to Ecuador looking very chic.
Maddie Ikeda
Bridesmaid
About a year after I moved to New York...and had no friends yet...Maddie moved to Washington D.C., which was an absolute Godsend! I would take the BoltBus down to see her on weekends or vice versa. We had so much fun doing the most random things- have you ever been to Mount Vernon and laughed almost the entire time for no good reason? Besides being cousins, Maddie and I have a similar sense of humor, similar love for House music and are always seemingly up for anything. Maddie lives in LA now, which is out of BoltBus range, but the laughs don't stop when we are together. Love you Mads #dontforgetyourcatears
Ben Poltarak
Groomsman
Ben is the first of two groomsmen who grew up on Gorham Court in Scarsdale, New York (Drew's hometown) and a founding member of the aptly named "Greenacres Boys." In college, when my friends and I visited Ben, he advised us not to barge into the Syracuse chapter of our fraternity unannounced at 3:15am, but we did it anyway and I was promptly punched in the face. In keeping with our younger years when we lived a few blocks away from each other in Greenacres, Ben, his wife and their daughter now live three blocks from Lauren and me on the Upper East Side.
Kit Morrison
Bridesmaid
Drew always jokes that we're all going to be working for Kit someday. But I like my hot take better: Kit for President! I was introduced to Kit shortly after Drew and my THIRD date- an early in the game litmus test?! I guess I NAILED IT. I knew then that we'd be fast friends by her choice of bday venue- Paddy Reilly's- which is just the type of Irish pub that my own friends and I frequented. Drew could have had a mean, snotty little sister, but instead he is lucky to have Kit- who is kind, generous, fun (#getinvolved is a recurring Birthday hashtag of hers, Beyonce dance classes were a recent Christmas request) and maybe most importantly has been so accepting of me. I am ecstatic to gain Kit as a sister and friend!
Richard "RJ" Romo
Groomsman
I first met RJ when I was invited to his birthday dinner in New York three years ago. After dinner, and in an effort to impress RJ, I agreed to go to a bar with RJ and his friends but quickly realized I was too old and headed home before the group went to another more raucous bar. Slowly but surely I got to know RJ better, but our relationship truly blossomed when RJ lived on Lauren's couch for six months in a studio apartment in New York City.
Elizabeth Mulligan
Bridesmaid
Elizabeth (Biz) is one of the many Cincinnati girls you may meet at the wedding and one of only two lady friends who have yet to leave Manhattan for greener pastures. Biz and I were just normal friends who hung out and had lady of leisure days together until Hurricane Sandy hit. There I was in my powerless apartment trying to figure out where to go (I can't really complain here, Mollie's apartment was UNDERWATER)- and with the slightest bit of cell service found out Biz had gathered refugees at her apartment with board games, wine...and electricity. I went up for a slice of pizza...and stayed there (on an air mattress next to Mollie) for a week. Biz may have gotten more than she bargained for then but I am so grateful for our friendship over the years.
Chris Schutt
Groomsman
I met Chris through a mutual friend my freshman year at Colgate and we became fast friends over beers in Stillman Hall. Our senior year at Colgate, Chris and I lived off campus in a house that was the site of a backyard amateur wrestling match. Now a surgeon, Chris was instrumental in curing my broken face when I developed Bell's Palsy while studying for the Bar exam. Chris and his wife are also native Coloradans, so they likely have the best idea of what "cowboy black tie" means.
Brenna Ryan
Bridesmaid
Brenna and I became friends when I joined the dodgeball team she and her other Fordham friends had put together (see: Mollie McHugh and Meghan Smith.) After that we stuck together mostly because we are both tall brunettes that look alike, like to play golf and #sport, and never pass up an opportunity to #roseallday. Brenna has since moved to Chicago which really just means that we see each other a little less and #roseallday a little (but only a little) less too.
Jason Steinthal
Groomsman
Jason is the second of two groomsmen who grew up on Gorham Court in Scarsdale, New York. During our days at Greenacres elementary school, Jason would stop by my house every morning and we would walk to school together. Throughout our years in Scarsdale, Jay and I played baseball, basketball and lacrosse together. As Jay is now a part owner and manager of the highly successful seafood restaurant Crave Fishbar in New York City, it only seemed right to include a photo of him with a crustacean.
Meghan Smith
Bridesmaid
Meghan's roommate was my first friend in NYC and I met Meghan somewhere in early 2009 and very fortunately found a very best friend in her. Since then we've done almost every fun (and sometimes obscure) activity New York has to offer. I'll never find a better person to go to a Hall & Oates concert in Atlantic City, NJ with and I imagine Meghan will never find a better partner for a trampoline workout class than myself! We've run countless half marathons together and when Meghan ran a marathon... I made a sign and cheered! Recently we decided we didn't need to run that far anymore. After 10 years in NYC, you're supposedly a "New Yorker" and after 10 years of friendship, I'd say you're stuck with me!
Matt Sternman
Groomsman
Matt and I first met in 7th grade in Mrs. McQuaid's science class. Since then, I have mimicked Matt's every move from attending college in Central New York to suffering through three years of law school. Matt has such respect for my legal acumen that he asked me to sign his marriage license when he married his wife Jessie.
Nicole Whatley
Bridesmaid
Nicole and I are also cousins (older sister to Maddie.) Niki and I were besties when we were younger and were frequently found trying to ditch Maddie and my younger brother, RJ. Thankfully they don't hold it against us today (I'm looking at you, RJ.) I am so thankful to be friends with Niki and look forward to the time we get to spend together with each other at the Holidays and on the off-chance she comes to NYC (and the future trip(s) we promise we are making to Atlanta for a Georgia Tech game!) In the meantime I love following along on her Hotlanta foodie adventures @nomnoms_niki.
Griffin Sullivan
Groomsman
I was randomly assigned two roommates my freshman year at Colgate. One of those roommates, Griffin Andrew Pierce Finbar Sullivan, was invited to the wedding, the other roommate was not. All told, Griffin and I lived together for seven of eight semesters in college. It was only in our senior year, however, when we lived off campus, that Griffin's room was infested with bees.