Noel & Ryan
Wedding Party
Caroline LaBate
Maid of Honor
This girl is sister extraordinaire! Caroline is my [Noel's] only sister. Caroline teaches 2nd grade in Blaine, MN. She just finished her Masters Degree in Teaching, and prior to that, she taught in South Korea for 2 years. She is the extravert to my introvert. She is warm, lively, bubbly and altogether way cooler than me. She adores traveling, hanging with 30 kiddos everyday, staying active with yoga, kickboxing and hiking and loves taking care of her plants which she nicknames her "babies." This girl makes me laugh so hard I cry.
Leo Miller
Best Man
Leo is my [Ryan's] 8-year-old son. He is energetic, curious and methodical, and he surprises me every. single. day. He adores all things Legos, engineering, crafting and reading. He loves asking questions, figuring out how things work and teaching others all that he has learned. He loves hanging with "Miss Noel," and gets bummed when she can't make it over for dinner at night. He once described our proposal to Noel as the most special event in his life. Leo has been anxiously writing and practicing his best man speech since I asked him to stand by my side.
Donna LaBate
Bridesmaid
Donna is married to my brother, Peter. Donna has been in the family for like 14 years - seriously, they met when they were 19. Caroline and I were co-maids of honor in Donna and Peter's wedding. She is mom to the my nephew, Christian (10) and niece, Ginevieve (4) and another little girl on the way due in February who is lovingly nicknamed "B3." Donna and Noel share a love for all things delicious and sweet, Anne of Green Gables, sewing projects and long, deep conversations. She gives the best hugs and she is the sister I never knew I needed.
Randy Hermanson
Groomsman
Randy and I have been friends since kindergarten. We grew up together and spent most of our free evenings in high school driving around and listening to music. Randy went to college at Concordia in Moorhead, and we spent several nights a week hanging out with friends at my house or at Mick’s Office. Now we spend most of our Sunday’s in the fall texting about the Vikings game and trying to will them to a win. Randy enjoys golfing, fantasy football, and is one of the few Timberwolves fans that have stuck with them throughout their existence. Randy works as bank examiner and lives in Roseville with his wife Margo.
Lisa Guebert
Bridesmaid
Lisa lives in Red Bud, Illinois with her husband, Adam. She and I met our freshman year of college at Northwestern University. I had the privilege of standing as Lisa's maid of honor in her wedding. Lisa is the reason to my insanity, the calm to my chaos, and the encourager to my despair. She is my prayer warrior through every aspect of my life. Lisa loves all things sports (seriously she can hang with the boys no problem). She loves breweries, smart sitcoms, intellectual conversations and thrifting for amazing clothes and home decor. She is about as preppy as they come, and a popped collar and pearls is never too much. And she is a mom-to-be - expecting TWINS in spring of 2020!
Marty Ellenson
Groomsman
Marty and I have also been friends since kindergarten. We spent a lot of time ice fishing together in high school and college. Most of our summer nights and weekends at home during college were spent staying out way too late at bonfires or driving around on the back roads of rural Otter Tail County. Marty enjoys hunting, fishing, snowmobiling and being a family man. He is married to Mandy and they have 4 kids. They live in Alexandria where Marty works at Douglas Machine.
Lindsey Peterson
Bridesmaid
Lindsey lives in Maple Grove, MN with her husband, Andy and their two girls, Ella (my goddaughter) and Jada. Lindsey and I met our freshman year of college on the crew team. Lindsey was way more fun than me at that time, and I mistakenly thought she wouldn't want to hang with the nerd who studied too much. Little did I know, she was girl-crushing hard. We got close after both being presidents in our respective sororities and graduating to the real world with matching jobs at Target HQ. We have been through every up and down and she has loved me well in it all. I had the privilege of standing as her bridesmaid in her wedding. We share a love of good food, horses, books, awkward social interactions and all things related to family dynamics. She is one of the most sensitive and gentle people.
Peter LaBate
Groomsman
Peter is Noel's brother. They are 13 months apart and like to say that they are each others' first friend. I [Ryan] am not sure I would have met someone who loves hunting as much as I do but I might have met my match with Peter. We are known to talk for hours on this deep subject and strategize for the next season's hunt. Peter fulfilled a life-long dream of hunting out west last year. Peter enjoys learning, working out and chasing his kiddos around to their various activities. He's an entrepreneur and helps run a family outdoor supply company alongside his dad.
Kari Rudolph
Bridesmaid
Kari is Ryan's older sister. She lives near St Cloud, MN with her husband, Derek. She works as a veterinary technician which basically means she is a kick-butt veterinary nurse, lab tech, xray tech, vet assistant all rolled into one! She apparently loved all the animals growing up on the farm and used to chase the mama cats to meet the kittens. Kari is a sweet, soft spoken and yet sassy girl. She adores all things plants - specifically succulents. Like REALLY adores them. She even has a blog all about plants. She is gifted with a kind word and an honest heart and amazing hugs. She loves taking trips with Derek, weekends at the cabin and playing in her garden.
Joseph LaBate
Groomsman
Joseph is Noel's youngest sibling - the baby of four! He is a professional hockey player (yes, no joke) and spends 9 months of the year with Canadiens (ay!) and the rest of the time back in Minnesota training. He is a Wisconsin Badger alum (we try not to hold it against him). He loves going to movies and talking about them in depth afterwards, taking his boat out on the lake for hours of fishing and doing the absolutely necessary Jeep-wave in his Wrangler. He is quick to a lighten a mood, passionate about family and a big old softy when he's not throwing down his gloves.
Kim Zych
Bridesmaid
Kim is Ryan's little sister. She lives in Beardsley, MN with her husband, Tristen, and their daughter, Tenley (4). Kim and Tristen are also expecting a baby girl in spring of 2020! (Yes, that is 4 new babies next year just within our wedding party!) Kim works at the bank in town while her husband works as an electrician and farmer on the family farm. Kim is sarcastic, funny and competitive. She is also so delightfully warm hearted and easy-going. She loves puzzles, hunting (ask her about her buck this year), playing cards, small towns and spending time with Tenley. She is the most sassy family member with Ryan and isn't afraid to put him in his place which gives me so much joy.
Christian LaBate
Groomsman
Christian is Noel's nephew and son to Peter and Donna. He is a lively, positive and genuinely happy kid. He spends his time at the hockey rink or the lacrosse field. He loves chasing his little sister, Ginevieve, around. He loves reading, playing outside and going to Boy Scouts. Christian and Leo hit it off right away and love having each other to play with at family gatherings. He is so excited to be a part of the wedding!
Ginevieve LaBate
Flower Girl
Ginevieve is Noel's niece and daughter of Peter and Donna. We lovingly call her "G." She is a 4-year-old princess. No, seriously - just ask her. She loves playing house, drawing, mermaids and Barbies. She loves to dance and sing and is known to making random costume changes into her ballet outfits at any point during the day. Ginevieve is a tough cookie and does everything she can to keep up with big brother, Christian, who she adores. G can't wait to be a flower girl although we're pretty sure it's just because she gets to wear a twirly dress.
Luke Euken
Ring Bearer
Luke is Ryan's nephew and son to Katie and Bret. He is a 3-year-old delight. This boy holds his own in a family with 3 sisters. We are certain that he is enough boy for all of them. He loves climbing, exploring, building and playing outside. He is a joyful kid that has a big heart and a voice made to be heard. He is known to be hanging upside down from the top bunk or getting messy outside. And his laugh might be the best thing you've ever heard - trust us.
Tenley Zych
Flower Girl
Tenley is Ryan's niece and daughter to Kim and Tristen. She is a 4-year-old spitfire and we're convinced her gorgeous red hair might have something to do with it. Tenley is a farm-girl at heart and loves her life in the country. She enjoys going to see the cows and riding with her daddy in the tractor. She loves arts and crafts and is frequently found painting, drawing or coloring. Her next adventure will be her role as big sister! This will be Tenley's second time as a flower girl, so she's basically a veteran. We're pretty sure she's just humoring us by agreeing to this responsibility.