Katherine & Samuel
Wedding Party
Joe Chevalier
Best Man
Cool dude. Easy pick. 23 years ago, on January 17th of 1995, Sam won the combined megabucks-powerball lottery with the birth of Joseph Daniel Chevalier. Since this time, Sam and Joe have eaten a combined 417 BBQ Chicken Super-Melt meals (with loaded waffle fries) at Friendly's and made a small fortune on a lawn mowing business which Sam was eventually kicked out of due to his poor performance in a mini-basketball game (true story). If Sam ever has to fight in WW1 trench warfare, he'll want Joe in the trench beside him.
April McCullum
Bridesmaid
April and Kay have been friends from the beginning. We grew up together in Vermont. I lived out in the wild countryside and April lived in a suburban neighborhood. We taught each other the joys of both worlds. Our families shared many memories together: church picnics, camping trips, building tree houses, concerts, and epic birthday parties. And even after all these years, as our interests and personalities differed, we have continued to value our special friendship. April is thoughtful, creative, and looks for ways to give back. April lives in Vermont with her kind and fun husband, Daniel. She is a talented journalist for the Burlington Free Press where her heart for stories, meaning, and truth shine through.
Marhaz Amini
Groomsman
Mahraz vs Siri: they can both correctly answer absolutely anything which you may want to ask them, but Mahraz's answer will incorporate humor, wisdom, history, intrigue, culture, romance, mystery, etc... Mahraz and Sam were part of the same graduate program at UVM, but more importantly, Mahraz one day agreed to let Sam teach him how to pole vault. Since then, they have been close friends who have learned how to navigate the many treacheries of graduate school together. Few are as thoughtful and kindhearted as Mr. Mahraz Amini.
Gwen Merrill
Bridesmaid
Gwen and Kay always seem to be in a life stage at the same time. We have known each other since we were in elementary school and have shared many of life’s landmarks. One of my favorite memories with the Merrill family was the night we discovered our families are related through our shared heritage in Sandwich, MA. “We’re cousins! We’re cousins!” We ran cross country (very slowly) together in high school. We also ran the sound board for high school concerts and musicals. Over the years I’ve seen just how loyal, understanding, and empathetic she is. Gwen is a fantastic and fearless nurse in NH. She is also planning her wedding! Gwen and her fiancé, Mike, explore nature while mountain biking.
Peter Busch
Groomsman
If there is any sort of emergency situation at the wedding, have no doubt, Pete de facto is in charge. He exudes competency and maturity, and his positivity and friendliness are rivaled only by the flow of his locks and the heroic-ness of his facial hair. Pete single highhandedly legitimized the man-bun in my (Sam's) mind, and he is exactly the kind of future brother-in-law everyone wants: fun, hip, kind, and sincere.
Kayla Morales
Bridesmaid
Kayla and Kay believe in each other’s dreams and potential. When I was a RA in college at Point Loma, Kayla was one of my residents. Our friendship has been rooted in honesty, deep discussion, travel, and lots of laugher. A classic memory with Kayla was when we drove to Arizona and she listened to my endless cat stories (for over an hour) with interest and humor. Kayla is empathetic and passionate. She lives in Mission Viejo, California where she acts in both San Diego and Los Angeles. One of her ongoing shows is around human trafficking prevention and education for students. Kayla has the biggest heart.
Mike Pinckney
Groomsman
In Sam and Mike's first encounter, Sam was standing up on a porch, while Mike was down in the Chevalier's backyard between Hannah and Sam's mom. To make sure Mike was future-brother-in-law-material, Sam yelled, "Hey Mike!" as he precariously threw a football in their direction. Mike caught the pass. And now here we are. In the wee hours of July 4th, 2018, you'll find Sam and Mike rucksacking 27 miles across the barren Vermont landscape with 35 pound packs. Mike is Sam's brother-in-law, and he is down for literally anything (I invite you to test this statement at the wedding). We're pretty sure that in his mind, there are no strangers: only friends he hasn't met yet. God bless you Mike Pinckney.
Casey Dubie
Bridesmaid
Casey and Kay: "soulmates" as Uncle Brian would say. We became friends in high school, when we all search for self, so finding a fellow ENFP was affirming. It was an instant bond. We loved nature and went on walks to talk about life's big questions. Casey is a great listener and fully present in conversation. Even back in high school, Casey told me about her cousin, Sam. Yes, Sam Chevalier. She would say "you would be perfect together" and so with her prayers and persistence, look where we are today. Casey lives in Houston, Texas and works remotely for a (family business of sorts) in Palo Alto, California. She continues to pursue music and has a new album coming out. She enjoys rock climbing with her boyfriend Corin.
Mac Holerfield
Groomsman
The ways in which Sam aspires to be more like Mac Holderfield are too many to count; there is probably a new one every single day! Mac was a valuable mentor and friend through Sam's college years, and he may be one of the most solidly dependable people Sam has ever encountered. In one sentence, here's Mac: he looks you directly in the eye, empathizes with where you're at, and tells you the truth.
Kaycee Calton
Bridesmaid
Kaycee and Kay are wild and free. In 2011, we met at move in day at Point Loma Nazarene University. Kaycee was a freshman and I was her RA. Over our two overlapping years in college we’d hangout socially and I always admired Kaycee for being a free spirit and following her interests. Traveling is what really brought us together! I have been in unique situations which have brought out the core of who Kaycee is and she remains gracious, patient, positive, and adventurous. Kaycee continues to fearlessly explore the world. She most recently returned from a year long au pair adventure in New Zealand.