Sandy & Sean
Wedding Party
Sam Brayer
Maid of Honor
I met Sam during freshman year at the University of Missouri. We spent countless hours laughing together in the dorms, dressing up for themed parties, and traveled to Florida and Alabama for sophomore and senior spring break trips, respectively. After college, I moved to Chicago for PT school, and Sam just so happened to take a job in the Chicago suburbs, so we again found ourselves together in the same city! I then moved to Seattle while Sam then spent a few years living in St. Louis, but we continued to see each other with trips to visit over those years, other friend's bachelorette parties and weddings. In May of 2018, the stars once again aligned, and Sam moved to Seattle! A few months later, Sam knew there must be a special guy in my life when I asked her to invite this new guy I had been dating for 3 weeks out for my birthday party... and the rest is history! I am so excited to have Sam stand up with me as my Maid of Honor, and I am so grateful for her friendship all these years!
Brad Krell
Best Man
Brad and I met a week before freshman year started at Azusa Pacific University. I was there early for choir camp with the APU men's choral, and Brad had started work in the post office. While we had seen each other in passing, Brad lived on the opposite end of Trinity First South (our dorm) and we didn't really talk the first couple days we were there. Finally, I awkwardly said "what's up?" while we were both getting ready in the bathroom, and asked "so do you live here?" Brad kind of looked over at me like I was an idiot and said "yeah obviously"! Fast forward a few days and Brad ran into me and asked if I wanted to go to his friend's apartment and play beer pong. Having never drank during high school, but not wanting to look lame, I quickly said yes! Since that day, Brad has truly been my best friend and confidant. While we haven't lived in the same state since college, Brad and I have stayed connected and will often call each other when we need council or encouragement regarding our personal and professional lives. I was happy to stand as Brad's best man back in 2018 as he married his lovely wife Colleen, and I am very proud he will be standing for me as my best man as Sandy and I tie the knot in October!
Sarah Burns
Bridesmaid
I have known Sarah, otherwise known as Burnsie, since freshman year at Bishop Kelley High School in Tulsa, OK. We were in the same group of friends throughout our high school years, and I have great memories from weekends at Grand Lake, watching the OC, hanging out at coffee shops (but not actually drinking coffee), and cheering on the Comets at football and basketball games. After high school, we went to rival universities and saw each other when we would both be home in Tulsa during holidays and breaks. I moved to Seattle in late 2013 and we became even closer friends than we had been before! Burnsie and I have taken some amazing trips together, including Charleston, Kaui, Thailand, and Mexico to name a few! She's a great travel buddy and I'm lucky to call her my friend.
Clinton Coburn
Groomsman
I first heard about Clint at the end of seventh grade. We were in chapel at Kings Junior High and our principle asked us to pray for a boy who was hit by a car while biking in Richmond beach. Fast forward a week or two later, and this tall, lanky, somewhat ghostly figure was walking by and I yelled out "hey, you that guy that got hit by the car?" He responded, "Yeah I wasn't hit by a car I just fell on my handle bars swerving away from a car". Its been over 20 years since that day and while we may have started out as friends, Clint really has become more of a brother to me and we are often referred to as such by his dad Alan, aka the Badger. If you have the pleasure of bumping into Clint at the wedding you won't be disappointed!
Jenna Freedman
Bridesmaid
Freshman year of college, my first semester roommate moved out (into her sorority house) and I was blessed with the most precious "random roommate" in Jenna! We became instant friends and loved going out on the town together, for meals at Rollins, or over to Lambda Chi. In college, we always celebrated our late October birthdays together over Halloween weekend, with friends from near and far coming to join us. When I was living in Chicago, I would travel up to Detroit for Lions tailgates, and we have been able to spend time together over the years over planned girls' weekends and friend's bachelorette parties/weddings. I am so lucky to have her by my side through the changing seasons of life!
Chris Lehman
Groomsman
Chris Lehman, man what to say about this guy!! Well for starters Chris and I met back at Kings High School. We were a year apart in school and while we didn't run in the same groups during that time, we played football together. Chris and I really became friends my senior year of high school when he became my goalie coach in the inaugural year of soccer at Kings. I can say for certain Chris had no idea what he was doing and didn't help me become the goalie I was by the end of that year when we took 2nd in state HAHA. All kidding aside, Chris is an amazing friend and we have had some crazy adventures over the years together, most of which I shouldn't repeat here! If, however, you want to hear a few of those stories, be sure to bump into Chris come wedding day and I am sure he won't disappoint!
Jaimie Hooper
Bridesmaid
"Sandy Ruiz! I'm Jaimie Borislow, and we're friends on Facebook." And so began our beautiful friendship at Mizzou Summer Welcome. Jaimie is a fixture in so many of my favorite college memories, it's hard to pick just one! She was always by my side for football tailgates, our amazing 50-yard line seats, house parties, and Harpo's. No matter how much time passes between seeing each other throughout our busy adult lives, we are able to pick up where we left off. When we are together, I constantly have the biggest smile on my face thanks to this sweet friend. I so value our friendship and can't wait to have her stand up with me as I marry my love!
Kevin Martin
Groomsman
Kevin, Kevin, Kevin; also fondly referred to as K-mart or Leny's is Life. Kevin and I met through our mutual friend and one of the other groomsman, Zach McPherson. Usually I am weary of diehard WSU fans, being an Oregon Duck myself, but alas his karaoke renditions of the Backstreet Boys and MC Hammer were too hilarious to pass up a potential friendship. K-mart and I have shared some great conversations over the past few years and grown closer through our shared interest in politics and fireball! If you are able to make it to our wedding, three things about K-mart I can guarantee you are; one, he will be the life of the party, two, he will inevitably get the DJ to play some Backstreet boys and three, you will get to see some seriously funny white boy moves on the dance floor!
Becky Long
Bridesmaid
Becky takes the title of my oldest friend - I've known her since basically day one of moving to Tulsa in the middle of second grade! She befriended the girl who weirdly came to her classroom for the gifted math class, and we bonded over our love of the heartthrobs of the time (Josh Hartnett for her, Freddie Prinze Jr. for me). While we went our separate ways for high school and college, we stayed in touch over the years, and I loved hosting Becky in Seattle and meeting up in Portland to explore. I was thrilled when she told me she was moving to Seattle, and our adventures could continue! I'm so glad that Ms. Gooden's math class brought us together all those years ago (25 years but who's counting?!) and to still have Beck as my sweet friend!
Zach McPherson
Groomsman
Talk about fate when it comes to this friendship! Zach was also a Kings High School grad but was a senior when I was a mere lowly freshman. Our friendship started on a fateful weekend at the gorge amphitheater in eastern Washington for a show called Magnifique. Chris Lehman, our friend Garrett and I pulled into our camping spot and Chris (the all knowing of Kings Alumni Chris) spotted Zach camped out next to us and suggested we head over and say hi. Since that day, I can honestly say Zach has been one of the most influential people in my life. Because of him, I have become a part of an amazing community of friends. I have also had the opportunity to travel and see some great musicians/DJs in some pretty awesome locations. Zach even got me to join him in the desert of Nevada for 11 days and experience Burning Man and all of its dust! If you have the pleasure of meeting Zach at the wedding, may fate ensure you have an extra whiskey diet to offer him!
Colleen Ruiz
Bridesmaid
Colleen is the best SIL I could ask for! She is so thoughtful and kind and has been the best addition to the Ruiz family. She is an amazing mom to the best niece, and I love any chance I get to visit them in Texas. We've had some fun times in Cuernavaca and Napa, and I can't wait to make more memories as their family grows with the addition of another little one in September 2022! Colleen is both family and friend, and I'm so glad to have her stand up with me on 10/15/22!
Kyle Simkovich
Groomsman
Kyle Simkovich, affectionately known as Simi, was one of three Kyle's on our dorm floor (Trinity First South) freshman year. Since we couldn't very well call them all Kyle, Simi was the name that stuck. Simi and I became close sophomore and junior year of college when we shared an apartment. While these years were full of memories and ridiculous experiences, one memory that stands out over all the rest is how LOUD this dude snores! I mean listen, I know I snore loudly but man, Simi is a savant at it! Since college, Simi and I have been able to stay connected via phone calls, facetime, and occasional visits (usually when he was travelling with the MLS teams he was an ATC for to Seattle). If you have the pleasure of bumping into Kyle, aka Simi, at the wedding I am sure he will tell you some ridiculous stories of our times together and may even have some video or photographic evidence to prove it!
The Nieces
Flower Girls
We are so happy to include all of our nieces as flower girls on the big day! The little ones, Colette "Coco" Cerizo and Lilliana Ruiz, will walk alongside the older one, Marlow Cerizo. Marlow and Coco will be hailing all the way from Maui, and Lilliana from Texas! We don't mind that they will steal the show with their cuteness!
Roberto "Betit" Ruiz
Officiant
Sandy's brother will be taking on the special role of wedding officiant. He did an amazing job marrying Cory and Allegra, so when deciding who we wanted to marry us, it was an easy choice! It's very special to have my only brother marry us, and we can't wait to have him up there as part of our special day.