Wedding Party

Katie Zaner

Matron of Honor

Katie is my sister-in-law, role model and one of my best friends. I always knew she was the perfect woman for my brother when she agreed to let me hang out in the hot tub with them and subsequently conduct a marriage and serve her wedding cake when I was around 10 years old. Its no surprise that she became an amazing pediatrician after how well she did with me :) I always wanted a sister, and I am lucky to have hit the jackpot of sister-in-laws with Katie! Now instead of conducting marriages to my brother in the hottub, you can usually find us playing board games, talking about pediatrics, taking the kids out on walks or going shopping.

Chelsea Jenkins

Bridesmaid

Chelsea is one of my best friends & one of my oldest friends! She is the ying to my yang. We made a pact to each other around 7-8 years old that we would one day live with each other, AND would only marry guys that were excited with this idea. Luckily Jonathan and Ryan seem to be on board ;) Despite living in many different states since we graduated high school, we have always prioritized our friendship, planning yearly trips to NY, Florida, Chicago, Tennessee, Georgia and most recently Mardi Gras in NOLA.

Marlena Juberts

Bridesmaid

Marlena is one of my best & closest friends. From being co-captains on the tennis team in high school, to studying in college and now to yearly trips with Chelsea, we never pass up an opportunity to spend even a few hours together! Marlena even bestowed the title of honorary Latvian on me a few years back! You used to find us working out daily, but now you can typically find us either at a bar/restaurant or having long chats on the phone. Some friends grow apart, but we grew together (over our last 20 years of friendship)!

Rebecca Kieran

Bridesmaid

Rebecca is my cousin who is really more like a sister. Being only 1 year apart, we were inseparable until she moved to AZ. Despite this, we managed to still make many surprise visits to see each other and have our many long chats on the phone. You can imagine my excitement when she moved back here to Maryland! You can now find us watching the bachelorette or attempting to cook for our guys (which typically results in the fire department showing up). Oh, did I mention Doug and she are one of our most frequent and fun couples to double date with!

Rachel Zaner

Bridesmaid

Rachel, better known as LeHcar is one of my cousins who keeps my life fun... and loud :) We have always been close, but really bonded when we planned Rebecca's bachelorette. Rachel keeps my life exciting with all her impromptu texts asking me for my medical opinion and her snapchats of her boyfriend Ben. Despite distance, this cousin, and best friend has always made an incredible effort to stay in touch. You can normally find us singing together out loud on road trips or making pit stops at Starbucks! Our most recent shared hobby is planning dance offs for my fiance and her boyfriend who both claim to be the "best" dancers. This could be foreshadowing to our wedding day.....

Anna D'Alessio

Bridesmaid

Anna is one of my best friends from since we were tiny humans. She has always been such a good influence (like when she "convinced" me to take multivariable calculus so we would have a guaranteed class together.) Despite Anna living far away we always prioritize our friendship. You can normally find us planning mother daughter trips, training for half marathons, trips to Florida or just catching up at weird hours because of the time difference. More recently, Jonathan and Anna's boyfriend Brett have bonded over their love of "bro" kadima. We love spending time with both of them because of our shared interests in Science (& STEM). You can normally find us on trips together or hanging out in Darnestown!

Vanessa Nooralian

Bridesmaid

Vanessa is my best friend from high school. You would never have guessed, but we first met walking to McDonald's after band camp one day. From that day on we were inseparable! I was so excited when we both went to University of Maryland for college so we could bring our shenanigans to college. You could normally find us either out at the bars or studying (work hard play hard !). A few years after college Vanessa moved to LA to follow her dreams. While this was devastating to lose someone who I considered my other half, I quickly realized I didn't lose her! Whether i'm out spending a week with her in LA or we are catching up on the phone, whenever we see each other it is like no time has passed.

Morgan Buchanan

Bridesmaid

Morgan is one of my best friends from college, but with the way she knows me it's as if we have been friends since birth. Although she is labeled as Morgan- chem in my phone, it was our biostatistics class that really brought us together. We were in a group that studied if Chipotle gives statistically different amounts of food depending on location. When I learned that she had never eaten at Chipotle before, I took her under my wing and taught her the importance of delicious and cheap food. Now you can normally find us traveling together, attempting to make failed boomerangs, or dressing up in all the regalia for either Halloween or St. Patty's Day. Somewhere along the way I became an honorary "Buchanan" sister to Morgan and her sister, my other close friend Jess.

Emma Fischell

Bridesmaid

Emma is Jonathan's sister, and soon to be mine as well! She has always been so special to me because she is so incredibly special to Jonathan. One of things we instantly bonded over is our love of board games and puzzles. You can normally find us attempting to escape from various escape rooms or playing the most amazing board game ever - The Kingdom of Stefanie and Jonathan - which Emma made by hand! We always have a blast when we are together and try to find new fun things to do from decorating cookies and to painting on pottery! Emma is the little sister I always asked my parents for growing up and I can't wait to see where all of our new adventures take us when she starts at Cornell! I couldn't have been luckier to be able to have a sister who Is as fun and intelligent as Emma!!! *Update, during the time we spent planning this wedding, Emma both attended and will have graduated from Cornell*

Tiki

Dog of Honor

Tiki completes our family of 3 :) She enjoys long hunts for squirrels with her daddy and lots of morning cuddles with her mommy! You can normally find the 3 of us taking family walks around Baltimore.

Emily Zaner

Flower Girl

Stefanie's niece who loves dressing up as much as her aunt! Jason and Emily are one of biggest reasons we were so excited to match at Maryland. We can't imagine not hearing "Hi Aunt Steffi & Uncle Jonathan" as frequently as we get to! We enjoy pretending to eat the foods Emily cooks us in her play kitchen and reading to her, playing the candyland and the cupcake game. We have also taught Emily the art of the "Selfie!"

Evan Fischell

Best Man

My older twin brother and best friend. Evan has been by my side from petri-dish to establishing our adult lives together in Baltimore. There is no person (other than Stefanie) I am closer to.

Jordan Zaner

Groomsman

Jordan is Stefanie’s older brother and now one of my closest friends. Between our love of video games and strategy board games, Jordan and I will always have activities to bond over and he has always been a strong role model and close friend in my life.

Yigit Kuban

Groomsman

Yigit and I have been best friends for over a decade. We met as pledges for our fraternity in college and lived together sophomore through senior year. Through my friendship with Yiggles I have learned much of Turkish culture and gained another best friend, his paramour Kelsey. Even though time goes by, when we are together it is always like no time has passed and we resume our extremely close friendship. I know we will be friends for life.

Jason Fischell

Groomsman

Jason is my younger cousin on my father’s side. Solid bro. We love to play games together, even when his hands are tired from rolling dice. As adults Jason has really become an amazing man who I actually look up to in many ways.

Doug Kieran

Groomsman

One of the newest bros to be added to the group but certainly not least. The second trip ever meeting Doug he aided me in an all day adventure setting up my proposal to Stefanie. This culminated in him helping me spell out “Marry Me” in white flowers in the 108 degree heat of Arizona. I knew he was an amazingly selfless guy when he allowed me to drink the last of our flower water when we were both incredibly dehydrated prior to the proposal, and he nearly passed out due to heat. Glad he now moved to Maryland!

Ben Bloch

Groomsman

I looked up the word Mensch and found it means “a person of integrity and honor”, and “someone to admire and emulate”. I was surprised “Benjamin Bloch” was not written in this definition because he surely exemplifies these qualities. Ben is husband to Stefanie’s cousin Rachel Zaner. I have really enjoyed getting to know him over the years and we hit it off every time we are together. He is a great dancer, always down for a good time and most importantly a good person. Even despite his late notice to be a groomsman, he has taken to the task with gusto and I couldn’t be more happy to have him in my crew on this big day.

Yoni Solomonow

Groomsman

Although the newest groomsman, Yoni is definitely the man. We share much in common including our interest in healing sick brains, being tall, and a mutual enjoyment of the song toxic, especially when Yoni sings it with Stefanie :) So excited to have Yoni with us on the big day & for the next 4 years at least!

Zack Sicking

Groomsman

Zack Sicking is the man. Currently the boyfriend of my cousin Rachel, although fingers crossed by the time my wedding happenings I hope they will be engaged. Zack has become every bit as much of a part of the family as any cousin and I enjoy his piggy back rides and looking deeply into his eyes.

Craig Tobin

Groomsman

From the moment I met Craig I knew he was a great guy. I always loved how he desired to play games, just like me! He is the archetypal family man and I always enjoyed how family oriented he is. I admire how he makes family his first priority and I am so excited to have him with me as I start my own family with Stefanie.

Jason Zaner

Ring Bearer

Stefanie's Nephew. This little stud is always sure to put a smile on your face. Our favorite memories include Uncle Jonathan playing "This is the way the farmers ride" and Aunt Steffi singing to Jason before bed. Jonathan has a special place in his heart for this boy and even painted the coveted "Space Giraffe" pottery that now stands as a relic in Jason's bedroom. Jason is Stefanie's favorite little guy who she always enjoys reading and playing I SPY with. Recently Jason has become Jonathan's favorite person to play risk with and other strategy board games!

Justin Fischell

Junior Best Man

Debbie Zaner

Mother of the Bride

Anne Fischell

Mother of the Groom

Rob Zaner

Father of the Bride

Tim Fischell

Father of the Groom

Tara Melvin

Wedding Planner Extraordinaire