Bride
It's plain and simple, Steph is the love of my life and there is no doubt in my mind that she is my soulmate. Never in my life have I been around someone so loving, so unique, and so intelligent. I admire her in so many ways. I am so happy that I get to spend the rest of my life with her and share this amazing adventure together. Steph, I could never truly show you just how much I love you, but know that every single day I will try my absolute hardest to do so.
Groom
I find it no accident that Athan and I met at a spiritual camp or that my home parish is named Saint Athanasios, which is Athan’s full name. I believe that our relationship is spiritual, honest, and true. Whether we are laughing for absolutely no reason at all or going on a new adventure to a new place, there is no one I would rather spend the rest of my life with and choose to be with every day. He is my very best friend and he brings so much light to my life. Athan, I look forward to all the days ahead of us. I love you.
Mother of the Bride
As my mother's only daughter, it has been nothing but exciting to plan our wedding with my Mom by my side. On any given day, you will find her sitting with our dog Theo on the deck or whipping up a new concoction in the kitchen. As she constantly reminds me her and Athan share August birthdays, she also reminds me that she is so excited to have him as one of her four kids. My mother has taught me to be a leader and to stand up for things that seem wrong, and for that I am extremely proud to say that she is my mother.
Father of the Bride
We have a magnet on our fridge that has been there since I was young that says, "One day I will find Prince Charming, but Daddy will always be King." It's true, my father has always treated me like a princess, especially through late night ice cream runs. Although I will always be his princess, my Dad has also taught me that it's okay to be a strong woman. Following in his footsteps through coaching volleyball, I am so proud to say that I am his daughter and that I get to call him Dad.
Mother of the Groom
If there is one thing that I have learned from my mother, it is to love others. She has always taught me to put others before myself and to treat others how I would want to be treated. As someone who has been ambitious in pursuing their dreams, I admire and am proud of my mom in so many ways. She inspires me to be the best person that I can be and I am glad that she has taught me to live life with an open heart, because I think that is what ultimately brought me to Steph; by being open to love. I am so very, very proud to call her my mother.
Father of the Groom
My father has taught me many things in life such as responsibility and leadership, which has molded me into the man I am today. As someone who appreciates different cultures and gaining new knowledge on absolutely anything, I have found that he has given me a very open-minded upbringing, and for that I am thankful. The best memories of my Dad is looking out into the stands and always seeing him there to watch me play whatever sport I was playing that season. Always supportive and encouraging, I am proud to be his son.
Koumbara
Stef and I met when we were three years old at Saint Athanasios. Having been through life's ups and downs, there is nothing we haven't faced. With both of us having the same first and last name, we have always felt that God brought us together for a reason. The name Stefania in Greek means "crown" and as our Koumbara, Stef will do us the honor of placing two crowns on our heads during the ceremony. This will symbolize us becoming the king and queen of our new life together. I could not think of a more fitting person to do us this honor. This will also officially make her a spiritual member of our family and there is nothing more beautiful than that.
Koumbaro
Peter and I first met at Ionian Village. For those unfamiliar with it, Ionian Village is a youth program through the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. After being placed in the same cabin, we clicked, and have been close friends ever since. Our friendship is based in our faith and because of this, I feel that Peter should have the honor of being our Koumbaro and participating in our marriage ceremony, as we spiritually become husband and wife. This will also officially make him a member of our family and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Maid of Honor
Marina and I met when we were in GOYA at Saint Athanasios. Our friendship began at a very sensitive time for many teens, but having each other made our teen years so much easier. With so many hysterical memories, Marina and I can make each other laugh at the drop of a hat. As we have faced life's obstacles together as well, I know that Marina and I will always be there for each other when the other calls. Forever my charades partner, I cannot wait to make more memories with her in the years to come. I am so happy that she will do me the honor of being my Maid of Honor as I marry the man of my dreams.
Best Man
As my one and only brother, picking a best man was no contest. Aris has always found ways to let me know he cares about me and I have always appreciated that. I am very blessed to have Aris in my life. I am thankful that Aris and I have found ways to connect over the years as we've grown up and have been at different points in our lives at different times. It means a lot to me that Aris cares for Steph as well and has welcomed her as part of our family from the very first day. I am very proud of the man that Aris has become and I am even more proud to not only call him my best man, but my brother.
Matron of Honor
Irene and I met at Camp Good Shepherd in 2014, just hours before Athan and I would meet for the first time. In fact, Irene and Athan actually grew up together in their own parish, Saint Luke's in Broomall, PA. To this day, Irene remains one of my very dear friends. Whether it was traveling to Pennsylvania to see her or talking on the phone before work in the morning, my friendship with Irene is always as if time has not passed. After having watched her marry her own true love in October 2019, I was so excited to ask her to do me the honor of being my Matron of Honor as Athan and I officially tie the knot.
Groomsman
Not only is Evan my cousin, but he is also my God-brother. Evan and I have always shared a mutual interest in getting to know our faith further as we get older. I have always found comfort in knowing that not only are we blood relatives but spiritual relatives as well. My fondest memories with Evan are too many to count. Whether it's going over to swim in his pool, play a couple sets of tennis, or jam in the music room, there is never a dull moment when we get together. It has always been a blessing to have a cousin like Evan, but also to be able to call him my friend.
Bridesmaid
Alyssa and I met at Ramapo College. Having met at a club meeting, we spent the next two years of Ramapo having lunch, going to the mall, having sleepovers, and attending the occasional college party. After graduation, Alyssa stayed in the North Jersey area, which made me so happy as I finished my last year at Ramapo. Alyssa is one of the funniest people I know and seeing her once a week for dinner is just never enough nowadays. I am so blessed to have a best friend like her and it was emotional for both of us when I asked her to be my bridesmaid. I cannot wait to celebrate with her on our big day.
Groomsman
One thing that Steph and I have in common is that we both have one brother. As her big brother, it was not surprising that I really wanted Nick to like me and make a good impression. From the moment I met him, Nick made me feel like I had known him for years. In fact, he has been like an older brother to me, guiding me through some of life's obstacles. After all the time that we have spent together, laughing, and getting to know one another, I could not have asked for a better soon-to-be brother-in-law and I am thankful that he is one of my groomsmen on our big day.
Bridesmaid
Alisa and I met at Stony Lane Elementary School. I cannot even remember the day, but she has been a part of my life ever since! As long as I have known her, she has always wanted to do two things; dance and fly. Sure enough, Alisa pursued both life paths. Throughout my entire friendship with Alisa, she has always been a constant reminder for me that the world is bigger than just our backyard. I have always been so proud of her, but even more proud to call her my vibrant best friend. As all our friends say, she has a lust for life. She is the Shawn Hunter to my Corey Matthews and I cannot believe the day we've always talked about is coming, where she will stand by my side as I enter the next chapter of my life.
Groomsman
One of the things that Anthony and I have in common is that we each chose a member of the Hios family as our life partners. Whether it's swapping stories about Nick and Steph's striking personality similarities or just having a home-cooked meal altogether, time with Anthony is something I always look forward to. I enjoy our conversations that we have together and I always like getting his opinion on anything. Anthony has also been like an older brother to me and I am excited that he will also be standing up there with me on our big day.
Bridesmaid
Maghan and I became friends at Paramus High School. As a couple of young girls just trying to get through the day, we found solace in one another at gym class. As I was on the track team, I would run laps first as she would walk, then I would slow down so that we could catch up a bit before gym class was over. Maghan is a friend that taught me that if I had faith, I had everything, and when I felt that I didn't have anything, I'd have to have faith. From dinners at her house to just walking around the neighborhood, a good catch-up session with Maghan always left me feeling whole. She gave me confidence that one day I'd find prince charming and I am so glad that she has agreed to stand with me as I marry him.
Groomsman
Jonathan is the oldest of our long chain of male Demetris cousins. He has been a prevalent role model in my life. Whether it was spiritually, how to make good decisions, or how to be a gentleman, Jonathan always set the example. Growing up, he was always able to help guide me toward the right thing to do in any situation I faced. I have looked up to Jonathan for so long, but I am happy that we are at the age now where we can go out, have a good time, and call ourselves friends. There is no doubt that I want him up there with me on my wedding day.
Groomsman
Keith and I met at Millersville University as freshman roommates and instantly clicked. We had a lot in common and kept in touch even after my transfer from Millersville. Keith is a good and loyal friend with a big heart. We have always been able to connect on a level where we can talk about anything. I always look forward to golfing with Keith, as it gives us a chance to catch up. I admire Keith's dedication to anything he sets his mind to. I consider Keith to be a best friend of mine and I'm glad that he'll be there to celebrate with us.
Groomsman
Matt and I have been friends since middle school, which makes him my oldest friend. As far as I can remember, Matt and I were either playing video games after school or outside playing basketball or street hockey. With both of us being big fans of the Philadelphia Flyers, we have gone to countless games together. Hockey is definitely a large part of our friendship, as we played ice hockey together in high school. As one of my best friends, I am happy to have him in our wedding party.
Usher
Jake is the second oldest of all of our male Demetris cousins. Since we were close in age, I remember spending time with Jake at all of our family holidays growing up. One of my memories of Jake is when I was in my middle school band and we were on a field trip playing at the high school's cafeteria. When we finished playing in front of all of the students, Jake came up to me in front of all of my friends and told me I did such a great job. I remember feeling proud to say that he was my older cousin and how cool it was that he was proud of me. As we get older, I am still proud to call Jake my cousin, but also my friend.
Usher
Stefan is one of my younger cousins. As many of my cousins are musically talented, Stefan has decided to make music his career. In fact, this past Thanksgiving, Stefan was teaching Steph how to play piano; he can make any occasion a music lesson. If you're looking for a deep and honest conversation, Stefan is who you want to talk to. Although we don't see each other as often as we used to, I still always look forward to spending time with him during the holidays. I'm especially glad that he will take part in our big day. Who knows, you may even see him strumming with the band!
Usher
Jason is, yes, another cousin of mine. My fondest memories of Jason is playing GOYA basketball together. We can talk about basketball for hours on end. When we weren't playing basketball we were usually at sleepovers with the rest of the cousins or at a GOYA dance leading the pack of the Demetris cousins. Jason is one of the funniest and most outgoing people I know. He always has us laughing. I cannot wait to celebrate with him as Steph and I enter this new chapter of our life together.
Usher
Out of our eight male cousins, Christopher is the baby of the group. Ironically, he is also taller than the rest of us! Christopher is a gentle soul who is able to make friends with anyone he meets. Watching him graduate high school and go off to college has been surreal for me, as sometimes I still look at him as our baby cousin. Another basketball fanatic to add to our group, it is always a good game playing basketball against Christopher. I am looking forward to see what the future holds for him and I am glad that he's going to be there at the beginning of ours.