Wedding Party
Brittany Trevino
Matron of Honor
Brittany is Laura's older sister. Despite being only two years older than Laura, Brittany often served as her guidepost and second mother to keep young Laura in line. However, Laura would later return the favor when she followed Brittany's footsteps, not only attending the University of Florida with her sister but also joining the same sorority. While at UF, Laura would regularly take study breaks to serve as Brittany's personal driver once Brittany started hiccupping during the night. This shared college time helped further strengthen their bonds as sisters, and they've remained close ever since as Brittany has continued to serve as a strong female role model for Laura, and Laura has served as the "TiTi" to Brittany's kids. Brittany lives in Boca Raton, FL with her husband, Nick (different Nick than the best man), and their three children - Everly, Austin, and Juliet. She manages the sales and incentives department at JM&A Group. Although Laura has two sisters which she loves equally, Brittany will be the one standing up as her matron of honor and speaking on her behalf at the reception (aka officiating Laura's roast).
Nicholas Saracco
Best Man
Nicholas has known Chris longer than anyone else on the list, which is to be expected given he is Chris’s brother. Being seven years older than Chris, he’s always taken his big brother duties seriously and provided a good role model for Chris to follow in his footsteps in many capacities, including getting a business degree from the University of Notre Dame. Nick and Chris have grown closer since Chris graduated from college and they’ve both lived in Chicago for many years. They’ve spent time traveling across the globe together and attending numerous sporting events. They’ve really enjoyed their nearly annual trips to London to see a Premier League game, despite the fact that Nick's trip usually ends in disappointment given he's a Crystal Palace fan. Nicholas currently lives in Lincoln Park in Chicago with his wife, Jordanna, and their son, Grayson. Similar to Chris, Nick is a Partner at Grant Thornton Advisors LLC. Chris has previously served as Nick’s best man, so it’s only appropriate that Nick take those honors for his and Laura’s upcoming wedding celebration.
Amanda Kaminnik
Bridesmaid
Amanda is Laura's younger sister. When Amanda was born, Laura was ecstatic at the thought of not only being a "big sister" to someone but also having a built-in new best friend. Laura and Brittany's influence on Amanda was initially lost on them until they found out decades later that Amanda memorized the lyrics of their favorite artists (e.g., Brittany Spears, Backstreet Boys, etc. - a true murderer's row of talented artists) just so she could fit in with her older siblings. However, Amanda is not just a follower of her sisters. Her even temperament and caring nature has often led Laura to consider her the "glue" to the family. Amanda lives in Coconut Creek, FL with her husband, Dr. Phil (not that Dr. Phil). She is a licensed mental health counselor that specializes in helping teens and young adults navigate life. She and Phil welcomed their son, Grant, to the world in March 2026. Her dog, Duke, may not be so happy about Grant taking his mom's attention away, but the family has certainly experienced even more joy following Grant's arrival.
Matthew Baca
Groomsman
Matthew and Chris are friends from Notre Dame. Matthew and Chris actually lived together in Chicago for nearly 5 years after school. As his wife, Allie, will attest, they have formed a strong bond over the fact that they hold extremely similar views on most topics and are both willing to share said opinions with any and all who will listen (including those potentially not interested in those opinions). Matthew was the wild card in the Fisher Hall group who was known to kick things up a notch and even take over a DJ booth from time to time to ensure people were having fun. Despite the long distance between them following Matthew’s move away from Chicago, he and Chris still see each other regularly, often connecting when Chris is out in Las Vegas or in California for business. Matthew currently lives in the greater Los Angeles area with his wife and their two daughters, Brooke and Sloane. He works at Aldi.
Jordanna Glatter
Bridesmaid
Jordanna ("Jor") and Laura are part of a best friends trio from high school (including Erika). Laura's first impressions of Jor were that she was really cool, really popular, and somehow knew everyone from the star QB to the lunch lady. Despite thinking that Jor's level of popularity may be beyond Laura's reach, they later became best friends during their senior year of high school. It was at this time that Jor organized a cruise to celebrate the end of high school during spring break. It turns out that Laura and Erika were the only two classmates to join this expedition, and it resulted in a lifelong friendship for all three as they would relive those moments regularly for the remainder of the term. Organizing this cruise is a microcosm of what Laura loves about Jor. She's very focused on those around her, and she regularly serves as a driver to fun and exciting adventures for her friends and family. Without that senior year cruise, Laura and Chris's wedding would ultimately not be happening today as their paths almost certainly would have not crossed. Jordanna lives in Chicago with her husband Nick (yes, Chris's brother) and with their son, Grayson. She is a campus recruiter at PwC and is currently extremely busy with motherhood.
Michael Koniak
Groomsman
Michael and Chris are friends from high school. They played basketball together not only in high school but also during the summers in college in St. Louis where they vaulted their team to a championship. Michael also was well known for his ability to channel Elton John in high school chorus, so he and Chris are regulars at various karaoke spots across Chicago. Michael is a master of the Irish goodbye, but he's always there in support of his friends when needed. Michael was actually there (at least physically) when Chris first met Laura. Laura's ability to easily blend in with Chris and his friends is something that Chris found immediately attractive as she was even able to handle Mike's full personality on display following a trip to Wrigley Field earlier that day. Michael currently lives in Springfield, IL, with his son, Maxey. He’s a history and social studies teacher at Springfield High School. He and Maxey both come up regularly to see Chris, enjoy Chicago, and play with Cash.
Erika Larsen
Bridesmaid
Erika is the other member of the best friends trio from high school with Laura and Jordanna. Erika begrudgingly moved down to Florida with her family during their freshman year of high school. Following Erika's move, Laura would attempt to hang out with Erika anytime she wasn't heads down in a Harry Potter book. Laura's persistence paid off as Erika eventually relented. Their time together during those hot Florida summers built the foundation for a lifelong friendship. Laura truly appreciates Erika's ability to both be one of the kindest humans around while also being able to flip a switch and use her New York sass to protect her girlfriends and those closest to her. Erika lives in Washington D.C., with her husband Danny. She is a lawyer for the Department of Justice. She and Danny welcomed their first child, Arie, in April 2026.
John O'Connell
Groomsman
John and Chris are friends from Notre Dame. They both played dorm football for Fisher Hall, and John still regularly brings up how he misses the lights. After college, John had two different stints impacting the financial world from his London base. During this time, Chris often traveled overseas for business, so they were usually able to connect at various European cities to knock off bucket list items like seeing Arsenal Football Club multiple times at the Emirates, visiting the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam, and sharing a twin-sized bed in Munich at Oktoberfest (side note: John swears he booked a room with two beds). After John returned stateside, they would regularly host each other in their New York and Chicago apartments and bother the neighbors with some late-night piano sessions. John currently lives in Darien, CT, with his wife, Maeve, and their two sons, Jack and Quinn. He and Maeve are currently expecting their third child later in 2026. He is a Portfolio Manager at Garda Capital Partners in New York City.
Celia Cannistraci
Bridesmaid
Celia is Laura's cousin. She grew up walking distance from Laura and her family in Boca Raton, and this childhood proximity made us more like siblings than cousins. Some of Laura's earliest memories were the antics during carpools home from school. It was at this time that they'd not only recap the day's events but also play a myriad of creative games, including one where Celia would keep everyone's head on a swivel with her infamous "pokes." Laura truly appreciates Celia's immense kindness and big heart. While their time together is not as common as it once was, Laura knows that Celia is living her dream life with her family in Georgia. Celia lives in Kennesaw (NW of Atlanta) with her husband, Eric. Currently, her full time and attention is devoted to their little girl, Adeline, who was just born in 2024, as well as their first "child," Rio - a dog who has been with the family for the past 5+ years.
Dennis Stauffer
Groomsman
Dennis and Chris are friends from high school. They played basketball and football together while in school, but their friendship really blossomed after Chris graduated from high school. Dennis was in pharmacy school in St. Louis at the time, and he took it upon himself to show Chris what to do (and often, what not to do) as he adjusted to life after high school. Dennis also would regularly join Chris on family vacations or joint Saracco/Stauffer vacations, where Dennis would regularly tear up the golf course and enjoy the local wildlife. Post college, Dennis would make frequent trips up to Chicago to visit Chris and his ND roommates, although Chris believes that Dennis’s real goal for these trips was to attempt to (unsuccessfully) set the record for a punching machine at the local karaoke bar. Dennis currently lives in the greater St. Louis area with his wife, Becca, and their two daughters, Brynn and Blair. Dennis is a pharmacist at Missouri Baptist Healthcare.
Jordan Rechcigl
Bridesmaid
Jordan is Laura's cousin. Despite growing up in northern Florida (the rest of the family was in the southern part of the state), Jordan and Laura developed a strong bond over numerous family vacations over the years. One of Laura's fondest memories of Jordan is seeing her let loose in New York City while in town for Brittany's bachelorette party. Seeing Jordan pull out her Coyote Ugly-style dance moves on top of the hotel room table was legendary at that time and still makes Laura smile today. That trip served as a poignant final chapter for the female Lavernia cousins before they all started finding their significant others and getting married. The cousins have now moved on to better and brighter lives with their families, but Laura takes solace in knowing that Jordan's notorious dance moves live on in the next generation through her children. Jordan lives in Jacksonville, with her husband Dr. Kevin. They are kept busy with their two children - James and Evelyn. Jordan also works admissions at St. John's Country Day School.
Benjamin Whiting
Groomsman
Ben and Chris are friends from Notre Dame. When Ben wasn't busy helping provide rations to Charlie's Army at ND football games, Ben and Chris were a dominant force in volleyball on Washington Street during their time in South Bend. After college, Ben and Chris lived together in Chicago for 2 years where Ben taught Chris creative ways to use the oven and repeatedly showed him the best late night Subway orders. Ben is a truly loyal friend and willing to do anything for his friends or to prove his worth – you simply need to ask him. Ben’s house in Buffalo also served as a safe haven for the Fisher Hall gang during COVID, offering a backyard pool, a great nearby country club, and neighborhood beer pong tournaments. Ben currently lives in the greater Buffalo area with his wife, Katie, and their two daughters, Madison and Kennedy. He is a Vice President at Whiting Door.
Patrick Hessert
Officiant
Patrick and Chris are friends from Notre Dame. Despite never having lived together officially, they became close friends over the years as Patrick has hosted Chris numerous times in both New York and the Jersey shore. Patrick first got to meet Laura when she and Chris took a trip to New York back in the summer of 2024. Patrick generously took them on a tour of the city, which started with eel shopping in Chinatown grocery stores, wove in and around various hot spots in lower Manhattan, and finished with some tunes at Baby Grand. Since then, he’s hosted them for Christmas parties at his apartment and gotten to know them better from various visits. Patrick currently lives in New York City, although as a Senior Executive Officer for Paxos Middle East, he also spends a good deal of time at his home away from home – Dubai. He also has recently completed an ironman competition, which is an amazing achievement for anyone to do but is truly a stunning accomplishment to anyone who has ever seen Patrick try to throw a football.
