Sydney & Eli
Wedding Party
Sam Schnell
Best Man Officiant
Sam is the oldest and most intense of the three Schnell brothers. Sam commands respect, has the best dad jokes this side of the Mississippi, and knows when to let loose and celebrate. As we all know, these are three things that make up a great Officiant. It also helps that I have known him for just over 28 years. He is someone I have admired my whole life and a lifeline I can always go to for advice at any time. It was an easy choice deciding on him to carry the prestigious title of Best Man Officiant.
Stephanie Sampson
Matron of Honor
My Matron of Honor is my beautiful sister, Stephanie. She has been a light in my life with her genuine heart and unique sense of humor. She has blessed me with the title of Auntie (TiTi) to two rambunctious little girls that have stolen my heart. My favorite memory with her is more of a childhood tradition that we had of alternating whose room we were going to sleep in for Christmas Eve night and we would watch The Polar Express until we fell asleep. She is truly the definition of grace, and I am beyond grateful that I get her love and advice for the rest of my life.
Alex Schnell
Best Man
Alex is the middle Schnell and a jack-of-all trades. This guy can do it all. Whether it’s starting a dog training empire from the ground up (shout out to Ivy League K9), perfecting any sport or skill, or being the world’s biggest smartass; Alex is your guy. Alex and I were only one grade apart growing up through school, so it was very easy for us to bond through sports and school activities. He was always going to be one of my groomsmen, but his stache’ earned him the promotion to Best Man.
Diana Tupikova
Maid of Honor
My ride or die best friend. We met at a transfer orientation event at Gonzaga University, and we were in the same tour group. It was over the course of this tour that we found out that we were both Accounting majors, so we quickly became friends. We've spent countless hours in the library together, and even lived together our senior year. We have gone on many memorable girls trips—that ranges from a quick road trip to Seattle, WA to a getaway in Miami, FL. She is my voice of reason, and my go to travel buddy.
Andrew Wilson
Groomsman
Andrew and I go all the way back to Meadowbrook Elementary. I was a little hellion in my younger years while he was a goody goody. It took me years, but I finally brought him down to my level. Just kidding! He brought me up to his level for sure. We also bonded through football, basketball, and baseball. His dad coached us for travel basketball for several years as we dominated the western plains of the Black Hills (moral victories). Andrew is one of the hardest working dudes and the nicest person I’ve ever known. If you ever get caught in awkward silence with him, just steer the conversation towards hunting, fishing, or the San Francisco Giants and you’ll be golden.
Maddie Schnell
Bridesmaid
One of my beautiful future sister-in-law's! Other than being an impromptu model, she is also the life of the party. You can expect to see her droppin' it low on the dance floor. My favorite memory with her has to be our Dallas trip; specifically, when we locked ourselves in a room to assemble a 100-piece dollhouse and blow up balloons to decorate the Airbnb for Hallie’s 30th birthday. Maddie is the most lovable person I know and I really hit the jackpot with getting her as a sister.
Riley Swearingen
Groomsman
Riley and I met in NC while we were stationed together in the Air Force as air traffic controllers. We quickly became best of friends even though he had a massive tribal tattoo on his shoulder. Not saying there’s a connection but ever since he got it covered up, our friendship has really taken off. We were roommates for several years in NC where we showed the world that people with different political views and the love for rival football teams could actually coexist in harmony. Well, most of the time. In all seriousness, I know Riley is a true friend who will always have my back and also knows how to have a good time. If you don’t believe me, just search “Wet Willy Bandit” on Google.
Hallie Schnell
Bridesmaid
One of my beautiful future sister-in-law's! She is the perfect mixture of sweet and spicy--she has the sweetest soul and the funniest jokes. Not only can she make me laugh till I cry, but she can also make any Peloton ride her own personal concert. My favorite memory with her has to be our fancy spa experience at The Joule in Dallas. We truly were living like movie stars that day. I couldn't have asked for a better sister-in-law, and I feel beyond blessed to call her family.
Tanner Chleborad
Groomsman
The Schnell and Chleborad families have been intertwined with one another for as far back as I can remember. Tanner and my brother Alex were in the same grade together and still remain best friends to this day. So, naturally we were always around each other playing sports or hanging out. During the basketball seasons when Alex was injured, Tanner filled that role of big brother and we were able to start our own friendship because of it. Tanner is one of those friends that will always be there for you at the drop of a hat. It doesn’t matter if it inconveniences him, he’ll figure out a way to make it work.
Eva Toshkova
Bridesmaid
My work bestie! I met Eva through working at my current firm, but we have quickly become really good friends. We have so much in common, so it was easy to build that relationship. Eva is the kindest person I have ever met, and would go to the end of the Earth to make anyone happy. My favorite memory with Eva has to be our St. Patrick’s Day celebration at a local Irish pub that resulted in lots of dancing, and a stolen dollar off the wall. I am so grateful to have a friend like Eva to spend this special day with.
Adam Drake
Groomsman
Adam and I met in middle school where I took a game of “kill the carrier” a little too far and gave him a concussion. Although, I should say allegedly because it was never proven in a court of law. Adam was one of my core group of friends through high school and he has continued to be in my corner ever since. After my enlistment in the Air Force ended, I spent a few months back in my hometown where Adam was dominating the nursing game and still is. In those months, we were constantly bro-ing out and became even better friends than we were in high school. He’s a very genuine dude and loyal friend who prides himself on being unique even though he is a twin.
Christina Sanborn
Bridesmaid
Christina and I met through Diana (MOH), and I immediately fell in love with her because she is genuinely the most compassionate and confident person I have ever met. She is always there when you need her and she has the best heart. One of my favorite memories with Christina was our Montana Hot Springs trip when we decided to go to some random hot springs an hour away from our Airbnb, and ended up sitting in horse troughs--it was a really pretty view though.
Eric Drake
Groomsman
Remember earlier when I mentioned Adam being a twin? Well, meet the twin. His name is Eric and I can honestly say I’ve never met anyone quite like him. Most of the time he is a pretty big goofball but deep down he is very sincere and authentic. Eric is a guy with a lot of smarts, athletic skills, and an insane competitive drive in everything he does. I still remember the days of battling him 1 v 1 in basketball. He is an absolute joy to be around and is often times referred to as the more dominant twin.
Hailey Hoffman
Bridesmaid
Hailey and I met in our 9th grade biology class, and quickly became best friends. We did everything together, and I can honestly say that she has continued to be one of the brightest lights in my life. She exudes happiness and love in everything that she does. She is the biggest ball of energy and I love her to bits. Out of our many memories together, one of my favorites has to be all of the summer rides in the Miata with the top down--including teaching her how to drive a stick-shift in a parking lot.
Richard Land
Groomsman
Richard Land. A man from the deep south with great principles, and a strong affection for the Georgia Bulldogs (Go Dawgs!). I met Richard a few years ago when I started working at Spokane. Everyone has that friend in the group that's always running late, and Richard fills that role. Hopefully he makes it to the wedding on time, because I'd prefer to have him up there with me and the guys for the big moment.
Cole Sampson
Usher
I met Cole through family, as he is Stephanie's husband & Syd's brother in law. Over the few years I've known Cole I have come to learn that he is the best carpenter this side of the Mississippi. There's nothing this man can't build or fix. Aside from being the world's best DIY-er, Cole is very dependable and a great guy to have in your corner. Also, this man can talk to anyone about anything...a great skill for an usher to have!
Elise & Sophie Sampson
Flower Girl's
My perfect little Nieces, Elise and Sophie. Elise is the wild child in me, and I love her to pieces. Sophie is my sweet cuddle-bug that makes me want to cry whenever she speaks, because everything she says is the cutest thing I've ever heard. If you are ever wondering where they will be on the wedding day, they're tearing it up on the dance floor or riding a scooter. God blessed our family when He gave us these little girls.
Sawyer & Jack Schnell
Ring Bearer’s
Sawyer already has perfected the ‘blue steel’ model look and has a smile that’ll light up any room. There was no one else I could think of to ask for such an important role in this wedding. Well, maybe his little brother. Jack Henry is the sweetest bundle of joy and barring any setbacks in the rehearsal, he’ll be helping big bro Sawyer out with the rings.
Josie
Security
Josieeee Bearrrr! Our little girl. Josie stole Eli’s heart back in 2020 when she failed out of the TSA program. He drove all the way to San Antonio, Texas to pick her up and drove her all the way back to Spokane, Washington. Josie is a cuddle bug, that is obsessed with balls, beanbags, and being under the covers.
Jimmer
Security
Our little Jimbo!! Our compromise for getting a puppy was that Eli got to name him. For those of you that don’t know, Jimmer is named after Eli’s favorite basketball player, Jimmer Fredette. Jimmer is our wild child that loves bones, ice, and birds. We found him off of Craigslist, and drove 2.5 hours there and back before Eli’s shift because I couldn’t go another day without him in my arms.