Wedding Party
Christina McDonald
Bridesmaid
Christina and I became friends when we were both bridesmaids in a mutual friend's wedding. Since then, we've laughed and cried together through life's various highs and lows. One of the highs being an unforgettable cross country road trip that included camping, national parks, and stays with both sides of my family.
Claire Golubuski
Bridesmaid
This look of admiration was not on my face when Claire rolled up to the Starbucks where I worked for her first day of training clad in a hipster uniform of skinny jeans, white V-neck, and Toms shoes - totally out of Starbucks dress code! Slowly, before the week of training was over, Claire's humor, zest for life, and sincere friendliness won me over. So much so that I later agreed to move with Claire into a roach infested, slanty shanty in Lakewood for a total rent of $500 / month. Since then, our friendship has continued to grow (and our living situations have greatly improved).
Katie Vance
Bridesmaid
Teachers need their teacher friends; they also need non-teacher friends. In search of people with whom I wouldn't be tempted to talk about my students, I got a second job at a Dallas yoga studio to hopefully connect with people over other shared interests. Katie is this friend. Although Katie did let me talk about teaching when I needed to, we bonded over yoga, books, career frustrations and celebrations, and travel. Katie is also a good luck charm as both her and her husband scored lottery passes for themselves and a few lucky friends to bond over the experience of hiking Half Dome in August! (Yes - Justin and I are two of these lucky friends).
Larissa Lowrance
Bridesmaid
Larissa and I easily bonded over our experiences as teachers, senses of humor, and love for wine and adventures. It doesn't matter if the adventure is a new craft that always turns out better in the hands of Larissa than mine, a theme party, game night, or road trip, the experience will be full of laughter, fun, and love!
Laura Harper
Bridesmaid
Laura is my oldest friend! We went to high school together and have been roommates more than once. Laura's loving cheerleading and kindhearted nature has been a welcome presence in all of my major milestones since junior year of high school including graduations, big moves, career changes, and now my wedding!
Stephanie Magsino
Bridesmaid
Yay!! Beth n Steph have been a dynamic duo since we met at the juice bar of our beloved Houston yoga studio. Since that chance encounter we have worked together, studied together, lived together, camped together, and celebrated each other (together).
Yin Tong
Bridesmaid
Yin Tong married my good friend, Lonnie and now I talk to Yin Tong even more than I talk to Lonnie. Sorry, Lonnie and thanks, Lonnie! Yin Tong's practical life perspective mixed her great sense of humor have helped me to make big personal discoveries such as - you don't really need a net to play tennis! (Try it - so much more fun). I'm thrilled she's making the trip from New Jersey to be here to celebrate with us!
Corey Martinson
Groomsman
Corey and I met at church in San Angelo! At first, he couldn't stand how much I talked at night while he was trying to sleep but thanks to his wise sister Kara he gave me another chance and we have remained great friends since! So much so that when his family moved to Dallas I quickly followed suit! If not for that I don't think I would have ever moved to DFW! I still laugh sometimes thinking about how Corey's mom always knew how to push his buttons. I'd stay over and Saturday morning she'd always come in with the most positive attitude saying "Wakey Wakey Eggs and Bakey", as she'd turn on the lights and most importantly turn off the fan! Boy, we hated that! One of the best trips we ever took together was to South Carolina to tackle the BMW driving experience that he had won from his work. We got to rip around the tracks in all their cars and just had the best time! Corey is one of my longest-lasting friendships and his family is my second family!
Ed Kisinger
Groomsman
I met Ed at my first big boy job! He was a consultant and I was a full-timer! We connected so easily that we began the next stages of our careers hopping from company to company together for over a decade! I'll never forget our time in Memphis taking the riverboat casinos for all their money! "Dealer YO!" was a constant theme any time we were near a casino. Bethany this might be a great time to inform you that Ed and I have a standing casino agreement that if either of us wins anything above 10k we split it. We've gone into business together multiple times and have come up with some of the craziest ideas over the years and I don't think we are done yet! This is actually the first time in a really long time that we don't work at the same company! I'm sure we will fix this issue eventually!
Ryan Ward
Groomsman
Ryan and I met at work several years ago. I was supposed to go help him move from his first apartment and woke up to both my vehicles having been broken into! I quickly had to cancel on him thinking for sure he'd think I was just trying to bail on helping. I guess he forgave me! Side note if you ever walk into his house and see snacks laying around, triple-check that they are not dog treats before you help yourself! We've had a lot of fun working on various projects together over the years most notably Shell in New Orleans! This is where we first discovered Steak Fritz which has become a staple of good eats ever since! Ryan has always been a great friend! He used to watch Sadie for me when I'd travel and never complained or even charge me! Or maybe he just never invoiced me. Ryan weddings are expensive so consider this your gift to me to never send me that invoice. I've got to see him grow tremendously over the last year and it's been fun going through a similar journey together as he just recently got married!