Best Man
Isaac is my younger brother by 16 months. Growing up was easy to appreciate having a sibling so close to you, following in your footprints. Even though our paths diverged and sometimes Isaac moved ahead, the love of a brother means knowing he'll always be there when I need him, no matter how different our journeys become. When we were young, I had a spacer to keep my teeth from overcrowding. When the new tooth inevitably started to grow into the spacer I was in such pain that there wasn't really time to schedule a dentist visit. My dad figured that it was just these two tiny metal brackets that needed to be removed. He found his dremel and promised it would be over in a second. My brother and I were clearly not convinced, so he showed a demo with a wire hanger. Sparks flew in every direction as he cut that wire. While my face paled, Isaac started bawling. My brother, who was not involved in this at all, cried for my well being! Even when my dad whittled the wheel down to a small size, and I accepted the risk, Isaac had to be taken to another room so he wouldn't watch. Afterwards, I felt relief from the pain, and Isaac's wet face and shirt held onto me as though he had been worried he wouldn't see me again. I know how impressive Isaac can be and how much larger than life he can come across, but to me, that snot nosed kid will always be there crying in relief to see his brother happy and healthy, and I always cherish that memory no matter where we may be in life.
Bridesmaid
I'm an Ohio born transplant to Charlotte, where I found my new family through the Charlotte Nerds & Gamers Meetup group (and my eventual husband!). Isaac and Tyler will actually be the next of many couples from that group to get married, surprising for a group of Nerds, eh? I share a love of board games, books, fantasy and adventures with our lovely Bride and Groom to be! I met Isaac first when he, too, moved to Charlotte and joined CLTN&G. He's such a kind soul with all the Nerd cred needed to fit in perfectly and we were all happy to have him as a new friend. I still remember when he first showed up on his one wheel at one of our events, we were all boggled that he didn't have a car! But that man has a surprisingly deft touch with the pour painting and escape room solving and is always up for the next fun adventure (even if he has to bum a ride from one of us ;) ). It's really no wonder he meshed so well with someone as genuinely creative and open hearted as Tyler. I remember when he first introduced me to Tyler - I was stunned at first by her beauty and was extra awkward because of it. But she has such a kind heart and the inner beauty to go with the outer that she didn't seem to mind my awkwardness. I am lucky enough to now count her as a dear friend as well as Isaac and I can speak for all the CLTN&G to say we are all so lucky to have them both as friends. I'm super excited to celebrate the wedding of these two wonderful people in October!
Bridesmaid
I met Tyler through my brother, Isaac, which was a surprise because I didn’t think that stinker could not only get a girlfriend, but someone that cool, gorgeous, and clearly out of his league. We live in different states, so I haven’t spent a ton of time with Tyler in person, but from everything I’ve seen on her Instagram and heard from my brother, I can confidently say that she’s way too cool for him. (And no, I’m definitely not just saying that because we have a lot in common.) We’re both obsessed with our dogs (they are our actual children), we collect Squishmallows like it’s a competitive sport, we love watching anime, and we take our nail game very seriously. Basically, we’re soul sisters who just happened to be brought together by a man who once printed his face on wrapping paper and used it for all his Christmas gifts. We both love being creative and expressing ourselves in our own ways. Tyler has incredible style and amazing taste in music, and I bring the jokes and sarcasm-- different vibes, but the same energy. I’m genuinely excited to have Tyler in the family. Not only does she make my brother ridiculously happy, but now I have a sister in the family who can back me up when my brother starts being, well… my brother.
Bridesmaid
I’ve known Tyler my entire life. Our moms are best friends, so I’ve had Tyler as a cousin since before I was born. She taught me how to play drums (on the Wii lol) and obsessed over The Hunger Games with me when we were tweens. We have matching fairy bunnies from Build A Bear (her’s is Layla, mine is Lacy). Since our moms are best friends, we’ve been posed for – and posed to recreate – our fair share of pictures. Our photography dates back to toddlerhood, playing with fall leaves in New York. In childhood, we focused on trick-or-treating, local parades, and the Vermont chocolate factory with its dalmatian-spotted teddy bears. My favorite of the bunch is the Apple Orchard duology, where our families go every year to “pick apples” (re. get apple cider slushies and sweets). The first picture is months after she had just moved to North Carolina, at one of the roughest points in our lives. The second is from a year ago, and it’s incredible to see the transformation in print. From point a to point b, Tyler has grown into a confident, intelligent, bold, and gorgeous young lady. I am lucky to call her my cousin and I can’t wait to see her continuous evolution – and continue our annual apple cider doughnuts tradition.
Groomsman
During my birthday many years ago, Issac ordered me surprise pizzas for my party even though he was miles away. One of the pizzas had pineapples on it. Our friendship was almost ruined. Just kidding. It was very appreciated. I’ll always remember the time that Issac showed up to a gathering with a whole bunch of Mangos. He just brought these mangos and started handing them out. I mean, who doesn’t want a mango? What I’m trying to get at is that I’ve always seen Issac as a kind and giving guy. Not only through his words, but his actions. I’m happy that he’s still in my life, even though he lives far away, and I’m grateful to have him as a friend.
Groomsman
Well, I first met you as Lion's taller, more handsome, younger brother. I've always appreciated your competitive spirit and the fact that I can talk to you about anything, especially super nerdy things. Ever since you moved, you've relentlessly sent me memes through instagram, and to this day, I'm still happy to see those notifications come in (even if I don’t always get a chance to see them all lol). I always look forward to spending time with you and I can't wait for you to visit again.
Groomsman
Isaac is that brother from another mother that you aren't quite sure if it was by divine fate or universal happenstance. Growing up I always felt akin to him because we generally gravitated towards the same hobbies and interests. As we got older and distances between us grew physically, wider due to external factors, I never felt like I couldn't talk with him or even hang with him after my family had moved back to the same town years after. He is someone that at times I looked up to whether due to his stead fast demeanor, his almost bull-headed approach to his problems, or even his playful nature on life. He is someone I gladly call my brother.
Groomsman
I first met Isaac with my parents at Mimosa Grill in Uptown, Charlotte. He and Tyler had just recently started dating, and we wanted to meet the man who had made my sister so happy. To say Isaac made a good impression would be an understatement. I could tell that he was an attentive, thoughtful guy who cared not just about my sister but also about those who made her happy. He didn't just hear what we had to say—he listened, thought about it, remembered it, and did something with it. Sometime during that first dinner, I briefly mentioned that I liked doughnuts. The next time I saw him, he brought us doughnuts—specifically for me. While I already liked Isaac, that seemingly minor action proved to me that he was the man for Tyler. Every time I met him after that, he solidified my opinion of him. When my Mom told me he planned to propose to Tyler on the beach of Avon in the Outer Banks, it was a dream come true. I wouldn't have had it any other way. I can't imagine anyone else with her, and I'm proud that I'll soon be able to call Isaac, the man my sister fell in love with, my Brother-in-law.