Best Man
Brandon and I met in the 7th grade. Going to his birthday party I might have forgotten to get him a gift. I happened to be at Costco when I thought to myself: he likes food, let's get him fruit by the foot and duck tape, because its practical and you never know when you might need it. From that moment on our friendship was cemented. And it has lasted, despite his terrible taste in whiskey.
Matron of Honor
Shelby and I met when we both needed roommates and met on Craigs List. Neither one of us expected to find our best friend. In fact, we were both hoping not to be murdered by this stranger we were moving in with. Needless to say I was shocked when I learned Shelby was my long lost soul sister. Since 2015 she has been one of my closest friends, I even had the pleasure of being Shelby's Maid of Honor last year.
Groomsman
Brian and I have been friends since the 6th grade. We used to play neighborhood tackle football, Brian was a giant back then and always my first pick because he was impossible to tackle. During college we made an effort to make sure we visited each other. It was during one of my trips to see him that I convinced him to pursue his now wife. Brian loves his friends but his wife and the truck come first. His idea of a good beer is an ice cold Coors Light, which breaks my heart. I was the Best Man at his wedding in Hawaii.
Bridesmaid
I have known Catherine since we were 6 years old. From second grade through seventh grade we lived right across the street from one another. At this point she is 100% the sister I never had, and I like to say I'm her parents' fourth daughter (Catherine has 2 sisters already). Even when she moved to Tri-Cities, WA in middle school we remained best friends. Catherine is the person who you can call 5 times and she won't answer. In fact, it's a miracle if she answers on the first call. But Catherine is also the person who will drop everything and be there for you when you need her. I am so happy to have Catherine by my side to marry the man of my dreams.
Groomsman
Joe is one of my fraternity brothers. We went through initiation together and from that moment on a bromance was born - Joey and Chandler forever! At one point this became a reality when we lived together after college. Joe is that friend that's always down to party, even if it hurts the next day for him. He is the definition of rally, except for his 30th birthday. If you ever need someone to put information together in an excel spreadsheet he is your guy, I've heard him having night terrors from the other room before about being stuck in excel.
Bridesmaid
Although I have known Catherine since I was 6 years old, I have known Rebecca even longer. We met in kindergarten and have remained friends ever since. The most miraculous thing is that Rebecca and I only went to kindergarten together -- we never attended the same school again. My childhood is filled with memories of sleepovers, Fourth of Julys at the beach, and countless road trips. When we entered college our families decided to start having Thanksgiving together and it has remained a tradition to this day (COVID years don't count). All together Rebecca and I have been friends for 25 years! And I am so happy our friendship has lasted and I have no doubt that in another 25 years we will still be friends.
Groomsman
Mahbodd and I go back all the way to high school band where we both were strong underachievers at our selected instruments. Little did he know I would end up helping start the relationship between him and his now wife of 5 years. I also convinced him to join my fraternity once he came to Oregon State. Mahbodd is very much the quiet guy in the room, that is until you give him some whiskey and he will chat your ear off about the Blazers and OSU Beavers.
Bridesmaid
Gwen and I met in 5th grade when we played soccer together. Since then we have continued to remain close friends. I joke that Gwen is my angry crippled friend, due to the fact that she has had 3 (or 4?) knee surgeries and she really doesn't like people. Someone how she manages to tolerate me and I am so glad! We've gone on many a beach trips together and our epic Mexico adventure in high school. Gwen is probably one of the hardest working people I know. After college she entered into OHSU's dental school while doing a combined PhD program on top of it! Not only that, Gwen consistently trains for triathlons and casually goes on 50 mile bike rides on weekends. Luckily she didn't have a triathlon the weekend of my wedding, otherwise I'm not sure if she would've come.
Groomsman
Mo in my young friend. Mo had the misfortune of being an incoming freshman that roomed with a fifth year senior, me. Despite being 6'1 he is the runt of the littler in his family, who's average hight is 6'4. We spent many late nights playing Madden and watching bar rescue. He and I are a dangerous bingo team at Aji Tram winning lots of useless things. We even got a photo with Portland Timbers great Liam Ridgewell one time during bingo, and to this day Sara is still very upset she wasn't there that night. He is always down for a pick up game of basketball. He recently proposed to his long time girlfriend.
Bridesmaid
I am a little fuzzy on when Emi and I really began our friendship. We had the same friends through middle school, but the two of us only knew each other in passing for a while. High School definitely changed that. Since then Emi has been one of my closest confidants and has always been there for me during the tough times. We've seen each other at our worst and our best. Emi is the friend you call when you're down and you need cheering up. She is definitely a blast in a glass. Thank you for always being there for me and thank you for standing by my side!
Groomsman
Russell is my little bro in our fraternity. Both of us loved playing basketball and playing basketball together. Watching us was like Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki. We helped lead our team in college to an All Intramural Championship at Oregon State. One year we were roommates and had the misfortune of getting ants . . . on the second floor. . . this became a recurring theme for Russell who ever his next roommate was. Russell is that guy that will help you if you call him, he just might be 2 hours late.
Bridesmaid
I met Becca in 6th grade. We had all of our classes together and so it was kind of inevitable that would be friends. However it was not inevitable that we would necessarily stay friends, which we have. Mine and Becca's claim to fame, in case you were wondering, was that our 8th grade basketball team was unbeatable all season -- a perfect record. Yes, every once in a while we like to bring that up. Becca has seen me at some of my lowest moments and she is always there when you need to vent. She is always down for a glass of wine (or a bottle). Fun fact about Becca: she is a twin and now she and her husband Robert have twin girls of their own! Becca, I am so luckily to have you as a friend, and I promise to always be fun Aunt Sara to your daughters.
Officiant
I have known Andrew Dang ever since high school when we both did leadership and musicals together. We lost touch when we went off to college. In the fall of 2017 I was hanging out in the Pearl District when Andrew and I randomly ran into each other on the street. We exchanged pleasantries and asked if each other still had our same numbers so we could get together. Next time I was in town we got together and it was just like old times! We continued to stay in touch and now Andrew, Victor, and I have standing dinner dates once a month. Andrew is the type of person you can never be sad around. With an infectious personality he makes everyone around him happy. And he has one of the best laughs - that can be heard from miles away. We were so excited when he agreed to be our officiant.