Whitney & Kenji
Wedding Party
Hannah Tucci
Maid of Honor
Friends for 30 years and counting. Whitney & Hannah met in diapers and have been best friends ever since. In middle school they agreed to outlive their future husbands and spend the rest of their lives together (don’t tell Kenji)!
Ryan Stanford
Best Man
Fiends since 1995. Through Ridge Bowls, Camp Coble, Mexico and many stories that cannot be shared, Kenji and Ryan somehow lived to adulthood.
Shandi Ramirez
Bridesmaid
Shandi and Whitney met on a kickball team in Richmond and respected each other’s hustle both on and off the field. Although they now live in different cities (Shandi moved to Boston and Whitney moved to DC) they still talk or text almost every day!
Philip Kim
Groomsman
Rivals during high school, Philip and Kenji grew up in the same town but didn't meet until Freshmen year of college. Since then, they have been through it all and still maintain a close friendship hundreds of miles away. From traveling to Thailand together to weekly Fortnite binges, they still find a way to stay connected and the best of friends.
Benita Rivera
Bridesmaid
Whitney's *slightly* older cousin. Benita has always been so supportive of Whitney: driving down to Charlottesville to celebrate her birthday, meeting up for brunch in Boston, and helping however she can with this wedding! She’s a real one, for sure!
Ashneel Narayan
Groomsman
Sharing a connection that has gone through numerous career changes and moves across the country, Ashneel has been not only a tremendous friend but also an example of what a family man should be.
Maya Christopher Keliiholokai
Bridesmaid
Kenji’s big sister. He said from the beginning she just got him. Soon Maya will be Whitney's big sister too! Whitney thinks Maya is one of the coolest, kindest, and most fun humans around which is why she says it’s an honor to have her stand by her side!
Owen Keliiholokai
Groomsman
Kenji still remembers the day more than 20 years ago that someone named Owen was calling for his older sister. He would have lied and said Maya wasn't available, but the fact that Owen had the same name as one of his favorite wrestlers was enough to let him through. Since then, Owen has served as the "big brother" Kenji never had.
Maggie Miller
Bridesmaid
From co-captains of the Talawanda High School dance team, to co-workers at Princess 4 Great Escape Theaters, to countless adventures in college, and trips together around the world (including Paris, Prague, and the Dominican Republic) Maggie is one of Whitney’s best friends forever.
Jashneel Narayan
Groomsman
Husband of Evelyn, Father of Noah and Brother of Ashneel, Jashneel is the epitome of "calm, cool and collected." His love of music and all things nature is what bonded Jashneel and Kenji and he has always provided a level and rational head when needed.
Lauren James
Bridesmaid
Friends on the field - Lauren and Whitney met on the DC Urban League kickball team (there might be a theme here... see above how Whitney & Shandi met). Lauren noticed Whitney took the game wayyy too seriously (in Whitney's words). "Whitney was one of the best players and I... was not" (in Lauren's words). The two of them quickly became close friends and although their kickball days are behind them, their friendship has been a fun adventure ever since!
Devon Neckles
Groomsman
Actually Kenji’s father's cousin, Devon has become Kenji's close confidante since his move to the DMV. Devon brings a relaxed vibe and an uncanny ability to raid a fridge without detection. Envied around the world for his gold medal skills at falling asleep anywhere... anytime... Devon is an invaluable presence in the life of Whitney and Kenji.
Shari Laldee Johnson
Bridesmaid
She may be Kenji’s cousin, but she’s a friend to both Kenji and Whitney! From 8am weekend workouts to wedding planning, Shari’s been down for it all!
Channing Johnson
Groomsman
Yeeeeeah!! Channing has shown himself to be that man who is always down for whatever. A man who loves his friends and family as much as he loves to stir it up, Channing is always available whenever called upon.
Wambui Nganga
Bridesmaid
Wambui and Whitney met at a speed dating event, and instead of walking away with a man, they both walked away with a friend for life (which is honestly way better, right?). From wineries to festivals to drag brunch - Whitney knows life in DC wouldn’t be the same without her friend Wambui!
Arsene Missoup
Groomsman
AKA "Old Bay" a native DMVer who Kenji met while working in San Francisco. "Arsenio" served as Kenji's local guru... even from across the country.
Henry Graff
Bridesman
Henry and Whitney met while both reporting at NBC29 in Charlottesville, and honestly - they just clicked! After one “Thursday Thursday” happy hour the rest is history! They’ve laughed, cried, traveled, and had each other’s backs through it all!
Daniel Medina
Groomsman
They say some of the best people in your life, you dislike when you first meet. That was most definitely the case here. Even though he is funny looking and a 49er fan, Daniel helped give Kenji confidence as a salesmen and a person. Niners are still soft though....
Emily Ward
Bridesmaid
High school brought Whitney and Emily together and although they’re now separated by hundreds of miles (ok, more than a thousand) they’ve been able to keep their close bond. You know that friend who you don’t see often, but when you do you pick right up where you left off? That’s Whitney & Emily. When they get together they’re guaranteed to stay up all night laughing and talking!
Augustus "A.J." Jones
Groomsman
"The Strongest Marathon Man" AKA Kenji & Whitney's trainer (and also Whitney's family friend from way back)! Although Kenji was very apprehensive about working out with him, AJ has proven to be an invaluable resource when it comes to all things health....and social media memes.