Wedding Party
Abby McCann
Maid of Honor
Oh, what can I say about Abby? She is one of the first friends I made at Loyola. One morning during welcome week we had an awkward exchange out by the I.C. when someone she was with dropped their shoe and had to crawl by me to pick it up. Later in the day at a welcome week activity I recognized Abby, went over to talk to her and we've been friends ever since. We instantly bonded over both wanting to go to the zoo, but deciding the smarter decision was going to check out the downtown campus. Back in those early days we thought we were so cool taking the train everywhere. Junior year we were roommates in the best dorm in Downtown Chicago and even after living with me she still decided to be friends with me haha. We've done so much over the years, mainly Abby telling me to watch something and me refusing for so long until I finally give in and end up becoming obsessed with anything she forces me to watch. She is also responsible for my Taylor Swift addiction after she took me to the opening night of The Era's Tour, thank you again btw. Well enough rambling. That's my best friend, Abby.
Lucas Larson
Best Man
Lucas—the man, the myth, the... Just meet him, and you’ll understand. A true pizza lover and my ride-or-die since junior year of high school, he’s been by my side through it all. We’ve been partners in bowling, taken spontaneous late-night drives across state lines for no reason, and spent countless hours talking about life goals and ideas, always taking each other’s opinions to heart. Even as a devoted Packers fan, he’s someone I’ll always listen to. Whether it’s a rough day or a success story, we’ve been there for each other every step of the way.
Katie Fischer
Matron of Honor
Ahh my sister, some would say my first friend, but from what I hear she was not a fan of me when I first hit the scene. I find this hard to believe because how could someone not like my lovely self. She's my concert buddy, the one who got me into sports and for a while kept me fed (along with mom, of course), even if it was a practically raw burger that was still mooing. She did all the typical big sister things, picked on me, ignored me and took me to hang out with her and her friends who all adored little Kayla. Once I hit the age where I was no longer the annoying little sister we always hung out doing random stuff or watching some of the absolute best shows to grace TV like Jersey Shore, Girl Code, Total Divas and more. Katie may seem shy or quiet, like myself, but get her talking about something she likes and her great personality will shine through. If you want to meet her, make sure you catch her before 8:00pm or she will be in bed.
Jon Burns
Best Man
I met my friend Jon when I worked at Kunes, where he was the dealership trainer. His guidance played a huge role in my growth. I went from a new salesman to a successful Finance Manager thanks to his teaching. I still remember my very first day: Jon was showing me how to conduct active appraisals using his own car. He made it clear not to touch it or leave a fingerprint, and that lesson stuck with me. From that moment, our friendship began to grow. Over time, it expanded beyond work; we traveled to Vegas together, shared conversations about life choices, and explored new job opportunities side by side.
Julie Davis
Bridesmaid
Julie Julie Julie. We were neighbors our freshman year at Loyola in good old Mertz. If you ask her she will tell you when we met I slammed the door in her face. This has become a running joke throughout our friendship. If you ask me, we said hello to each other, there was a pause and then I said I had to get back to unpacking and slowly started closing the door. In my defense, I was in the middle of organizing my closet, which if you know me knows it quite the process. Julie and I actually didn't become friends until Sophomore year when I rushed and got into Alpha Sigma Alpha (ASA) sorority. We recognized each other and long story short I ended up becoming an adopted member of her Greek fam. We really bonded over the misery of having to stand for so long in heels during recruitment and I quickly discovered we have a pretty similar sense of humor. Over the years we have created a new bond over our love of the Jonas Brothers and have seen them together twice so far. She's a hoot.
Erich Fisher
Groomsman
Sid the sloth. He’s the guy you want around when it’s time to have fun and talk sports. After my father passed, he and I spent years going to Cubs games, soaking in the fans, the beer, the food, and the joy of the game. Calling each other during the Cubs' best moments in life, screaming and cheering all the way to the World Series. We went to school together, bowled in the high school league, and later worked side by side at Tuscan for years, night after night. Life was simple and sweet: $.49 cones, laughter, and living the best lives. And one thing you should know—if Sid asks for a spoon, don’t hand it to him in a wrapper.
Dayna Mathew
Bridesmaid
Dayna, this Bitch. Don't worry, it's a term of endearment we have for each other that started when she was absolutely delirious after a long day of going through sorority recruitment freshman year at Loyola. Our official titles are Hoe Bitch (me) and Bitch Hoe (her). I met Dayna some point early on in freshman year and we just clicked. I hung out with her so much I ended up becoming an honorary member of her floor on Mertz and her RA pretty much adopted me. Our activities consisted of watching The Propsal (spelled wrong on purpose), doing laundry at like 2:00am, trying to avoid headphone guy and ordering way too much Domino's, shout out to Roger, the best delivery man. We became roommates Sophomore year mainly because who else would want to room with us weirdos. A lot of inside jokes were created between us and even an attempt at our own language that was most likely created out of a night of us staying up way too late. If you are all lucky, we may even break out our dance to Justin Bieber's Sorry, if we can remember it haha.
Erich Burt
Groomsman
The man who has stood beside me through so many chapters of my life. From the fun late nights to giving me the opportunity that led me to grow into a manager at Kunes, his presence has been a constant source of support. We shared countless good times, helping each other move, golfing together at fundraisers, and simply enjoying life side by side. His office door was always open, offering me a place to reflect and to seek guidance on life’s upcoming choices. He is truly the life of the party and one of the most loyal people you will ever meet.
Emily Grubich
Bridesmaid
Emily has got to be about the sweetest person you will ever meet, you can't help but just be happy around her. Don't let her fool you though, because she can bring out the sass when she needs to. I met Emily once I joined ASA. She was Julie's Greek twin. I actually was hoping for Emily to be my big, that didn't happen, but as mentioned earlier I was adopted into the Greek fam. During our time in ASA we did so much, but my absolute favorite was when we would do Derby Days, which was essentially a dance competition to help raise money for one of the Fraternities charity. She would help me figure out moves or catch me up if I missed a practice, but the best was when she was one of the choreographers. I have the most iconic video of her showing me the dance for the boys who were in our group, so hit me up if you would like to see it. We created a tradition of taking some classic photos with our ASA letters. Later on in 2019 we shared a very important moment, attending the reunion tour of the Jonas Brothers, a night to never be forgotten. You'll most likely find her, and all of us, out on the dance floor.
Annemarie Wielondek
Mother of the Groom
You are the one who taught me not just how to succeed, but how to fail and to rise again. From the joy of dancing and running through the house together, to the childhood days when I made menus and pretended to cook you meals in my little play kitchen, you gave me the gift of imagination and laughter. We have shared some of the best times, and like all mothers and sons, we’ve had our fights too. But at the end of every day, our bond has only grown stronger, moment by moment. Through the hardest chapters, leaning on each other after Dad’s passing, learning to live on our own, and finding strength even while existing hours apart, we have built a connection that is unshakable. Mom, you are my teacher and the greatest in this journey of life. I am forever grateful for the love, resilience, and joy you’ve given me.
Karin Ellgass
Mother of the Bride
My mom, one of the best people ever. She keeps me fed, deals with my high energy and has the most patience when I am so confused about things in the kitchen or anything food related really. I get my amazing taste in music from her, as when I was little she would put in tapes of one of Cher's tours from the 90's for me to watch or just play anything from artists of the 80's, but especially Madonna. We still sing and dance in the kitchen to Vogue on a regular basis. Growing up I was always told I have the cool Mom, and no matter how much grief I give I would have to agree. I was never embarrassed when she was in school whether it was working or serving us Frankenstein's brain for Halloween. Now I keep her busy making cookies for me to taste, which most of you get to enjoy, so you are all welcome. She will also be found out on the dance floor, so watch out because she is a tripping hazard.
Luther Matsen
Step Father of Groom
The man who swept my mother off her feet, forging a bond of commitment in both our lives. With tales of past journeys and memories of growing up in Africa, he painted a world rich with wisdom and experience. To me, he became a mentor, teaching the value of responsibility and guiding me through the intricate ups and downs of stocks and commodities. Yet there is one stock he never needed to explain, for it can only be lived, not taught: the Matsen stock. It never dips, it only climbs.
Steve Ellgass
Father of the Bride
Steve Nell! The OG member of the awesome club. I definitely get my sense of style from him, but he may take the color coordination to the extreme. He is the one who got me into all things outdoor, boating, fishing, and camping. Let's not forget bowling, that I am now better at than him even if he won't admit it. He may seem tough on the outside, but he's a big old softy on the inside who just likes to watch his shows and feed his grand-dogs crackers that he thinks I don't know about. You may see us out on the dance floor for our iconic Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy dance.
Ronald Jage
Flower Girl
He won’t be carrying actual flowers, but instead a basket overflowing with outrageous stories and passions so peculiar that nobody else will ever quite understand them. With age has come the art of the nap and a touch of grumpy-old-man syndrome, but don’t be fooled—he’s still a hoot and a half. Fair warning: if he corners you, prepare yourself for a 30+ minute conversation that you never saw coming.