Wedding Party
Joann Cassano
Matron of Honor
Joann and Amanda have been best friends since Beauty and the Beast first hit theaters—though for everyone’s sake, let’s agree not to revisit what year that was. In the 90s and early aughts, the two were completely inseparable. Joann’s house had the best snacks, which guaranteed Amanda’s permanent residency and sealed their friendship instantly. They even started a girl group together. While it never topped the charts, it did spark a lifelong and very serious devotion to the Spice Girls. Across every phase of life, their bond—and their shared Spice Girls obsession—has only grown stronger. In 2009, Joann rudely moved to Colorado, where she built a beautiful family and became an absolute rock‑star educator. Amanda shed many tears but has cherished every visit, adventure, and cross‑country reunion since. There is truly no one Amanda could imagine standing beside her on her wedding day other than her forever best friend, Joann Jessica “BFF” Cassano.
Jared Shubert
Best Man
Eric and Jared became friends long before their voices dropped, bonding over baseball, their dislike of Dennis & Denise, fart jokes, and every other gross boy activity their parents hoped they’d eventually grow out of. Spoiler: they did not. They played baseball together all the way through high school, then seamlessly transitioned into a new era of video games, beer bongs, and questionable decision-making. To this day, they’re so dependent on each other that they still talk every single day — proof that fart jokes truly survive anything. Jared is now the proud Principal of Cooter High School (Go Wildcats!), still living in Steele, where he insists on thriving without the burden of modern technology, like traffic lights. Eric likes to say this just proves he made the right choice escaping Missouri… though he’ll follow it up admitting he really does miss his best friend. There’s no one Eric trusts more to stand beside him on his wedding day than Jared — his lifelong teammate, partner-in-crime, and the Best Man he wouldn’t trade for anything. Well, except those traffic lights and a strong internet connection.
