Ashley & Shawn
Wedding Party
Melissa Romain
Matron of Honor
Melissa and I have been inseparable ever since the summer of 2002, when I knocked on her door after hearing from their neighbor "hey 3 girls just moved in next to me!" and asked the most important question of our future lives: “HI! Do you want to be my friend?” (Spoiler: she said yes - although it may have came out "I guess".) From childhood adventures spending every day of our summer vacations at Six Flags/Geauga Lake, to our late teens and early 20's living at BarRoom and LUX, to adulthood milestones like Melissas first child, we’ve shared it all — and have built a friendship that has stood the test of time. Fun fact: Melissa is actually the reason I met Shawn! When I saw "plays hockey" in his profile, I knew as long as he was not a Bluejackets fan he would pass the vibe check. She’s been by my side for over 20 years, and there’s no one else I’d rather have standing next to me on one of the biggest days of my life.
Alicia Carrico
Bridesmaid
Alicia and I go way back — like, elementary school back. We were in the same class in second and third grade and by third grade, we were pretty much inseparable. Then came the plot twist: when I moved, Alicia’s mom told her I had moved states away (for dramatic effect, I assume)… even though I was literally just one city over. LOL! Despite having the same circle of best friends all the way through high school and into our 20s, we somehow never crossed paths again — until Brittany’s bachelorette party in 2018. The second we reunited, it was like no time had passed. We instantly picked up right where we left off, stayed glued to each other that entire trip, and honestly never really stopped. These days, you can catch us jamming to our favorite 2000s icons, regretting the fact that we never became professional dancers for a pop stars world tour, or watching horror movies - and now we even get to take her daughter Tori to some of them — who, for the record, thinks I’m super cool (and I fully support that narrative).
Brittany Sprague
Bridesmaid
Brittany and I go way back — all the way to elementary school! We were only in the same class for one magical year, but that was all it took for us to become fast friends. After that, life took us in different directions until early college, when we found ourselves sharing the same best friend and boom — the spark was still there. From that point on, we were back at it like no time had passed. Our 20s were a whirlwind of fishbowl races, trying (and failing) to become Kent bar regulars, and getting into the kind of trouble you only get into with your ride-or-die. These days, while the chaos has calmed just a little, we still know how to let loose — especially if there’s dancing involved. And usually once a year, you can count on us showing up in Columbus to cheer on the Buckeyes like it’s our full-time job.
Courtney Urbancic
Bridesmaid
Courtney might be the “newest” friend in the bridal party, but with over a decade of friendship under our belts, she’s definitely earned her spot in the OG crew. We met our senior year of college when our professor randomly put us in a group project together — and I clearly made a huge impression, because she kicked off our presentation by listing my name as Amber Zabish on the cover slide. (So our professor continured to refer to me as Amber and when we corrected him he scolded us in front of everyone for being too stupid to proof read our cover page - oops!) But she totally redeemed herself when we bonded over our shared love of pop royalty — and not long after, she became the first person I ever went to Vegas with without my parents - and that led to a years long love affair between myself and sin city. Naturally, we were there for Britney’s very first Vegas residency, and yes, we danced until our feet gave out. These days, we keep the magic alive with our monthly tradition of trying out new restaurants together and our highly important Housewives recaps — because let’s be honest, life isnt always diamonds and rosé - but it should be! (Bonus points if you know who said that!)
Sara Menvielle
Bridesmaid
Sara and I go way back to our teenage days working at Heinen’s, where we bonded over two very important things: roller coasters and politics (which, let’s be real, feel oddly similar these days). From the start, we just got each other — even when life took her all the way to the other side of the country. Despite the miles, our friendship never skipped a beat. Whether I was flying out to California to visit her (and sneak in some family time), or we were using her west coast zip code as the perfect excuse to hit up Las Vegas for Britney Spears and Backstreet Boys (notice a theme here yet?), we always made time for memory-making. Now that she’s back in Ohio, you can usually find us posted up at Mr. T’s Wonderfreeze, plotting our next getaway — most likely involving a lazy river, snacks, and a soundtrack full of 2000s bangers.
Stephanie Rocuskie
Bridesmaid
Stephanie and I have a bit of an unconventional friendship origin story. We’ve been in each other’s lives for over 20 years… but we definitely didn’t start out as besties. Back in the day, her older sister Stacie was one of my closest friends — and Stephanie? Well, she was the younger sibling we may or may not have repeatedly told was left on the doorstep and whose real name was Gloria. (Sorry, Steph… but also, kind of not sorry.) If you’d told either of us back then that we’d be this close 20 years later, we’d have laughed — hard. But now? She’s my go-to for any last-minute road trip, random concert, or crazy obstacle course or bounce house adventure. No questions asked — just a casual “What time do we leave?” and she’s in. Anyone who can survive a 10-hour car ride with you and still want to hang out is a forever friend in my book.
Alan Semethy
Best Man
Alan isn’t just Shawn’s older brother — he’s also his lifelong teammate and sparring partner. The two grew up playing sports together, from hockey to football, and spent just as much time competing against each other as they did playing side by side. Like most brothers, they fought constantly, but underneath all the rivalry has always been a bond that can’t be broken. At the end of the day, there’s no one Shawn would rather have by his side as Best Man than Alan — his first best friend, his toughest opponent, and his biggest supporter.
Bob Conte
Groomsman
Shawn and Bob go all the way back to middle school, where their friendship was built on long days at the baseball field, countless hours at the pool, and more late nights than either of them should probably admit. Some things never change — because to this day, they’re still known for their “just one more hour” kind of nights. From teenage adventures to adult shenanigans, Bob has been a constant in Shawn’s life, and he’s thrilled to have him standing by his side on the big day.
Chad DiVincenzo
Groomsman
Chad and Shawn’s friendship goes all the way back to 1st grade. From the start, they were practically inseparable — always at each other’s houses, playing sports, board games, and endless rounds of cards. Over the years, that bond has only grown stronger. Chad is the kind of friend you can always count on: whether it’s showing up when you need him or making sure Shawn looks good out on the golf course (someone has to, right?). Through every stage of life, Chad’s been there — and Shawn couldn’t imagine the big day without him.
John March
Groomsman
Shawn and John’s friendship kicked off all the way back in 1st grade on the school bus, where they quickly claimed the coveted back seat as their own. Armed with their bright yellow Sony Sport CD players, they provided the soundtrack to their rides and set the tone for a lifelong friendship. When they weren’t ruling the back of the bus, they were glued to every WWE (well, WWF back then) pay-per-view event, eating pizza, and dreaming about becoming the next The Rock. While neither ended up in the ring, Shawn knows he found a lifelong tag-team partner in John — and there’s no one else he’d rather have in his corner.
Mark Auletta
Groomsman
Shawn and Mark A. go all the way back to kindergarten, where recess meant only one thing: playing Power Rangers. (Every great friendship starts with morphin’ time, right?) From there, the two grew up playing sports together and building a bond that’s lasted decades. Mark is the kind of guy who will drop everything to be there for you, no questions asked. And when it’s time to go out, he’s also guaranteed to be the life of the party. With loyalty like that and energy that can light up any room, it’s no surprise Shawn wanted him standing by his side on the big day.
Mark Martinis
Groomsman
Mark M. and Shawn were basically destined to be best friends from the start — their moms were close friends and pregnant at the same time, so these two were practically built-in buddies before they were even born. That bond only grew stronger over the years, especially during those long summer nights spent talking, drinking, and partying at each other’s houses. From day one until now, Mark has been a constant in Shawn’s life, and it’s only fitting that he’s here to celebrate one of Shawn’s biggest days yet.