Jillian & Zach
wedding party
Cole Smith
Best Man
Zach & Cole grew up as rivals in Section 8, until a couple Twitter DMs made them freshman roommates at UND. After 4 years of college as teammates, roommates, beer pong and darts partners, they quickly realized they had more in common than not and have been inseparable ever since.
Alana Bianchi
Maid of Honor
Jillian’s sister, role model, boss, and steady presence in both life and skating. From nightly hours at the rink to coaching trips around the world, they’ve been doing it all together since day one. ❤️
Landon Hayes
Groomsman
Zach and Landon hit it off at a UND house party even before Zach started college - then becoming roommates and TV show aficionados at the Big House. Since then, they've kept the party going whether it's at The Moose, High Court Pub, or McSorely's.
Katie Tuchtenhagen
Bridesmaid
Jillian & Katie met as interns at Sportsdigita in 2018 and shared an office wall from 2018–2026. What began as mutual 8–5 survival turned into daily commentary, workplace therapy, and a friendship that stuck long after the inbox cleared.
Cole Bjugson
Groomsman
Zach and Cole learned how to herd turkeys and run a 55% power play as they grew up in Roseau. They've gone through highs and lows together, and will still be cheering on the Rams 80 years from now.
Sarah Vogelgesang
Bridesmaid
Sarah started as one of Alana’s skaters at Shattuck St. Mary’s before joining Jillian on the Miami Senior Skating Team. What began as taking the younger teammate under her wing quickly backfired when Sarah proved to be way cooler than her elders. Two seasons on competition ice and two legendary years in Oxford, they’re still riding the peak.
Colton Poolman
Groomsman
Zach and Colton grew up battling against each other in Section 8 - Zach still has a scar from Colton taking his skate blade to his groin. Since Freshman year at UND, Colton has always been the voice of reason for the friend group and in return they've taught him how to hunt and fish.
Madison Larkin
Bridesmaid
Maddie & Jillian grew up competing against each other — one on Hockettes, the other on Team Braemar. Their shared love of synchro brought them to Miami University, where they lived together for three years. Maddie kept Jillian organized, the apartment spotless, the trash emptied, and somehow a perfect egg bake on the table every Sunday morning — earning her the undisputed title of Mom of the Group and the gold standard of friendship.
Mario Bianchi
Groomsman
Zach and Mario are soon to be brothers-in-law that provide great energy and comic relief to every family gathering. They immediately hit it off when Zach and Jillian started dating, but Mario's first memory of Zach dates back to high school when Holy Angels took a trip up to Memorial Arena, where they learned how northern Minnesotans play hockey.
Lindsey Maynard
Bridesmaid
Lindsey skated for Hockettes, Jillian for Team Braemar, and in high school they mutually decided they didn’t like each other. After both making Miami Senior freshman year, they were forced to get acquainted and quickly realized they had far more in common than originally assumed. Three years as roommates followed — weekdays on the ice, weekends at Brick, and now a shared commitment to reliving the glory days whenever possible.
Ryan Anderson
Groomsman
Zach and Bob grew up together in Roseau and continued to be teammates and roommates at UND. They both push the limits of being overly-obsessed fishermen, whether it be northern pike on the Roseau River, walleye on Lake of the Woods, or trout in a nearby stream.
Hailey Hipsher
Bridesmaid
Hailey is two years older, infinitely wiser, and the reason Jillian and Alana haven’t completely lost it. She and Jillian became close after Miami University, coaching the Northernettes together — traveling, late nights, hotel rooms at every event. Always the voice of reason and the kindest human, Hailey makes sure the rest of them survive the chaos.
Tarek Paranica
Groomsman
Zach and Tarek became close friends through their college years and are the longest tenured attendees of the Smith 4th of July Bash, where there are rumors of them being unbeatable on any BLA golf course. Tarek has the ability to find a good time wherever he goes - and good times always find him - so keep an eye out for him on the dance floor.
Kelsey Pitchford
Bridesmaid
Kelsey is also from Minnesota, but she didn’t meet Jillian until Miami University. A random roommate match turned best friend, Kelsey was “forced” to love synchro while living with three skaters for three years. The group’s breath of fresh air, she became our student manager, full of life, hilarious, and always down for whatever... the definition of energy personified.
Alex Strand
Groomsman
Zach and Alex's friendship started like an arranged marriage when their dads set up a sleep over in 5th grade. After years of hockey road trips and 10,000 hours as line mates, they still reminisce about the good ol' days when having a few beers at the Roseau Legion.
Jenna Yon
Bridesmaid
Jenna, Zach’s sister, is a bonus Jillian didn’t know she was getting. Fashionable, funny, and the ultimate Sephora adviser, she’s always up on the latest products and trends, and somehow makes it all look effortless.
Brady Castle
Usher
Zach and Brady grew up together in Roseau, spending more time on the water than on dry land - chasing walleye, sturgeon, and anything else that would bite. Brady has always thought of himself as the responsible one of our Roseau crew, but although he’s wiser than most, he always found himself in the same shenanigans as the rest of us.
Alex Halstensgard
Usher
Zach and Halsty were instant friends when Zach moved to Roseau. Halsty, Strand, and Zach together had unmatched heart and pride on the ice. There are literally a hundred stories we could tell about Halsty that people wouldn't believe unless they met him.
