Wedding Party

Katie Bolger

Bride

Zach Steele

Groom

Erin Bolger

Best Woman

From the minute Erin was born she's been one of the most important people in the world to me. Over the years, our gap in age has shrunk and shrunk. At some point along the way I stopped feeling parental and protective towards Erin and she became my best friend. One of our favorite games is asking people who is the older sister and it fills me with love and pride when every so often people think we are twins. I would think she was paying people to say that but I dont think bribery fits into a college budget. Even though she will always be my little sister, I look up to her and admire her constantly!

Nathan Toops

Best Man

Nathan and I met after our high schools consolidated, but we didn’t really become close friends until the summer after Nathan graduated. Nathan was living in a house in Little York after graduation which, to reluctance, became the party house of the summer. That summer, we spent countless hours sharing music together, discussing sports, and realizing life was way more fun with the other guy around (even coining a popular joke between us that you can ask Nathan about privately). Over the years, our friendship has grown through lots of concerts, sporting events, and endless discussions about how much better Aaron Rodgers is than Tom Brady.

Cassi Hougland

Best Woman

Cassi is my perfect definition of what a best friend is. She has made me a better person my whole life and always pushed me to my potential. She has always seen me as the person I've always wanted to be and made me feel like I can do anything. She is exactly my kind of weird. We have gotten ourselves into a lot of awkward situations, trouble, physically demanding sports/activities, and with Cassi it always just felt like another adventure. Cassi is the funniest, most loyal person. She also now comes with my favorite kids in the world!

Nick Phillips

Groomsman

You don't have to talk to Nick long to realize he has an infectious personality, and he just loves laughing and having a good time. Nick and I met in college at the U of I through mutual friends, and we were quick to realize that we both loved being total goofballs. Over countless hours spent playing basketball together where you REALLY get to know somebody and endless nights of fun memories at school, we knew we had truly become brothers.

Carly Miller

Bridesmaid

Carly and I met our first semester of college, most likely at a Jordan Hidden dorm party. We truly became friends crying and laughing our way through calculus homework. We were both in the same major and ended up spending most of our time together, copying each others... school schedules. I have always loved Carly's dedication to adventure, high and happy energy and ability to have a great time. Whether we are back packing making up Chopped baskets to keep the bears away, hot tubbing until the sun comes up or creating pole dancing routines in an empty nightclub on thanksgiving, we are always laughing!

James Mettler

Groomsman

James is my oldest friend going back to our days of kindergarten at Warren Elementary. We were members of an elite wrestling federation, played paintball, and did everything kids could. James and I grew together through our awkward years; James as the pale-faced World of Warcraft kid, and me as the karate and gymnastics kid. Throughout the years, our friendship never waivered; visiting each other on the weekends in college and moving up to Chicago after graduation. To this day, we still love talking about our random childhood memories, the scars we got when we were kids, and all the great times we had growing into adults.

Lunden Steele

Bridesmaid

Lunden came into my life not long after Zach did. At first, we bonded because we agree and feel the same way about everything. At family functions, she was my partner in crime. Zach and I were so excited when she moved to Chicago. Long before our wedding day, Lunden became my sister. I think she is meant to be in my life as much as Zach and I am so lucky to have them both. Someday, we will grow old on our bug farm in Oregon, growing vegetables and doing yoga.

Brian Norberg

Groomsman

My friendship with Brian started as any good friendship does in the rural Midwest. It was an early spring evening during middle school at a track meet. Brian and I were freezing our butts off on a bench waiting for the 1600 M to start. We bonded over the experience. After that day, we continuously ran into each other while playing sports throughout middle school and high school; usually with Brian and I guarding each other in basketball and laughing throughout the games. Randomly, the first day of school at U of I, we ran into each other outside our dorm, and the rest was history. We were inseparable throughout college, and now, we pick back up like time hasn't passed.

Brooke Poppe

Bridesmaid

Brooke was my first friend when I moved to Chicago and part of the reason I ended up there in the first place! We first met when she interviewed me for my first job. I am not sure if she recommended me for the job just to have another women in the office, but that was the start of our amazing friendship. We spent the next 2 years there not correcting people when they got us confused. Very shortly after I started, she also was an expert wingman when I was trying to create opportunities to hang out with Zach (who also worked there). We went from coworkers, to friends, to roommates, to life long best friends. Brooke always keeps me on my toes with unintentional surprise parties for no reason at all and sleepovers that involve talking and laughing until the sun comes up! She is the most thoughtful person I have ever met and I am so lucky to have her in my life.

Daniel Bowie

Groomsman

Daniel aka Bowie and I became friends from the moment I moved into The Lodge at U of I. We spent an unnecessary amount of hours playing video games and watching football on Sundays and in a short amount of time, we became great friends. Shortly after we had both graduated, we lived together in Chicago where our friendship continued to grow over weekend brunch plans, vibing to new music, and being way too competitive at fantasy football.

Jordan Houden

Bridesmaid

Jordan is one of my oldest friends, our friendship dating back to 7th grade. No matter what I am going through in life, Jordan has been there, most of the time, going through the same things right there beside me. We went through so many of life's firsts together, first crushes, first time going to the movies with a boy, applying to colleges, first heartbreaks, study abroad, moving to Chicago, buying a first house, engaged life, we've always been on the same pace of life! I admire Jordan's sense of self, dedication to her dreams and am so grateful for her friendship!

Luke Bolger

Groomsman

Luke is Katie’s younger brother, and I knew from the first time I met Luke that we were going to get along. I'm genuinely envious that every year for Luke's birthday, his friends throw a party called the "Punk-a-thon" which I was graciously invited to one year as part of the family. Luke and all his friends made me instantly feel like part of their pack, and I'll never forget how awesome that made me feel. Luke and I love sharing our thoughts on our latest simple syrup recipes, a fresh new pair of shoes, and laughing at any ridiculous moments when we're together. There’s rarely a dull moment, and Luke has easily become the brother that I never had.

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Ian Cole

Groomsman

Ian and I met while pledging their fraternity at Illinois and became fast friends. After graduating, we moved in together in Chicago and spent countless Sundays eating sushi, playing Catan, and talking about all things in life. Our friendship has grown together through numerous apartment moves, roommate arguments, and the inside jokes that come with it. In fact before I moved in with Katie, the joke was that we lived together long enough to be Common Law Married.