Wedding Party
Julia Maddalina
Maid of Honor
Julia and Alisa met when a college admissions counselor played matchmaker and introduced them via email a few months before their freshman year of college. After one meeting, they agreed to room together and have had their brain chemistry altered by the experience ever since. They are each other's first call in a crisis, virtual coworkers, and most importantly each other's spontaneous Spaghetti-Dinner-and-Miss-Fisher-TV-Night dates.
Gabe Blumenstock
Co-Best Man
As children, Jake and Gabe did not get along. But as they grew, they formed a deep friendship and mutual respect. They began to see each other not as opponents or rivals, but as comrades-in-arms in the winding journey of life. At ages 18 and 21 respectively, the two got tattoos with each other's names, dedicating themselves to lifelong friendship and an understanding that no problem or issue between them couldn't be solved. Now, as Jake enters the next phase of his life, he is immensely grateful for the wise mentor and great friend that he is lucky to call his older brother.
Sami Stevens
Bridesmaid
Alisa can't quite remember how she and Sami became best friends. Was it at a Girl Scout event? Was it summer recreation, sitting on the swings as Sami showed Alisa music from Grease? Or was it when they both ended up being the only goth kids in middle school at the same time? Only the universe really knows, but the two have been inseparable ever since--even when people kept confusing them for each other. They always joked about sharing one brain cell, and that's only sometimes true nowadays.
Avarie Stevens
Co-Best Man
Jake and Avarie met in the first grade when their distinctly polar personalities formed a magnetic bond. This immediate friendship grew into a deep brotherhood characterized by telepathy-level non-verbal communication, a continued embrace of childlike wonder and fun, and never-ending joy of each other's presences. In middle school, they promised that the other would be their best man. Jake proudly fulfilled that oath in October 2021 and Avarie now looks to do the same in June 2024.
Linda Brewer
Bridesmaid
Jake’s older step-sister Linda is one of the kindest and loving people Alisa has gotten to meet. Even as a quiet teenager having dinner at the rambunctious Banfield-Blumenstock home, Linda always made Alisa feel welcome--even as she was shouting across the table at Jake and Gabe. Fun, goofy, and earnest, Linda is the kind of person you can sit and talk for hours over a beer on the back porch. Alisa is so excited to call her a sister!
Josh Brewer
Groomsman
Josh is Jake's very cool brother-in-law. Jake's not sure he knows someone who relishes every moment of his life quite like Josh. For a few summers, Josh was a frequent listener of what he coined, "The Jake Podcast", the stream of errant thoughts and opinions that Jake ranted as they worked together at Josh's landscaping company. Jake looks back on those back-breaking summers with Josh affectionately, even if he sucked at the work.
Megan Banfield
Bridesmaid
Megan is fun, confident, and Alisa loves spending time with her. Any time she sees her, Alisa can rely on a big hug and a laugh. The first time Alisa met Megan as a teenager, she was intimidated. Not of Megan, to clarify--but of the lovingly aggressive insults and jabs lobbed across the dinner table at her other siblings. Laughter always followed, and eventually Alisa grew comfortable enough to chime in with her own anecdotes. Alisa is looking forward to many more lively dinners and hugs from Megan as her sister.
Chris Cadregari
Groomsman
Chris and Jake became friends in middle school after Jake talked his ear off every day in gym class. Since then, the two have been tied at the hip! These conjoined twins of chaos and hyperactivity apart are individually obnoxious, but together become in Alisa's words "borderline intolerable ♡ ". Chris has also been a constant companion to Jake always with a word of advice and an infectious smile. Naturally, Jake is very excited for Chris to be by his side during this milestone.
Priya Jangbari
Bridesmaid
Priya and Alisa became fast friends at Lima Recreation once summer when Priya mournfully stated "I hope no one sees me playing with someone younger." Since then, the two have been closer to sisters than actual friends. Long bike rides, countless sleepovers, trading fanfiction, and writing each other handwritten letters only scratch the surface of the wonderful memories Alisa has of growing up with Priya.
Lauren Testa-Rose
Groomswoman
Lauren and Jake met in college, and she is the only person Jake knows who can match him for volume. As such, a friendship easily followed. Lauren's passion and big heart rest on her sleeve, and she has the uncanny ability to make Jake feel better almost instantly if he's had a bad day. Jake and Alisa's double dates with Lauren and their spouse Ren are one of the easiest ways to actually get each other out of the house.
Cammielle Gwisdalla
Bridesmaid
Cammielle and Alisa were roommates the first year of college and bunkmates the next. Together they braved the ups and downs of the animation department, stormed a teen book festival, and entrenched each other even deeper into their love for their favorite villain (don't ask). Though they have states between them, they talk more than ever and still manage not to get sick of each other.
Zach James
Groomsman
Mr. Zach James (AKA Mr. Games, AKA Big Texas Zach, AKA Keith James, AKA Zeke Jeans) is a mountain of a man. His heart is the size of Texas and Jake has never met someone as aggressively sincere as him! Jake and Zach met through Alisa, but have developed their own unique friendship empowered by Spongebob quotes and Dungeons & Dragons.