Samantha & Chandler
Wedding Party
Olivia Garber
Matron of Honor
Olivia and Sam were always destined to become friends - their moms went to the same college and were pregnant with them at the same time. Growing up, they didn't always get along, but by high school, they were inseparable. They both went to Virginia Tech and moved to Richmond after graduation, where they continue to be the best of friends today. Olivia is Sam's great love of her life, experiencing everything as girls together and now as women.
Katie Giegel
Maid of Honor
Katie and Sam met in elementary school, when their moms forced them to carpool to Girl Scouts together. After many silent, tense rides, Katie and Sam finally started talking to one another -- and have been running their mouths together ever since! Katie was like a sister to Sam growing up, and there was barely a weekend they were apart. And although Katie is a lawyer and married now (she's a maid of honor because she skipped the line and at that point it had already been decided), she remains the friend Sam can be her silliest self around.
Luke Allen
Man of Honor
Luke came into Sam's life in middle school, when he ran up her text message allotment for the month by texting the word "ketchup" to her over and over again. They hit it off while making a Spanish class video together to the Pina Colada Song, and the rest is history. Luke and Sam took high school by storm, famously losing homecoming king and queen together. Luke also helped Sam ask Chandler to prom in a banana suit before they were even dating, and has actually been a side character for many important moments in Sam and Chandler's relationship. Luke and Sam remain the best of friends today, although Luke doesn't text Sam nearly as much as in 2010 -- and she loves him dearly and always will.
Mary Coughter
Bridesmaid
Sam catfished Mary into becoming roommates freshman year at Virginia Tech based on a Facebook post full of lies about herself. Nonetheless, Sam and Mary were actually great roommates and even better friends, going strong throughout college and then eventually reuniting in Richmond together. Mary has a special role in both of our lives, as she appeared in many a Facetime between me and Chandler my freshman year of college, and has witnessed our relationship from its start. Now, Mary probably talks to Chandler more than me during the week because they play on a soccer team together.
Alyssa Zabin
Bridesmaid
Alyssa is Sam's beloved cousin and friend. Many a home video exists of Sam and Alyssa together growing up, Alyssa a slightly older and more mature influence. The two became very close in adulthood, traveling together and finding out their significant others might like each other more than they liked them -- but when the boys were away, Sam and Alyssa had cherished time together, growing closer and developing a cherished bond. Alyssa remains one of Sam's most treasured relationships in her life.
Nina Poppe
Bridesmaid
Nina and Sam met their first week of freshman year -- Nina lived across the hall, and was initially skeptical of Sam because she comes on a little strong, but soon grew to love her. They got closer through the years as they worked at their campus gym together, often getting each other through 5 am shifts (and through all the other things life brought them). Although post-college, Nina has lived all over the world (San Diego, France, even a brief stint in Richmond) they have remained close and cherish any moment they get to spend together, knowing that distance means nothing when you love someone!
Christina Dougherty
Bridesmaid
Sam first laid eyes on Christina when she auditioned for Sensations a Cappella at Virginia Tech. As they began their journey as Alto 2s together, they just clicked. They soon began taking naughty trips to TJ Maxx together when they should've been in class, started a tradition of going to Pot Roast Tuesdays every week at West End, and spent many a night shutting down the Juxta house (or leaving early and Irish exiting everyone!) Every favorite memory of college Sam has has Christina in it, and they were absolutely inseparable and spent every day of college together because they just GOT each other in a way no one else could. Christina remains one of Sam's absolute favorite people on earth.
Emma Gnatowski
Bridesmaid
Emma joined Sensations a Cappella while Sam was away doing an internship for a semester. When Sam came back, she was skeptical about Emma, but the minute she met her, she felt one of those clicks you only get with the most special of people. They absolutely hit it off, developing a relationship where they could be absolute goofballs together and also support each other through their 20s and all the things life brings. Now, both live in Richmond and look forward to their regular dinner dates, continuing to love each other through growing older and becoming adults. Emma will be Sam's friend for life - Sam felt the most special of connections with her the minute they met, and it's a gift to get to be a part of Emma's life now and for years to come.
Jon Walker
Bridesman
Jon Walker was another gift of a friend Sam received from the a cappella community at Tech. Becoming closer and closer over the years, Jon was a friend that was both a hell of a good time and a friend Sam could have the most beautiful, emotional conversations with all rolled into one. Together, Jon, Christina, and Sam took over the world with many a vodka crystal light, getting up to all kinds of mischief and usually finding themselves at Waffle House or Taco Bell. Jon is one of Sam's favorite people -- he is comforting, deeply intellectual, the life of the party, funny, and someone Sam hopes to hold close forever!
Alex Sisco
Bridesman
Sam met Sisco her sophomore year of college and immediately thought "Who the heck is this guy?!" Sisco had a personality like Sam had never seen -- he was magnetic and electric, so fun and a little out there. But as Sam and Sisco became closer friends, she discovered how lovely his softer side was, too, and they developed a beautiful friendship during their time together at Virginia Tech and after that. Sam can't picture getting married without Sisco by her side, and loves the way Sisco has always adored Chandler from the moment they met. He is one of Sam's most treasured friendships and the one phone call Sam will always pick up.
Delaney Tifft
Bridesmaid
Sam met Delaney when she auditioned for Sensations a Cappella and was immediately enchanted by her and wanted her in her life forever. Throughout their college years, Sam was fiercely protective of and just loved the heck out of Delaney. As they've grown older, Delaney has remained one of Sam's closest friends, someone who is both intensely funny and at the same time, a person Sam can connect with at a deep level. Sam knows she and Delaney will be best friends forever, and is so excited to grow old with her and get to support each other through all phases of life.
Zach Washburn
Best Man
Zach has been Chandler's best friend since they first met in elementary school. After becoming first grade classmates, they became soccer teammates, trick-or-treating companions, group project partners, and vicious competitors in table tennis, basement soccer, and other sleepover challenges over the years. They shared countless classes and memories during middle and high school before heading off to college at UVA and UNC Chapel Hill. Best man is a role two decades in the making for Zach.
Zachary Showalter
Groomsman
Zach is Chandler's older brother and oldest friend. He paved the way for Chandler to follow in his footsteps in more ways than Chandler can count—from setting a great example for elementary, middle, and high school teachers who saw another Showalter on their class rosters to college at the University of Virginia to life in Richmond after graduation (they live less than five minutes away from each other now). Today, they love nerding out about movies and cocktails together, as all brothers should.
Ryan DeMarmels
Groomsman
Friends since elementary school, Ryan and Chandler grew up in the same neighborhood—the one where they'd ride their bikes to school together in fifth grade or sled on the golf course together during snow days. They were soccer teammates and classmates for years before heading off to rival colleges, but they both ended up Richmond where they've remained great friends (just not quite as easily accessible by bike as when they were kids).
Hunter Otteni
Groomsman
Hunter and Chandler became teammates and instant friends during their first season of travel soccer more than a decade ago, and their similar trajectories in life have kept their friendship going to this day. After years of soccer together, Hunter and Chandler were Governor's School classmates before both attending UVA. Hunter is the most recent Richmond transplant of Chandler's friends (which would only be made sweeter if Hunter supported Arsenal like Chandler instead of Liverpool).
Ethan Choate
Groomsman
Ethan was another new pal for Chandler during their first season of travel soccer, but their friendship grew significantly as classmates at Governor's School—Dual Enrollment Physics would've been a lot more painful if they didn't sit together. Ethan and Chandler went to different VA colleges, but their circles have remained close-knit and grown even more complex as they've gotten older (Ethan and Sam's Matron of Honor, Olivia, share a nephew).
Sam'l Shipman
Groomsman
Chandler knew of Sam'l during their years as rec soccer opponents in elementary school, but they finally became travel soccer teammates and immediate buddies around middle school. Other than soccer, they grew as friends in choir and Spanish classes among others and during probably dozens of sleepovers through the years. Chandler can always count on Sam'l for a great laugh, a good chat, and amazing culinary advice.
Ethan Flick
Groomsman
Ethan and Chandler bonded as travel soccer teammates and Governor's School classmates and have grown as close friends into adulthood. On top of soccer and school, their friendship was fueled in part by Buffalo Wild Wings (Ethan accumulated countless coupons at school and was always keen to share) and Crush Blue Raspberry soda (the beverage of choice during Chandler's first all-nighter, which took place at Ethan's house along with probably a third of Chandler's wedding party). That should tell you all you need to know about how great Ethan is.
Justice Allen
Groomsman
Justice and Chandler first met in middle school and became even stronger friends in high school as classmates, cross country teammates, powderpuff cheerleaders, and more. They remained close through college and on breaks, and the summer of 2020 was made a bit less rough for Chandler every time an impromptu game of darts at Justice's or visit to the bar where Justice worked happened. Anybody who knows Justice is better because they do.
J.P. Rader
Groomsman
Chandler had seen and heard of J.P.'s prowess on the soccer field well before they officially met, but their friendship grew during high school as club soccer teammates and Governor's School classmates. They stayed close friends at UVA and now live around one mile apart in Richmond (which softens the blow of J.P. no longer living in his former Richmond apartment with a golf simulator that he and Chandler frequented). J.P. is always good for a food recommendation or a killer recipe.
Colin Watts
Groomsman
Colin and Chandler became fast friends in Chandler's first few weeks at UVA after he got into the Hullabahoos, and their similarities were clear from the start (blonde soccer lovers soccer lovers with a knack for music, to name a few). On top of singing together and serving as President (Colin) and Business Manager (Chandler) of the group the same year, they were housemates, consistent UVA football and basketball supporters, and tennis hitting partners among many other things during their time in college together.
Jalon Daniels
Groomsman
Jalon and Chandler met as callbacks for the Hullabahoos in the same class at UVA along with Graham and Max. After getting into the group together, they had no choice but to become great friends—and they did exactly that. As groupmates, housemates, and classmates in their four years together at UVA, they made enough memories to last a lifetime, but they're still bound to make many more despite living on opposite coasts today.
Graham Walters
Groomsman
Together with Max and Jalon, Graham and Chandler met almost immediately after starting college when they joined the Hullabahoos. Singing, traveling, and enjoying college together over four years inevitably solidified the friendship they have today. Graham has been and will always be extremely reliable not just as a pal, but also as a giver of music recommendations, fragrance expert, and life of any party.
Max Feinstein
Groomsman
Like Graham and Jalon, Max was in the same callback class for the Hullabahoos as Chandler, and they've been friends ever since. Together, they transformed their shared second-year apartment room from one that would make guests say "I'm leaving" to one that would make them say "This isn't half bad. I like the dartboard." Their friendship blossomed with their shared love of movies and a good comedy bit.