Hannah & Liam
Wedding Party
Chris Landis
Officiant
Chris and Liam met at a Poseidon Water Polo orientation party at McGill and have been friends ever since. At their final end of the year water polo party they both made commitments to keep in touch in the years after graduation, a commitment that Liam was, admittedly, a bit skeptical of the next morning. Fast forward two years – and after a rollercoaster of a backpacking trip through Grand Teton National Park, Chris convinced Liam to move out to Denver. Chris has been there for many of our most important moments (ask him about the camping trip where Hannah met Liam's ENTIRE family) and we couldn't think of anyone better to help us make things official!
Max Berry
Main Guy
Max and I became friends in Mlle. Olmstead's French class Sophomore year of high school. Max would go on to join Dexter's Water Polo team and has been central to many of my adolescent hi-jinx. Throughout the many changes and phases of my life, Max has been a steady and cherished constant. Max is one of few that has experienced my journey from awkward teenager to slightly less awkward 30 year old adult.
Will Stefanski
Main Guy
Will completed the trio, self dubbed "WilLiam to the Max," during the summer of 2009 while managing the snack bar of the Ann Arbor Country Club (RIP). Will was a crucial influence on my burgeoning tastes in music, literature, and film. The weekend after mine and Hannah's second date, Max and I visited Will in Austin and I spent the trip biting my tongue to keep myself from overloading Max and Will with exciting details about this "cute new girl I'm seeing." Just about everything I know about how to tell a great story is a product of our friendship.
Buddy Burch
bridefolk
I met Buddy on the Santa Rosa American Little League bleachers, where we did math homework while our brothers played ball, and my life changed forever. Since then we've been prom dates, totaled cars, zigzagged through the Colombian countryside on motorcycles, celebrated the good stuff and held each other through the not-so-good. No one loves me or sees me quite like Buddy does, and it's been a dream to grow up together and somehow grow closer every year. They have also developed a sweet friendship with Liam that makes me happy cry.
Gemma Waaland
bridefolk
Gemma and Buddy have been best friends since fifth grade and they generously let me into their club in our adolescence. Gemma regularly makes me laugh so hard I cry, or feel so loved I cry. We frequently call each other to say hi and end up talking for hours. Gemma has taught all of us just how powerful and important chosen family is and I'm so freaking lucky they are part of mine.
Jessie Janssen
bridefolk
Jessie and I actually have known each other since preschool, but we don't remember. We became fast friends on the tennis court and in Ms Elsa's freshman English class. We went on to be team captains and co-edit the newspaper, where we printed our monthly playlists (which absolutely hold up). She's actually the reason I moved to Denver, so we wouldn't be having this celebration without her. Jessie was the first of my friends to meet Liam, after only three dates, and when they hit it off as well as they did, I was even more smitten with him than I already was. Jessie is another one of those chosen family, soulmate friends. AND she coordinated all the lodging logistics for the wedding and my bachelorette party, so I'd truly be lost without her.