The Squad
Theresa Gruninger
Maid of Honor
Theresa and Brittany’s friendship goes all the way back to high school. They met through shared friends and soon became close. In high school they would spend their time at Teavanna, German Class, and Go Green. The amount of money they spent at Teavanna just to hit on the hot employee there was absolutely ridiculous!!! Throughout college Theresa traveled a lot fulfilling her masters degree. So they didn't get to see each other very often and even though they could have reached out to one another, they were both horrible at doing exactly that lol. Even when Theresa was far and it was years in between visits, every Panera Bread hangout was like if time was never lost. At 25 we secretly got friendship tattoos, shhhhhh don't tell anyone, that represent our joys in life, her being the waters and mine being the woods. As adults Theresa and Brittany still travel, catch up over drinks and try their best to schedule board game nights. Massachusetts was literally the best trip ever, even better than their Senior Road Trip. Well, having Doug listen to our music for the trip was pretty hilarious back then, that poor man. Theresa is one of Brittany’s closest friends. Brittany is so happy that their friendship is going on 13 years strong. Brittany couldn't have picked anyone else to call her Maid of Honor. Love you Lady!
Chris Florkowski
Best Man
Chris and Eric's Friendship started way back in the 7th grade on the way to band class (a dumb story, but worth telling in person) and neither has figured out a way to get rid of the other. In high school, they saw each other daily either offending AP teachers or offending any decent person in jazz band. After high school, they both attended Central Michigan University where they continued to take classes together in order to both become high school math teachers. After both having to move home, Chris was the first of the group to buy a house and allowed Eric to move in with him; he didn't even force him to move into the basement! Shenanigans ensued for five years before Eric was able to get his own place. Most recently, Chris found a woman who tolerates him enough to spend the rest of her life with him and Eric is reciprocating the honor of being his best man. All of this is, of course, said with love as Eric shows affection through insults. Truth be told, Chris is the best friend anyone could ask for; he'll drop everything to help at a moment's notice even at the risk of losing a sock in cat poop and has seen Eric at both his best and his worst.
Zachary Donnelly
Man of Honor
Zach and Brittany’s friendship was founded during their time at Wayne State University in the Music r Department. Their friendship started off goofy and awkward. Awkward because Zach lied to Brittany stating that his girlfriend, now wife, wanted to attack her with an axe because we were hanging out. Me being very confused and concerned our first meet up was definitely odd. Thankfully Alex reassured she did not want to do that and Zach thought he was quite hilarious. The concept of pranks and picking at one another was the norm for Brittany and Zach’s friendship. From changing one another’s backgrounds on our laptops, to being really obnoxious at football and basketball games (Marching Band & Pep Band). Hey Zach, “What’s Mature?” The goofiness of our friendship has not died down at all, but have become more extreme. So extreme that Brittany can’t trust Zach with a cake in fear of being Iced.Their friendship has grown throughout the years where Brittany knows that she can rely on Zach when it comes to anything. Zach has become one of Brittany’s closest friends. His kindness, and charismatic demeanor is what makes Zach such a wonderful human being.
Ryan Feeny
Groomsman
The third member of the cadre of idiocy along with Chris and Eric, Ryan brings along his inability to focus on a board game for more than 10 minutes and a sound system than always manages to get louder as the night goes on. Ryan and Eric have known each other since sophomore year of high school; what began as coping with a terrible AP class and having to jump into Eric's mom's van during a terrible storm has grown into a friendship that is equal parts insults and quoting dumb comedies from college. As a near constant part of Eric's life for 20 years, my favorite story is the fact that Eric's parents for the longest time only knew him as "Feeny" and it took until Eric said he was standing in Ryan's wedding for them to ask, "who's Ryan?" Again, all jokes aside, Ryan is another person Eric knows will be there in a drop of a hat and, for all his childlike tendencies, is a deeply emotional and caring friend.
Amber Samojedny
Bridesmaid
Hhhhmmmm what can I say about my older sister…. During our younger years we loved to push each other’s buttons. I think we took the sister rivalry too seriously lol. From trying to sneak into her room and steal her clothes. To when I tried stealing her Beanie Babies in the middle of the night to only wake her up and freak her out. The older we got the closer Amber and I became. Whether I told her or not, since I was young I always looked up to my older sister and was always trying to copy her skills, beauty and boss ass attitude. Today, I cherish all of the fun memories we have had and have been able to bond over new hobbies and activities. Amber has been so supportive in my endeavors in my career and in hobbies. She truly is someone that will always have your back and she will be there through thick and thin. I can’t wait to see how our sisterhood grows, the goal is to be just like the Sanderson Sisters. Crazy, trying to stay youthful, but still have a bond that no one can break between us. I’m so proud to call Amber my older sister, she is the best older sister anyone can ever have. And if you disagree, welp, you’re wrong.
Emily Feeny
Groomswoman
Ryan Feeny's better half, she's been in Eric's life since she and Ryan started dating at the end of college. Eric, in thinking back to that time, remembers how, while most of the friends were back home after graduating, Ryan and Chris were still at Central for a semester when they started dating. Between the Facebook stalking and interrogating Chris at New Year's, the need to know who could possibly put up with Ryan boggled the minds of everyone! While it's never easy to fit into such a tight knit group, Eric and Emily connected quickly as both being people that were perfectly content just hanging out without the need to have small talk. As she got more comfortable , she quickly showed she was able to give an insult as well as she could take one. In all the years since then, Emily is the perfect contradiction of a quiet, steadfast friend (a.k.a. the emotional rock for Eric) who is also completely comfortable making an absolute fool of herself!
Heather Samojedny
Bridesmaid
Well, well, well.... this crazy lady. My younger sister Heather has always been an odd one. Through our younger years we argued about who could play with the better Bratz Dolls and don't get me started on how well sharing a room went either. LOL. Over the years we have grown closer and closer. Spending time just talking on the phone, playing old school Super Nintendo Games; getting mad at one another when we refuse to change our combo styles in Killer Instincts and bonding over the creative arts. As adults we don't get to spend much time together which sucks, but hey we're adulting as best as we can. Every hangout and party is always a riot, even if Heather is forcing everyone to take Johnny Vegas Shots. I love my little sister and I am excited to see her grow in her career but also as a human being. She's a sassy, silly and crazy women, and I wouldn't want to see her any other way.
Matt LaVere
Groomsman
To paraphrase a quote, Matt is "like, this one’s fellow. Sort of like the exact opposite of this one, in fact. Not, like, an evil version, but just, you know..." Matt and Eric are two sides of the same coin when it comes to their obsession with food (hence his nickname Fatty Matty), wearing his heart on his sleeve, and speaking to each other in almost strictly movie quotes. With Matt's networking skills, odds are Eric and Matt would have crossed each other's paths at some point; you've heard of the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, but we have the Three Degrees of Matt LaVere. However, Eric met Matt years ago through Ryan, who is his childhood best friend, and were in each other's orbit for several years before their friendship bloomed in full. Connecting over the aforementioned love of food, their friendship only strengthened further with a shared life experience that they have thankfully grown from. They continue to see each other regularly with Matt using Eric as a sometimes photo assistant and sometimes photo stand-in (you don't question when Matt says, "come here real quick for a picture")
Sara Duhaime
Bridesmaid
YASSSSSSSS QUEEN!!! This lady has truly been an amazing friend over the years. We met while trying to fulfill our goals in running away and joining the circus. As Sara's career boomed Brittany became one of her students. Sara helped Brittany train her skills and eventually helped her fulfill her circus goals. They began working with one another and through teaching and performing their friendship grew. Sara was and always will be one of Brittany's idols in the circus realm and she will forever take Sara's knowledge and skills to help her improve. Through the years of working together they became closer as friends. Traveling to Ohio to take partake in a Parade as stilt walkers, to doing a crazy photo shoot on chains just because. They eventually began hanging out outside the circus realm by going to gathersings and eventually making the Michigan Renaissance Festival their annual adventure. As her beautiful family grew we began hanging out more. Brittany is so excited to add an adorable third to our Renaissance trips!! Brittany never thought that their friendship would grow outside the circus realm and she is so glad it did. Even though they don't get to hangout often Sara is one of her closest friends and she is so happy that she has someone as wonderful, extra AF, and kind in her life. Sara is the leader of the YASSSS QUEENS and Brittany is so happy to have such a wonderful friend in her life.
Nick Desautel
Groomsman
Nick and Eric have been in each other's peripherals since middle school, even going to the same college (like 80% of the groomsmen). While always friendly to each other and hanging out from time to time, they didn't develop a strong friendship until after they both returned home. As with the rest of Eric's friends, each person has their own topics that they always seem to gravitate to. In Nick's case, it's comedy, working out, and their love of music; yet another friend with whom communication is mostly movie/TV/Comedian quotes (do you see a pattern?) as well as showing each other new bands and continually talking about how they need to jam together. While Nick sometimes presents himself with a devil-may-care attitude, he's another person that Eric can always depend on and will also show up at a moment's notice when he's needed.