Wedding Party
Benjamin Hoopes
Best Man
BJ is a Theology major studying at Benedictine College, and he lives in Atchison, Kansas. He and the groom met each other freshman year through another friend, Nic tenBroek. He and the groom are best friends, and they enjoy tossing frisbees, having deep conversations, and messing around together. BJ can be found at Theology of the Body events, having friendly and deep conversations on the Ravenwalk or really anywhere on campus, wrestling the odd person in Raven Memorial Park or the soccer field, leading a youth group with St. Benedict's parish, going on hikes and sleeping outside, and hanging out with his friends in the apartments.
Katherine Robey
Maid of Honor
Katie is a senior English major and Secondary Education minor at Simpson College from Pleasant Hill, Iowa. She has been friends with the bride since 2nd grade, and officially best friends since 3rd grade. Throughout elementary and middle school, Katie and the bride have been a dynamic duo in school plays and musicals and even as teachers’ pets. During high school and now college they maintain their friendship through many video calls and letters. On school breaks they meet up for tea or coffee, downtown Des Moines adventures, or a simple movie night. During the bride’s first few dates with the groom, it was Katie who received all the tea. She has been a support and companion to the bride for many years and their friendship will truly last a lifetime. While at Simpson College, Katie spends her time reading many classics, writing several literary analyses, student teaching, and helping with her Catholic students group. She often spends her free time playing her electric guitar, having a girls’ night out with her mom, hanging out with her cat Oreo, or recording a new episode of her podcast: The Music Variety.
Br. Mateusz Garstecki OMI
Groomsman
Mateusz is studying for his bachelor's degree in Theology in Rome currently with the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, a missionary group. He is the groom's older brother. He and the groom first met when the groom was born. Over the years, they enjoyed the outdoors together whether that was biking, running, playing frisbee, or kicking a soccer ball. Although Mateusz has been in the seminary for the past eight years, he and the groom still have a tight connection and relationship, and he has been a great inspiration and example to the groom in how to live for God, in how to treat others, and in how to discern God's Will. Mateusz can be found buried in his books studying for one of his classes, learning a new language, hanging out with his other seminarian friends, ministering to those in need, giving tours of Rome to the occasional family member who pops by, on the soccer field with his fellow seminarians and the youth of Rome, in the chapel saying, "Hello," to God, and visiting other places in Italy.
Kelly Johnson
Bridesmaid
Kelly is a senior Theology and Psychology double major from Houston, Texas. She and the bride have known each other since freshman year, and their friendship especially began cultivating sophomore and junior year. Kelly has a deep care for the people around her. She’s spent time as a CNA and now often visits the Nursing Home in her free time, or finding any way to care for her friends. She has a great love for her sisters and her niece and nephew, and she is often found calling her sisters and telling them the latest tea. Kelly has been a great support for the bride in helping her be the spiritual leader in the Women’s Community of the Holy Family. She gives the bride guidance in leading activities and how to navigate roadblocks in the ways of prayer. Kelly also loves her dog Milo, who is an enthusiast for getting everyone’s attention. The pair can be found walking around campus and making countless new friends. Kelly also enjoys practicing her ballet moves, singing various songs, listening to rap music, having deep theological discussions with the bride and groom, competing with the bride in a board game, listening to her brother-in-law's podcast "The Crunch," and teaching Milo a new trick.
Seth Hutten
Groomsman
Seth Hutten is a Benedictine College graduate who studied Classics. He is now teaching Latin and is a track coach at a school in Ohio. He and the groom first met through marching band, and then their friendship grew throughout freshman year and into the subsequent years of college. You can find Seth teaching Latin to children, coaching kids on the track, training for a half or full marathon, farming, and visiting and hanging out with his fiancée, Mia Kroeter, who is a bridesmaid of the bride and groom.
Mia Kroeter
Bridesmaid
Mia is a senior Theology major from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Mia was the bride’s first Benedictine College friend. They met over a group video call of BC freshmen for praying liturgy of the hours over the summer. Thus, their friendship and subsequent shenanigans began. Over the years Mia and the bride have both volunteered on Chapel Team as sacristans, played a role in a Greek Tragedy, dressed up for Halloween parties, went on a mission trip together, and spent hours discussing theological topics. While the bride was leading Christian Film Club their freshman and sophomore year, Mia was a staunch supporter. Mia particularly enjoys discussing the biographies of the saints while making artwork of them. You can find Mia making sketches, crafting a short story, sewing together saint ornaments, studying Greek, or telling you about a crazy story of Church history. Mia will be marrying another BC student and groomsman of the bride and groom - Seth Hutten.
Nicolaas tenBroek
Groomsman
Nic is currently studying Mathematics, Computer Science, and Physics at Benedictine College and lives in Atchison, Kansas. He and the groom first met when they were playing frisbee with others outside of the dorm they were both staying in. They then spent a lot of time together playing ultimate frisbee, hanging out, playing nerf gun battles with others in the dorms, listening to music, having deep conversations, and being friends. He can be found playing guitar at the Jazz Band concerts on campus, hanging out with friends, tossing frisbees with the groom, and competing in and winning the occasional mathematics competition.
Victoria Rogers
Bridesmaid
Tor is a senior Nursing major and Theology minor at Benedictine College from Virginia. She and the bride have been friends since freshman year. She spends many hours working hard on her Nursing projects and clinicals, as well as serving as the campus’ Chapel Team Coordinator. She works hard cultivating community within the BC ministry team, challenging them to new heights as well as being involved in pranks with them. She loves meeting new people and there isn’t a face on campus that she doesn’t know. Tor has shared theology classes with both the bride and groom and has witnessed the groom asking people for advice before asking the bride out for a first date. Not too long after the bride and groom began dating, they dubbed Tor as their official third wheel. You can find Tor winning a game of Knock Out, studying hard for her next Nursing test, having dinner and sharing a movie night with friends, and planning her next prank.
Jack Vanderzanden
Groomsman
Jack is an Electrical Engineering major at Benedictine College from Oregon. He and the groom first met freshman year eating meals outside together with others. Although they lost touch somewhere after that, they rediscovered and rekindled their friendship in the Junior year. Since then, they have been known to have deep conversations, tossing frisbees, and going camping and sleeping out in the woods. Jack can be found with his head buried in a good book, having a deep and long conversation with his friends into the wee hours of the night, thinking deeply about the essence of an object, camping outside in the woods, and lost deep in thought, in awe of the creation around him.
Katherine Spiering
Bridesmaid
Katy is a senior double major in Psychology and Philosophy at Benedictine College from Wyoming. She and the bride met while the bride was lamenting over her philosophy homework of the class they shared together. The two became friends quickly and helped each other through the various classes they had. Katy has a great love for coffee and is often found working in the campus’ coffee shop, Holy Grounds, crafting new coffee creations while contemplating the compelling mysteries of Thomas Aquinas. She also loves to sing and is often found singing in the St. Benedict’s Parish choir or on her way to class. You can find Katy talking about her many nieces and nephews, hosting a nice dinner, teaching piano lessons, cutting a friend's hair, and calming the bride’s existential crises.