Katie & Benjamin
Wedding Party
Katie Lynn Mickens
Bride
The short one in the white dress
Tori West
Matron of Honor
Tori and I have been friends for 12 years. We were inseparable in school which, according to our parents, always got us into trouble. Then there was our time together at Barb (our house in BG) and now, a quick 4 hours to & from Chicago and we're back to the old days. Through it all we have remained close. Tori has told me that she thinks I know her better than she knows herself, always introducing her to new things. This is ironic as Tori is the person who introduced me to Ben and for that I am thankful! I’ve always admired Tori’s outlook on life and adventurous personality. You will find her (early in the night) getting people on the dance floor, loosing her voice doing so, and most likely pulling some Flamin' Hot Cheetos out of her purse to share with me late night.
Emily McKinley
Bridesmaid
Emily and I met about 2 years ago when she first started dating Coe (the groomsmen officiating the ceremony). With me being a little introverted, it took us awhile to really get to know one another. After a few double dates and bottles of red wine later, I found myself standing by her side on her wedding day. Emily is one of my newest, closest friends and I couldn't ask for anyone better to spend countless fam nights with, being really awkward and weird, together. I love our girls nights and her choice of group chat memes. If you see a bridesmaid yelling across the dance floor or dancing like a car dealership inflatable man, you've found Em.
Allie Termin
Bridesmaid
I met Allie, Ben's sister, when she was about 16. Over the years we have become very close. Being an only child, I have always wanted siblings, especially a sister. I am so lucky to have Allie not only as a sister-in-law but as a good friend. I remember when I first stopped thinking of Allie as "Ben's little sister." It was during one of our Short Beach trips. I started spending more time with her than I was with Ben. We could talk about anything (of course the Mojito/Margarita situation helped get us started), and the rest was history. Allie has just started nursing school and I couldn't be more excited to share that with her! You will definitely find her (& myself) laughing at Ben for something silly he's said or done at the reception.
Brooke Laird
Bridesmaid
I first met Brooke, one of Ben's childhood friends, shortly after he and I met. What I remember most about her at that time was how welcoming she was, I immediately felt like we were going to be good friends. Once she graduated from Ohio State, she moved home. We were together all of the time. A lot of our time together required me to attempt hot yoga, which I truly loved. Although Brooke moved to San Diego a few years ago, we love getting fro-yo or coffee together as often as possible & when we can't, a good FaceTime session will do. She is always thinking about others & makes you want to be a better person. You will recognize Brooke when you see her in the Utthita pose on the dance floor (if she's not sneaking dessert on the side)
Briege Donahue
Bridesmaid
I first met Briege in 5th grade when she kept photo-shopped pictures of her and her "boyfriend" in her bedroom and I was wearing skater shoes and choker necklaces. We both thought the other was too cool to be our friend. Fast foward to high school and she will tell you the story about how Tori and I are to blame for her quitting the basketball team. Fast forward to college and you'll hear about our short but memorable time as dorm mates in OU. I like to say that she left OU for BG because I did, but that just isn't true. We lived together for another year and after college Briege moved to Colorado. Now I get to make excuses to visit my favorite state as often a possible. Whenever I'm with Briege I'm laughing. You'll probably find this life of the party on the dance floor doing the worm.
Marisa Kreager
Bridesmaid
Marisa is another new friend that has quickly become like a sister to me. Marisa & I met when her and Karl (Kyle) started dating, about two years ago. Shortly after they met, I remember him telling me how important she was to him and that he was falling in love with her. I knew then that she was going to be someone special. As we got to know one another we really hit it off. It wasn't until we started spending time one on one together that I knew she was going to be one of my closest friends. Talking to Marisa is easy. We will grab a quick lunch and then all of a sudden 4 hours have gone by. She is the yin to my yang, we are total opposites but perfectly complimentary. You will find Marisa at the photo booth with the best looking hair (& she will probably always be fixing mine).
Jillian Wisniewski
Bridesmaid
Jill & I met at the Village Idiot via Emily. At the time we were just two acquaintances in a bar, there to hear the same band play. Just a few months later (and after one specific girls night out at Dales) we realized we have a lot in common (OCD-like tendencies, odd enthusiasms for board games, we both save lives, etc). Jill is also a nurse and that immediately gave us a special connection. Although we have only been friends for a short while, it seems like a lifetime. Being friends with Jill came naturally and she is now one of the best people I know. She has a huge heart and will never let you down. Jill might be found cleaning up tables or attempting to fix my bustle (but don't let her). If you're not sure that you have found her yet, look for a Coors Light bottle in her hand.
Brandi Snyder
Bridesmaid
Brandi is another one of my long time besties. Not only do her and I go way back, but we have done just about everything together since high school. One of my first memories of Brandi was when we "ran" cross country together and would hide in the woods so we wouldn't have to run the full course. There were countless other high school memories that transitioned into college shenanigans. We spent all of college together. We lived, worked, and basically had every single class together. Now a days we work opposite weekends and she is back in school to become a nurse practitioner. Whenever we have time to get together we definitely make the most of it. I think its safe to say that our better halves will be keeping a close eye on us when we head toward the bar together at the reception.
Kendall Krieg
Bridesmaid
Kendall is another long time friend from grade school/high school. I actually forget that we didn't attend college together (she was at OSU) because she was always around when I lived in Bowling Green. I could type a million random words to describe the friendship and memories that we share and she would understand each of them (like Construction Cone or Grape Vodka for example). Although she has been in Columbus ever since high school, she is always ready to come home for a spontaneous visit. Even in college one of us seemed to be visiting the other on a monthly basis. Kendall has always been the kind of friend that I can talk with everyday or see once a year and nothing changes between us. She will definitely be found close to Briege at the wedding, keeping the party going!
Zoe
Flower Girl
Yeeeah, the dog is the star of the show. Our three year old Frenchie is like our child so naturally, we couldn't leave her home on our big day. Enjoy watching our not-so-well-trained pup waddle down the aisle (and Ben's sappy reaction to it).
Benjamin Stanley Koskinen
Groom
The guy in the tux crying at the ceremony. The same guy busting moves on the dance floor. The guy kissing the short girl in the white dress.
Coe Mckinley
Officiant
I could not think of a better friend to officiate Katie and I’s wedding. Coe knows us both very well which makes him the perfect guy for the job. Coe is a longtime friend of mine. He is the type of guy that will always have your back and will be there for you at the drop of a hat, no questions asked. Like Kyle, Coe is another one of my adventurous friends. He is one that will call me up mid-morning to go shooting or kayaking down the river—and of course, fishing. Coe is part of a band who play regularly at one of our favorite bars (The Village Idiot). Having a local celebrity as a friend is a nice perk, especially when we need a table. You might find Coe trying to sneak on stage to sing a song and he will always have a Coors Light in hand.
Kyle Kreager
Best Man
Kyle and I have been friends since we were little (we have pictures to prove it). We spent our childhood playing in the backyard at Kyle's house on Garfield. Later, we caused mischief on my weekend trips to OSU where he attended college (GO BLUE!). After living in Cincinnati for a brief time, he moved back to Perrysburg. After his move home, we fell back into the old days. Kyle always teaches me something new. In the past few years I've gotten more comfortable with ice fishing and duck hunting (my new favorite past time) as well as fishing out on the lake. If you ask Kyle, I still have a lot to learn. If you happen to miss the best man speech and are looking for Kyle, then look for the guy shouting nonsense on the dance-floor and busting out his sick dad moves--this is Hot Karl.
Andrew Koskinen
Groomsman
Yes, Andrew is my big brother even though he has red hair. I will always look up to him--only because he is over 6 ft tall and can grow a wicked beard. He has lived in New York for 10+ years now. Let me tell you, there is nothing better than a late-night NYC train ride. I have been out to visit once or twice (big cities are not my cup of tea—I blame Andrew for telling me about the squirrels there). He always makes a point of sending gifts in the mail to let me know he’s thinking of his little bro and is quick to jump on a plane to come home for a visit. Maybe one day he will move home, or maybe I will stop being afraid of the city. I always look forward to our adventures together. Andrew will be the groomsman attempting to watch his favorite football club, Everton lose during dinner.
Adam Beat
Groomsman
Adam and I were inseparable until the day he decided to drive out west a few years ago and stay in Colorado. Back in the day we practically lived at each other’s houses. I have many memories with Adam, many being the times we spent together at music festivals. Phew. We spent our younger years riding bikes back and forth between each other’s homes and of course practicing our gainers in Adams pool. Adam recently moved to Columbus which is exciting as we hope to see each other more often. He has always been like a second brother to me. Take a look at his picture, I promise you it’s Adam--another great memory I have of him as green-man. The best way to find out which groomsmen is Adam is to wait for the dance circle to form mid reception—he will be the one challenging me to a dance off.
Kyle Bowell
Groomsman
I first met Kyle a few years ago as Coe was a mutual friend. Kyle plays in the same band as him & we quickly became good friends. Kyle and I’s dynamic was one of those where friendship just came easily. Our fiancés caught on to how much we enjoyed each other’s company—they even made us a jar (if you’re familiar with New Girl, then you get it). We like each other a lot--not more than any other grown man would like another grown man. Our favorite thing to do is crush our friends in the game of Catan (thank you Andrew for introducing this to us). Kyle is a bit of a…. bull in a china shop. If you are looking for him at the reception, follow the trail of spilled beer, someone might even hand him a sippy cup. October 12th is also Kyle's birthday—I won’t admit if this is a coincidence or not.
Michael Belazis
Groomsman
Michael and I have been friends since High School. He was the friend with the house on the river—we would kayak to the island to build forts and I'll never forget the rope swing. Michael has traveled the world. He always has a good story to tell when he gets home from a trip. When he moved home and didn’t have his next big trip planned it was a surprise to us all. Michael and two of our other friends started recording music together and have really made a name for themselves over the last few years. When he is not on the road, he is always down to hang out or bake some homemade bread. You will probably find Michael discussing our next board game night with any number of our friends. Who knows, he might even be signing autographs for our family members by the end of the night.
Michael Kaylor
Groomsman
Our friendship started back at good ole' Mills Hardware (RIP). I still wear my shirts from there, holes and all. I’m surprised we got paid to have that much fun—much thanks to our boss Bruce of course. For years we have spent long nights playing video games together—until our eyes bleed. We also like to play disc golf at the park from time to time. Now that we are getting older [married], we can’t spend [as many] hours playing video games, but the occasional beer after work makes up for that. Somehow he has managed to follow me from job to job—but most recently has moved away to start a family of his own! It wouldn’t surprise me if someone caught Mikey carrying in his TV & XBOX the morning of the wedding, trying to take on challengers in the groomsmen suite.