Wedding Party
Gena Naboulsi
Matron of Honor
Michelle and Gena first met our Freshman year of College when they were both studying Chinese! Then they really bonded when they went to China study abroad together, and Gena cut her hand the first night in Beijing. We've stayed close throughout the years, even when Gena lived in San Diego and Michelle in China. Her family is my family!
Eric Rappa
Best Man
Eric is Carls younger brother, always getting into mischief together as kids. They enjoy watching bad movies together to make jokes and watching/basketball together. Eric is also married to Beth Rappa and they have a cute dog Lemon in the suburbs of Chicago
Nick Sarsany
Groomsman
Carl grew up down the Street from Nick in early days, and quickly he joined in on the mischief, becoming an unstoppable trio. Nick also helps Carl reach things really high up. He is married to Halle and they have two cute dogs in the burbs of Chicago.
Beth Rappa
Bridesmaid
Beth is married to Carl's brother Eric and used to live with them both when Eric and Beth first started dating so she understands Michelle's plights (fortunes!). She cooks amazing food and loves to entertain in their homemade basement bar.
Dustin Gearhart
Groomsman
Dustin and Carl went to high school and college together, and they had a crew of friends loyal throughout. Dubbed the Eagles Nest crew from their apartment they lived together in college, they had some fun and ridiculous times at University of Illinois. Dustin now is married to his college love Elena and they have 2 kids in Chicago.
Alia Wesala
Bridesmaid
Alia and Michelle grew up together as cousins and are exactly 1 year and 1 day apart in age! Alia is the wise eldest of 4 and her sister Carina is also in the wedding! We all enjoyed farting during sleepovers. Alia is married to Jimmy and has 2 lovely young daughters, Iva and Mira and a rambunctious pupper named Molly!
Aneesh Ragnekar
Groomsman
Aneesh and Carl also attended high school and college together, and got into some ruckus back then, but is now an organized family man who loves watching Formula 1. He is now married to Adri and they have 2 cute kids in the burbs of Chicago.
Carina Henning
Bridesmaid
Carina and Michelle went to the same middle school and even did the same musical together, Annie! Of course Michelle's talent couldn't compare to Carina's as the lead, but she did her best as the dog. Carina has travelled all over the world singing on cruise ships and with the Young Americans, but she hung up her microphone for now and has settled with her husband Derek and lovable dog Sasha in Boyne City.
Nathan Williams
Groomsman
Nathan and Michelle met in Beijing on a fateful Wednesday singing Karaoke at a local pub. We then ran into each other again and decided we should be best friends. There were some hiccups but eventually we became friends and went into business together and with his now fiance Rachel doing events and building a community for Date Night China - He's a man of many talents creating amazing podcasts, films and shorts of all sorts. He's originally from Barnsley, UK but still lives in Beijing with Rachel and 2 silly cats, Margo and Khan!
Rachel Weiss
Bridesmaid
Rachel and Michelle met playing on the same volleyball team in China and became fast friends after we realized we have similar speeds and optimistic views on life. She has been living in China for nearly 10 years now and is always there to snap a great photo or make a video to capture the night! She and Nathan are getting married in the fall and are the perfect couple and friends to Michelle and Carl! She is living in Beijing with Nathan and 2 cats Margo and Khan.
David Maiuri
Groomsman
Eldest brother of Michelle and giver of her namesake. David likes all things sports; playing soccer, golf, trivia, basketball, whatever. He loves a good whisky and enjoys hanging out on his phone or with his kids, Cameron and Brooklyn, and his lovely wife Megan. They all live right across the street from my high school, IA in Bloomfield Hills.
Megan Maiuri
Bridesmaid
Saint of a sister-in-law Megan has been with David for nearly 20 years. She also grew up in Troy but they met in college at MSU. Megan is also an avid sports fan and soccer player, but also caring mother to Brooklyn and Cameron, and teacher in the Troy School District. Look out for her sneakiness in Play Nine!
Zach Eddy
Groomsman
Zach (blue shirt) is another Eagle's Nest member, attending high school and college with Carl, and met Michelle on the same indoor kickball team as Carl back in late 2017. We all became fast friends as we all enjoy senseless adventure. Zach moved to Colorado a few years ago to chase that adventure with skiing, mountain biking, and more fun and is settling in Salida next month.
Laura Ortiz
Bridesmaid
Laura and Michelle have been friends since freshman year of high school, bonding over our shared loved of UNO and basketball, and even lived together at K College for a bit! She has always been the kindest and smartest friend, now working as a doctor at Beaumont and living with her husband JP, daughter Morgan, and dog Memo in White Lake.
Matthew Maiuri
Groomsman
Matt is Michelle's other older brother who always had to pick her up from piano practice before he went off to college at MSU. He met his now wife Stefanie there, but they didn't get together until after college living in Chicago and hanging out at Tin Lizzie. Michelle and Matt had some overlap years of our Chicago life and played some fun beach vball together, but they moved out to Skokie, IL once they started having kids and now reside back in Oakland Township with 3 tenacious boys Dominic, Rocco, and Sal.
Stefanie Maiuri
Bridesmaid
Stefanie and Michelle met in Chicago at some bar in Old Town down the street from her dope apartment after she started dating Matt. She enjoys fitness challenges and has completed several marathons! She also loves Drake concerts. She is proud mom to 3 strong boys and lives with Matt in Oakland and her starting her own non-profit, Bridges Development Center.
Rich Vanmonisone
Groomsman
Rich (green shirt) is also part of the Eagles Nest group, having gone to both high school and college with Carl. He also met Michelle on the same winning kickball team, playing 7 innings with some beers and enjoying the Chicago life.Rich is an avid sports fan and player, but also a pokemon trainer, competing around the country in tournaments for glory. He enjoys traveling and spending time with his nephews and family in the burbs of Chicago.
Stephanie Stone
Bridesmaid
Stephanie and Michelle and Carl met on a fateful spring day with some others in our group of China friends in early April, just as we had gotten out of our two week quarantine. She quickly became one of our best friends in a group of 10 of us EXPATS living in Beijing. She is originally from Arizona but moved out to China in 2019 with VIP KID to be an actress. Steph is an extremely talented actress, voice over specialist, baker, cat mom, and friend! She still lives in Beijing and works in media with Nathan!
Matthew Mariutto
Groomsman
Matt and Michelle met through a mutual friend in Chicago only a few months before leaving for China, but Carl and Michelle became fast friends with him then and remained throughout our time there and since returning. Matt is a golfer, biker, runner, gambler, and always down to try new foods or experiences, just like us! He's originally from Florida but has become a true Chicagoan living in his swanky apartment with his adorable cat Sweet Dee.
Myra Mala
Bridesmaid
Myra, Carl, and Michelle again all met on the same fateful fall day at a picnic in Beijing and we just started hanging around all the time together and enjoying it. She has a silly banter and does improv as well as acting professionally in many international flicks and ads! She is WuShu Martial Arts 2008 World Champion and has a mean spin kick. Originally from Ukraine, she is now getting settled in Vancouver after relocating there full time this year.
Jeff Ma
Groomsman
Jeff and Carl also have a long history together in high school and college, but even more post college in Chicago! He also met Michelle through the fated kickball team, and he helped wingman Carl to victory. He enjoys sports, traveling, and hanging with his wife Amanda and son Oliver in the burbs of Chicago.
Bianca Good
Bridesmaid
Bianca and Michelle met at Kalamazoo College through mutual friends and even though Michelle was older by 2 years, she could always count on Bianca for some good old wisdom. Bianca and Michelle spent Christmas together in Hong Kong in 2011! Bianca also recruited Michelle get hired at her firm in Troy, so they worked together for about a year before Bianca moved out to LA to escape the midwest. She has been working as a recruiter still ever since and met her husband Ryan out there, wooing him with her amazing cooking skills and warmness. Bianca and Ryan love to chill with their dog Midna and work on their house in California Hot Springs.