Matthew & Andrew
Wedding Party
Emma Bratton
Maid of Honor
Emma met Matthew (or "Mr. Matthew" as he is known to Emma) when he joined Brown University's Disney A Cappella group in the winter of 2011, which Emma had co-founded the previous semester. Since then, Emma has been Matthew's closest friend throughout adulthood, living in or around the same cities in which he's lived (including a one year stint in Cleveland), attending many concerts he's conducted (and playing violin in a few of them), being a guest at numerous iterations of his formal dinner party, serving as a co-host for Parent Trap Jeopardy, tasting, discussing, and rating many a fine bourbon, learning to ski, and always being up for joining the numerous adventures Matthew plans for his friends! Coming to each other from very different backgrounds, Matthew and Emma have learned so much from one another over the years, and have grown immensely as people thanks to their friendship. After college, Emma graduated from veterinary school at The Ohio State University and practiced both large and small animal veterinary medicine before moving to Washington, DC to work for U.S.A.I.D.
Finn Fürstenwerth
Best Man
Finn and Andrew met one another at Catawba College. Finn joined the school and Andrew's swim team halfway through Andrew's Freshman year. The pair became fast friends and, mostly due to Finn's need for housing, even faster roommates. This led to three more years of rooming together. Given that Finn was from Germany, he often spent school holidays with Andrew and his family. Andrew was no stranger to Finn's family either. He visited his roommate in Germany the summer of their Freshman year, and from then on referred to the Fürstenwerths as his German family and Finn as his brother. In 2023, Andrew once again traveled to Germany, this time with Matthew, to attend the wedding of Finn and his longtime girlfriend Alina. After what Matthew described as the most fun wedding he'd ever attended, the couples spent multiple days together. During this time, Andrew got to meet Finn's beautiful daughter Lotte and the roommates picked up as if no time had past. Although Andrew doesn't get to see Finn as much as he would like, he is honored to have him as the best man at his wedding.
Nicholas Jaroszewicz
Groomsman
Nicholas is Matthew's middle brother. Less than two years younger, Matthew doesn't remember a time when Nicholas wasn't a part of his life. While very different people, Nicholas and Matthew have a great appreciation and support for each other's interests - including Matthew coming to watch Nicholas row for Harvard at the Head of the Charles and the Eastern Sprints, and Nicholas attending (and enjoying) a production of Wagner's Das Rheingold with Matthew at the Chicago Lyric Opera! As with their younger brother Joe, Nicholas and Matthew share a mutual love of skiing, bourbon, and the Cincinnati Reds! After Harvard, Nicholas worked for Anheuser-Busch before moving to Chicago to earn an M.B.A. at the UChicago's Booth School of Business. He and his wife, Steph, still live there to this day. He is co-founder of Porvata, an e-commerce business which sells office furniture that he started with his brother, Joe. As Matthew's brother and Andrew's future brother-in-law, Nicholas is an official member of both wedding parties.
Margrit Hopkins
Groomsmatron
Margrit or "Nanny" as she is commonly called is Andrew's Godmother. Though in truth she and her husband Gordon have been more like grandparents to him. Margrit was in the hospital the day Andrew was born and spent many years babysitting him while his parents were at work. She'd pick him up from school with a car filled with snacks and drive him to swim practice, all the while excitedly asking him about his day or sharing with him a new way to prank his father. She would even occasionally let him ditch practice to go to Dan Nicholas Park and mine for rocks. Their relationship continued even once Andrew (after the third attempt) got his driver's license. Margrit was always present for birthdays, holidays, and of course swim meets. At one point, the two even shared a dog. Margrit adopted a beagle named Charlie but couldn't keep him when she moved. Andrew happily agreed to adopt Charlie under the condition his name be changed to Woodford. Sadly, Woodford has since passed away but, just like their love for one another, the love Andrew and Margrit shared for him will never die.
Joseph Willcox Jaroszewicz
Groomsman
Most of you know, or will come to know, this man as "Will", but to Matthew, he'll always be "Joe"! Matthew and Joe have always shared a love of the performing arts, especially singing and theater (with both having appeared as leading roles in separate productions of Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Pirates of Penzance"!). Matthew also thinks Joe is one of the funniest human beings he knows - just spend fifteen minutes with him at cocktail hour and you're bound to know why! As with their middle brother Nicholas, Matthew and Joe share a mutual love of skiing, bourbon, and the Cincinnati Reds! Joe is a graduate of Harvard University, and worked for Kraft-Heinz in Chicago for several years after school. Along with his brother Nicholas, he now works as a co-founder of Porvata, an e-commerce business which sells office furniture. He and his wife, Elena, live in Salt Lake City. As Matthew's brother and Andrew's future brother-in-law, Joe is an official member of both wedding parties.
Alexandra McCollister
Groomsmaid
If you can't tell from the last names, Alex and Andrew have known one another for a very long time. The cousins are close in age, only a month and a half apart, and, thanks to growing up having multiple adventures together with their grandmother Mary (Muddy) McCollister, are even closer in friendship. Andrew is an only child, but considers Alex to be the closest thing to a sister he has ever had. After graduating college, Alex decided to give back to the world by joining the Peace Corps. There, she spent two and a half years in Africa changing the lives of the locals and even rescuing/adopting an African dog named Cheap. After moving back to the US, Alex got a masters degree in Denver, where she met her now wife, Cecily, and spent some time working in DC. It turned out that Alex and Andrew were not only close in age, they also had similar tastes, both picking same-sex partners from Cincinnati! Alex and Cecily now live near Asheville, North Carolina. While they are separated by a few states, Andrew treasures every moment he gets to spend with her.
Christine Skovira
Groomsmaid
Matthew first met Christine and her then fiancé Peter when they attended a service at Trinity Cathedral in Cleveland on a random Sunday in June of 2018. Little did any of them know in that moment what an integral part of each other's lives they were about to become. Once Matthew introduced the couple to Andrew, the friendship was truly cemented. After knowing them less than a year, Matthew and Andrew were so surprised and excited to be invited to their wedding, a most amazing weekend on Thompson Island in Boston Harbor featuring an unforgettable dinner of steamed lobster! For both couples, the friendship was so natural. Whether watching Matthew conduct in Canton or narrating one of Andrew's books on tape, Christine has been a treasured friend for both grooms - so much so that she is an official member of both wedding parties! Christine and Peter now live in Grand Rapids, MI, where Christine is a medical student at Michigan State University (though she does find herself in Cleveland from time to time to visit Matthew and Andrew and, of course, compete in triathlons!).
Peter Truog
Groomsman
Matthew first met Peter and his then fiancée Christine when they attended a service at Trinity Cathedral in Cleveland on a random Sunday in June of 2018. Little did any of them know in that moment what an integral part of each other's lives they were about to become. Once Matthew introduced the couple to Andrew, the friendship was truly cemented. After knowing them less than a year, Matthew and Andrew were so surprised and excited to be invited to their wedding, a most amazing weekend on Thompson Island in Boston Harbor featuring an unforgettable dinner of steamed lobster! For both couples, the friendship was so natural. Whether cycling in the Rocky River Reservation or an early morning swim at Edgewater Beach, Peter has been a treasured friend for both grooms - so much so that he is an official member of both wedding parties! Peter and Christine now live in Grand Rapids, MI, where Peter is an entrepreneur currently working as co-founder of Presta, a company that helps small businesses find loans (though he does find himself in Cleveland from time to time to visit Matthew and Andrew and, of course, compete in triathlons!).
David Litt
Groomsman
Matthew met David, or "LittDLish" as he is known to Matthew (after his very amusing Gmail address), at the very first event of the very first day of freshman orientation. David was wearing a Chief Wahoo hat, and Matthew was thrilled to find a fellow Ohioan on campus! Matthew and David lived together sophomore year, where Matthew spent many hours trying to convince David to study less and have more fun. Post college, David got a Ph.D. from Cal Berkeley, worked a number of years for Intel in the Bay Area, and now has a job in biotech in Connecticut. Matthew and David maintain a tradition of travelling annually to Brown's commencement weekend together (even during non-reunion years!). David has attended many of Matthew's performances over the years, and Matthew has even gotten David and his wife, Erin, on skis! Matthew had the honor of standing on the altar with David at his wedding, and is honored to have David return the favor! David and Erin live in New Haven, CT.
Katia Kruglov
Groomsmaid
Katia and Andrew met when they both joined the Catawba College Swim Team. Their playful banter soon became a deep friendship. Whether it was Katia calling Andrew in the middle of the night to come over and kill a mouse or Andrew trusting Katia as one of the first people he ever told about his sexuality, the pair have always trusted one another completely. Although Katia can fluently speak four languages and is one of the smartest people Andrew had ever met, she does have a wild side. In particular, she once convinced Andrew to join her in a lipsync contest. The two spent weeks practicing a dance Katia wrote and choreographed to "It's Raining Men". Although their dance didn't inspire favor with the misguided judges, they were clearly a crowd favorite. Andrew has always said that no matter how bad his day was, Katia could always put a smile on his face. A native of Israel, Katia currently lives in Stockholm, Sweden with her fiancé, Mikael (another Catawba College swimmer), and their two beautiful boys.
Mike Hogan
Groomsman
Matthew first met Mike when Mike auditioned for Brown University Gilbert and Sullivan's production of "Iolanthe", the very first piece of music Matthew ever conducted, back in early 2009. They went on to work together in three other BUGS shows, most notably "The Gondoliers", which Mike directed and Matthew conducted. If you ever thought that Matthew's exuberance and zeal for life was unrivaled in this world, Mike is truly someone who gives Matthew a run for his money! They share a mutual love for opera, skiing, fine wine, Italy, and all things Rhode Island (Mike's home state)! After college, Mike got a Ph.D. in virology from The University of Pennsylvania, and is now a professor at Penn's School of Veterinary Medicine. He lives in Philadelphia with his fiancé, Joe (whom he also met in Brown University Gilbert and Sullivan).
Manuel Castro
Groomsman
Andrew and Manuel actually met the same way that Andrew and Matthew did, on the dating site called OK Cupid while Andrew was in Boston for graduate school. Although a romantic relationship did not blossom, it was clear from the beginning that the two had a connection. The pair remained in touch even when they both left Boston to pursue the next chapter of their lives. Throughout the years, Manuel has proven time and again that he will be there for Andrew. Whether it be traveling across the country to attend Andrew's 30th birthday on Sunset Beach or offering Andrew wise life advice mixed with mostly well-executed sarcastic quips, Manuel is never afraid to go the distance for a friend. When Andrew made the decision in 2016 to join OK Cupid, he had no idea how immeasurably it would change his life. Not just because he met his future husband Matthew, but also because he met Manuel, one of the best friends and kindest people he has ever known.
Justin Ardini
Groomsman
Matthew met Justin the first week of freshman year at Brown, when they were seated next to one another in the saxophone section of the Brown University Jazz Band. During their time in that ensemble, they roomed together on tours to Iceland and Ireland, and shared the stage with such jazz legends as Gary Smulyan and Rick Margitza. They maintained a weekly tradition throughout college of attending "Chicken Finger Friday" at the V-Dub dining hall, where their meal would consist solely of a giant plate of chicken fingers, then a pour-your-own Belgian waffle smothered in ice cream and chocolate sauce for dessert! They have an unbroken annual tradition of watching the Super Bowl together, which started in 2009 and continues to this day, and they have plans to attend the game in person in 2033 when their streak reaches 25 years! Justin is a software engineer for Google, where he has worked since graduating from Brown, and lives in Somerville, MA, just outside of Boston.
Matt Heslep
Groomsman
Andrew and Matt first met each other on the front porch of Andrew and Matthew's first Cleveland rental home. He was sharing a drink with Matthew after a Stonewall Sports outing. Andrew was studying for the CPA exam, but allowed pause for a brief hello. It's hard to say when the friendship truly cemented. Perhaps it was when Matt helped Andrew trim his first Cleveland Christmas tree. Or when Andrew couch surfed at Matt's house after an unforgettable night of board games and bowling. Or maybe it was when Andrew confessed to Matt for the first time ever that Matthew might actually be the one. Regardless of how it started, Matt quickly became a dear friend to Andrew (and Matthew). He's the kind of person who will be there when you need him, no questions asked. Despite his ability to fix many things, Matt has developed a reputation at Andrew and Matthew's house for having broken more drink glasses in a single night than anyone else. Andrew is very blessed to have Matt in his life, even if he has to hide the fine China.
Baron Fenwick
Groomsman
James Baron Fenwick III is known to most as simply "Baron", but to Matthew he is "His Lordship James, Third Baron of Fenwick" or just "His/Your Lordship" for short. Matthew and Baron met in Faye-Ellen Silverman's Britten and Shostakovich seminar during Matthew's first semester at Mannes, and very quickly became two peas in a pod! They spent many Friday and Saturday nights at the Metropolitan Opera House, in obstructed view rush seats at Carnegie Hall, watching opera on DVD, and/or listening to music while following along with the score at Matthew's apartment (and sometimes multiple of these activities in the same night). Often, these marathon sessions would extend well into the wee hours of the morning, at which point Matthew would get 2-3 hours of sleep before going to Mannes Opera rehearsal or church! Matthew and Baron also enjoy skiing and whiskey together, and share a mutual intellectual curiosity for the world. Baron is a Classical pianist, currently pursuing a doctoral degree at Juilliard. He lives in New York City with his husband, Andrew.
Eric Shi
Groomsman
Andrew and Eric first met in the pool of Northeastern University. After claiming to be finished swimming forever, Andrew finally caved after a particularly challenging grad class and found himself needing a swim. While moving through the water, Andrew spotted another young man in the lane next to him moving at a slightly faster pace. This forced Andrew to pick up his pace, which in-turn forced the young man to do the same. After about three-hundred yards of impromptu racing, the pair decided to introduce themselves. It was during this conversation where Eric convinced Andrew to join the Northeastern Club Swim Team and Andrew's claims of putting swimming behind him were permanently put to rest. From there, Andrew and Eric shared a strong friendship, bonding over a love of swimming, anime, and YUGIOH cards. After they both graduated, Andrew and Eric along with some other swim team friends took a trip to Sunset beach where they may have had an impromptu open water race. Eric currently lives in California with his wife Lucy and his ever-growing family of dogs.
Michael Spiroff
Groomsman
Matthew met Michael on their second day of orientation at Mannes. Michael soon became a regular fixture at Matthew's social gatherings, most especially game nights, becoming an expert at The Game of Things, Rollick, and Articulate. They shared lunch at least bi-weekly, and attended many concerts together (and a handful of church services at St. Thomas!). Michael and Matthew are two people who can talk for hours and hours on end about anything and everything, and have waxed philosophically on topics from music and politics to golf, trains, whiskey, linguistics, and the many differences between their native countries of the United States and Canada. Michael is a composer first and foremost, but also works as a musical theater actor, producer, and music director. After Mannes, he went on to earn a masters degree in composition from McGill University in Montreal. He currently resides in his hometown of Toronto with his partner, Anique.
Michael Grey
Groomsman
Michael and Andrew's friendship are a testament to virtual relationships. The pair met in Austria for about twenty minutes while their families were on vacation. The two exchanged contact information and said "stay in touch". Believe it or not, they did just that. Despite Michael living in Sydney, Australia, he and Andrew spent the next six years exchanging long Facebook messages. Finally, one of them suggested it would be easier to talk if they did it via FaceTime. This soon morphed into five years of weekly calls between the two friends. In 2022, the two finally were able to met in person once again when Michael traveled over seas to attend Andrew's golden 30th birthday party at Sunset Beach. In fact, it was this very birthday trip where Matthew and Andrew viewed the Isles Beach Club and decided to make it the venue for their wedding. When Michael isn't talking to Andrew, he is busy managing is own highly successful advertising company.