Wedding Party
Liz Hutchinson
Matron of Honor
While Meg and Michael have their own fairytale story, Meg knew that fate was being kind when she met her “sister friend,” Liz at the University of Illinois. Liz was director of the Rip Chords a capella group, and Meg said, “I want to be just like her.” Many Busey chicken fingers and trips to Walt Disney World later, Meg and Liz find themselves as living proof that when you wish upon a star, your dreams really do come true. But it’s not the chicken fingers that keeps their relationship growing in strength every day, nor is it the Disney magic, or the fact that they both share the same vocation. Like Timon and Pumbaa, Sven and Olaf, or Lilo and Stich - Meg and Liz are always there for each other no matter what. Like Aladdin to Genie, Meg knows she’s never had a friend like Liz.
Patrick Norton
Best Man
Patrick has been Michael's "best man" for the last 22 years so it makes perfect sense that Pat is standing right next to him as his best man on June 17th. They've shared a bunk bed, a backyard, and a blog about Chicago sports, but above all, Michael prides himself and thinks of himself as more than Patrick's older brother - as here’s a drive into deep left field by Castellanos, it will be a home run, and so that’ll make it a 4–nothing ballgame. Mike and Pat love to make each other laugh with memes, Michael's horrible impressions (except his really good Paul McCartney), and about a million inside jokes and movie quotes - and if you get a few (or zero) beers in them, they're bound to break out into a perfectly harmonized rendition of "Me and My Shadow" or any Barry Manilow song.
Elizabeth Hickey
Best Lady
Meg’s sister Betsy is of course one her Best Ladies - I mean you can’t spell Best Lady without Betsy! Even though Meg is the older sister, she’s had the benefit of looking up (literally and figuratively) to her wise-beyond-her-years sister Betsy since they were kids. Meg loves so many things about “Boots” / “Bootsy” / “Boots-on-the-loose” but more than anything else, Meg loves how her Irish twin has helped her become more adventurous and how despite the physical distance between them, Betsy has always gone above and beyond to ensure that they remain close. Meg and Michael know that with the example set by Betsy (and her husband Matt) there truly “ain’t no mountain high enough” that they can’t climb (literally and figuratively).
Sid Sethupathi
Groomsman
Sid and Michael met at a math competition in 8th grade (nerd alert!) and since that fateful day, they've been nearly inseparable. Through their shared love of hometown political drama, Heineken mini-kegs, holiday decorating, and the hundreds of movies they've watched together, the countless comedies they've watched and re-watched, and the innumerable inside jokes they've created along the way (e.g., pulling into the Shaw's driveway in Scottdale) - Meg knows (as Sid's wife Sara can attest) that Michael and Sid will continue to be nearly inseparable no matter where their lives take them. You told her that Sid, right?
Kelly Hickey
Best Lady
Nicknamed “the gruesome twosome” by the much-beloved Bill Berls, Kelly and Meg will try not to get into as much trouble on June 17th as they got into when they were kids (but consider yourself warned). While Meg and Kelly share a whole host of similarities besides DNA - a prolific Irish dancing career, both attended U of I, and, well, the trouble they caused as youngsters - it’s actually Kelly’s unique trailblazing attitude that Meg has always desired. We would all be so lucky to have someone like Kelly in our corner, but Meg lucked out and got Kelly in her corner...for life. And Michael lucked out, too! Without Kelly - there is no Michael and Meg. So while they fight over which side Kelly should stand on on June 17th, Kelly should know that she's a "best lady" to both of them!
Jack Lawinger
Groomsman
We would all be so lucky to have a best friend like Jack - smart, funny, and willing to forgive his friend when he invites him to an overnight retreat where Jack only knows the friend but then the friend has to leave halfway through so Jack is stuck by himself on a retreat he didn't want to go on in the first place. Ironically, it wasn't until Jack agreed to go on a retreat with Michael (that Michael may or may not have abandoned him at) that the two of them formed a lifelong bond that only has grown stronger since. Jack has always been there for Michael, not only as a drinking buddy, baseball buddy, or singing buddy, but as his best buddy. As Jack is now father, and his list of buddies is growing, Michael can't wait to share with baby Henry, just how great of a buddy his dad really is!
Mary Kate Mack
Bridesmaid
With COVID-19 limiting their family intros to Zoom and Facetime - MK was the second Norton Meg got to meet in-person and it was only a few minutes into their first get-together at MK’s home that Meg knew she was going to fit right in with the family. MK and her husband Ben have not only provided some great laughs and good times and delicious food, but they also let Meg study their son, Jameson, for her early childhood development class. Not only did Meg receive an A+ on the paper, she also got extra credit for studying the cutest kid in the world, AND perhaps the greatest reward for the study...Jameson now refers to her as “Aunt Meg”. But enough about Jamie...besides admiring her as a great mom, Meg loves that MK prioritizes family time and has welcomed Meg so warmly into the Norton clan!
Tom Hanley
Groomsman
Tom and Michael met each other during their freshman year at the University of Illinois. While it started out as your typical friendship - both big Cubs fans, both excellent softball players, both incessantly quoting The Office back to each other - things really took off after they found out during an impromptu weigh-in, that they both weighed exactly 166.0 pounds! Since then, Michael had the honor of singing at Tom's wedding and competing in somewhat annual one-on-one basketball games (they've split the series so far, both winning at their respective home courts). Michael has always admired Tom and his love for his wife Kaitlyn and his beautiful family, and so it's an absolute privilege for Michael that Tom agreed to stand up on Michael and Meg's special day. #166ForLife
Maggie Norton
Bridesmaid
The first time Meg met Maggie, she cried. Oh, nothing bad happened, it was just that Maggie kept saying over and over again how pretty Meg was, and well, Meg couldn’t resist tearing up at the joy in her heart. Over the course of Michael and Meg’s relationship, Maggie has played a major part in making Meg feel so comfortable being herself around the Norton family. It also helps that Maggie, her husband Jake, and their sweet dog Murphy have become barbecue hosting, pool party masters, and are always opening up their home for Meg and Michael to partaaayyyy. Meg is of course excited for more pool parties and barbecues, but most of all, she's simply over the moon that her equally beautiful future sister-in-law has become one of her closest friends and confidants.
Austin Popham
Groomsman
Michael and Austin met as clear-eyed, optimistic 1Ls at the George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C. There, they rose to epic heights early when they negotiated their way into (America's hearts and) a top finish in a negotiations competition - those coastal elites just couldn't handle their Midwestern charm. From there, Austin quickly went from Michael's "study buddy" to the go-to-guy for food recommendations and the funniest person Michael knows. Without Austin, Michael probably wouldn't have gotten through law school, but even worse, he wouldn't know the best doughnut spots to show Meg when they eventually visit DC and New York - and that's just something money can't buy.
Amanda Giordano
Bridesmaid
Amanda is to Meg as Harry Potter is to Gryffindor - it was destiny that these two would link up and create magic. They met at call-backs for the Rip Chords and immediately hit it off. Later that night, Meg was picked up by the Rips and told the glorious news that she made the group! Meg looked around for her new friend - and she only had to wait a few more minutes as the next person to be picked up and initiated into the group was Amanda! Then came navigating all the ups and downs of college and post-college life, living together in Wrigleyville, and getting to witness Amanda fall in love with her now husband, Tony. If Dumbledore was right when he said “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also,” then Meg knows that her and Amanda’s hearts will always be linked together!
Rick Hickey
Groomsman
"Family Love Michael!" is one of the first things Michael's future brother-in-law Rick said to him when they met each other for the first time. Since then, Rick has been like the older brother Michael never had. Of course, it's not a shock that Rick and Michael, both the oldest brothers in their respective families get along like clockwork. Whether it's tossing a frisbee up in Grand Haven or lamenting the dismal play of the Chicago Bears, Rick has welcomed Michael with open arms into the Hickey clan, living up those immortal words of Gob Bluth. Michael admires Rick's independence and ability to see things in a positive light and he's become a source of great wisdom for Michael and Meg. They both are extremely happy to have him, all the way from NYC, standing beside them at their wedding!
Jenny Orbeck
Bridesmaid
Jenny has been one of Meg’s best friends since first grade. They have a lot in common including their love of music - and it helps that both come from super-talented, some would say “von Trapp-esque” families. Meg’s first music teacher was Jenny’s uncle and now Meg makes her career as a music teacher - so it’s obvious that Jenny and her family have played a pivotal role in shaping Meg into the person she is today. In high school, Jenny, Meg, and Caitlin named themselves the “Soul Sistahs” and vowed to stay best friends forever. And so far, despite any physical distance - they’ve all lived up to that promise! Not only is Meg ecstatic that Jenny is in her wedding, but now that Jenny and her husband Jon are living in Chicago, they can keep the Soul Sistah tradition going for years to come!
Sean Hickey
Groomsman
Michael appreciates Sean for many reasons - but the biggest has to be that no one masters the grill quite like Sean Michael Hickey (great middle name btw). Okay - there's a lot to like more to love about Sean - you can ask his wonderful fiancé Anastasiya, but Michael's mouth can't help but water knowing that Sean will be the grill master at all future family gatherings. As you can tell, Michael and Sean are very close - too close? Meg (and Stasiya) might think so, but of course they'd be close - they both live and die (or cry?) by the efforts of their favorite Chicago sports teams (which, I mean, haven't been great as of late). In short, while the Bears may never win a Super Bowl in their lifetimes, Michael and Sean are forming a dynasty of brotherhood that can't and won't be stopped!
Caitlin Killion
Bridesmaid
Caitlin and Meg’s journey to becoming “Soul Sistahs” started in Ms. Conway’s kindergarten class. When they weren’t learning their ABCs and 1-2-3s, they were learning about each other, including how much they enjoyed being goofy. What started as a playdate here and there quickly blossomed into countless hours at each other’s houses, often accompanied by Meg’s sister Betsy and Caitlin’s sister Bella - a true family affair! Meg loves that she and Caitlin remain close despite the physical distance that might exist between them - as Caitlin and her (growing) family currently reside in Santiago, Chile. While Meg of course wishes she could still walk to Caitlin’s house like when they were kids, she is thrilled that Caitlin was willing to travel cross-hemisphere to celebrate her big day!