Sydney
and
Salvador
Wedding Party
Meghan Anderson
Maid of Honor
Although Meg is my cousin, she and I grew up more as sisters, sharing (or fighting) with one another from day one. We were born one month and a day apart, and spent much of our childhood together after she moved to Kansas City in first grade. We have spent countless hours playing Barbies in the basement, reenacting Aristocats for the upteenth time in the backyard, performing elaborate Backstreet Boys concerts, and staying up late whispering about any and all of our preteen, teen, and adult problems and thoughts. I feel so blessed to have had Meg in my life while growing up and transitioning into adulthood.
Meg’s ability to stand up for what she believes in, compassion for all, integrity to do what is right, and humor has brought so much light into my life.
Arturo Gonzalez
Best Man
Arturo is one of those friends about whom you can't pinpoint exactly when and how you really became friends - it just kind of happened. One of my earliest memories of our friendship was meeting his family and feeling instantly welcomed by them (one of my top favorite families for sure). We met in college and bonded through our fraternity, but I remember spending the most quality time together during my years in graduate school - one of the reasons I look back so fondly at that time. Going from college friends to adult friends was surprisingly easy considering our similar background and professional ambitions. We changed a lot together - going from house parties, Greek events and immature jokes to graduation ceremonies, networking events and significantly more immature jokes.
Caitlin Benson
Bridesmaid
I met Caitlin in freshman year of high school, where she was teacher’s pet in Spanish class and I was.. chatty :-) She has had my back every day since. Whether it be supporting me through my first two, tough years of teaching or visiting me all the way in Madrid, Caitlin has been my “person” through so many ups and downs.
Caitlin is the responsible, caring, level headed person in my life when things get chaotic, and I know I wouldn’t be the person I am today without her influence!
David Sotto
Groomsman
Believe it or not, David was the subject of running jokes in our group of friends. However, he wasn't the butt of our teasing, rather the focus of our admiration. We would joke with David in the same way people made "Chuck Norris" jokes (one example: Superman wears David Sotto pajamas; another, David Sotto beat the sun in a staring contest). We all wanted to be like him when we grew up - intelligent, humble, and compassionate. All jokes aside though, I've known David to be all of these things and more. And while I appreciate what we accomplished together as students and campus leaders in college, I mostly like to think about the mundane times we shared as roommates: playing Gears of War into wee hours of the morning, drinking plum wine, and just talking about whatever came to our minds.
I can't imagine taking this next step without having David there.
Ethan D'Arcy
Bridesman
Ethan and I have been fast friends since my freshman year at Mizzou, where we lived just a few doors down from each other in the dorms. We bonded over our shared love of bad reality shows and getting into just the right amount of mischief. College, or my early 20’s, would not have been the same without my “twinsie” at my side.
Ethan’s passion for helping others and ability to find commonalities with anyone he’s met has led him to make many friends over the years, and I am lucky to be one of them!
Trey Henley
Groomsman
Trey is one of those people that makes you say, "wow, I'm glad I met that guy." A person that listens intently, thinks deeply, and communicates sincerely. He surprises me with how much he knows about sports, music, psychology, and philosophy. Although we haven't yet had as much quality time as we'd like together, I think of him whenever I hear about some cool new idea - "hmm, I wonder what Trey thinks about this." Beyond insightful, Trey is exceedingly kindhearted. Whether it was welcoming me into the family, helping Sydney and me move our lives into a new home, or making sure my mother felt comfortable at a family dinner, Trey always stepped up.
I am privileged to count him as a friend, and honored to count him as my future brother-in-law.
Shannen Helm
Bridesmaid
Shannen and I met my junior year at Mizzou, when we were in the same block of future teachers in the College of Education. Having every single class together for the entire school year, Shannen got a lot of me! Her passion for teaching and those she loves is so admirable, and I look up to her ability to find time for everyone and everything she feels is important, while working in a field that gives her little free time.
I am so grateful for her constant kindness, ability to listen and give advice judgment free, and friendship!
Joe Rodriguez
Groomsman
"Friend from college" and "fraternity brother" would fall incredibly short of who Joe is to me. While we did meet during undergrad, it was almost like we were already old friends. I always get a kick thinking about how simultaneously similar and different we were. One of us was cool, charismatic, confident, and laser-focused - the other one was me. He was always there to help me break out of my shell, inspire confidence in myself, and just crack jokes when we needed to disconnect from all we had going on. Even as we've grown older and wiser, our friendship has endured. Friend, brother, mentor, and confidant, Joe was, and continues to be, a person I could always lean on.
Although we don't see each other all too often, whenever we do, we always pick up right where we left off. (PS LB!