Meet the Wedding Party!
Bride Tribe!
Groom Crew!
Glenn Rogers - Man of Honor
I met Shawna on a random summer job in Brunswick, Maine. We did not immediately hit it off. But after many hours of working together, many half serious threats of violence, and the shared unpleasant experience of that job, we bonded. And for some years we were largely long-distance friends. But our friendship grew, she moved to Chicago (where I live) and just two years ago stood at my wedding as my best (wo)man. I'm guessing this is payback.
(Definitely payback, Glenn.)
Officiant!
James Vest - Officiant
After solving the world's hardest math problem (The answer being 42), James has since dedicated his life and enormous fortune to marrying Shawna and Aaron properly. When asked what drives his passion and growing legacy of constant innovation in the field of Shawna and Aaron, he just smiled and looked into the middle distance with a wild gleam in his eye.
Marie Stewart - Bridesmaid
Marie has known Shawna since the sixth grade when she was the new kid in the class and made Shawna be her friend. Literally, made her. Like sat down next to Shawna and said “you will be my, friend.” Eventually Shawna gave in to her persistence and now Shawna is the closest thing Marie has ever had to a sister and she loves her more than she probably would a real sister. Marie enjoys making theatre anywhere, dark chocolate on fruit, docks on lakes, and beards on men. She feels so lucky to be a part of Shawna and Aaron’s wedding. After casting love spells as children, Marie is so happy that Shawna found the man she cast her spell for.
"He will hear my call a mile away. He will whistle my favorite song. He can ride a pony backwards. He can flip pancakes in the air. He'll be marvelously kind. And his favorite shape will be a star. And he'll have one green eye and one blue.” - Alice Hoffman, Practical Magic
Emily Bear - Bridesmaid
Emily was lucky enough to meet Shawna and Aaron at the same time.
It was a very hot day in downtown San Francisco and we were cramming into a very old (and beautiful) auditorium with no air conditioning. It was not even 20 seconds into our first conversation where we hit it off- and have never looked back!
Together we enjoy watching movies (and shouting things at them), playing board games, going to farmers markets and laughing at each other. Shawna has taught Emily to be bold, to go with her gut and that tai chi is really cool. Aaron has taught Emily that its ok to tell dad jokes in public places because if we are together we will have each other to laugh at them with, how to make fancy breakfasts, and to show the people around them how much you appreciate them as often as possible.
These two have taught each other many things over the time they have been together, and they will continue to forge on in their amazing adventure of life together- no matter the obstacles that come in their way. Emily looks forward to watching them grow old together and celebrating their special day this June!
She is also Tera’s favorite.
Caryn Russell Barth - Bridesmaid
Caryn and Shawna met in grade school. They ended up riding the same bus, which they had to get on ridiculously early in the morning due to such a long bus ride. They would sit together in the seat over the back wheel well, because there was this pot hole the bus driver would floor it over - and they would pop up in the air, and sometimes hit their heads on the ceiling! They developed a secret code, and continued to write letters to one another, even after Shawna moved away. The trend has continued, as Shawna moves farther and farther away...
Jennie Hegwood - Bridesmaid
Jennie and Shawna met in Chicago, at work. Jennie is Shawna's sister in spoons and her sass continues to inspire and delight Shawna on a regular basis. Jennie also sometimes takes the form of a cat. Do not be alarmed.
AJ Vogel - half of Best Couple
Steph Vogel - other half of Best Couple
Steph - The way I met Aaron was because it was my first night in the youth group for high school at Maywood. I was sitting in a chair after youth group and all of a sudden Aaron sat on my lap. I did not know him. He sat, then turned to talk to me and goes "Ph! You are not who I thought you were!" Still sitting on my lap. I respond "yep..." still sitting there... "I'm Aaron!" "I'm Steph!" Still sitting there... then he sees who he was looking for and runs off yelling "Nice meeting you Steph!" We've been besties since.
AJ and Aaron met in a dream, where they were riding dinosaurs that lived in their backyards. They were in a band together for 45 years, have written 86 books and will one day take Steph and Shawna to visit their secret No Girls Allowed Moon Camp.
Adam Spain - Groomsman
Adam is the middle son in the Spain family. He spent most of the last decade pursuing his medical education in various midwestern cities. He's currently living in Denver, where he's an internal medicine physician. During the fleeting moments when he's not working or sleeping, he can be found snowboarding, skateboarding, or playing guitar.
Nathan Spain - Groomsman
Direct quote from text message:
"I'm terrible at "essays". But when I was little I would cry when Aaron or Adam would "beat me up". Even though it didn't hurt just so they would get yelled at.
I couldn't help but laugh right away. Ask Aaron i became known for it lol."
Aaron immediately had me take a screenshot, so he could have proof that Nathan finally admitted this.
Nick Oswald - Groomsman
Two of the three following sentences about Aaron and Nick are true, the other one is false; you must find the false sentence: Nick and Aaron were best friends from grades 4 - 6 before parting ways to different middle schools, only to randomly re-encounter each other again in Chicago during adulthood. During recess in grade school, the activity of choice between these 2 buds was either tetherball or Gameboy. To this day, the possession of Aaron’s that incites the most jealousy from Nick is his Micro Machines Rancor, which can both swallow and poop out a Gamorrean guard.