Bridesmaids
Stephanie Gertz - Maid of Honor
Stephanie is my first friend, our mother's met when we were 2 years old at a park in Sausalito! Ever since then she has remained one of my best friends as well, sharing in almost every part of growing up. My favorite memories with Steph were our childhood goodbyes after a play date: we would hug each other until we fell over before considering it time to move on. She is the most thoughtful, dependable and loving friend and I'm so lucky to have her in my life and as my Maid of Honor, where she is in charge of making sure I don't fall over on the big day!
Stephanie is my first friend, our mother's met when we were 2 years old at a park in Sausalito! Ever since then she has remained one of my best friends as well, sharing in almost every part of growing up. My favorite memories with Steph were our childhood goodbyes after a play date: we would hug each other until we fell over before considering it time to move on. She is the most thoughtful, dependable and loving friend and I'm so lucky to have her in my life and as my Maid of Honor, where she is in charge of making sure I don't fall over on the big day!
Emily Andrews
Emily and I have been friends since the age of 4, when I was selected to be on her dad's TPSL Rec soccer team! Though different grammar schools kept us apart, we spent so much time together on play dates and riding our horses (Babe, Lady, Thunder & Smoky). We eventually made it to the same High School in 2005, Marin Catholic, where we became the bestess of friends! Emily has since moved to Chicago, but I know she is itching to move back to me, her family and the California sunshine in the Bay Area (hopefully soon)!
Emily and I have been friends since the age of 4, when I was selected to be on her dad's TPSL Rec soccer team! Though different grammar schools kept us apart, we spent so much time together on play dates and riding our horses (Babe, Lady, Thunder & Smoky). We eventually made it to the same High School in 2005, Marin Catholic, where we became the bestess of friends! Emily has since moved to Chicago, but I know she is itching to move back to me, her family and the California sunshine in the Bay Area (hopefully soon)!
Amy Mastromonaco
Amy and I first met in 5th grade when I tried out for the Magic Select Soccer team. By some miracle, I made the team (my mom bought me a consolation present beforehand as she didn't' think I would make it). Amy and I became fast friends! Spending so many hours practicing, playing games on the the weekends and flying around the country for different Tournaments in hopes of getting recruited for College Soccer. We both made that Soccer dream come true! As most of you know I was recruited to play at Brown University and Amy was recruited to Lehigh University! I am happy to say that we both found our way back from the East Coast to the Bay Area!
Amy and I first met in 5th grade when I tried out for the Magic Select Soccer team. By some miracle, I made the team (my mom bought me a consolation present beforehand as she didn't' think I would make it). Amy and I became fast friends! Spending so many hours practicing, playing games on the the weekends and flying around the country for different Tournaments in hopes of getting recruited for College Soccer. We both made that Soccer dream come true! As most of you know I was recruited to play at Brown University and Amy was recruited to Lehigh University! I am happy to say that we both found our way back from the East Coast to the Bay Area!
Juli Tarca
Juli (AKA Sharkee) ended up joining Amy and I on the Magic Soccer team in 2000. We soon became the "three musketeers." Sharkee, being the second youngest of 6 siblings, brought the mischief to our group! We had many adventures in Penngrove, CA. One of which was stealing a Used Car lot balloon arch and delivering it in front of our friends home for a morning surprise. Juli played soccer for SF State where she finished her BA and is now finishing up her MA in Sports Management at USF.
Juli (AKA Sharkee) ended up joining Amy and I on the Magic Soccer team in 2000. We soon became the "three musketeers." Sharkee, being the second youngest of 6 siblings, brought the mischief to our group! We had many adventures in Penngrove, CA. One of which was stealing a Used Car lot balloon arch and delivering it in front of our friends home for a morning surprise. Juli played soccer for SF State where she finished her BA and is now finishing up her MA in Sports Management at USF.
Daniela Ponte
Daniela, mostly know as DP, is one of my best girls that I met in the fall of my freshman year at Brown while mingling in the North Wayland Dorm. At a womping 5'1 DP brings it all...the energy, the smarts, the party! Every time we hit the bar DP would order "Johnny Walker on the rocks. 3 ices cubes." She could always hold her own in any situation and easily bend you to her will...especially if she wanted you to drink with her. "Shots for Friendship!" That got me every time...I love this girl and only wished we lived closer together!
Daniela, mostly know as DP, is one of my best girls that I met in the fall of my freshman year at Brown while mingling in the North Wayland Dorm. At a womping 5'1 DP brings it all...the energy, the smarts, the party! Every time we hit the bar DP would order "Johnny Walker on the rocks. 3 ices cubes." She could always hold her own in any situation and easily bend you to her will...especially if she wanted you to drink with her. "Shots for Friendship!" That got me every time...I love this girl and only wished we lived closer together!
Lindsay Cunningham
Lindsay and I met on the first day of College Soccer pre-season at Brown University! After completing our first pre-season we had already become the best of friends and were ready to let loose. When we weren't under the 48 hour rule (no alcohol 48 hours before a soccer game) I could always convince and you could always find Lindsay and I at one of the local spots... Liquid, Spats, Grad Center suite B311, Paragon... the list goes on. Not only could I count on lindsay to have fun, but we had the same major (COE) and she grounded me when I needed to get my work done! Linds is a great friend and I love visiting her in NYC whenever I can!
Lindsay and I met on the first day of College Soccer pre-season at Brown University! After completing our first pre-season we had already become the best of friends and were ready to let loose. When we weren't under the 48 hour rule (no alcohol 48 hours before a soccer game) I could always convince and you could always find Lindsay and I at one of the local spots... Liquid, Spats, Grad Center suite B311, Paragon... the list goes on. Not only could I count on lindsay to have fun, but we had the same major (COE) and she grounded me when I needed to get my work done! Linds is a great friend and I love visiting her in NYC whenever I can!
Groomsmen
Ben Gregg - Best Man
Ben and I met the weekend we both moved to Georgia Tech... to go on the same retreat... for the same scholarship... before moving into the same dorm.. on the same hall... to start the same major... and then we joined the same fraternity. I (luckily) ended up being a semester behind Ben on many of our major courses, but I got the head start on living in San Francisco. Ben (luckily) ended up being a few years behind me and now lives here as well. Weird.
Pictured here pondering the next professional croquet move.
Ben and I met the weekend we both moved to Georgia Tech... to go on the same retreat... for the same scholarship... before moving into the same dorm.. on the same hall... to start the same major... and then we joined the same fraternity. I (luckily) ended up being a semester behind Ben on many of our major courses, but I got the head start on living in San Francisco. Ben (luckily) ended up being a few years behind me and now lives here as well. Weird.
Pictured here pondering the next professional croquet move.
Brian Schrader
Brian is one of the more genuine people you will ever meet. He only does things he fully backs. Every decision he makes, you can be sure, was weighed, reweighed, compared to other options, vetted, and then eventually shelved for further consideration until it became a necessity. Thus, it was, that we became roommates for six years after working together at Jumpstart for two. Brian also helped found the now 7 year running Southern New Year's Brunch tradition (which Julie has taken up as her own these past three)... basically by saying "yeah, sure" when I offered to cook breakfast while he and Yan watched some bowl games.
Pictured here bringing the BOOM in artsy, pseudo-hipster black and white.
Brian is one of the more genuine people you will ever meet. He only does things he fully backs. Every decision he makes, you can be sure, was weighed, reweighed, compared to other options, vetted, and then eventually shelved for further consideration until it became a necessity. Thus, it was, that we became roommates for six years after working together at Jumpstart for two. Brian also helped found the now 7 year running Southern New Year's Brunch tradition (which Julie has taken up as her own these past three)... basically by saying "yeah, sure" when I offered to cook breakfast while he and Yan watched some bowl games.
Pictured here bringing the BOOM in artsy, pseudo-hipster black and white.
Dave Latham
Dave and I met after he flat out turned me down as a roommate, site unseen, when I was just joining Jumpstart. "Alabama? Uh, no thanks." He was not the first to be surprised of my roots after meeting me... lack of accent I guess... We were fast risers in Jumpstart, which for some reason meant kicking us out of San Francisco. After I came back from Tampa (to move in with Brian) and he came back from LA a short while later, we made up for lost time these past five years chasing down wine, good meals, or bouncing around the bay area.
Pictured here captaining the yacht that he's not allowed to sail to the wedding.
Dave and I met after he flat out turned me down as a roommate, site unseen, when I was just joining Jumpstart. "Alabama? Uh, no thanks." He was not the first to be surprised of my roots after meeting me... lack of accent I guess... We were fast risers in Jumpstart, which for some reason meant kicking us out of San Francisco. After I came back from Tampa (to move in with Brian) and he came back from LA a short while later, we made up for lost time these past five years chasing down wine, good meals, or bouncing around the bay area.
Pictured here captaining the yacht that he's not allowed to sail to the wedding.
Brandon Yun
Brandon, Byun (pronounced buh-yoon), or Byunce (Buh-yoon-say) is a good guy no matter what you call him. We also met at Jumpstart and really hit it off as roommates at the venerable 118C, where he joined Brian and me. Loud cars, reality shows and big times hitting the town have been frequents in my life... and few were up to task as well as Brandon. Always game and always a good time, Byun can be counted on regardless of the situation.
Pictured here with the tiniest of pineapples. Naturally.
Brandon, Byun (pronounced buh-yoon), or Byunce (Buh-yoon-say) is a good guy no matter what you call him. We also met at Jumpstart and really hit it off as roommates at the venerable 118C, where he joined Brian and me. Loud cars, reality shows and big times hitting the town have been frequents in my life... and few were up to task as well as Brandon. Always game and always a good time, Byun can be counted on regardless of the situation.
Pictured here with the tiniest of pineapples. Naturally.
Kass Dawson
Bigger than a big spoon, Kass is also known as "ladle." While technically another Jumpstart-er (What? They hired good folks for a while!), we never actually worked together. He quickly found his way into the social circle there and that meant we ran into each other pretty much any time the crew went out and at conventions across the country ever since 2009. If your crew doesn't have a ladle, you need one. Trust me.
Pictured here demonstrating what I've been told is "swagger."
Bigger than a big spoon, Kass is also known as "ladle." While technically another Jumpstart-er (What? They hired good folks for a while!), we never actually worked together. He quickly found his way into the social circle there and that meant we ran into each other pretty much any time the crew went out and at conventions across the country ever since 2009. If your crew doesn't have a ladle, you need one. Trust me.
Pictured here demonstrating what I've been told is "swagger."
Cesar Bystrom
Cesar has been there from the beginning with Julie and me. He has played co-ed soccer with us for about three years now, making the migration from our original Sunday team to the newer Thursday night league. Not only is Cesar dependable, confident and fun on the pitch, he manages to carry those traits around with him wherever he goes... whether that's back home to Sweden, shopping with me (hey, we gotta dress the part, right?), or drinking a Skinny Bitch around town. If there is a party to be had, this guy is bringing the bubbly.
Pictured here proving that with the right smile, nobody notices your scarf is actually a belt.
Cesar has been there from the beginning with Julie and me. He has played co-ed soccer with us for about three years now, making the migration from our original Sunday team to the newer Thursday night league. Not only is Cesar dependable, confident and fun on the pitch, he manages to carry those traits around with him wherever he goes... whether that's back home to Sweden, shopping with me (hey, we gotta dress the part, right?), or drinking a Skinny Bitch around town. If there is a party to be had, this guy is bringing the bubbly.
Pictured here proving that with the right smile, nobody notices your scarf is actually a belt.
Officiant
Ben Gebre-Medhin
Ben the Goalie, as he is listed in my phone, had a lot to do with Julie and I getting married... and so it is only right that he performs the ceremony. After successfully conning Julie into playing on my co-ed team, it took two or three games for Ben to put me on the spot, asking "Are you dating this girl?" "Yes, I guess I am." "Well, don't screw it up, because she's good... we're keeping her." So that was that... keep the girl or lose the team. Fast forward just shy of two years, when he and I were talking over my likely next steps with Julie (which may have included a ring), his general advice came to "What are you waiting for?" -- Good advice...
Pictured here showboating in Connecticut during a cross country road trip with his mom riding shotgun. Yep, coast to coast with Momma Gebre-Medhin and smiling all the way.
Ben the Goalie, as he is listed in my phone, had a lot to do with Julie and I getting married... and so it is only right that he performs the ceremony. After successfully conning Julie into playing on my co-ed team, it took two or three games for Ben to put me on the spot, asking "Are you dating this girl?" "Yes, I guess I am." "Well, don't screw it up, because she's good... we're keeping her." So that was that... keep the girl or lose the team. Fast forward just shy of two years, when he and I were talking over my likely next steps with Julie (which may have included a ring), his general advice came to "What are you waiting for?" -- Good advice...
Pictured here showboating in Connecticut during a cross country road trip with his mom riding shotgun. Yep, coast to coast with Momma Gebre-Medhin and smiling all the way.
