Desiree walked into the AOII house on Bid Day in 2007, and the rest is history. There was an instant connection (mostly because the bride-to-be insisted on taking her "out on the town" her first night as a pledge). These two have built many memories over the years. Whether it was OU/TX "hazing", irreplaceable sorority memories (ahem Debs awards), late night life chats with wine, musing over our scrapbooking endeavors, travels to new places, turning heads dancin' at Rebels, or even adventures to the emergency room (especially when we have to perform that night at a country music festival), Des has proven time and again that she is a loyal friend and one of the most fabulous, thoughtful people in the world. She has a personality bigger than Texas, and knows the value of big hair - "tease it to Jesus, girl!" Look for Des tearing it up on the dance floor - she will be the one who will truly get to know you and be your best friend by the end of the weekend.

Heather moved from Ardmore, OK to Allen, TX in the seventh grade, which ended up being the perfect time to meet the bride-to-be. For those of you who don't know "feather" as Ashlan fondly refers to her, she is a very petite girl. Upon meeting her and realizing she was not only small but super athletic, Ashlan immediately convinced/forced Heather to join the cheerleading squad and be her friend. Throughout the years, we have had so many great times it's hard to count. Cheerleading competitions, weekends watching the 5 hour BBC Pride and Prejudice, slumber parties, getting ready for Prom, wolves and chains, movie nights, dancing in our living room, emma and joe... and many more. The mark of a good friend is one who is there when the chips are down. When the bride-to-be's father passed away, Heather left summer training camp and gave up being the captain of her college cheerleading squad to be by her side, no questions asked. She is more of a sister than a friend, and even though they are very different personalities, they have remained close through the years, even though Heather's pillow will always be better than mine.

College would not have been the same without Morgan. She is the first of my close college friends, that grew into a bestie, who really understands and personifies the meaning of true friendship and sisterhood. While she may have a sweet little voice, she is but fierce. She was the first person to come thundering up in her huge Envoy when you needed a friend, or needed to be kidnapped and taken to breakfast for your birthday. Morgan and the bride to be built memories that will last a lifetime, including OU/TX adventures, hanging at Campus Lodge, date parties even when we were "O.B.", "tattooooooooos", and OU football games. BOOMER! Even when she was bogged down with studying for the LSAT (some of the time forcibly by the bride-to-be), she was still always thinking of her friends first and was by your side in a heartbeat. She is a determined, strong woman who has achieved a lot in life and I am proud to call a friend. If you need someone to sing Drops of Jupiter or paper planes with at 3 AM, she is your girl.

Kira is the kind of friend that makes you want to be a better friend. When her friends experience joy, she shares in it wholeheartedly; when they go through hard times, she takes on their burden as her own. Kira and the bride-to-be are pledge sisters, and "sister" could not be a more fitting term for their friendship. They initially bonded over their "no nonsense" attitudes, especially during rush (SQUIGGLE HER!). Countless memories with Kira come to mind: Calf Fry and country concerts, our NY trip during Ashlan's internship, NOLA (enough said there)... if you want to talk your way into free cabanas, club entry/line skipping, and bottle service in Vegas, choose no other wing woman! And a wing woman she truly is, standing by your side through the many milestones of life, and taking you under her wing as a friend. Through the years, for each other they have been roommates, confidants, cheerleaders, counselors, and adventurers. As the head honcho of the appropriately named "blonde squad", she is honest, strong, and beautiful inside and out.

When you go by just your last name, you need no introduction. Baxter is a feisty Frodo to my Samwise. A red velvet cupcake smearing, selfie perfecting, Pterodactyl-riding friend who (thanks to a sleep deprived drive to NOLA during a thunderstorm) can rap the entire lyrics to Superbass. She has a contagious affinity for life and always wants to make the good times the BEST times. Bax is the kind of friend where your adventures together may get you into a little trouble, but you will have the best stories as a result! (aka hot dog entrepreneurship, chop da realist, literally catching on fire). Erin Baxter is a juxtaposition of opposites, just like the bride-to-be, probably because "they are Libra's". She's a total Harry Potter/LOTR nerd, fashion enthusiast, girly girl, football fan, lover of Jack Daniels handles, and forever the third member of the "blonde squad". You will never have a boring time around this little one! Look for Baxter snapchatting the entire wedding while on the dance floor!

Few people are fortunate enough to have a cousin who is more like a SEESTER and who is also a friend. Madison may be younger than the bride-to-be, but she is wise beyond her years. When you need something, or there is a trip to take, she is the first one in the car. She is not only gorgeous but she is kind, and is the perfect person to just drive around town with and do absolutely nothing. Together, we have found what it means to "Chalene", go crazy because you have to ask "can you hear the VOICES?", and document the "neighbor incident" because it's too unbelievable. Yes, since you asked, Madison knows the entire "single ladies" dance because we learned it together one night out of sheer boredom. Even though she isn't as boisterous as the bride-to-be, she has the best sense of humor and knows how to time the one-liners that make you cry with laughter. She is honest and compassionate, knowing exactly when to call it quits on unsuccessfully painting your apartment to just go sneak Whataburger into a movie. If you need someone to give you directions to the closest Halal Guys fix (sorry I got her hooked when she came to NYC!) Madison is your girl.

Kristina and the bride-to-be were "just two blondes" going into the MBA program at OU, but little did anyone know they were a force to be reckoned with. Kristina is a smart, kind, and courageous friend who has never seen a boundary she couldn't break through; even the ones set by our tour company (and subsequently ignored) in Iceland after they threatened multiple times to "leave us behind". Her inherent inertia in life is inspiring and her confidence is contagious. You can't be around her without being motivated to live life to the fullest and jump the fence with the "no tresspassing" sign to go find that secret waterfall. In the words of Dickens, the MBA program "was the best of times, it was the worst of times", and these two experienced them all together (even impossible A's in Econ - with the help of office hours, late night study sessions, Kristina's cat Nutty's emotional support, and junk food). Even after graduation, moves to other cities, and full immersion into corporate America, these two managed to remain close and celebrate many milestones together. After all, who needs running water or heat on your trip to Iceland anyway?

Janeen and the bride-to-be are very similar in many ways, which only made the formation of friendship and "future sis-ness" come very easily. Janeen has a fondness for the outdoors and a love of animals that shows her genuine nature and compassionate spirit. She is very kind, and is always thinking of others, even when she was "super pregnant" with twins and should have been taking it easy on herself. Initially, Janeen and the bride-to-be bonded over their mutual love of workout videos and fitness, (and those of you who know the bride-to-be, that is an intense passion). Thankfully, Janeen didn't scare easily, mirrored her feelings toward all things fitness, and was able to share in the bride-to-be's love of the outdoors with lots of walks (even when we both get pooed on). If you ever have a craft project or an idea, Janeen is the first to step up with new ideas and awesome contributions. She is astoundingly creative, not only with arts and crafts but in her way with words. She can come up with the perfect pun or the best picture caption in an instant, which needless to say contributes to her hilarious sense of humor. (If you need an example, look no further than Jemma, Jax, and Jake photos.) To say that the bride-to-be is lucky to be Janeen's future sister is an understatement, as you couldn't find someone who is more excited to be a part of the Gleason clan!

The bride-to-be was very excited to meet Jess, because everything she had heard about her from Jon made her feel like they would be instant friends. Their mutual love of musicals, all things Disney (especially Belle) and country music - all commonalities that were a recipe for success. The first time they met was to go see a musical together, and in true Jess fashion she arrived with a cupcake for the bride-to-be, which just shows how thoughtful and considerate she is. Jess is empathetic, always trying to see things from the other person's perspective, and always considerate about their feelings. Over the last few years, and the bride-to-be have shared many memories, from princess parties to exclusive concerts (how Jess manages to be a VIP everywhere is a mystery to even the greatest sleuths). Her considerate nature and ability to be honest not only makes her an excellent sounding board for advice, but the future "big sis" that Ashlan has always wanted. If you are looking to learn about cool new music or pop culture trends, or just want to know more about the NY theater scene, ask Jess! She is definitely the one in the know!

When the bride-to-be was put on a project in the middle of nowhere North Carolina, in a new job, with a girl she had never met, she never expected to make a friend that would end up sharing some amazing memories and also some of the most professionally gratifying experiences of her career with. For those of you who don't know Trupti, she is incredibly intelligent and ambitious, and one of the hardest workers and competent people I have ever known. Almost immediately, Trupti and the bride-to-be fell into sync because they are so similar. Whether it was going to the gym (no celery arms here!), shame shoveling popcorn at the movies, "ganging up" against evil villains, or their mutual love for good food and wine, some of the best times came from being stuck in that small town together. We even managed to make the groom-to-be and "Matty Fresh" (wedding guest Matthew Illman, ladies) dress up in Mario and Luigi costumes when trying to make things fun and keep our sanity during a stressful project. After being almost TOO successful on the project together, changing jobs, and having completely different schedules, Trupti is the kind of friend who is there for you and willing to put in the work to have a successful friendship (even when she works 80 hours and travels to multiple destinations in a week). She loves puppies and wine, knows how to make anything a good time, she's Trupti... and if you send her corgi memes she will be your best friend.

Nobody would have thought that the girl from Ohio who was on a two week project with the bride-to-be would end up being such a close friend and roommate. To be quite honest, the bride may have forced her friendship upon Jess (or "Hess", as I lovingly refer to her) but once she decides you are good people, she makes a point to be a great friend in return. She has been a roommate, Sq.P. enthusiast, and "Ruggles" connesseur who knows how to make even the mundane a special event for the history books. Whether it's a funky July 4th weekend or a random costume party, Jess is always game for a good time. She even planned a glass-blowing event for the bride-to-be for her birthday, and it ended up being quite an adventure. We have solved murder mysteries together, have been strangely involved in dangerous "Pluckers" and "murder" situations, and have Rafikied each other well through the years. Cheers to you, Jess! She's the one drinking a Moscow mule while judging competitions on the dance floor.

Jemma lights up every room she is in, and she's super adorable, to boot. Even at a young age, she has a great sense of humor and it is a pleasure watching her grow into such a smart and kind person. Jemma knows what's important in life: similing and laughter, her family and "woof woof", ipads, and of course CHOCOLATE. She is great at making you see the magic in the world, helping you use your imagination to turn a disco ball in a dark room into the brightest "twinkle twinkle little star" in the night sky. She loves to dance and "chase her tail", never failing to put a smile on your face, even after watching "no more monkeys jumping on the bed" or "daddy finger" for hours. Jemma is the flower girl that is going to steal the show in her pink cowboy boots, make no mistake!

A highly trained and loyal serviceman, Major Murnane applied his sophisticated Naval training on visits to Syracuse to successfully dislodge doors in the fraternity house to access untapped alcohol supplies. Since moving to Millwood in fourth grade, Austin has been an incredible friend and a perfect pick to officiate the wedding.

Whether it was trips to the WaveHouse, eating obnoxious amount of Cali burritos, or binge watching Game of Thrones, great times were always had as roommates in San Diego. After sampling the vintage in wine country at his own wedding this April, Alex is well prepared to handle co-best man duties in the fall.

Also referred to as "The King", David is the only one foolish enough to share an apartment on both coasts with the groom. After surviving malfunctioning elevators at MSG, battles with the Patriot at Euclid, and the drunken masses in the Triangle, David is well-equipped to handle all of the challenges of co best man duties for the Groomzilla.

Despite somehow convincing his mother that Jon is the bad influence, Adam has been there for all the ups and downs of the past almost 30 years (damn we're getting old). Highlights include tournaments with the Arrows, Adam's middle school girl drama, and blaming underage alcohol consumption at the Tressel Bridge on "the younger girls".

Shortly after meeting at an Ikthus recruiting event and sharing in the wondrous experience of Kaz Matsui's first big league homerun at Shaw hall, the man later to be known as Flounder became an integral part of the SU experience. The pair teamed up for an epic experience at MSG in easily the athletic highlight of the groom's career.

Fellow G-Chat and Mario Party enthusiast, countless hours have been spent on both to help navigate through college and adult life. The groom-to-be's top resource for all sorts of advice, most of which goes recklessly ignored but always appreciated.

The groom-to-be's first friend and drinking partner. Countless hours spent playing video games and knee hockey to avoid being of any help on holidays (sorry Mom and Aunt Marie!) was a cherished tradition of our childhood. Pictured above from the first wedding we attended as pre-teens, we will try to drink less and not wear heels this time around.

Dr. B has truly been put through the ringer in his first few years as part of the Gleason clan and he not only takes it in stride, but always does so with a smile on his face. He has become an integral part of cherished family traditions such as the Christmas Olympics and watching the groom-to-be lose it during Giants games.

Kevin's love for the GMEN and distributing embarrassing photos of himself to commemorate all Gleason family birthdays made him a staple at family gatherings in Millwood and Windham over the years. Look for Kevin in the corner playing Nintendo Switch and drinking gimlets.

Most likely to scare the crap out of all the guests, the Dr/Mountain Man has been a long-time confidant and trusted ally. Despite strongly maintaining that the groom-to-be peaked in middle school, Mac has been a loyal friend for many years.

The glass half empty to the groom's glass more than full optimism surrounding all things NY Football Giants, their long term friendship grew over trips to Belmar, Pat's heavily B.I.G influenced mix CD's, and of course Sundays in Section 308 at the old Meadowlands.

Would not have survived HS without his loyal companionship/substitute Mountaineer driving skills. Rudy has "churned and burned" his way across the globe, but fortunately shared his travel wisdom with the groom to be on an unforgettable trip to Thailand together.