The baby of the family—and it shows. Lauren is Ashley’s little sister, god-given best friend, and lifelong sidekick. While she has trouble adulting (especially in the realms of bill paying and cooking anything that doesn’t come from DoorDash), she was a Division I soccer player who poured every ounce of grit, talent, and competitive fire into the game—proof that beneath the chaos lies unmatched dedication and heart. She’s loud, chaotic, and will perform karaoke at full volume regardless of time, place, or sobriety. But in day-to-day life, Lauren is more cat than human—cool, independent, occasionally judgmental, and fully shaped by her childhood obsession with the Warrior Cats book series. She may be a whirlwind of sass and late Venmo payments, but Lauren has also been Ashley’s fiercest protector and most loyal friend. Through every life change, heartbreak, and celebration, Lauren has shown up with love, laughter, and questionable advice—and Ashley wouldn’t want to do life (or this wedding) without her.

Ethan’s best friend, emotional support bromance, and former life partner—until Ashley came along and ruined everything. Their friendship began on the slopes, where Jay earned his reputation as the last one down the mountain. Not because he’s slow, but because he refuses to ski anywhere but Colorado. Michigan? Please, that's for peasants. He’ll be at the bar, judging your gear and sipping overpriced white claws. Jay and Ethan’s bond was forged through daily bike rides, intellectual debates, and seasonal apple orchard trips that were suspiciously romantic. They were basically one dramatic lighting cue away from a Nicholas Sparks movie until Ashley entered the picture, forcing Jay to endure the unbearable tragedy of watching his best friend fall in love. In protest, Jay fled to Chicago—a self-imposed exile of midwestern bitterness. But sarcasm aside, Jay is Ethan’s most trusted confidant and the first person he calls with good news, bad news, or anything requiring an aggressively honest opinion. He’s fiercely loyal, deeply protective, and probably has an emotional side buried somewhere beneath the Patagonia puffer and biting sarcasm. Their friendship has survived long distances, evolving relationships, and ski slope humiliation. And while Jay may pretend to be disgusted by Ethan’s love story, we all know he’s just mad he lost the starring role.

Should she be Maid of Honor? Absolutely. But DNA had other plans. Nicholle has been Ashley’s best friend, person, emotional life raft, and designated pregame partner for over a decade—but their love story began, as all great legends do, at Sawmill City. Ashley was the lifeguard with a reputation, Nicholle was the shy concession stand girl who was terrified of her. Then came the heatwave. One night after the park closed, Ashley rallied the staff to break every rule and turn the slides into their personal after-hours waterpark. Nicholle hesitated. Ashley did not. She grabbed her and they went down the infamous toilet bowl slide “train style,” spiraling into a plunge pool and an unbreakable friendship. From that moment on, there was no turning back. Love at first slide. Since then, Nicholle and Ashley have supported each other through heartbreaks, healing, pre-games, and all the questionable life decisions in between. They've become women they're proud of: Ashley, a badass doctor; Nicholle, a nurse, a mom to her mini-me, and the definition of strength, sass, and unshakable humor. Nicholle’s daughter inherited every ounce of her sparkle—and so did Ashley’s life, just by having her in it. Their bond is sealed with Target runs, hockey, and their annual sacred tradition: going full feral together every St. Patrick’s Day. Green glitter. Chaos. No questions. Nicholle is Ashley’s unicorn. Her first soulmate. The friend who’s always been there—whether Ashley was on the floor laughing, falling apart, or falling in love. And when Ethan came along, Nicholle supported her like she always had: with open arms, brutal honesty, and enough love to rival any rom-com ending.

Alex and Ethan met the way all great bromances begin: on a ski trip, crammed into a shared pull-out bed, bonding over early morning nosebleeds and questionable group lodging decisions. From the very beginning, Alex brought the perfect combo of dry sarcasm, intense ski stoke, and an unexpectedly tender heart—which Ethan quickly realized made him a forever friend. They’ve tackled mountains together out West, swapped life advice mid-chairlift, and powered through more après-ski shenanigans than either will admit. Out of Ethan’s many friends, Alex and his now-wife Carley were the first people Ethan introduced Ashley to—a pretty big deal for a guy who doesn’t let just anyone into his inner circle. (And yes, Ashley passed the Carley test with flying colors.) Now neighbors, Alex is the first to offer a helping hand, share a good bourbon, or talk Ethan through a random existential crisis. He may be a man of few words, but when he does speak, it’s probably something hilarious, insightful—or both.

Ashley and Lacey’s friendship began with high ponytails, pom poms, and the unmistakable spirit of early 2000s varsity cheerleading at Port Huron High. Since then, Lacey has been Ashley’s constant source of sunshine and sass—the ultimate hype girl and hair goddess (seriously, no one else is allowed to touch Ashley’s hair). From teenage heartbreaks to adult love stories, Lacey has been there through it all—always offering the perfect combo of laughter, logic, and styling tools. She’s the one who helped Ashley bounce back from every breakup, who cheered the loudest when she found Ethan (figuratively—though literally might be true too), and who has always seen the beauty in Ashley, even when Ashley couldn’t. Lacey is now an amazing mother, beloved teacher, llama enthusiast, and the unofficial therapist of Ashley’s life. Her heart is as big as her blowouts, and Ashley is forever thankful for the glitter-filled legacy they’ve built—one hair touch-up and pep talk at a time.

Ah, the classic COVID bromance. Ethan and Sarav met during a “technically frowned upon” boating outing in the early quarantine days—and hit it off instantly. but the vibe took a tragic turn when Ethan learned Sarav lived in New York. The solution? Ethan flew to NYC for a night of karaoke-fueled chaos and a 2 a.m. bike ride over the Williamsburg Bridge, because that’s what real love (and terrible decision-making) looks like. Their bond was sealed on ski trips out West, where they conquered double black diamonds while Jay cried alone on the green runs. Then came Budapest—where Ethan literally saved Sarav’s life after too much prosecco during the twilight hours. As a result, Sarav now owes Ethan his life. It’s official. From long-distance location stalking to deep emotional debriefs over the phone, Sarav has become one of Ethan’s most cherished friends. He’s the guy who truly *gets* Ethan, who’s always down for an adventure, and who answers the phone no matter what. If friendship had an MVP, it might just be Sarav.

Ashley and Kyle go way back—like opposing high school mascots kind of back. But their friendship truly began at Sawmill City, where Kyle was the heartthrob general manager and Ashley was the notoriously intense slide supervisor. Fear-based bonding? Maybe. But it worked. Ironically, they both started chiropractic school the same year—at rival programs, of course—and reconnected over holiday breaks and shared existential dread. Their trauma bond only grew stronger when they landed their first chiropractic jobs… at the same clinic. (That saga is for another day.) They lived across the street from each other, shared epic meals, hated their boss together, and still call each other weekly to question their career paths and talk each other off the ledge. Kyle may have ditched Michigan for Boston, but Ashley is already scheming his return to reunite the bone-cracking band. Because some friendships are so solid, they survive bad bosses, long-distance, and every questionable life pivot in between.

Ethan’s favorite cousin (sorry to all other cousins—you knew this was coming). His love for Colorado began the moment baby Abbie was born and he flew out to meet the newest family member, only to realize a few years later—after she loudly exclaimed “Check out the rack on that one” at a deer during a road trip—that he hadn’t just gained a cousin, but a soulmate in sarcasm. Their bond deepened on a fateful trip to Philadelphia, where Ethan was tasked with escorting Abbie to a concert to meet her future music professor. She froze in awe, deer-in-headlights style, and Ethan had to step in to save the moment—an early glimpse at the protective, meddling big brother role he never asked for, but fully embraced. Through the years, Ethan has always made time to visit her on work trips, treating her to nice dinners with a few… creative company card charges. On hikes that should take 30 minutes (but somehow become 3-hour journeys thanks to either her floral admiration or hangover pacing), they share deep convos—often featuring Ethan’s “advice,” which may or may not be helpful. Abbie is more like a little sister than a cousin, and whether she wanted a big brother or not, she got one in Ethan—and he’s never letting go.

Alyssa came into our family two years ago, but it feels as though she has been part of us far longer. As Matthew’s partner she has stood beside him through one of the most challenging seasons of his life. Her unwavering love, patience, and steadiness during his recovery after his accident is something I will never be able to fully thank her for. She is a nurse by profession, but caregiving is not just her career — it is who she is at her core. She shows up quietly, consistently, and with extraordinary strength. In a family as big and expressive as ours, Alyssa carries a calm presence that grounds the room. Even when life has been heavy, even when emotions have run high, she has remained loyal and committed to my brother with a grace that speaks volumes. I could not imagine this day without her. She may have entered our lives as Matthew’s girlfriend, but she stands beside me as the sister I am so grateful to gain.

Kevin and Ethan met at GM on Ethan’s first day — two fresh engineers sitting side by side at orientation with no idea they were about to lock in a decade-long friendship. Kevin is the kind of friend everyone needs: dependable, always down for anything, and usually the first to say yes to an adventure. He is also, respectfully, one of the most questionable cooks we know. His legendary “water chicken” has been described as many things — none of them edible. When alcohol enters the equation, Kevin transforms from responsible systems engineer at Waymo to full chaos coordinator. Highlights include climbing into bed with Ethan at his own bachelor party and inventing the concept of raccoon French fries. We won’t elaborate. Ethan signed Kevin’s ketubah at his wedding to Danielle in Sonoma last September — a true honor. Now Kevin gets to return the favor, which feels fitting given he’s been signing off on questionable decisions with Ethan for over a decade. He’s loyal. He’s steady. He’s always there. And whether Ethan is the responsible one or not depends entirely on the BAC levels in the room.