It all started with "Take Your Daughter to Work Day:" Second-grade Emily and kindergarten Kenzie making photocopies of our handprints, showing off our "Junior City Planner" badges, and our parents joking about how she should date my brother, Noah. Fast-forward a few years and not only have she and Noah been together for 6 years, but we are now both nurses on the same unit at the Buffett Cancer Center! Kenz has been there for me through the highs and lows of growing up and I love her like a sister (and I'm counting on it to be official one day!)

Most current and prior college students are no strangers to the roommate gamble. “Randomly assigned roommate” can result in sharing a dorm with either a terrific or horrendous stranger. Tyler was recruited to live in Maverick Village the summer prior to our sophomore year by another roommate, Logan. The afternoon Tyler moved in, I realized I knew him from having climbed together all previous spring semester. Needless to say, he turned out to be a phenomenal roommate and friend. An avid climber, fellow coffee addict, and genuinely great guy, Tyler and I continue to pursue shenanigans together in Las Vegas, NV, where we both currently work.

I’ve known Eric my whole life…literally. As my oldest brother he’s always been a source of wisdom and sage advice; to this day I still call him for both. My first salute as a commissioned officer, Eric has been in attendance at several pivotal events in my life and I’m ecstatic to have him with me come April 18th.

I met Olivia in our very first college class on the first day of freshman year at Rockhurst University, and I don't know how I ever made it through my first 18 years of life without her! Between surviving nursing school together, being roommates, running 1/2 marathons, traveling to Uganda, and being in the same sorority, we pretty much did everything together. Fun Fact: We figured out freshman year that if Daniel and I got married, Olivia and I would be cousin-in-laws-once-removed or something, since her sister is married to Daniel's cousin. AND IT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING! Liv is an ICU nurse and recently became a nurse for the United States Army. She now lives in Washington state and even though I miss her like crazy, I'm so proud of her!

The bond doesn’t get much closer than identical triplet and its been an absolute blessing to grow up alongside Michael and Shaun. To say we did everything together is certainly not an exaggeration; up until we parted ways for college, we had the same friend group, same summer job, and participated in the same activities. I credit much of the success I have had to pure triplet rivalry and support. Michael, a lawyer, was instrumental in motivating me to pursue a career in law.

I met Sarah in college through our sorority, Alpha Sigma Alpha. Sarah is one of those people who makes everyone around her feel their best, and our countless wine nights and conversations about life, love, and faith over the years have led to one of the truest friendships of my life. She sometimes knows what I'm thinking even before I do, and we accidentally show up in the same clothes on a regular basis. Sarah is a CPA with KPMG and lives in Kansas City. I'll forever miss living 4 houses down from her on Harrison Street, but I'm so glad she's still only three hours away!

Growing up, Lauren, her sister Tessa, and I were the 3 girl cousins heavily outnumbered by our boy cousins. They are the sisters I never had, and we even grew up in the same neighborhood. Lauren recently graduated from University of South Dakota and is now a nurse on the Progressive Care Unit at the Buffett Cancer Center, (2 floors down from where Kenzie and I work!). Lauren's positive energy is contagious, and I'm so happy to have her back in Omaha!

Shaun is the third brother of the Florance trio. His absolute love of climbing is unmatched and it’s a sport we both share a deep passion of. We talked about climbing so frequently that Michael has recently picked it up with a fervor. The three of us are still trying to figure out triplet telepathy, but maybe there’s a climbing trip in our future…

The oldest of Emily’s two brothers, Noah has always made me feel like a true member of the Fanslau family with his outgoing and inclusive attitude. It’s been awesome getting to know him and Alex over the last several years during weddings, ski trips, and lazy “couch potato” days. I’m excited to have them both as brothers-in-law.

My cousin and Lauren’s sister. Along with Lauren, the 3 of us grew up hanging out almost every day, and most of my childhood memories involve them. Tessa a sweetheart with an awesome sense of humor, and she's planning on going to PA (Physician Assistant) school after she graduates from UNL.

The youngest of Emily’s two brothers, Alex has to be one of the most enthusiastic people I’ve ever met. His high-energy nature and friendly personality were, just like Noah, key in helping me feel like a member of their family.

I met Emily in college through our sorority, ASA. She is Em is a school teacher and lives in Kansas City with her husband, Josh. She is one of the sweetest people you'll ever meet and has been an amazing source of wedding planning wisdom! Em & Josh model a beautiful marriage, and it's been so fun to talk to her about it all as I'm preparing for married life with Daniel!

Who knew that the girl from Michigan who I sat next to on the first day of work orientation would end up being one of my bridesmaids! We bonded over having just moved back to Omaha and being new grad nurses together. She is always up for anything, from Pint Nite or the Taco Ride, to 8:30 PM Sunday night Mass after long weekend shifts, and I'm so grateful for her friendship.

A now-mustachioed gentleman I met my freshmen year of college, both Andrew and I commissioned into the Air Force from AFROTC Det 470 and subsequently joined the Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) community. A family man of unfaltering character, Andrew is easily one of the best people I know and it has been a privilege to have him as a friend all these years. We spent a lot of time together in college, and the holidays aren't the same without catching up over a whiskey.

Caitlyn is my cousin Ryan's wife, and they just welcomed their first baby, Luke, in September! Caitlyn has been around our crazy family forever and growing up she was one of my biggest role models (and still is!). I'm honored that she is one of my go-to gals on my wedding day!

Another friendship born of AFROTC, Tim’s commitment to faith and the Church has never ceased to amaze me and has been critical in further developing my own relationship with God. Of all the great things about moving back to Omaha, the opportunity to renew our weekly trip to Brazenhead is one I look most forward to.

Emily: “As my cousin of the same age, from Wee School, through elementary school at St. Columbkille, through high school at Gross Catholic, Nate was my first best buddy and has been a part of so much of my life. He went to Morningside College to play football and also pursued a degree in nursing! Nate is an ER/Trauma nurse, and this past Fall made the move from Bergan Mercy Medical Center in Omaha to become a travel nurse out in LA! When he’s not saving lives, Nate can be found snowboarding on the slopes of Colorado, and his "go for it" attitude recently led him to earning the title 'Mr. Supranational!' I’ve always looked up to him (literally and figuratively) and I’m so happy he will be a part of my wedding day!”

Kara lived down the hall from me freshman year of college at Rockhurst, and we later became “bunk mates” in our sophomore year 6-girl-2-bedroom townhouse. Kara also moved back to Omaha after college and is a history and theology teacher. She married her husband, Chandler, this past December! Kara has always been there for me through the thick and thin, and I’m so happy that she will be there with me on my wedding day!

The 4-year-old son of Ryan and Molly Lucas (Emily’s cousins). When I heard him respond to the question “What do you want to drink?” with “I want coffee!!!” I knew he was perfect for the position of ring bearer.

My future first niece! The daughter of Daniel's older brother, Eric, and my almost-sister-in-law, Cristin. This will be Emery's 3rd time being a Flower Girl, so she's pretty much a professional. :)