Jaclyn and Madison grew up in the church together, but were separated after Madison’s family moved to Campton Hills. As fate would have it, Caden and Madison shared classes together in high school right around the time that he and Jaclyn started dating. Remembering each other from elementary school, the two reconnected through Caden and rekindled a friendship at the beginning of 2020 through FaceTime and online video games during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the 5 years since reconnecting, they have grown ever closer to each other and remain important pieces of each others’ lives.

Elaina and Jaclyn met in their freshman year of college during their Old Testament Literature class and ended up in the same friend group that formed during their first weeks at school. Sharing a suite in their junior year of school allowed them to form a strong bond and lead them to sharing an apartment in their senior year. After doing practically everything together for the past two years, they’ll be standing beside each other as they both get married this summer.

Courtney and Jaclyn worked at the same summer camp together for three summers, and hung out after work almost every day. Through Bachelorette nights at Caden’s house, weekend trips to Six Flags, and a trip to Atlanta, they have shared many great memories together that have formed a very special friendship.

Morgan is Jaclyn’s younger sister by only thirteen months, making them very close siblings. Of course, this means that they have shared countless moments together (and even a bedroom for some time), making her an integral part of Jaclyn’s life.

Kelsey is Jaclyn’s little sister who is four years younger. Although they haven’t been home at the same time together since 2019, they are always looking forward to more midnight chats after Kelsey gets home from dance and when Jaclyn visits home.

Paige is Caden’s younger sister. She met Jaclyn for the first time on the same retreat at which Caden and Jaclyn sparked a relationship together. Luckily for Caden, she was willing to come with him to see Jaclyn the very next day, and has since become another sister to her.

After meeting at Hope College in the basement of their residence hall, Jack and Caden became friends almost instantly. Although Caden and Jaclyn had only been dating for a few months when they met, Jack quickly made friends with her as well, and has been an integral part of their relationship ever since. For four years, he has hosted Caden on every visit to Michigan, which always includes some time for them to golf, go to a bar, or play video games together. Their friendship might be just as long-distance as Caden and Jaclyn’s relationship, but Jack has remained Caden’s closest friend since they met five years ago.

RJ and Caden met in high school through a mutual friend, and realized that they had quite a lot in common by the time that the COVID-19 pandemic forced them into a FaceTime friendship. With Jaclyn, Madison, and RJ, Caden was able to suffer through a very isolating springtime, building a relationship able to withstand the distance between their hometown and RJ’s school in Virginia. Phone games and FaceTime movies have defined their relationship for the past few years, but they nevertheless have continued to support and rely on each other through everything.

Zack and Caden met through a young adults group at church, and immediately recognized the movie lover in each other. They formed their initial connection through their love for Letterboxd and incessant conversations about their favorite movies, but have since fortified their bond through spiritual fellowship. In a relatively short amount of time, Zack has become a cornerstone of Caden’s life through their faith in God and their love for Capital C Cinema.

Although they became friends some years ago, they hadn’t seen each other in a while when Michael asked Caden if he wanted to catch up. Over a cigar and a drink, they rekindled an old relationship and began a monthly tradition. Because of Michael’s job, he is only home for small stretches at a time, so it is always a treat for them to spend a long evening together talking about life, work, relationships, and God.

Kyle is Caden’s younger brother by four years, and over the years, he has brought an incredible amount of imagination and joy into his life. Many of the childhood memories he holds most dear are ones we’re all fairly certain he dreamed up himself, but that’s always been part of his charm. Despite the age difference, they’ve shared countless meaningful moments, and his constant presence and humor have made him an irreplaceable part of Caden’s life.