Dr. Marci Macaraeg is my built-in best friend. We met on January 18th, 1988, and from that moment on, we were destined to be inseparable. Even though we’re only 11 months apart, you might expect a little rivalry—but not with Marci. As my Ate (older sister in Tagalog), she has never been anything but steady, loving, and supportive. She has always been my safe place, the person I confide in, and the woman I’ve looked up to my whole life. I am who I am because she loved me through every version of myself. Marci’s escort is her husband, Dr. Jason Patel.

Kay Jones, Esq. and I met in seventh grade at Hillcrest Middle School in drama class. We invented “Geek to Chic,” a little closet you could step into to transform your nerdiest self into a full fashionista. Kay is truly one of the smartest people I know. Even though she was in all the advanced classes and I was in the regular ones, it never stopped her from being one of my closest friends. Kay and I have been through every stage of life together. We’ve seen each other in our most stressful, questionable moments and celebrated one another through our happiest and most successful milestones. I had the honor of being her maid of honor, and it was a privilege I’ll always cherish. Kay’s escort is her husband, Jeff Jones, PharmD

Melinda Tsang, MBA, and I have one of the funniest friendship origin stories. We met in eighth grade, and I’ll admit—I was secretly jealous of her because she was close family friends with another childhood friend of mine. I used to hate that she got to hang out with her every weekend while I didn’t. But everything changed in high school when Melinda became part of our group, and we laughed together about my past “rivalry.” By college, she had become one of my closest confidants. During some of my hardest relationship moments, she never judged me—she simply supported me, lifted me up, and reminded me of my worth. I watched her pursue her Master’s program in Madrid, and we talked every single day on Google Messenger. Melinda has always been the logical one while I’ve been the chaotic friend. She never turned down a good time, but she was also the protector—the steady voice when I needed grounding. Melinda’s escort is her fiancé, Dustin Padua.

Kimberly Barnes is the best kind of friend—the one you meet later in life and immediately wonder how you ever existed without them. Kim and I first met working at Fitness 1 in 2018. I took her spin class, and she was such an incredible instructor that she inspired me to get my own spin certification. We weren’t close then, but fate clearly had plans. Our friendship truly blossomed in November 2023 when I ran into her while country line dancing. Through the crowd I heard, “Michele, is that you?” I turned around, saw Kim, and we hugged like no time had ever passed. In that moment, it felt like the invisible string theory of friendship—like we were always meant to find each other again. Looking back at our lives from 2018 to 2023, we both ask ourselves, what were we thinking? Because when 2024 began, that invisible string pulled tight. Our friendship carried us through some of the hardest, most emotional moments—through tears, anger, healing, growth, and ultimately discovering we were soulmates in friendship and even MEETING our soulmates that year! I had the honor of watching her get married, and now I cannot wait for her to stand beside me on my wedding day. Kim’s escort is her husband, John Barnes.

Jennifer Macaraeg, Realtor®, and Jimmy Macaraeg, Paramedic-Engineer, Los Angeles County Fire Department, are truly a couple I look up to. Jimmy is my brother, and I like to call him both my inspiration and my greatest test of patience. Growing up, I wanted to be just like him—he was always the “cool” one. Did he bully me? Absolutely. But even then, he had a tenacity and confidence I knew I wanted to carry into adulthood. I’ve watched my brother evolve through every era: the “IDGAF, I love my Honda Civic stick-shift” era, the mysterious Matrix-style leather jacket and slicked-back hair era (which is somehow when he met his future wife), the “time to take life seriously” era of school and the fire academy, and now my favorite era of all—devoted dad, loving husband, and Fire Paramedic-Engineer. He is still the coolest man I know, and I’ve always been so proud to call him my brother. Jennifer is my beautiful sister-in-law, and yes—she met my brother during his Matrix phase. When I first saw photos of her, I thought, “She looks like a Barbie… how did he get her?!” Thankfully, she took the blue pill and gave “Neo” a chance. She held my hair on my 21st birthday in Vegas, taught me how to sling drinks while dodging creepy guys, and was the one who answered the phone—and got my brother—whenever I got myself into trouble in college. I’ve watched her become an absolute rockstar Realtor® in Southern California. Honestly, she belongs on Selling Sunset. She is the best mom to my niece and nephew, the loudest cheerleader at every softball and baseball game, and always down for a margarita. I’m so grateful for her. I am beyond excited to have both Jennifer and Jimmy standing beside Ben and me on our big day.

Jeremy Robertson and Nikole Labonte are the dynamic duo we had the pleasure of meeting—and growing incredibly close to—through Ben and his hockey league, Only Dads. Jeremy is one of Ben’s groomsmen, and while he’s known for scoring goals on the ice, his greatest score of all was winning the heart of an amazing woman like Nikole. Nikole is one of our bridesmaids and will be accompanying Jeremy down the aisle. We are thrilled to celebrate not only our wedding, but also theirs—these two are getting married in November 2026! Nikole is a woman to admire. She thrives in her career as a surgical tech (and soon to be RN), and she is an incredible bonus mom to Jeremy’s girls. She even taught me how to cook “Marry Me Chicken”—and clearly, it worked!

Tarin Willett, M.Ed., is our officiant and Maid of Honor. Not only is she Ben’s sister, but she is also one of my closest and longest friends. We first knew each other back at Hillcrest Middle School, but we truly became friends in high school when we shared classes together. Even though we didn’t hang out much back then—she was definitely one of the “cool girls” getting invited to parties while I was in band living my best MySpace and Live Journal life—we always had a mutual respect for one another. As we grew older, we continued to follow each other’s lives through Facebook. In 2022, when my daughter Juliet was struggling in school after COVID and was placed on an IEP, I was scared, overwhelmed, and unsure of what any of it meant. I posted about it on Facebook, and among hundreds of comments, one stood out—Tarin’s. She reached out, comforted me, and assured me my concerns were valid. She even began tutoring Juliet and helped me understand her IEP. Over time, we became incredibly close, reminiscing about high school and bonding over our shared love of family and education. She inspired me to go back to school for Special Education and even guided me toward the TPP program in DVUSD. I would not be where I am professionally without her. As for Tarin and Ben—they like to joke that they had no choice but to be sidekicks in life. While Ben played hockey, Tarin figure-skated and managed to steal the hearts of everyone on his team. Through their fun rivalry, they grew extremely close as adults. Tarin supported Ben during his lowest moments and then watched him rebuild his life, become the most devoted father to two girls, and—thanks to her—meet the love of his life… me. Tarin means the world to both of us. She is the neutral ground when life gets complicated, the forgiving heart when many wouldn’t be, and the steady support in our growing family. We are deeply honored that she not only said yes to being my Maid of Honor, but also agreed to officiate our wedding. There is truly no one who knows our story better or who has watched our lives grow—separately and now together as a family.

Vivian is not only my former boss—she is my accountant and one of my longest and most trusted adult friends. We met in 2015 when I was hired as the Marketing Director for Sexton Pest Control. Vivian, the company Controller at the time, was the woman I reported to and quickly became someone I admired deeply. She would even watch Juliet in the office on days when I didn’t have a babysitter, all while I was out in the community marketing the company. When I eventually left the job, our friendship didn’t fade. We stayed connected through calls, texts, and of course our yearly tax meetings. She is truly the BEST tax person you could ever hope to have. Vivian has always given me honest advice, especially about not settling—in life, in love, or in my goals. She pushed me to expect more for myself when I didn’t always see it on my own. I can’t imagine our wedding day without her by my side.

Katie is my bestie both in and outside of work. We met as brand-new teachers at Deer Valley High School in 2024, and wow—have we both grown since then, professionally and personally. Katie is Deaf, and she has inspired me to learn and sign more. Even though she does everything she can to accommodate me in the hearing world, she’s patient with me as I sign… even when my signing is a hilarious mix of real ASL and whatever I’m trying to make up in the moment. In the Philippines, when someone mixes Tagalog and English together, we call it “Taglish.” My signing with Katie? Definitely Slangish! Katie isn’t just the friend who helped me grow as a teacher—she is the friend I needed for emotional support, the person I can trust with every wild story, and the one who never judges me. Our friendship has been such an unexpected blessing, and I’m so grateful she’s part of my life.

Juliet, I don’t know if “Junior Maid of Honor” is an official title, but no other title fits you better. You are my mini best friend, the one who made me a mommy, and the person who has walked beside me through every chapter of life. You have witnessed my highest highs and my hardest lows. You’ve grown with me through every love story and every heartbreak. And through it all, you’ve become such a mature, thoughtful, and incredible young woman. It is the greatest honor of my life to be your mom, and having you right next to me on this day means everything to me.

Oh, Lil Bean, Dad’s little mini-me. From the sarcasm, the gaming expertise, and the love for anime and comics—nobody could be more perfect as your dad’s Best-Woman. We don’t even know if that’s an official wedding title, but it doesn’t matter. There is no title more fitting for you than Dad’s best friend. Dad’s entire life changed the moment you were born. You saved him. You motivated him to build the life he has today. You were his guardian angel— and in many ways, mine too. Because without you, Dad wouldn’t have become the man I fell in love with. These past few years, I (Michele) am so grateful for the trust you’ve given me. It is an honor to be your bonus mom and an even bigger honor to watch you grow into the incredible person you are becoming. We love you so much, Lil Bean.

You’ll see Kelsey’s face all over All-Star softball championships, D1 colleges, and honestly—probably the Olympics someday. But to me, she will always be my very first niece. This little girl is one of the most competitive, driven, and fastest learners you will ever meet. Whatever athleticism came from the Macaraeg side… I’m convinced she got all of it, because the rest of the girls (my girls!) are definitely not this motivated! Kelsey, you have grown into such an incredible young woman, and I am so proud to have you by our side on our special day.

Gavin is our special guest of honor—the one we will absolutely have dino nuggets and pepperoni pizza on standby for. He might be the pickiest eater I’ve ever met, but God was even pickier… because He placed Gavin in the best family ever! I may be biased, but we truly have the best ring bearer in the world, and we cannot wait to see what attitude, confidence, and charm he brings down that aisle!

Little Astrid you were the BEST surprise our friend group could have ever imagined. We were all so unbelievably happy when your mommy announced she was pregnant with you! As much as I would love the hilarious moment of you freezing, crying, or refusing to walk down the aisle, I think you’ll feel most comfortable walking right alongside your mom and dad—and it will be the cutest thing ever. We are so excited to have you as part of our special day, sweet girl!

Charlize Our fierce little firecracker. You keep this family accountable, and you’re not afraid to tell the truth—even when it makes us low-key cry. But to me, you will always be my sweet, innocent little girl. Thank you for being Mommy’s protector and the best friend to your bonus sisters. Ben and I are so proud of your leadership… even though we’re also a tiny bit afraid of it! Charlize has insisted on making our wedding favors to share her talent as a jewelry maker, and she has been excited about every detail of the wedding aesthetic. She truly has an artistic eye and so much creativity. You are going to make the most beautiful Junior Bridesmaid, and we are so lucky to have you by our side on our special day.

Daisy Mae… where do we even start? You are the very best kind of chaos in our lives. No matter how you shake up our world, nothing ever takes away the love you bring or the way you complete our family of six. We are so incredibly proud of all the growth you’ve made in kindergarten and the growth you’ve made at our home — every step has been amazing to watch. You are Daddy’s little shadow, and even when you’re screaming through a meeting, he will always drop everything to come to your side. And you, my girly girl… my gossip queen… my partner for shopping trips, baking days, and all things sparkly — you bring so much joy into our home. One day, you will share our last name, and we dream of that day with full hearts. We are beyond excited, and we cannot wait to see you walk down that aisle with us on our special day.