Grace and I met during our time at UVA where we split a little room lovingly called the pigsty. We have attended many UVA basketball games together and she is the first one to get us all down on the dance floor. She knows how to have the most fun with her creative art projects, cute holiday decorations, and delicious cocktails. She is not only my style inspiration but also inspires me to be a better person with her positive attitude and great love for all her friends. Grace has a passion for helping rural areas around the country and now works in D.C. with the national association of counties.

Sarah and I met our first year at UVA and lived together our last two years there. I was lucky enough to have Sarah as a quarantine buddy in the spring of 2020 and we spent lots of time biking around Cville and mastering our tennis and beer pong games. Sarah is one of the most adventurous people I know and she is always down for anything. Whether its sledding in the dark or April Fool's pranking the boys house or just going for a walk, you can always count on Sarah to be excited about it. Some of my favorite memories with her are sitting out on our little house's porch doing homework and chatting.

Katie and I met our first year at UVA as I sat across the table from her at church dinner and she and I struggled through our first year at UVA together. We then ended up living in the White House, a house full of 16 girls, our second year. We had so much fun living together that we decided to share a room for our 3rd year. Katie and her husband Isaac just made a big move to the big Apple where she began her new job working for Goldman Sachs !

Mads and I met during summer swim team in the summer of 2003 and have been friends ever since! She is a year older than me and has always taken me under her wing as we attended the same elementary, middle, and high school and eventually ended up at UVA together! Some of my favorite memories with her are hanging out at the pool all day playing hide n seek and spying on boys as well as attempting to make dinner over the fire together during our summer as camp counselors.

Georgia and I met during our time as PT school classmates at VCU, go Rams! We have spent many a late night studying and drinking wine together - who said grad school can't be fun?! Georgia has lots of love for so many things including pho, her friends and family, and most of all K-pop. She and her roommate, Allie, have made me feel like a third roommate and have made Richmond feel like home! Georgia also went to UVA and we've enjoyed watching our man, Tony Bennett, and the Hoos win lots of games together.

Whenever Allie and her puppy Mika come into your life, your day is sure to get brighter. They are the dynamic duo that love unconditionally. Allie, Mika, and their roomie, Georgia, are so good at celebrating their friends and making life the most fun. From bringing Brendan and I champagne the night we got engaged to supplying us with pineapple cups for our time in Hawaii to helping me find a wedding dress, they are always there to make the most out of life together! Allie is also in PT school at VCU and is also a yoga instructor and army reserve member - she truly does it all!

Caroline and I met our first year at UVA and lived together all 4 years. I met her in our first year dorm bathroom and was immediately in awe of her outgoing fun personality. I would have never guessed I would be lucky enough to call her one of my best friends one day! Caroline loves with her whole heart and will do anything for her friends. If you've met her you love her! She is so full of life and I don't think I saw anyone laugh or cry as much as Caroline during my 4 years at UVA. Caroline now works on Capitol Hill doing big things for our country!

Kerith and I also met our first year at UVA and lived together our fourth year there. We have been sticking to the same cities ever since as we both spent a year in Charlottesville after graduation and then moved to Richmond. It has been such a gift to share cities with Kerith during these transition periods. Even when life is really crazy, I know I can go for a walk with Kerith and everything feels better. She is one of the most giving people I know and has a class full of 2nd graders who she pours her heart into. Brendan and I have loved having game nights and making fun drinks with Kerith and her husband Paul here in Richmond.

Lexi and I met during our time at UVA when she started dating one of Brendan's best friends, Julian, and she quickly became a good friend of mine as well. During our second year at UVA, Julian, Brendan and a few other of our friends started BOFA the band! Throughout the years, Lexi and I have spent many hours together being serenaded by our boys #blessed. From Coupe's at 1am in 35 degree weather, to Wofford college, to D.C., Lexi and I would travel anywhere to see Bofa play. I am so thankful to have a friend as caring, fun, and kind as Lexi!

When I was born, no one was happier than Kyle. He was eager to introduce "Brendan Charles Vachris" to everyone around. While we were growing up I did my best to make him reconsider this joy in being a big brother, because man did I noodge him at every opportunity. If we ever shared a bed together on family trips I made sure to stick my feet onto his side, and try anything to be as annoying as possibly. Despite my antics, he never stopped caring for me and looking out for me. For every new school I went to he had already paved the way, and when he went off to college he always welcomed me into his group of friends. We get along great to this day, and he truly is not only my best man, but my best friend.

I've never known life without Joey around. We grew up right across the street together and have never not been close friends. From toddlers to teens, college students to now young professionals (in the loosest of terms), Joey has been there for me every step of the way. And really our lives today don't seem that different from when we were 10. We still play basketball, argue about fantasy football, have sleepovers and hang by the beach. The only thing that's changed is perhaps the choice in beverages we consume. Joey is always the life of the party, so you'll have no trouble spotting him on the dance floor getting down to it!

Julian moved into Baylake Pines when we were in early elementary school, and he quickly became a core member of our friend group. He completes the "Big 3" with myself and Joey. Julian and I have always had similar interests, specifically in music dating back to our days in ZigZag Rock Band. After graduating high school I followed him to UVA, and for my first time away from home it was so amazing to still have a childhood best friend right down the road. While at UVA we attended plenty of UVA basketball games, attended plenty of Blue Motes happy hours, and started Bofa the Band. Julian and I still play in Bofa together to this day.

Charlie and I were at first just acquaintances from Church who chose each other as lockermates. Even though we never once used our locker we soon built a friendship that would last for the rest of high school and continue at UVA. It was at UVA where we cemented a legacy, when we became Founders and Co-Presidents of The SpongeBob Club. Charlie was the driving force behind the club, and I took on speaking duties at the meetings. Finally, during fourth year the club achieved “official school club status” to start receiving funding, and it continues to operate today. Charlie is very driven and intelligent. He graduated high school in the top 4 of his class and then graduated college a semester early, but he humbly operates with a hilarious and self-deprecating sense of humor.

James, or Jimmy as he is sometimes called, has a sense of humor that can be matched by few. Jimmy and I met freshman year at Cox and became friends through PE, the lunch table, and through the Life Teen youth group at Church. By Junior year we were more than just friends, but teammates. First on a rec baseball team self-named the Great Neck Allstars, then on a rec basketball team of the same name, and then finally on the 2016 State Champion Falcons Lacrosse team. Somehow Jimmy then went on to be a college swimmer, and is now serving in the Coast Guard. Too old for organized sports, today Jimmy and I mostly just reminisce about the glory days, while listening to our favorite artist Rod Stewart.

Hugh and I were first year roommates, brought together by the unknown algorithms created by UVA’s department of student housing. On move-in day we realized we had matching Nick Mangold #74 Jets jerseys, and became best friends. What followed were many late night trips to crossroads for chicken fingers, pickup basketball games, mario kart grand prix’s, arguments about football, and movie nights that went past sunrise. Fourth year we were again roommates at a house called “the Dad Pad”, with a bunk bed providing us ample space for activities. Hugh is incredibly smart and quick-witted, and is always good for a few laughs.

This wedding might not have existed if it weren’t for Sean! Living right across the hall from Hugh and I, Sean is who introduced me to Steph the second night of college, when a simple dorm hangout ended up going down in history. However, Sean did more than provide the circumstances for the soon-to-be-wed couple to meet. He also helped me work up my courage, with an all nighter between us in the dorm lounge culminating in me making plans to ask Steph on a date. Other than a great matchmaker, Sean is a loving pet owner, a very talented keyboardist/singer for Bofa, and an extremely loyal friend.

Nathan and I met first year at UVA and quickly became close friends through Intramural sports and Intervarsity Christian Fellowship. Second year we were roommates in the basement of a group house called “the Octagon”, when Nathan joined a select club of people to suffer through my snoring for an extended period of time. Nathan is always down for an adventure (as in a 30 hour drive to Colorado to go skiing), and is always down to stay up a little longer to hang out with you. In college he was voted to be “most often a groomsman”. He has certainly lived up to the title, which just goes to show how incredible of a friend he is to all.

Jesse is Steph’s little brother, and I first met him after Steph and I were dating for about a month. Jesse has been like a little brother to me ever since. However, ‘little’ is a bit of a misnomer here with Jesse towering over everyone in the wedding party. Jesse is a gentle giant though, with a very kind soul. He listens well, and speaks with a funny and unique vocabulary. He constantly is coming up with nicknames for all the people close to him. Ask him for Steph and I’s latest nickname! When the Ellena's go on their annual beach trip you can be sure to see Jesse and I up to some trickery together. When apart, one of our favorite activities is to play gamepigeon minigolf with each other to stay in touch.