“The family baker” is the perfect title for Adison because she really is just as sweet as everything she makes. She is caring, selfless, gentle, and always ready to offer comfort, wisdom, or simply be present when you need her. She lived with me during some of the early days of getting to know Josias, so she thankfully got a front-row seat to lots of joy, laughter, awkwardness, and way too much overthinking on my part. She has been there through so much of our story, and there is no one I would rather have as my Maid of Honor as I marry Josias. Having my little sister standing right beside me means more than I can say.

Adia is my older sister: wise, hilarious, quirky, and somehow, after growing up fighting like sisters do, one of my closest friends by the grace of God. She is always one call away and has learned that when I call her at an emotional high or low, it does not necessarily represent the actual state of my life—she just happens to be my emergency hotline. She listens, gives wisdom, makes me laugh, and brings me back down to earth. More than that, she has been such a sweet example to me of a wife who loves and serves her family well, and I am so grateful to have both her and my little niece, who she’s carrying, standing beside me.

Raquel is Josias’ sister, and although they spent most of their childhood fighting, everything changed when they had the privilege of attending seminary together in Guatemala, far from home. Apparently, a little distance from Mom and Dad was exactly what they needed to become close! Raquel is incredibly intelligent, genuinely loves others, and serves with excellence. Her perseverance through trials is something Josias deeply admires and is constantly challenged by. According to Josias, time spent with Raquel is always full of laughter and fun, but their meaningful conversations have also been a great source of encouragement to him. The only thing we don’t like about Raquel is that she lives 2,500 miles away! I cannot wait to finally meet her in person as we celebrate our two families becoming one. We are so thankful to God for Raquel and excited to have her be part of our special day!

Sydney is my bonus sister and brings an extra dose of fun, laughter, and wisdom to our family. She has been a sounding board for me countless times throughout dating, while also showing me so much patience and discernment as she navigated dating herself. We have shared plenty of laughs, tears, long conversations, and moments of completely pouring our hearts out to each other. Our friendship started as sisters in Christ, and now we officially get to be sisters in love—and I couldn't be more thankful.

Shinai is my other bonus sister and, after living together for over a year, has seen just about every side of me. We first connected through church, singing together in Spanish and English when I would stop by to play piano. That friendship grew into sharpening conversations, late nights, spontaneous coffee trips, movie nights, and plenty of tears as we have shared both sorrows and joys. She is such a calm, comforting presence while also being my favorite spontaneous adventure buddy (second only to Josias, of course). She is quick to serve, listen, and extend grace—which is very important when you live with me, as Josias will soon learn. I’m so thankful that somewhere along the way, a church friendship turned into family.

Alayna is one half of our couple besties and has loved me so faithfully through acts of service, consistent check-in texts (even when I am terrible at responding ), and genuine, humble conversations where we encourage and challenge one another in the Lord. Meanwhile, Josias and Mikie thoroughly enjoy joking with—or more accurately, bullying—us, which somehow makes the friendship even better. Alayna helping coordinate our engagement perfectly sums up the kind of friend she is: she prepared cookies, beautifully arranged the charcuterie, captured precious photos for us to treasure, and quietly made everything more beautiful. She has a gift for serving and adding beauty to the lives of the people she loves, and I am so thankful to be one of them.

Steph and I met at church while she was dating her now-husband, Sam—who will actually be leading worship on our wedding day! Our friendship has grown through coffee dates, prayer requests, long conversations, and simple Sunday morning check-ins. Steph loves me so well simply by living out her convictions. I have watched her faithfully serve her husband, our church, and the people around her, while consistently speaking grace, love, and wisdom into my life. We may not talk every day, but our friendship has always been genuine, intentional, and deeply rooted in our shared love for Christ. She is the kind of friend whose life encourages me just as much as her words do, and I am so grateful to have her standing beside me.

Mikie and I met at church about a year and a half ago, and he has become one of my closest friends. He is a faithful friend who is always just one phone call away, ready to listen, challenge, and encourage me. His wisdom, prayers, and support have been a tremendous blessing, especially throughout my relationship with Avery. Mikie and his wife Alayna have become some of our closest friends, and the four of us have shared countless laughs, meaningful conversations, and great memories. Although, to be fair, most of our time together consists of bullying each other. Two things you should know about Mikie: he’s a HUGE 49ers fan and absolutely LOVES green grapes. Trust me, just ask him! I’m incredibly thankful to God for his friendship and honored to have him standing beside me as my Best Man.

Josué is my cousin, so I’ve had the privilege of knowing him pretty much my entire life! It’s been such a joy to watch him grow and mature over the years (although he still has a LONG way to go, haha). Josué is one of the most genuine people I know, and without a doubt, he has one of the best senses of humor. Our conversations usually revolve around all the different areas of life where we need to “lock in,” which always leaves us both encouraged and challenged. I’m proud of the man he’s becoming and excited to see what the Lord has in store for his future. I’m so thankful to have him standing by my side on this special day!

Kaden is Avery’s younger brother and one of the funniest guys you’ll ever meet. There is truly never a dull moment with him! Growing up, Kaden was so much more than just a little brother to Avery. He was one of her very best friends, someone she could laugh with endlessly, make memories with, and count on through every season of life. Their friendship is something Avery treasures deeply, and she knows that no matter how much life changes, Kaden will always be someone she can turn to in both joy and sorrow. Beyond his humor, Kaden loves others deeply and sincerely. He is genuine, kind, and has a way of bringing joy to everyone around him. You can usually find him playing spikeball, hanging out with friends, driving his truck around Oregon, or at the center of a group making everyone laugh. He also loves playing guitar, singing, and serving his church. Kaden was also part of the special day Josias asked Avery to officially be his girlfriend! Avery thought Kaden had already left town, but little did she know he had stayed behind to help Josias pull off the surprise. And a fun fact: Kaden actually held Josias’ hand before Avery ever did (at the Hillside Church Picnic in 2025!) We are so thankful for Kaden and couldn’t imagine celebrating our special day without him!

Kenyon is Avery’s brother, our family handyman, and quite possibly one of the most fearless people we know! Whether he’s flipping an entire house or casually doing front and backflips off questionable heights, there isn’t much that scares him. But most importantly, he is a man who fears the Lord. One of the things we admire most about Kenyon is his deep love for his family and his willingness to sacrifice for those he loves. Avery has always known that no matter how busy life gets or how far apart they may be, Kenyon would be there in a heartbeat if she needed him. We both deeply respect his commitment to loving and leading his wife, Sydney, caring for his family, and standing firm in his biblical convictions. He is someone we admire not just for all the things he can do, but for the man he is and his desire to honor Christ with his life. We are so thankful to God for Kenyon and are glad he will be celebrating with us on our wedding day!

I met Jolloyd at Foundry, our church’s young adults group. At first, I always thought he was a mysterious guy, but as I got to know him, I discovered someone who deeply loves God and others. He’s always willing to use his gifts to serve those around him, and I know I can count on him to show up when I need him. Jolloyd also happens to be my personal barber! He cut my hair the day I proposed to Avery, and he’ll probably be cutting it the day before our wedding. That’s a privilege you don’t trust just anyone with! Jolloyd is a faithful friend who genuinely cares for others, and I’m excited to see what God has in store for his future.

Gabriel is another pastor at our church, but more importantly, a dear friend. Our conversations can go from philosophy and theology of worship to coffee, investing, managing money wisely, or even building your own home gym. If you ever observe the two of us together, you’ll probably conclude that we’re a couple of immature guys, but I promise that’s not the case (we’re just having fun, haha). Beyond all the laughs, Gabriel is someone who deeply cares for others. The way he faithfully serves God, the church, and his family is an example I genuinely admire. I’m grateful for his friendship, the conversations we share, and the opportunity to serve alongside him. It’s a joy to have him standing beside me on our wedding day!

Jesse is not only a fellow pastor and ministry partner, but also a faithful friend. He’s the guy I know I can turn to when I need someone to tell me what I DON’T want to hear. Our first conversation was at Bossman’s Pizza, where he discovered that I have absolutely no tolerance for spicy food. Jesse is an example of excellence in everything he does, and I’m grateful that I get to serve alongside him every day. You can ask him anything, from how to grill the perfect tri-tip to why he believes Paul is describing his pre-conversion experience in Romans 7, and you’ll always get a thoughtful answer. He’s also made several attempts to convince me that light roast coffee is superior, but I’m afraid he still has some work to do on that one. We share a very similar perspective on ministry and life, which has made our friendship even more meaningful. I’m thankful to have him standing beside me on this special day!

Jono was Josías and Avery’s young adults pastor throughout their entire relationship and now serves as the lead pastor of their church. In fact, he was the first person Josías went to when he became interested in Avery and wanted to know more about her! Since then, Jono has always been willing to meet Josías for a Costco pizza lunch date, listen as he processed his relationship with Avery, and offer some much-needed wisdom. Avery had the privilege of knowing Jono and his wife, Camilla, before Josías even came to the United States. Since meeting the Burlini's, she has felt deeply shepherded, loved, and cared for by them both. Together, they have been faithful friends, always ready to lend a helping hand, share a delicious meal, or offer godly counsel. It has been especially sweet to walk alongside them through seasons of waiting on the Lord, the joy of welcoming a new child, and the sorrow of losing a loved one. Through each season, their faith has been so evident, and their example of wholly trusting in and submitting to Christ has been a tremendous encouragement to us. We deeply admire Jono’s passion for the gospel, sound doctrine, and faithful shepherding of the church. He’s truly a great guy. His only flaw? He’s a Manchester United fan, which tells you just how much (or how little) he knows about soccer. Despite that, we couldn’t be more thankful for Jono and Camilla’s friendship and for the privilege of having Jono officiate our wedding!

Sam is a dear friend, brother in Christ, and someone we both deeply admire! His sincere love for the Lord, heart for worship, and commitment to serving the church are evident in the way he lives his life. We deeply admire the way he loves and faithfully leads his wife, Steph, and the example they set in their marriage. Sam has been a wonderful friend, spiritual encouragement, and co-laborer in ministry. His wisdom, encouragement, and commitment to biblical truth have been such a blessing to us. We are so thankful for his friendship and couldn't be more excited to have him lead us in worship as we begin our marriage together!