Wedding Party

Vera Capotrio: Matron of Honor

Vera is my older sister. She and I often shared a room together as children and shared an apartment from 2000 to 2002, so she knows me well. She is married to Michael Capotrio, my awesome bro-in-law, and they have one son Ryan, who loves my dinosaur stories. She is definitely the best sister and friend any bride could ever ask for. I am so grateful for all of the confidence she has inspired in me and the comfort she continually shares. She has always made me feel important and loved. I am so grateful for her special skills in pampering and for all of the help she has given in the wedding preparations. Brent and I could not have planned this shindig without her.

Debbie DeYoung Dudley: Bridesmaid

Debbie and I went to high school together. Debbie is married to Paul, one my favorite friend-husbands, and I was fortunate to be a bridesmaid at their wedding. They have two sons Matthew and Nathan and live in Plainfield, Illinois. In high school, Debbie and I would study trigonometry together, so it is fair to say that she is the key ingredient to my success in high school and college math. I need her concrete insights to balance my…look a squirrel. Debbie also challenged and continues to challenge me to live in faith and serve God with fervent commitment. I will never forget, when we were still teenagers, she reminded me to make God first in all of my goals and ambitions and look for a good man who did the same. Thanks so much Deb for always praying for me and making me a part of your family.

Kimberly Beasey: Bridesmaid

Kimberly and I have been friends since college, and she is a fantastic driver. She offered her time, friendship, and energy to move me to New York City and California. On the New York trip, we used Kimberly’s family conversion van to carry over 200 books to NYC that remained in boxes the 11 months I lived there. We also had a great time driving the highways and byways of the east coast and the west coast, and even stopped in San Antonio to see the Alamo. I have also been fortunate to see both her children TJ and Lena grow up, and she never failed to mention how much she missed them and her husband Josh on all the trips we took. I am so grateful for fun memories we share and the friendship I share with her and her entire family.

Lorna Williams: Bridesmaid

I did not know one person in California when I moved to Riverside, but I found a room to rent with a new home owner, Lorna Bell, now Lorna Williams. Soon after I moved in, we started training for triathlons together, competing in local 5ks, attending church retreats, playing church softball and volleyball, and going to the movies with her brother Dave and our good friend Lusy. When I moved to Riverside, I thought if I did not like it, I would only stay for a couple of months and return to Florida. It was my friendship with Lorna that helped me get connected to my home here in California. Like Debbie and Paul, I was so happy to be a bridesmaid at Lorna and her husband Jason’s wedding, and so grateful to be a member of her family too.

Lusy Sandoval: Wedding Coordinator

Since I moved to California in 2004, I have only missed one Thanksgiving with Lusy and her mom Teresa. Who do you have Thanksgiving with? I celebrate with my family that Lusy and Teresa have become. I cannot miss an invitation to Lusy’s house for a yummy dinner and good company and possibly a recorded episode of American Idol or Oprah interview. Lusy continues to share her home and culinary talents with not just me, but all of her friends. I am also so grateful for the freedom to be myself with Lusy. She has seen me cry, complain, gripe, and lament over one thing or another and jetlag out of my mind after long international trips. Yet, she continues to call me friend and even sister. Thanks Lus for your friendship and of course, all of your help with the wedding.

Tim Patronski: Best Man

Tim and Brent began their friendship as running mates – literally – back in 1995 in the Ecology House dorm at Cornell, where Brent was a Resident Advisor (RA) at the time. Hundreds of trail miles spent solving the all world’s problems (as well as each other’s) later, and the two had developed a rich and fulfilling friendship. In addition to an affinity for trail running, Brent and Tim share a love of the outdoors, the environment, and seeing new places. Together, they’ve road tripped through New Zealand, gotten nauseous ascending the highest peak in the lower 48 states, witnessed the Frozen Four (i.e., the NCAA hockey championship), and been detained for questioning at the Canadian border, among many other adventures. Tim is a devoted friend across time and distance, and a man of the highest character and integrity. Brent is proud and humbled that Tim has agreed to be his Best Man on what promises to be the most important day of his life. Tim and his wife Kate, along with their young daughters Sofia and Anna, have journeyed from St. Paul, MN for the wedding.

Sonny Portacio: Groomsman

Brent first met Sonny in the small group Bible study the latter led a long time ago (2005) in a galaxy far, far away (San Marcos). They quickly discovered that they had much in common, including a love of games, sci-fi / fantasy, comic books, and technology. In short, they’re both geeks. For many years the pair has nourished their bodies, souls, and friendship in fulfilling conversation over sushi dinners of mythic proportions that consistently stun both the wait staff and fellow patrons at their favorite haunt. Brent fondly recalls walking with Sonny through his own love story, meeting Sandy and transitioning from cool bachelor dude to cool husband and father dude, after which Brent took over leadership of the single’s Bible study vacated by his newly nuptualed friend. Sonny is a great example to all who know him, and when God dispersed fun talents and hobbies to His people, the machine got stuck on Sonny for an epoch. Among his skills are web site design, this amazing example included. Brent and Berniece are grateful beyond words for Sonny and Sandy’s endless generosity in helping out with this and many other wedding-related details. Without their help, the happy couple would have eloped to Vegas with fat Elvis presiding.

Jeff Peruski: Groomsman

Brent also spent time in a small group Bible study led by his friend Jeff, and in a rerun of romantic proportions, likewise assumed the mantle of leadership when Jeff met and married his wife Marti. Jeff is far from a geek, however, and his shared interests with Brent include fitness, a passion for baseball, and a love of exploring National Parks. For many years now, Brent and Jeff have taken an annual excursion to one such Park, road tripping through the countryside and trekking across the wilderness on the longest, most demanding hikes that the park rangers will disclose without requiring a waiver. The list of such magnificent destinations includes Zion, Bryce Canyon, Big Bend, Redwoods, and Glacier. The two have forged a close bond over countless miles of backcountry adventures, shared prayers, and viewsheds of breathless landscapes. Jeff has consistently proven to be an outstanding role model for what a Godly and devoted husband and father should be, setting the bar high for Brent in his own impending marriage. In return, Brent has cajoled Jeff into the cult of trail runners. It is a credit to Jeff’s commitment to their friendship that he still agreed to serve as a groomsman.

Matt Amster: Groomsman

The most poignant testament to this friendship is that Matt is a Yankees fan, and still Brent loves him. The two met as Big Red freshmen in Chemistry 215 (“Chemistry for Sadists”), and since that time have been lab-mates, roommates, teammates, and even ROGAINE-mates. Having little to do with hair (unless you count pulling it out in frustration), in orienteering circles “ROGAINE” is an acronym of murky origin that describes a 24-hour event in which competitors scour a 100 km² swath of beautiful wilderness for small orange and white control markers. The fact that Brent and Matt not only do this of their own volition, coupled with the inexplicable joy they derive in doing so, underscores the bedrock trait that the two share most deeply: insanity. Among his many noteworthy accomplishments, including building a great family with wife Rebecca, Matt currently holds the record for most mentions in Brent’s “annual” (ahem!) Christmas epistle. Matt has been a tremendously stalwart friend over the past 20+ years, and Brent was honored to have served as a groomsman in his wedding. He currently resides in Miami, FL and has escaped the local irritants of summer weather, mosquitoes, and LeBron James to graciously reciprocate.