The Bridal Party
The Bridesmaids - written by Julie
Jill Winar - Maid of Honor
Jill is my younger sister, who is currently living in California finishing her fashion merchandising degree. Growing up we were like night and day, but shared a room by choice. As we get older, we grow closer together, even though we are living on opposite coasts.
Sarah Fox
I met Sarah when my family switched churches when I was in tenth grade. We both decided to attend Cedarville University, and were roommates all four years. That's pretty rare! She is a wonderful friend, Godly example, and great encourager.
Stephanie Warth
I have known Steph since my family moved to Brecksville in first grade. Our family's have been friends since and enjoyed great times together. In school our teachers always said it was like we were connected at the hip. We participated in many sports together from gymnastics shows when we were in elementary school to softball and four years of highschool swimming. We even coached a 7-8 year old girls coach pitch team together.
D'Andra Schwabel
I met D'Andra through a mutal friend our junior year at Cedarville. We were roommates at an apartment off campus our senior year. We had a fun time in our kinda gross and ghetto apartment. We always tease her about her receipts. We loved to go have cook-outs at the park down the street.
Ellen Swenson
Ellen and I were in the same unit together our first year of college and had the same major. She somehow always got all her work done and went to bed very early. Winter quarter we had the exact same schedule, so I decided I was going to try to shadow her, so I could get to bed earlier. I tried, but it didn't work. I would always find someone to talk to, when I was suppose to be studying like Ellen. She is a wonderful wife, mother, and woman of God.
Heather Klassen
It is so great to gain another sister, especially because she is older. I always wanted an older sibling, even though it is only by a few months. I remember being terrified to meet her for the first time because Chris had told me she was the ultimate test. Then, I saw a picture of her and was like "Oh, no she's pretty too!" But she was great and made me feel very welcome. It also helped that we are both education majors and had lots to talk about.
Jennifer Ashton
We grew up together! Jenn is my cousin and we are just about the same age. I have so many great memories of family parties and holidays. Then, as we grew older, we would talk on the phone or just hang out as friends.
Lisa Eckert
After college I moved to Virginia to teach. That is where I met Lisa. She moved to Virginia from California the same year to teach at the same school. I lived with her and 4 other girls in a 3 bedroom townhouse with only 2 bathrooms for about 2 weeks, but only one shower could be on at a time to have any water pressure. We all worked at the same place. It was like being at summer camp. It was a fun time. We did many fun things together. Lisa is a great teacher, but wild and crazy when she is not stressed out from school. I learned a lot from her about teaching.
Jubilee Winar - Flowergirl
What can I say? She is my baby sister and quite a character. She is a blend of both Jill and myself. Great swimmer, listener, and excellent student! She has a bookbag on one shoulder and a purse filled with make-up on the other. As I am old enough to have been her mom, it is even more incredible to see God working in her life at such a young age. I remember just a few months ago, how she told me on the phone that she was getting baptized and when I asked her why? She said in a dumbing way, "Jesus did. That's why."
The Groomsmen
Steve Gimple - Best Man
Steve was my roommate for 1 year at Wheaton. He transferred after his sophomore year to the University of Kansas to study and be closer to his family and girlfriend, now wife, Ginger. He now lives in Nashville, TN doing his residency at Vanderbilt University.
Dave Prahl
I met Dave in Virginia, where he moved to be with his fiancee, Christine. He's a middle school teacher, coach for like 800 teams and enjoys vegetables and the Green Bay Packers.
Jared Winar
Jared is Julie's youngest brother. He's a 9th grader and is the hardest working person I've ever known.
Jesse Curry
Jesse was my roommate at Wheaton for 3 years and my teammate on the baseball team for 1 year. He's in Army now, currently in Iraq. He and his wife Sarah and their son Samuel live outside of Manhattan, KS.
Jordan Winar
Jordan is Julie's younger brother. He's a freshman at Cedarville and, like every other prospective youth pastor, he enjoys playing the guitar.
Paul Shumway
Paul is one of my homies from Wheaton. He and I took probably the best trip of my life when we drove from Michigan to Steamboat Springs, CO for a week of off-roading. I got fried by the sun, but it was awesome. He currently lives in London, which means he gets to scream at his beloved Red Sox from across the pond.
Toby Ward
Toby was my roommate in Virginia for about a year and a half. I met him at Calvary Road Baptist Church, where he was the first person at church to really talk to me. We talked about golf, and got to go to the one of the practice rounds at the 2001 Masters. Julie and I attended his wedding to the former Heather Oellermann in St. Louis in 2002.
Wes Klassen
Wes is my brother-in-law. I had the honor of being one of his groomsmen when he and my sister married in May of 2001. Like me, Wes is a huge Michigan fan and enjoys nothing more than watching the Spartans or Buckeyes be drowned by a chorus of "Hail To The Victors"