I met Jill in beauty school back in 2011/12. Our friendship started when, having met her days earlier, I asked if she might attend a concert I had an extra ticket for (The Asteroids Galaxy Tour, if you're wondering) - she was on board, but we didn't end up going, either of us - out of pure laziness. Just that she was up for it, so soon after meeting, indicated how fun, open, and down-for-whatever she was - and that she was equally down for cancelling plans boded well for our future haha. I hoped we would get to know each other better.

Flash forward a decade+ and we have traveled to New Orleans together, gone on several beach weekends, and still see each other regularly for Monday trivia nights. Despite being the life of the party, Jill goes against-type by also being the most sensible one of our group, with the best advice. She's a point-you-in-the-right-direction type friend - a North Star.

Jill is smart, determined, funny, and kind. She asks if you want advice or just want to vent - and gives whatever you need of each. She loves birthdays and borderline-bad 90s comedies and is always up for spending way too much at bougie restaurants with her friends.

I love Jill for her warmth, honesty, sensitivity, and fun-loving, spontaneous nature.

-E

I also met Lisa in beauty school and she also does trivia night with us most weeks. Truthfully, Lisa & Jill knew each other first and were initially closer. I've wedged my way in over the years and now the three of us mostly feel like peas in a pod, but I've gotten to develop a special bond with Lisa one-on-one, too. Lisa and I are co-encouragers (enablers? haha) and she'll pick up the phone if you call at 3am. She's a help-you-bury-the-body type friend.

Lisa is a Gemini to my Sagittarius - I haven't decided how much stock to put in astrology, really, but Gemini and Sagittarius are often described together as kindred-spirit trouble-makers who egg each other on, and that is certainly the case for us. If Jill is the voice of reason, Lisa is the voice of "yes - let's get another round". (To be honest, we are all three this voice at one time or another, but some - *ahem* - more often than not lol).

Lisa is sharp, caring, and thoughtful. She is on-to-your-shit, but absolutely will put up with it if she loves you. She loves dogs, all things Parisian, and will sit in the car with you an hour after closing just to finish talking.

I love Lisa for her vivacity, charm, kindness, and humor.

-E

My brother.

• The guy that slept in the bunk bed above me for the first decade of my life.

• The guy that could take a discarded gear shift knob and make me believe it was the Golden Idol from “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”

• The guy that sat next to me on countless family road trips and helped me come to the conclusion that the best hitter of the 1980’s was Mike Aldrete. Fun fact, he wasn’t.

• The guy who tactically let my mother order first at a Denny’s:

Mom: I’ll have the Rooty Tooty Fresh ‘N Fruity.

Joel: I’ll have the same.

• The guy that let me film him spoofing Madonna’s “Justify My Love” in the halls of a Red Roof Inn.

• The guy that will wake up way too early on a Saturday morning to drive me 3 hours for a damn fine cup of coffee.

• The guy that takes karaoke the right amount of seriously.

Yeah, I love that guy.

-K



My cousin.

• The guy who didn’t get the memo that I wasn’t cool growing up.

• The guy that thinks that my first name starts with a Z.

• The guy that could punctuate a ballad with a “Stone Cold” Sreve Austin quote and get away with it.

• The guy who will probably have his own darts at the wedding, just in case.

• The guy who would gladly let me drop an elbow on him from the top turnbuckle.

• The guy who played cribbage with me at Cottonwood Canyon, despite the 26 mile per hour winds.

• The guy who is better than Drew Bledsoe in every possible way.

Yep, I love that guy too.

-K