Lauren - Maid of Honor
Lauren is Chris’
sister (she mentions this because there is only a slight family resemblance and
you may not have been able to piece this together from looking at her picture)
and maid of honor. For some people, the decision of who to have stand next to
you on one of the biggest days of your life is a difficult one. For Chris, it
was a foregone conclusion. Although Chris is 3 years older than Lauren, in many
ways it is as if Lauren is the big sister. Chris has immense respect for her
and relies on her support and social working skills to keep her calm and
balanced. Lauren is one of those people everyone loves to be around – she is incredibly fun, sweet, supportive and
hands down the least judgmental person on the planet (it’s true, the
research has been done on this one). She is a social worker (if there were ever a
person suited for this line of work, it is Lauren) and has many hobbies that
keep her busy when she is not working. She loves staying active (she’s a
runner, swimmer and biker) but is just as happy lounging on beaches, friends
and drinks by her side. She coaches Special Olympic swimmers and is working on starting the first ever Triathlon program in NJ. She loves traveling and has been to many places in the
Caribbean, Central America, Europe, Africa and the south Pacific. She bleeds
green (Go Birds!) and is also probably the oldest person you know that still
eats Fun Dip. Chris loves her to death.
Lizzy - Bridesmaid/ Head Henchlady
Liz has been one
of Chris’ best friends since they met in college in M-dorm. They instantly
connected and that bond has never wavered. They share a love of the ocean and
the natural world, skinny-dipping (in the ocean or elsewhere), and a habit of
self-diagnosing on WebMD ("Do you see this rash? I am 99% sure it is
flesh-eating disease!"). Lizzy fiercely believes in the power of glitter to cure whatever ails you and has proved this to Chris many times during their friendship, including through one memorable care package that exploded with in the sparkly stuff upon opening. It was a moment that made Chris smile during the loneliest summer of her life and recognize that she was one lucky girl to have a friend like Liz. Chris has always
turned to Liz in times of strife because she is one of those friends who can
give you a hug, say “it wil be ok” and you really, truly believe her. She
handles all adversity with grace and constantly amazes Chris with her ability
to overcome obstacles. There are few people that Chris will laugh with as much and as hard as she will with Liz - and that is saying a lot because Chris spends a fair amount of time laughing. Chris was the maid of
honor at Liz’s wedding to Sean, and their union remains one of Chris’ favorites
to model her own marriage on. They have
a sweet baby girl named Zoe and Chris thinks she won the baby lottery for great
parents. Chris has so many amazing memories with Lizzy and cannot wait to add
this one to the bunch.
Becky - Bridesmaid
Becky and Chris’
friendship had a dubious start, as they met in 4th grade and both “dated” the
same boy. For some girls, this could have spelled disaster, but Becks and Chris
decided to ditch the boy and hold on to each other. It was one of the best
decisions Chris ever made. Their friendship has spanned 3 decades and lasted
through the turmoil of junior high and high school. They went to different
colleges and have not lived closer than a few hundred miles for the better part
of 15 years, yet their bond is strong enough that it hardly matters. They have been
there for each other through various boyfriends (and subsequent
heartbreaks), the difficulties of figuring out careers and settling into their
adult identities. Through all that change, one thing has remained constant and
that is how Becky makes Chris feel. Becks can always, always be counted on to
make you smile and to cheer you up if you are blue, or to make a happy moment
even happier. Chris was touched to be the maid of honor at Becky’s wedding and she is so pleased to see
her marriage and family life blossom. She also recently became a mother, to her
little peanut Brenna (another baby lottery winner!), and has made the transition
with such beauty that it is hard to believe that she was not born to be a mom.
She and Bryan have formed a beautiful foundation and Chris can only hope her
marriage is as happy as theirs. Chris is
so honored to have one of her oldest friends next to her on the threshold of
one of the biggest days of her life and knows when she looks to Becks, she will
be rewarded with a huge smile.