Mary is so many things to me: sister, friend, mentor, stylist, boss, employee, and one of my all-time favorite people. We’ve shared every chapter together, from teenage concerts to countless adventures that continue to make us laugh. She's the person who would literally give me the shirt off her back (or sunglasses, or shoes, or earrings, I've taken them all). With Mary living near us in Arlington along with her partner Ricky Crawford, we see each other often, just how we like it. From Formula 1 race parties to impromptu hangouts and rugged Scotland trips, the four of us are a true team. Mary and Pat are usually side-by-side in the kitchen unleashing science recipes and garden experiments, while Ricky and I wonder what we're in for but never complain about taste-testing. We're so grateful for their friendship, support, and the laughter they bring to our lives. I'm thankful that, as she has been since my very first day, Mary will be standing by our side on our wedding day.

It was the first day of high school at Gonzaga when a nervous Pat took his seat behind a kid named Billy, unaware that fate (and a restless pair of legs) was about to introduce him to a lifelong friend. Too anxious to sit still, Pat began bouncing his legs against Billy's chair. "Could you please stop bouncing my chair?" Billy asked. "Sorry," Pat mumbled...before the bouncing resumed. One quick jab from Billy's pencil, one big Pat yelp, and one confused teacher later, Pat landed in detention on his first day. But when Billy raised his hand to confess his part in the chaos, a 31-year friendship was born. Full of adventures, hilarious Clarendon tales (some involving living in Pat's unfinished house), rock climbing, movie marathons where their inner nerd could flow freely, and years of laughter. Billy is a kind, solid, and wonderful friend that you can count on. Billy lives in Maryland (soon to be Charlottesville) with his wife Paige and their kids, Maya, Aidan, and Avery.

As Pat's sister, Katie has been with him since day one. When they first started dating, Pat and Carrie bonded over their important relationships with their sisters. Pat and Katie have traveled the world together with a month-long stay in Thailand as one of their most memorable experiences and they gathered fun stories living together in Manhattan for a time after college. When Katie decided to move back to Virginia a few years ago, we were thrilled to have her nearby. Katie lives in McLean with her husband Mark and our favorite buddies - niece, Emmy, and nephews Nate & Alex. Their home has become a gathering place for family celebrations, complete with Katie's thoughtful touches and Mark's expertly crafted drinks. Beyond being generous hosts to us, Katie has become a great friend to Carrie, trusted confidant, and someone whose advice we both truly value. Having her stand beside us on our wedding day means the world.

Over 20 years of friendship, Erik and Pat have traveled to more than eight countries together, and they've only been robbed in three of them, which is a solid 62.5% success rate. They've cheered on Team USA at the World Cup in Brazil, skied the Alps, gotten lost in the back alleys of Tokyo, and missed flights on two separate continents—never their fault of course. From the comedy show where Carrie and Pat reconnected to Carrie’s first ski lesson, Erik’s been there from the start. He’s the friend who can drop by anytime, no questions asked and he feels like family. When they're not dodging international incidents, Erik and Pat share a love of books, games, and screaming at the Capitals. These days, Erik is more likely to be at home in Arlington with his wife Jessica and their newborn Peter, probably watching Liverpool and insisting that this will once again be their year.

Ann and I met freshman year at the University of Miami and we quickly became best friends. We lived together for the next three years, collecting memories from Orange Bowl tailgates (R.I.P.), MTV springbreak, getting stranded in the ocean, and hurricane flood-zone living (ever gone tubing in a parking lot?). Though she’s from Kansas City, we're lucky enough to have her reside here in D.C., where she lives with her husband Keith and their adorable Scottie, Franklin. From snowstorm sleepovers to countless porch hangs, workouts, and nights out, Ann and Keith are two of the few friends who can actually keep us up past 10 p.m. We talk everyday through business advice, tears, celebrations, and pop culture gossip so naturally I need her on the big day. The definition of work hard, play hard - we're so happy to have her by our side.

Rhodes is the kind of friend you can call at 6 a.m. to help fix a leaking roof (no, really this happened), and he’ll be there with a tarp, no questions asked. He’s that rare friend who doesn’t just offer to help, he actually does. Pat and Rhodes met through friends around 2000, and ever since, Rhodes has been one of the few people Pat consistently answers the phone for, which, if you know Pat, says a lot. When he’s not rescuing friends from home improvement disasters, Rhodes is at home with his wife Monika and their son Parker, mastering the dad life. Some of the best times with Rhodes happen around a table piled high with crabs, debating F1 strategies, sparking up a fire pit, listening to music, and laughing way too loud. He’s the friend who always checks in and never lets you down.

Carrie has known Ryan since he was a baby, bunny costume and all 😉. Their families go way back, Ryan's dad, "The Non," and Carrie's dad worked together at The Washington Post, and the Bredemeiers and Shaffers have shared holidays and life's biggest milestones ever since. Ryan has always felt like a little brother to Carrie, complete with college football trash talk, light hazing (there may have been some stolen sip(s) of champagne), Easter egg hunts, and beach trips. When Pat entered the picture, Ryan naturally sized him up, and mutual admiration quickly followed. Pat even asked to be added to the group chat—that's how much he liked Ryan. There was never any doubt about who we'd want to officiate our wedding. Ryan has always been there, through the good times and the tough ones. When he's not living up to his "Golden Boy" reputation or prosecuting fascinating cases in court, Ryan is at home with his wife Krista and their kids, Burke, Claire, and Jack.