Lauren’s Bridal Party
- Amanda Woodrum, Maid of Honor
Amanda is my cousin, but she feels like a sister to me. We grew up taking a couple of trips together but mostly going to Clemson games together. We love to cheer our tigers on together and just being in Clemson in general. Amanda and I have a lot in common and she is so creative. Every Christmas Amanda makes a gift for our family and I love seeing the different ideas she comes up with. Christmas is her favorite holiday, especially when she finds that one gift that people don’t expect but love. We both went to Clemson. Amanda’s final year was my first year, so she really took me under her wing and taught me how to take care of myself and how to handle the stress load of college classes. She graduated from Clemson with a Civil Engineering degree and moved to Atlanta for work. This past fall she took and passed the PE exam. Love you more.
- Kerri Bergrin, Bridesmaid
Kerri and I met in Chemistry 101 at Clemson and we became fast friends. We both lived in Manning, she lived on the 7th floor and I was on the 3rd. As we made our way through freshman year, we talked about living together and looked at many apartments. Eventually we found the perfect apartment for us, Tiger Towne Village 310 Orange Court. Kerri and I lived there for two years before Kerri headed to PC. We had so much fun in 310. We cooked all sorts of chicken dishes and baked goods. We watched everything on TV together from dance moms to movies; every Thursday night was Grey’s Anatomy night in the living room. My experiences at Clemson would not have been the same with out Kerri. Kerri got her bachelor’s degree from Clemson University for Pre-Pharmacy. After three years at Clemson, Kerri went to Presbyterian College for Pharmacy school. She is currently completing her degree at PC.
- Elizabeth Howell Welch, Bridesmaid
Elizabeth and I first met at Clemson, where we lived on the same hall. We are both from Columbia, SC and knew some of the same people. Freshman year we would get together to binge watch Criminal Minds and Dog the Bounty Hunter. We spent many nights walking, talking, or going to Sardis or IHOP. I was even lucky enough to be there when she first met Thomas, her husband, and when they went on their first date. While our schedules are much busier now, we still find time to catch up. Elizabeth graduated from Clemson University with a bachelor’s degree in Packaging Sciences and she and her husband Thomas live in Greenwood, SC.
- Brynne Zdybel, Bridesmaid
From Lauren: I met Brynne through Ken and Tyler. She has this amazing personality, she lights up the room and just enjoys being with the people she loves. Brynne was always considered one of the guys because she could always keep up with and joke right along with them. I loved Brynne from the moment I met her, she has a big heart and she is very smart. Whenever Brynne is around, she is sure to keep people laughing and having a great time. I love getting to catch up with her whenever she is in SC.
From Ken: Brynne and I were neighbors at University Village. She lived in the duplex behind mine and would come over all the time to eat Tyler’s candy and watch TV with us. She would help us prank her roommates which included saran wrapping their toilets, putting glitter on top of their ceiling fans, and hard-boiling their eggs. Brynne became a close confidant and friend for me over the years. She and her boyfriend Felipe recently made the move to Philadelphia, but both agree they want to get back to the south soon.
- Olivia Fox, Bridesmaid
Olivia and I met when Kerri and I were first looking for a third roommate for 310 Orange Court. Olivia was going into her final semester at Clemson and needed a place to live. Coincidentally, Kerri and I were looking for a roommate. We met up in good ole Schilletter Dining Hall on chili night where they ran out of spoons. How does a dining hall run out of spoons? It was a big deal. After solving the spoon fiasco, we got to talking and laughing and immediately hit it off. Olivia has this huge personality which is so beautiful. She is always smiling and laughing, and will make sure you are too. Olivia, Kerri, and I would watch Dance Moms and laugh at how crazy everyone was. It was very sad when she graduated in December and left us with an empty room in 310 Orange Court. We have stayed close friends, even with her living in Ohio and she tries to make it down to at least one Clemson game a year. Olivia earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Clemson University and then went on to grad school in Ohio at Wright State University.
- Meghan Bonnemer, Bridesmaid
Meghan and I met through her boyfriend, Davis. Davis and I met in organic chemistry my sophomore year at Clemson. Meghan would come to Clemson to spend weekends with Davis and we would get together for games. Mine and Davis’s last year at Clemson, Meghan moved to Clemson where I got to know her much better. Meghan is funny, sweet, caring, and smart. After Davis graduated from Clemson, Meghan and Davis moved to Ohio for Davis’s job. Meghan has worked very hard to get where she is; she works as a vet-tech while going to school for business-marketing. She and Davis would like to get back down south somewhere once his contract is up.
- Jess Loudermilk, Bridesmaid
Jess and I met indirectly through Ken. Jess was in Tiger Band while she was at Clemson, which is how she knows Ken and most of the guys. Jess generously offered up her one bedroom apartment to us for sleeping before football games. It was at that point that I really got to know Jess and we became close friends. She has a huge heart, is smart, outgoing, and athletic. Jess loves crossfit and rugby as well as watching football. After graduating from Clemson, she attended the Medical University of South Carolina and is currently a Doctor of Physical Therapy in Seneca, South Carolina.
- Mary-Catherine Lewis, Flower girl
Mary-Catherine is my cousin who has five older brothers. She is nine years old and tends to keep up with all those brothers while still loving girl colors and American Girl Dolls. The day she was born I swore she would be a flower girl in my wedding, and that time has come. I cannot wait to continue to watch her grow. She is a gorgeous young girl and I could not be happier to have her be my flower girl.
- Lela Morris, Flower girl
Lela is my second-cousin and currently an only child. She is five years old and loves her disney princesses, especially Queen Elsa. Lela is a happy, sweet, loving, and smart little girl. Her mother was the flower girl in my parents’ wedding in 1989, so I definitely wanted to have Lela be the flower girl in my wedding. She is a beautiful little girl and I can’t wait to watch her grow through the years.
Ken’s Groomsmen
- Zac Hollister, Best Man
I first met Zac in February of 1990. Zac was always into sports and tried to get me interested in them, but considering I have the hand-eye coordination of a blind cat, it was not effective. Our sibling rivalry was pretty typical growing up (the cops where only called once). Zac was influential in getting me interested in music and particularly marching band. Zac went to college at The New England Conservatory of Music, and is now the Bass Trombonist in the Naval Band in Washington, DC. I had the privilege of being the best man in his wedding to Noelle Drewes in 2009. They are currently happily married, living in Bowie, MD.
- John Sechrist, Groomsman
John and I have been lifelong friends. His family has a lake house a few doors down from where ours was at Conneaut Lake, PA. We would spend summers boating, sailing, and hanging out in the lake. John lives in Nashville, TN and is a student at MTSU.
- Steve Nicklas, Groomsman
Steve and I have been friends since first grade at Ingomar Elementary School, in Pittsburgh, PA. Our friendship grew as we continued through schools, and our families are longtime friends. Over the summers our families would spend time at the lake house in Conneaut Lake, PA. Steve and I were in marching band together in high school and got to go on some really cool trips. Steve went to Mercyhurst College in Erie, PA, and is now an elementary school teacher in the Washington DC, area. This year he is in the process of going through training to join the Air Force Reserve.
- Chris Alderson, Groomsman
Chris and I met in Tiger Band at Clemson, and were both political science majors. We share similar interests in great dive BBQ spots, Jimmy Buffett, and boating. If only he wasn’t a Baltimore Ravens fan! Chris went on to the University of Georgia Law School and is now practicing real estate law in Greenville, SC.
- Tyler Dowdy, Groomsman
I met Tyler in Tiger Band and lived with him at University Village for two years. Tyler is constantly coming up with random stuff to do and you will never be bored around him. After graduating from Clemson with a degree in Graphic Communications, he moved to Tyler, Texas, where he bought his home and built a gun range. He has a completely orange and purple garage and has built the “UV 112A Bar” where he watches all of the Clemson games.
- Tim Carroll, Groomsman
I met Tim through Cheese in Tiger Band. Tim, Tyler, and I, would hang out and binge watch Rescue Me or whatever NFL game we could find. We even went down to New Orleans one spring break to stay with his family and hit up the French Quarter. Between the two of us, we can make a mean gumbo. Tim got his Masters in Accounting at Clemson and is currently a CPA in Greenville, SC.
- Andrew Woodrum, Groomsman
From Ken: Andrew is Lauren’s younger brother and a good friend. He is quick-witted, sarcastic, funny, and definitely would be the person you would want on your trivia team for anything pop-culture related. He hopes to go to culinary school and has aspirations to open a bakery one day.
From Lauren: Andrew and I grew up like most brothers and sisters, constantly fighting and driving each other crazy, out of love of course. Andrew would give these little brother hugs where he would squeeze me as hard as he could just for fun, it was his way of showing his love. When Andrew was in High School, he got his growth spurt and quickly passed me landing at about 6 foot 5 inches; since then everyone thinks he is my older brother. Andrew always has my back and looks out for as much as possible and vice versa. Though he may drive me crazy, I wouldn’t change anything about Andrew, I love him exactly the way he is, annoyance and all. A brother and sister’s love may be strange but can never be broken.
- TJ Brady, Usher
From Ken: I met TJ through Lauren and her family. “Teej” was a quiet kid when he first came to Clemson but quickly developed into one of the group and is a lot of fun to hang out with. TJ is a hard worker and in addition to classes, he is working his way through school. TJ is a pre-veterinarian major at Clemson and plans going on to graduate school and becoming a veterinarian.
From Lauren: I have known TJ for basically his entire life. Our families were both a part of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Columbia, SC. TJ and I went to elementary school together and were in the Children’s Choir. Together we sang in New Orleans, New York City, and Disney World. Over the years, I have watched TJ grow up from a soccer playing, smart, talented kid to the amazing man he is today. He joined the farmhouse fraternity and works part-time at a vet clinic while managing his class work for a pre-vet degree. TJ is graduating from Clemson in May 2016.
- Michael Hubbard, Usher
Mike and I met through mutual friends from Tiger Band. He loves it when I point out that he was never in school when I was. Mike lived in Winston-Salem when I moved to Greensboro after graduation, having gone to Wake Forest University for graduate school. He and I started getting together to watch Clemson games. Eventually, Mike purchased a house in Winston-Salem and offered to rent out a room to me. We have now been roommates for close to two years. Mike works in the Training Department at Truliant Federal Credit Union.
- Michael Cheatham, Usher
Michael “Cheese” Cheatham and I met in Tiger Band when we decided to spend our spring break in the tropical paradise that is Buffalo, NY, for the NCAA Basketball Tournament. We also share the same birthday, which made for a very entertaining 21st birthday party. Michael lives in Greenville, SC and is an engineer with GE.
- Corry Brown, Usher
I met Corry in Tiger Band, and he was also roommates with Chris, and unfortunately, is also a Ravens fan. Corry and his better half, Christy, are a ton of fun to hang out with and are great friends for both Lauren and me. Corry went to Dental School at the University of Maryland at Baltimore and he and Christy currently live in Ocean Pines, MD. However, they have plans to get back to the Carolinas in the near future.