Ceremony and Reception

SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 2018

Ceremony

3:00 p.m.

Christ Episcopal Church
111 9th Street North
La Crosse, WI 54601

Attire: black tie optional

Reception

5:30 p.m.

The Cargill Room at the Waterfront Restaurant
332 Front Street South
La Crosse, WI 54601

Our Wedding Party

THE LADIES

Khouri markos (Matron of honor)

Amanee couldn’t be more honored to have her younger sister, Khouri, by her side as matron of honor on her wedding day. They grew up together in rural La Crescent, MN where they spent their early years riding bikes, catching tadpoles in the Markos pond, spending countless hours practicing the piano, and traveling to Asia and Europe with their parents. Amanee and Khouri have had countless sister adventures visiting each other in Egypt, Dubai, Spain, Denver, San Francisco and New York. Khouri is not only Amanee’s sister, but her best friend. Khouri’s caring nature and creative sense of humor are qualities Amanee loves about her sister. Khouri now lives in Denver with her husband, Baxter, and cat, Mochi.

erin raaB (bridesmaid)

Erin and Amanee met during their first year at Stanford in 2010, while studying international comparative education and policy. They quickly bonded over their shared experiences: Minnesota roots, studying in Granada, Spain during college, living abroad, working in education and being former clarinet players in their high school days. During their six years in California together, they took frequent trips to Napa and Sonoma, hiked in the Redwood forests and shared many wine and cheese nights on Erin’s red couch. Amanee admires Erin’s passion for positive change and her desire to always lend a helping hand.

anna weyandt (bridesmaid)

Anna and Amanee met during freshman year at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where they lived in Chadbourne Hall together. The two became fast friends and share a love for dancing and planning adventures. Anna also grew up in Minnesota, but currently lives in Washington, DC. She makes occasional trips to New York where Amanee and Anna get together for strolls in the park and nights of dancing. Amanee loves Anna’s outgoing personality, thoughtful nature, positive approach to life and fun-loving spirit.

namrata singh (Bridesmaid)

Namrata (aka Nama) and Amanee met during their freshman year at UW-Madison where they lived in Chadbourne Hall. Amanee was immediately drawn to Nama’s wit and sense of style, and in fact Amanee sought Nama’s fashion advice before visiting John on New Year’s eve in the early stages of their romantic relationship. During Amanee’s first stint living in New York from 2007–2009, Nama also lived there and was initially the only person Amanee knew in the city. Nama then introduced Amanee to two of the other bridesmaids, Bo and Kathryn. Nama and her husband Pat visited Amanee when she lived in Cairo, Egypt where they were all convinced to take this hilarious picture by a passerby (their hands were supposed to be touching the tip of the pyramid). Nama currently lives in Chicago.

bo han (Bridesmaid)

Bo and Amanee met through Nama when Amanee lived in New York City from 2007–2009. They both left New York to pursue graduate school, but eventually found their way back to the “Big Apple” and Bo now lives in Brooklyn. Amanee admires Bo’s tenacity, calm nature and reading recommendations. Over the years, Bo and Amanee visited each other in Egypt, California and New York. In fact, Amanee was visiting and staying with Bo in New York City on the fateful weekend when “sparks flew” between Amanee and John. Amanee wasn’t able to attend Bo’s wedding three years ago, as it occurred on the same day as Khouri’s wedding, so Amanee is thrilled to have Bo as a bridesmaid.

kathryn bradley (bridesmaid)

Kathryn (pictured on the left) and Amanee were also introduced by Nama in 2007 when they all lived in New York City. They spent the early days of their friendship with Bo and Nama discussing education and social issues, and Amanee appreciates Kathryn’s to the point nature and unexpected sense of humor. Kathryn was also in New York City to visit Bo and Amanee on the weekend that John and Amanee’s relationship turned from friendship into something more. Being the supportive friend that she is, Kathryn allowed Amanee to drag her to a steakhouse (Kathryn is a vegetarian) to meet up with John, and the rest was history. Kathryn now lives in Baltimore.

THE GENTS

gregory ablan (Best man)

John's only brother and his Best Man. Greg is the person who has known John the longest.  Growing up in Wheaton, Illinois, John and Greg did a lot together: from playing 1-on-1 baseball (yes, that's a thing and yes, Greg would usually win), to water skiing on Eagle Lake, it's always been the two brothers together.  Though Greg is the younger brother, John looks up to him in many ways. When Greg got married last year, he asked John to be his Best Man, and John couldn't be more excited and honored to have Greg returning the favor and standing next to him on his big day.

juan jeannet (GroomsMan)

Juan and John know each other from their days at the London School of Economics.  John's first interaction with Juan was when he voted for Juan for Treasurer of their LSE student dormitory, Grosvenor House (Juan won).  But the two became close friends when they decided to share an apartment at 52 Spring Street in New York together.  Juan and John spent those early New York days tossing a frisbee in the Central Park, throwing parties on the roof of their building and driving out to Lido beach on the weekends in the summer. When Juan got married last year, he had John in his wedding party as well.

JR HEacock (Groomsman)

John met JR in the very early days at LSE and he was John's first truly close friend in London.  He's also the man who showed John that t-shirts, shorts and loafers might have played in college but weren't going to cut it in central London (Amanee still thanks JR every time she sees him for getting John to throw away his cargo shorts). JR would always include John in the parties and gatherings that happened at the LSE and for that, John is eternally grateful.  From nights out in east London to trips to Greece, Turkey, France and Egypt they've had a ton of adventures together. John hopes that that will continue for a long time to come. 

Robin martin (groomsman)

John met Rob (through JR) also at the LSE. Rob, John and JR would study together at the LSE Library, which usually devolved into breaks for lunch, coffee or a pint across the street at The George IV pub.  They've also had their share of adventures in New York, Istanbul, Nice and Paris. John is stoked to have Rob coming to the midwest for the first time all the way from London.

edmund arghand (groomsman)

Ed and John also know each other from their days at the LSE, They became truly close friends after graduation when Ed invited John, Rob and JR to Nice, France to stay at his parents' home for a week.  From then on it was travels to London, Greece, Heidelberg, back to the south of France and more. John is truly honored and humbled that Ed will be making the trip to La Crosse from his current residence in Singapore.