Wedding Party
There's six couples and a flower girl and ring bearer so it might take a while for me to get all of them on here.
April
Matron of honor
April is my one and only sister. She has stood beside me through thick and thin no matter what, even when I didn't think I wanted her to. I wouldn't be the person I am today if it weren't for her. There's no one in the world that would be able to fill these shoes besides her. Thanks sis.
Ciara
bridesmaid
everyone thought she was the one with the driver's license and I should be in junior high! We didn't go to the same high school which meant hating each other on the softball field or the basketball court but yet secretly cheering for one another inside. Ciara has helped me through some tuff times and although I was in Missouri and she was in Wisconsin, we always knew the other was only a phone call away... and always will be. Lately we've found that our going out until 3 a.m. days are pretty much over with and life has hit us like a mack truck. From Saturday Night Live to going to bed at 8 p.m. on a Friday, Ciara has been a great friend.
Jackie
bridesmaid
Jackie was one of the first girls on the Missouri Valley College Softball team that I met that I wasn't instantly annoyed with. She was quiet but cool, nice and funny. Everything that is not me! haha...During my first week of practice as a freshman, Jackie who was not supposed to be participating in practice because of an arm injury, did anyway... she dove for a ball and re-injured her arm. Did she cry? Ya right...Jackie cry? She is probably the toughest woman I know and was one of the few people at Missouri Valley that was able to juggle sports, having fun and academics. If it wasn't for her, I'd still be in accounting class. She too has given me great advice from time to time but it was normally on top of our dorm roof. :) No Payne no gain!
Kelly
bridesmaid
The night Kelly and I met is a very memorable one for many reasons. 1.) It was her first date with her now husband Kevin. 2.) It was my first real date with Erich 3.) That night we saw Bob Dylan in concert. 4.) It was also the night I had dinner with all 4 Gerdings for the first time and 5.) The Cardinals were swept in the 2004 World Series! For most of the past three years, I have been out of college and a lot of my friends are either in Wisconsin or graduated from Missouri Valley and went back to their home states or countries. Kelly has been my closest girlfriend around here and I’m glad she and Kevin are standing up in our wedding. Both of them have seen me very happy and very not-so-happy. No matter what, they were all ears. I look forward to many years of Blue Note shows and bbqs with them…and Erich too:)
Jennifer
bridesmaid
Jen and I have known each other and have been friends since kindergarten. In fact, most of the time in high school, we were each other's date for proms and homecomings! Hey, couples got a discount on their ticket price...who wouldn't! I think it all started in junior high when we were the chosen to be the punch bowl servers for the high school’s homecoming...we were so nervous! But together, we got through it! Every time I come home and we're able to hang out, even just for a few minutes, it's like I never left the state.
Ashley
bridesmaid
I honestly do not remember when I first met Ashley because it was when I first started meeting Erich's family and all of it seems like a blur. Erich is one of the oldest of his cousins and Ashley is somewhere in the middle. I on the other hand was the youngest granddaughter on both sides of the family and never got to have a younger girl cousin to hang out with. Now I have 2! Family is very important to both Erich and I and I am so glad that I am able to have one of his cousins as a bridesmaid. Ashley and her sister Haley have really helped me out the past few years. We've had some interesting talks in the past… from me asking stupid questions about Erich while they were growing up to talking about what boys are currently in their lives. Ashley is such a sweetheart and I’m so glad she is going to be a part of our wedding.
