The Dunphy Wedding Bridal Party (In no particular order )
Groomsmen
Sam Overley-Best Man
I met Taylor in the first few days of medical school orientation over a couple margaritas at Cha Cha's. We quickly became roommates with Matt Swann to complete the trifecta. Taylor and I have always had a close, brother-like relationship that has not been without disagreements. But it is that brotherly connection that we have that makes our friendship special. Our competitive natures and drive helped us push each other to our limits in academics, intramural flag football, skiing, wakeboarding, and just about any and all facets of life, no matter how seemingly miniscule. We had the best "ortho house" in the country with the three of us, and we knew it. My four years with Taylor in medical school were some of the greatest years of my life, and even though we are now separated by the continental United States, myself in NYC and he in LA, our friendship has never been questioned. I am deeply honored to be the best man for my brother as he takes the next step in his amazing life, marrying the California girl of his dreams.
Andrew Platt
The first time I met Taylor, I was told his name was Mr. Dunphy and that I was not allowed to speak to him. Mr. Dunphy and I were members of the same fraternity, Lambda Chi Alpha, however, I was a pledge and Mr. Dunphy was the fraternity’s “ritualist” who pledges were not allowed to talk to. Luckily, thanks to my “bronzed,” “face-guy” status, I was formally initiated into the fraternity and allowed to call Mr. Dunphy, Taylor. Once I was allowed to speak to him we quickly became close friends realizing we had the same interests and a dream of being Dr.’s. Our relationship has continued to grow since college. Now we schedule time to hang out as much as possible, love trying new L.A restaurants, and vent to each other about being a medstudent and resident respectively. Taylor is not only one of my best friends but someone I trust like a brother. As for Jen, she is Taylor’s perfect match. She’s smart, beautiful and tons of fun. I am overjoyed to be a part of their wedding.
Dave Holtzman
I met Taylor the first few weeks of freshman year at USC. He was wearing pastel polo shirts with the collar popped so I kind of thought he was a tool at first but after I got to know him I found out that he was actually a cool guy and he turned out to be a great friend. We were roommates junior year and lived in the same house senior year so we've had a lot of good times together. A fun fact about us is we once drove to Las Vegas in the middle of the night to see the Floyd Mayweather - Ricky Hatton fight and slept in his car in a parking garage when we got there only to drive back the next morning.
Matthew Swann
At first I thought they had handed me the wrong dossier. Brief stints in Alaska, Texas, California... Top of his class at the Woodlands high school in Houston. BMOC at USC, et cetera, et cetera. Here he was, sitting next to me at medical school orientation in San Antonio. He was recommended to me by an old friend, Stefan Shauib. Shauib and I went back a ways, and I trusted his judge of character. Sure, Taylor he looked the part - what with his politician's hair and cowboy boots - but was this the guy I was going to live with for the next four years? Four years later we were graduating medical school and moving onto better things. Over that time we shared some unforgettable experiences - and some pretty intense ping pong matches that probably could've been televised in select areas. We pushed each other to be better at almost every thing we did, which is the best kind of friendship you can have. It's clear that Taylor and Jen will do the same for each other. I wish you all the best moving forward and can't wait to see what's in store.
Brad Johnson
Taylor and I have been friends for 3625 days. Technically we are brothers…in a fraternity. And the similarities don't stop there. We both met our beautiful brides at USC, we both have excellent hair, and now we are in orthopaedic surgery residency together at our alma mater. 90% of people at Los Angeles County Hospital think we are twins. 30% of the time Taylor capitalizes on that to steal my lunch money. Remember, you can tell the difference between us by looking at our shoes (Taylor wears cowboy boots, I wear shoes that look good). Kidding aside, I'm so happy Taylor made it back to LA and I'm thrilled that he has found his perfect match in Jen. My wife and I could not be more excited to celebrate Jen and Taylor's wedding on the one year anniversary of our own wedding day. August 10th rules!
Alternatively, please review the following limerick as a summary of our relationship:
Taylor and Brad met at SC Friends from frat to residency Now I'll relay a short tale Taylor peed on Brad in Vail Forevermore friends shall they be
Joe Callan
Taylor and I first met in Chemistry class in 10th grade and have been friends ever since. Taylor was this smart athletic guy from Alaska and fit in perfectly from the start. He made school seem so easy, and it was no surprise when Taylor pursued a successful career as a doctor. Taylor and I always teamed up together in beach volleyball and other sports (which made our other friends mad), as we are both ridiculously competitive. Throughout the years Taylor and I have remained close friends even though he is on the West Coast saving lives and I am on the East Coast flying KC-10’s in the Air Force Reserves
Kevin Donelan
Taylor and I met almost twelve years ago. He was fresh off the boat from Alaska, and I was looking for someone cool to hang out with. As with all good friendships, this one started as a rivalry. Actually, that’s a lie; I was just trying to add some drama and suspense to this paragraph.
In all seriousness, Taylor is one of the best guys/human beings I know. We’ve been through a lot over the years, and it’s been an absolutely awesome ride. From the early days of cruising the Texas streets in his giant Suburban, to the later days at USC… Taylor has always been inspirational in his ability to balance fun and focus. It means a lot that we have stayed friends for so long, and I couldn’t be happier that he found such a lovely lady to call his wife. He deserves it.
William Kelleher
Taylor has taught me a lot in our 13 year relationship. We both moved to the the Woodlands our sophomore year of high school. Our relationship grew as we spent many hours training and playing soccer for the Woodlands high school. Taylor's competitive drive and motivation inspired me both mentally and physically. He always had that competitive edge to help the team get through tough games and workouts. Outside of soccer we had some amazing times driving around in his suburban and partying at his river house. Despite the crazy/stupid situations we found ourselves in Taylor was always able to keep us out of danger. My high school friends and I owe him a lot for that. After high school we both decided to go to school in California. This was when Taylor developed into his true persona. He went from cool, responsible, "dad" from highschool to SUPER cool (maybe the coolest guy at USC), responsible, popular college guy. Needless to say I had some incredible times visiting him. He never forgot about his high school roots. Taylor finds the perfect balance between hard work, partying and relationships. It's something we can all learn from. I'm stoked to have Taylor in my life and look forward to many more great times.
Bridesmaids
Christine Craighead-Matron of Honor
I met Jen 9 years ago at the University of Southern California. We bonded over our mutual despise of Monday night dinners, a required ritual of sorority life. We quickly decided to drop the sorority & became roommates. I was lucky enough to live with Jen for 3 years which are some of the best memories I have. We shared everything from ghost hunters, costume parties, & the 90 to every secret, tears & laughter. Jen is the absolute best friend to have. She has a huge heart which she gives fully to her friends and family. She is brilliantly smart, hard working, kind, beautiful, loyal, & funny with just the perfect amount of quirk. I am confident to say that Taylor is her perfect match. They compliment each other. They challenge each other. But most of all, they show an undying passion for one another. I am so happy that my best friend is marrying the man of her dreams.
Sarah Bunney
I’ve known Jenny ever since I was born. When my mother was pregnant with me, in fact, Jen informed my mom that she had selected the perfect name for the new baby: Sunshine Bunney. She was exceptionally disappointed to hear that her name choice had not made the cut. Although she didn’t name me, Jenny has been an amazingly important person in my life. She taught me about everything from the details of makeup application, to the details of being a girl in the field of biotechnology. Jenny is my aunt, but more than that, she is my friend, advisor, and the best big sister I could have asked for. The time we’ve spent together has always been special, and I look forward to spending more of it with her and with Taylor.
Katie Dunphy
As Taylor’s sister, I have had the pleasure of getting to know Jen during many family trips and holidays together. Our family definitely has its quirks (especially when we travel), so when Jen fit in seamlessly on our trips to bizarre places like Oaxaca and Big Bend, where we only ate Mexican food for a week straight, I knew the relationship was meant to last. It has been wonderful to see Taylor and Jen’s relationship grow throughout the years and I am so excited to be a part of the big day and to soon be able to call Jen my sister.
Brooke Carroll
I guess I have to start all the way back at the beginning - in the bathroom at the 9-0 at USC. Ironically, the place where I would come to meet the most kind, compassionate and ultimately one of my dearest friends. The minute that I met Jen, I was struck by her beauty and was honestly a little intimidated by her composure, confidence and social stamina. However, after our "chance encounter" at the 9-0, Jen and I initiated a friendship, in which I learned that she was not only smart and sassy, but also one of the most grounded, sincere, silly and loyal friends that I have come to know. Jen has always had high standards for herself and for her friends, which is why it comes at no surprise that she has chosen to date and to ultimately marry Taylor - who is nothing less than a class act. I am so happy for you both, and can't wait to share such a special day and to be part of your futures (skiing the hills of Aspen and hopefully living on the same street!) as Dr. and Mrs. Dunphy! Love you guys.
Kelly Roark
Jen and I met twelve years ago while running track in high school--granted "running track" meant hanging out on the grass while we watched more advanced human specimens use their muscles at rapid speeds. Needless to say, we bonded immediately. Jen quickly became one of my best friends because she is one of those friends that you laugh with just by sharing a look, while just as easily being the friend I can call in the middle of the night. I am so excited for Jen and Taylor to be reaching this next stage of their life together. They're so lucky to have found one another... And I think we are all lucky that they found each other so we can stare at them *dreamy eyes*. No seriously, you guys are beautiful. I'm probably gonna purchase one of your wedding photos. That's right...purchase it. May the coming months and years be filled with excitement and love for the two of you. Love you!!
Brooke Patterson
Jen and I became friends when we moved to San Francisco and became roommates. We had the best time exploring the city that was new to both of us. We were constantly trying new restaurants, engaging in mojito inspired shopping trips, and practicing our terrible cooking on each other before we moved in with our boyfriends. We never left each others sides while we lived together. Jen is one of the most genuine people I have ever met and I was so happy when I met Taylor and saw what an amazing couple they made together. I am so excited and honored to be by her side as she marries her perfect match!
Taylor Carroll-
Jen and I met at the infamous 901 bar at USC our junior year of college. When I was first introduce to Jen, I thought she was of course beautiful, but more than that intelligent, outgoing and hilarious! Our friendship continued to grow over the years, especially this last summer. There were so many fun and special memories. It was seriously one of the best summers of my life! On a more serious note, I consider Jen one of my very best friends is she is the most selfless, charismatic, and dependable person I know. Getting to know Jen and Taylor has been a bless and you were both literally made for each other. I cannot wait for the big day and I am grateful to be a part of it! Love you guys!
Jennifer Dikan-Jen and Jen met 10 years ago during a dorm hall meeting the first week of their freshman year at Tufts. "The Jens", as they were later self proclaimed, quickly identified each other as soulmates and spent the rest of their freshman year having more fun than anyone in the history of TU has had. Whether it was creating their first television pilot, or exploring the oyster options around Boston, they had an unforgettable year. Jen and Jen have maintained a friendship for the past decade while living thousands of miles apart, but know that no distance or time can change the incredibly special bond they're found in their friendship. Jennifer is honored to be a part of the Dunphy wedding and can't wait to toast to the beautiful couple!