Meet our Bridal Party
Meet The Bride’s Parents and Bridesmaids
Parents of the Bride
Cynthia and James Jackson
Our parents, Mr. & Mrs. Jackson, have been happily married for 42 years. Their love and support mean the world to us, and their marriage is a beautiful reminder of what lasting love looks like.
Maid of Honor
Lauren Epps
Lauren and I met during our college days at NIU, where we were both Corporate Communications majors. Countless late-night study sessions and shared classes quickly turned us from classmates into best friends. Lauren has been by my side ever since, and I couldn’t imagine this day without her. Fun fact: Lauren is a total fitness enthusiast—if she’s not working out, she’s probably motivating someone else to!
Matron of Honor
Candice Peters
Candi Gurl and I met during our freshman year of college and quickly became close friends. We’ve shared life’s ups and downs together, and her constant support has meant the world to me. Some of my favorite memories have been made with her by my side.
Fun Fact: Candice prefers experiences over gifts.
Bridesmaid
Yurania Thomas
Rani is not only my bridesmaid but also my amazing sister-in-law. Her kind heart and positive energy lights up any room. Fun fact: Rani loves to smile and watch good movies.
Bridesmaid
Shannice Berry
Niece Niece and I met in college through the S.I.S.T.E.R.S. organization, and we’ve shared a meaningful bond ever since. Shannice continuously inspires me to shoot for the stars and never settle for less. Fun fact: Shannice has a love for traveling the world and learning about history and culture.
Bridesmaid
Ta’Kayla Wheatley
Kay Kay and I met during our sophomore year at NIU, and she’s been my best friend and like a sister to me ever since. She has a heart of gold and loyalty that runs deep, she doesn’t play about her Rachel!
Fun fact: Ta’Kayla is a human trivia genius. She knows a little bit about everything, from random facts to foreign languages!
Bridesmaid
Asia Jude
Asia Pooh and I met in college through the S.I.S.T.E.R.S. organization, and we hit it off instantly. Her sense of humor is truly unmatched—she has a way of lightening even the most serious moments. Fun fact: As a kid, Asia collected Beanie Babies thinking they’d make her rich one day. Now she has over 1,000 of them collecting dust in her basement!
The Flower Girl
SydneyRose Williams
Fun fact about SydneyRose — she absolutely loves using the word “actually,” and she can never resist a good pickle.
Meet The Groom’s Parents and Groomsmen
Parents of the Groom
James and Caroline Adair
Let us introduce you to the groom’s parents — his father, James, and his loving bonus mother, Caroline Adair. We also honor Ali’s late mother, Christine Thomas, who is deeply missed and forever cherished in spirit. Our father, James, and Caroline have been happily married for 30 wonderful years — a beautiful testament to lasting love and commitment.
Best Man
Jacob Gonzalez
Jacob and I go way back—our friendship started in junior high school, all the way back in 6th grade. We bonded over basketball, spending countless hours on the court together. (Side note: I haven’t played in years, but trust me, I still got it!)
A fun fact about Jacob: He turns his commutes home from work into a full-on DJ session. He jokingly calls himself “DJ JG” and truly has a ball curating his own personal playlists on the drive.
Groomsman
Corey Buckner
Corey is my Godbrother, and I feel honored to share that I was partially raised by his late grandmother, Ollie Buckner. She was an incredible woman who had a profound and lasting impact on my life.
Fun fact: Corey loves fishing and has a unique tradition—he kisses the fish he catches!
Groomsman
Quincy Williamson
This is one of the groom’s first cousins. Here’s a fun fact: he’s incredibly multifaceted, spent seven months living in Dubai, and is an exceptionally talented mixologist—definitely someone you’d want crafting your cocktails!
Groomsman
Keith Terry
This is one of the groom’s first cousins. A fun fact about Keith is that he loves bowling and even plays on a bowling team!
Groomsman
Ramon Jackson
The groom’s soon to be brother-in-law.
Fun fact about Ramon: he doesn’t have a middle name, and he absolutely loves fashion and house music!
The Ring Bearer
Bentley Adair
Fun fact about Bentley—he absolutely loves building Lego creations and dreams of becoming President one day!