Laura's "Best Boys"

Matthew Ownby

Laura met Matthew in 2013 when they were both graduate students at the University of Tennessee. They quickly bonded over similar interests in film and music, and a shared love of night drives, cozy diners, and Halloween. After graduate school, they both moved to Atlanta for work and supported each other through career transitions, relationships, and the regular ups and downs of life. Twelve years later, despite living seven hours apart, Matthew is still “boo” to Laura. No matter how much time elapses between their visits, it doesn’t take long before they start fussin’ and laughing just like old times.

Jeremy Ballinger

Laura met Jeremy for the first time when she was five and he was seven. At the time, Jeremy’s family lived in Laura’s late great-grandmother’s house on her grandparents’ farm. They reconnected in high school when Laura was a freshman and Jeremy was a junior. At this point, their friendship has spanned decades; it has survived terrible haircuts, questionable fashion choices, embarrassing music interests, and so much more. Jeremy has always been a constant for Laura – a dependable road trip buddy, a frequent visitor no matter how far away she lived, and a friendly voice on the other end of the line during their weekly phone chats.

Romain's "Témoins"

Ben Myers

Romain and Ben moved to New Orleans in the same month of the same year! They have since formed an excellent exploring team that reached its peak when Maki also visited New Orleans (see below!). Ben is an excellent observer of life, people and music which is reflected in his writing as a news reporter and music commentator. For a while, Ben was also living in Lafayette as the main Acadiana reporter for the Advocate, which provided a perfect excuse for Romain to come visit and continue their mutual explorations. Lastly, Ben is Romain's voice of reason. He is a wonderful listener who will wait for his right moment and say the part that Romain needs to hear. So far, he's been 100% supportive of this wedding, which seems like a good omen!

Maki

Maki, whose real name has been lost to time never to be spoken again, is one of Romain's oldest friends. Their friendship has endured decades of various shenanigans and life experiences. Maki visited New Orleans in 2012 and left a trail of foundational memories, helping Romain and Ben discover a city where they had been living for years but had not truly seen yet. One of Maki's most stunning qualities is his ability to connect with people instantly, which was evident during his stay when he was able to connect with everyone despite the language barrier. This is also a reflection of Maki's deep sense of empathy. We are so happy to get a chance to share this wonderful wedding wth him!

Co-Officiant

Christopher Merchant

Laura met Christopher when they were taking a Storytelling class in college in 2011. This would prove foretelling as much of their friendship over the years has been built on trading stories over the phone as they each bounced around the country between Tennessee, California, Georgia, Alaska, and Louisiana. Through thick and thin, good times and bad, Laura has always been able to count on Christopher for advice, a good story, and a hearty laugh.