Wedding Party

Megan and Keaton might not be able to agree on the appropriate level of enthusiasm one should have for camping and baseball, but somehow they have made a friendship work since their very first days of undergrad at Notre Dame. (And become closer still post-graduation!) Arguably one of the greatest advocates for this wedding over the years, Megan and Peter (co-best man) will tell you they asked Keaton and Mike to be the maid of honor and best man in their wedding because they’re close but we all know they just wanted to give Keaton and Mike a taste of what it felt like to walk down the aisle together.

Best friends since they were eight years old, Keaton and Danielle really have technology to thank for their incredibly close relationship, first as children bonding with Nintendo game controllers in their hands, then as adults on opposite coasts texting every single day (not even hyperbole!) with words of support, encouragement, and inspiration. (It’s like having your best friend in your pocket!) Ask Danielle about her and Keaton’s “five” if you want to know the secret sauce to their friendship success (not to mention an excellent way to practice gratitude!).

Mike and Peter’s friendship goes way back to their very first hour at Notre Dame, where they met in the hallway between their dorm rooms. From classes and intramural sports teams to late nights and broken bones, these two have done it all. They often call each other “The Worst” though in reality their bond over the UMBC Retrievers and years of badly sung (shouted?) songs has cemented a long-lasting friendship.

Can anyone really explain Mike and John? Even Mike’s first memory of spending time with John (which involves mustard) doesn’t make sense once you know them. Somehow, though, they are closer than ever, having lived together both at Notre Dame and in Boulder. It was in Boulder where John first convinced Mike to train for a marathon and also where John reminded Mike just how great it is to live with a dog (which clearly was a big reason Mike sought Keaton back out when he moved to DC after grad school!).

Kelly and Keaton don’t just share a last name (for now), but also an undying love for cheese, desserts, good books, and obsessively looking at real estate. Kelly is the first person (besides Mike) Keaton checks in with most mornings and was the last person to see Mike and Keaton before they got engaged (she was creeping in the bushes taking photos). Soon though, Kelly won’t just be metaphorically close but also physically, as Mike and Keaton will be living just seven blocks away! Kelly is much more than a sister-in-law, she’s a sister (full stop).

Growing up, if Reed did something, you’d better believe Keaton wanted to do it too. Reed went to preschool, Keaton wanted to be there; Reed played soccer, Keaton strapped on her cleats; Reed listened to Will Smith on repeat, Keaton memorized all the words. And we suppose that just kind of never ended because as adults, Reed married his best friend (bridesmaid Kelly) and now Keaton is getting ready to marry hers. Reed continues to be one of Keaton’s very best friends, and certainly the best big brother she could possibly think up.

Angela; Ange; Dr. La; Little Sister; Mom. Mike has called Angela by each of these names at some point (though famously he also said she is NOT the boss of Mike). More than anything though, Angela has always been a good friend and close confidante, and always a big cheerleader for “Mike” and for “Mike and Keaton.” Her big heart always makes Mike and Keaton feel loved and welcome, and even this past year, video chats with her, Greg, and the kids made sure that that remained true.

Angela really IS the boss of Greg (see Angela's bio for clarification!); at least, that's how Mike likes to see it. But while Mike and Greg intially bonded over how best to keep Angela happy, their shared interests in sports, barbeque, and beer has certainly helped their friendship grow on its own! Greg is a great friend, a fantastic dad to two fantastic kids, and a funny and humble man. Mike couldn't have hoped for a better guy for his sister, even if Greg is terrible at fantasy baseball!

One of those rare friends in life, Lisa and Keaton have embarrassing stories about each other from both high school AND college. Indeed, Lisa and Keaton spent most of their college careers annoying their friends with old high school stories and expressions of love for the very best state. Mercifully for everyone in their lives, they now have new adventures to reminisce over, including a real-life version of the emoji above when Lisa came to visit Keaton in South Africa. And Keaton looks forward to more escapades to come!

Danny and Mike have been friends since before they can even remember. They basically grew up together, attending the same grade school, playing little league baseball on rival teams, co-founding the Scooby Doo club in elementary school, and doing practically all the same after-school activities through high school. Even now, it’s hard for Mike to top a trip to a baseball, football, or even rugby game with Danny, and Mike hopes there are many more of these to come now that they’re back in the same town.

Keaton won’t say Lauren and Keaton’s friendship was love as first sight – but wasn’t it? Lauren and Keaton are sure to be found dancing enthusiastically to “No Diggity” and scarfing down Reedville Rings at the wedding, much like they did as kids. (That is, when they weren’t on the soccer field or driving to and from soccer.) Lifelong friends, Keaton has adopted Lauren’s “ride-or-die” term to accurately describe their relationship.

When you think of Sean, the word “loyal” is almost always the first thing that comes to mind. Through thick and thin, one block away or halfway around the world, Sean always has a smart reflection to make (in between a multitude of mostly timely memes). Mike and Sean’s friendship began in high school, but has grown exponentially in the years since, and Mike can’t name a better baseball road trip partner or dedicated pub trivia and Ragnar teammate.

We wouldn’t go so far as to say that Keaton and Andy like all of the same things but they sure do agree where it counts – that is: dogs (love), Comic Sans (hate), sweets (give them to us), and the great outdoors (want-to-be-there-as-frequently-as-possible). Since their early days at Notre Dame defacing whiteboards with drawings, Keaton has hoped some of Andy’s sense of humor and creativity would rub off on her (not to mention her fitness levels).

A few years back, when someone asked Andrew which Notre Dame friend he had kept in touch with the most, he answered “Mike’s parents.” While a funny response, the truth is that Andrew is just one of those guys who's comfortable around anyone and can make anyone feel comfortable too. He is, quite simply, a really smart and incredibly great guy, and has been a close friend of Mike’s since the early days of their freshman year. Last year, Mike was super honored when Andrew and Lauren asked him to be godfather to their daughter, Sophie.