We are pleased to introduce the wedding party...
Alex
Co-Best Man
Brother and Co-best man. Currently a bouncer at a Chicago bar called The Hangge Uppe. Clean cut on the outside with a calm, professional demeanor...until you get a drink in him. Alex was almost kicked out of my sister’s wedding for partying too hard. I promised him that if he accepted my invite to be a best man, he would not have to worry about getting kicked out of my wedding. He was recently named “Chicago Citizen of the Week” for some humanitarian work that he did. He is a terrific dog sitter.
Andres
Co-Best Man
Co-best man, best friend of 13 years. Currently the Energy Consultant to Hugo Chavez. Walks softly but carries a big stick. He speaks about 6 languages and has been to outer space. His beard, latin accent, and newly found love of golf are his leading characteristics. Fun fact about Andres: he is royalty in Ecuador.
Stevie
Groomsman
College roommate and post college roommate. Currently a Japanese Rate Swap Expert at JPMorgan. When he heard that we were getting married in Italy, he started taking tango lessons and bought a Rosetta Stone on “How to Speak Italian”. His girlfriend is Colombian, and she got a little nervous.
Jeremy
Groomsman
Ex-colleague at GS. Currently the host of MTV's Singled Out. He is a lover of fine wine, fine art and fine parties. He was born in Italy and is anxious to return home. Interestingly enough, Jeremy will be joining us on our honeymoon - in a different suite, of course.
Lee
Groomsman
Freshman year college roommate, yoga partner and golf legend. Currently the founder of a ILoveMe Credit Opportunities Fund. He can shout. He can lead chants. He will dance. Lee once got kicked out of a restaurant that we went to together because he was enjoying the moment so much; oh wait, that was every restaurant we’ve ever been to together. Keep chanting son.
Arnold
Groomsman
Tulane pledge brother, currently the head of Business Development at the NBA. The wise, mature, collected one of the group. Ari will offer tremendous wisdom to us all, will be our logistics coordinator, and wedding organizer all in one. He also has the potential to grow a beard, which is well regarded around here. He is still bitter about the fact that this wedding is in Italy.
Michael
Groomsman
Philanthropist to the poor. Currently a predatory lender. The day that you meet Michael is the day that your parents warned you about. "Don't hang out with the bad kids", they say. "Avoid that guy who likes to drink and party all night", they say. "Be sure to hide your passport when you're around him", they say. Te amo, Miguel.
Carlo
Groomsman
The Duck man. The best dancer of the bunch, Duck will have on his snakeskin shoes - that will invariably match well with his tux - and will undoubtedly be bragging to all the women at the party that he really is, in fact, Italian. Carlo offered to grow back his pony tail if I offered him a shot at being a groomsman. Guess who held up his part of the bargain thus far?
Sam
Groomsman
Current life habits involve developing real estate empires and moonlighting as a gorilla costume enthusiast. Sam and I bonded over Israeli fast food many moons ago, and to this day, we’re still trying to sort through what was in the meat. Karnaf anyone? Fun fact about Sam: he was adopted.
Bob
Groomsman
Blockbuster movie producer and Italian linguist. To this day, I’m surprised at Bob’s ability to grasp a foreign language (please see “The Translator” page), which only highlights how truly amazing and large his mouth is. Great mouth. He’s also a great tri-athlete and has statues made after him. Fact.
Kevin
Groomsman
Recording artist, part-time librarian, part Thai. Kevin can recite to you every word of Moby Dick (this is a fact), and he can do it while strumming a G Chord on the guitar, if you ask him appropriately. His song “Tug Boat” will be performed live, each day and each night, at our wedding. Whether he likes it or not.
Brian
Groomsman
Brian. He’s great. Because he refuses to launch a Facebook page, even though he’s the most technologically advanced human I know, I have to settle for a plain vanilla picture. He’s great. Brian, however, is far from plain vanilla. He’s great. Brilliant lawyer, professor, entrepreneur. He’s a provocateur extraordinaire, with a keen business acumen and exceptional wit. It’s just great. Just really, really great.
Sam
Ring Bearer in Chief
Sammy - Precious three–year-old son to Emilee, this ring bearer may come off ‘shy’ but he’s truly a ham. Ask him for a ‘weird face’ and you’ll be stunned by the flexibility of his features, the control he has over both of his eyebrows…if his sister steps out of the way, this one may make a bee-line for the stage. Oh, and give him a wink or two ladies – this little guy is very generous with his hugs.
Tucker
Wingman Ring Bearer
Tucker - Believe it. This little guy is actually not Ali’s nephew – it’s her first cousin to her Uncle Todd and Aunt Patti! Tucker may look demure, but he’s no Robin to Sammy’s Batman. He’s more like a James Bond in training. This little guy has mad style, sporting lovely comb-overs and shawl collared sweaters by the age of two. Let’s face it, the sartorial little man may never leave Italy.
Emilee
Maid of Honor
The most responsible and leader of the Koplar sibling clan, this Mommy of Sam and Caroline most likely coached Ali to the finish line during this process. She’ll also be keeping her in line throughout the night, although, Ali was first educated in “Kings” by Emilee at a ripe young age, and Ali visited Emilee in college, and experienced college life at 13 – Emilee helped her think that she was 30 by the time she was 15.
Emily, Ali’s Sister-in-Law, share their fondness for pulling 3AM nights – sadly not for partying but for work. And, as you can see, Emily shares the Koplar inclination towards costuming. No, that’s not her in the Spiderman suit – that’s her beloved husband. As Emily was the Captain of the Cheerleading Squad in HighSchool, please turn your head her direction when the music starts. She’ll take you right to the floor.
Emily
Bridesmaid
Lauren
Bridesmaid
Lauren was sort of a roommate to Ali sophomore year at Cornell, and lucky Ali, sometimes they got mistaken as twins (no, the different hair colors didn’t throw people off.) Don’t let the “Mrs” or the fact that this beauty just gave birth to a stud muffin baby boy, Jack, last September throw you off. Once Jack is safely tucked away, Lauren plans to lead her husband Rich in a few keg stands to get the party started. That, or a few Pi Phi chants…she was el presidente, after all.
Lauren
Bridesmaid
She may have just had a little muffin, but this woman is the queen of all wing woman’s. A co-commiserating on the Cornel Track team, Ali and Lauren met sophomore year and were on the same page – cocktails were a necessary relaxant post a hard workout. Lauren made the long journey solo: a quintessential move showcasing her devotion to her friends. Her signature move is the fireman’s carry (someone carries her, don’t worry) so expect to see that at some point on the dance floor.
Niki
Bridesmaid
The Koplar and the Kanodia clan grew up haunting local St. Louis restaurants with raucous under-the-table behavior and lots of lego building. When Sunday brunch was no longer enough for this dynamic crew, the Kanodias moved next door to the Koplars to make it an everyday affair. They later took that to NYC – where Ali gets to drink and dine with Niki on a regular occasion and to attend her house-rocking dance parties down in Florida sometimes too. Niki will be co-hosting as DJ and dancing queen.
Lucinda
Bridesmaid
Luci Lu, as Ali fondly calls her, was best friends with another lovely lady of the group Lauren Grady from High School. ‘Grammy’ introduced them and they all three bunked for a few years as they embarked upon their NY journey together. Luci never reached ‘native’ status in NYC as she abandoned it for London to Ali’s fault, as one fine weekend in Miami she and Anna introduced her to her now love…based in a slightly better continent. Fun fact? Luci will come up with some interesting nicknames for Ali late night.
Anna
Bridesmaid
Anna Plaks - The caution tape is there for a reason. As evidenced by the smooth line-up of Becks flanking her bedside table, this Miami vixen knows how to put a club to shame. Ali played accessory to her gorgeous wedding last year, but expects this dancing queen to be in full effect on wedding night…and all other nights. Anna just so happens to be a spectacular professional too – as Ali’s work soul mate for 7…8 years now? Amaze. Let the dream live on…
Casey
Bridesmaid
Roommate to Ali in Italia, Casey and Ali shared an adventure – or two or seventeen. Whether spending Oktoberfest in Munich on a single leg (what she appears to be doing as well here) or consoling Ali over a the most embarrassing moment of her life at a Grocery Store, or scraping Ali of the streets of Florence on her 21st birthday with her super-powered Spanish fluency, Casey and Ali have borne a lot together…and Ali expects many more adventures to come, including this week!
Meghan
Bridesmaid
Stylist? Check. Jewelry Designer? Check. Intern Extraordinaire for Refinery29? Check. Beach Goddess? Check. Kid Sister to Niki and the little sister that Ali never had, this Indian (?) beauty leads a life much like Pi...but, while she may appear the innocent, she’s been known to get a Koplar wedding started. Just know that those shots are not apple juice.
Bridget
Bridesmaid
She knows more football, basketball, and baseball stats than Wikipedia, but eat your heart out gentlemen…this one is TAKEN! Previous SI Hall-of-Famer and now, Tweet Master Extraordinaire, Bridget plays puppet master of the entire digital industry. As fate would have it, Ali met Bridget at the home of every blushing bride – The Knot – and soon found that they had more than just a hometown region in common – they were both ex-‘foot racers’ as Zach would call it. Now in the California Dream home that she called her white rabbit, Ali spends her days crying and strategizing a way to make a career on the left coast so that she and Zach can permanently camp by the lemon tree in Bridget and Rob’s yard.
Kaila
Bridesmaid
Kaila kicks Ali and Zach’s butt. That’s her job. As sister to the groom, she keeps him in line, and by extension, Ali too. That, and she is a certified Cross Fit instructor, and on Christmas of 2012, pushed her dear brother and his poor soon-to-be wife through a 60 minute 12 days of Christmas session along with her husband, Nick. All that and the next day she got up at 7AM along with her 3 and 5 year old peanuts. This lady is SUPER WOMAN and I hope she takes my chair during the Jewish Chair Dance.
Caroline
The Flower Princess
Caroline - This little angel may look demure, but trust us – she’s got this whole wedding under her thumb. The color scheme? Caroline. The dresses? Her choice. I mean, Ali is wearing white because this little girl demanded it. Stand back and watch this budding screen siren takeover the evening. Just a recommendation – let her have the floor when she wants it.
