TJ Wood

  • TJ Wood is technically Ben’s cousin, but after a lifetime of shenanigans, most people assume they’re brothers — or at least co-conspirators in a series of questionable decisions.

    From their early days adventuring in Colorado to their Florida chapter in Boca Raton (affectionately known in family lore as "The Cave of the Winds"), these two have been thick as thieves. And by “thieves,” we mostly mean creators of suspicious weather patterns referred to only as “stench clouds.” You had to be there. Actually, no — it’s better you weren’t.

    TJ and Ben share a deep love of fishing, watching any sport that involves a scoreboard, and occasionally pretending they’re in the Navy. Case in point: they once acquired a military-grade dinghy, slapped an outboard motor on it, and christened it Mooring Wood 1. Was it safe? Questionable. Was it seaworthy? Barely. Was it legendary? Absolutely.

    If unwavering loyalty, a shared sense of adventure, and joint ownership of a mildly terrifying vessel doesn’t qualify someone to be Best Man, we’re not sure what does.

    Through every fishy scheme, sketchy boat launch, and ESPN binge session, TJ has proven one thing: he's the ride-or-die you want when things go sideways. If co-engineering stench clouds, dodging sea law in a military dinghy, and surviving decades of questionable decisions together doesn’t earn him Best Man status, nothing will.

zac bitton

  • Zac Ah, Zac. Once sworn nemesis, now loyal comrade. His bromance with Ben started the way all great friendships do—with years of bitter rivalry.

    Back in elementary and middle school, Zac and Ben were locked in a never-ending sports war: soccer, basketball, competitive glaring—you name it. And thanks to Zac’s glorious Troy Polamalu/Maui-from-Moana hair, he was impossible to miss on the battlefield. Picture a majestic lion sprinting up and down the court with a vengeance.

    But fate (and high school athletics) had other plans. They ended up on the same basketball team, exchanged approximately four days of aggressive eye contact at tryouts, and suddenly became inseparable. Think of it as a Disney movie, but with more sweat and less singing.

    Since then, Zac, Ben, and their trusty third amigo Jaxon have formed a trio known for outdoor misadventures, including the time they were chased out of camp by both a bull moose and a bear. At this point, wildlife just assumes they’re trespassing.

    Today, Zac stands proudly as a groomsman, ready to support Ben like he’s done ever since the great rivalry ended—though he still swears he won more games back in middle school.

jaxon nelson

  • If you ever wonder how deep friendship goes, just know that Jaxon and Ben’s bond was literally arranged by their moms. That’s right—Angie Nelson and Karla Wood struck up a friendship after enrolling their boys in the same second-grade class, and like any solid mom matchmaking plan, it worked like a charm.

    Jaxon and Ben became fast friends, united by snack time, recess, and probably a shared allergy to authority. Over the years, their duo became a trio with the addition of Zac—forming a band of brothers notorious for camping fails, fishing adventures, and poor life choices involving wildlife and inflatable boats.

    One of their greatest hits? A casual little “smart idea” involving a dinghy (yes, another one), a 1.5-mile uphill mountain hike to Siemens Reservoir, and a 300+ pound load that included a trolling motor and a full marine battery. Just three dudes with dreams bigger than their combined IQ at the time.

    But the real magic happened at the end of the day when they could have taken the dinghy back down the mountain trail… but no. They opted for the legendary whitewaters of the Cache La Poudre River. Unfortunately, the river was about as deep as a puddle in July. So, for the next two miles, the boys heroically dragged their dinghy through knee-deep water over sharp rocks like true pioneers—if pioneers had zero planning skills and an Instagram story to post.

    And through it all, Jaxon’s been the ride-or-die, the voice of reason (sometimes), and one of Ben’s longest-standing brothers in chaos. Today, he’s here standing beside Ben, no dinghy required—just decades of friendship and a whole lot of inside jokes we’ll never understand.

austin airhart

  • Yes, man of honor, you read that right. Austin is not a maid to anyone, not even in his own house. He has a fleet of high-tech Roombas (one of which is famously named Meryl Sweep) that handle all the dirty work while he focuses on more important things... like being a surgeon and saving lives or taking care of his high-maintenance dog, Annie.

    After a lifetime of relentless pestering from his little sister Olivia, Austin has once again signed up for a round of good-natured sibling torture — this time in formalwear.

    Growing up close in age, Olivia and Austin were inseparable… but also highly competitive. Any board game could instantly turn into a WWE-style showdown. RIP, Chutes and Ladders. Austin has always been the extrovert of the duo, with enough energy to power a small city and enough stories to make sure everyone hears them. Grandma Kathy even once tried to implement a figurative muzzle just to give Olivia a chance to talk. (Spoiler: it only kind of worked.)

    As they grew older, their bond only strengthened. From Olivia’s slightly unhinged visits to Austin in undergrad, to a Deep Eddy-sponsored family vacation in the Florida Keys, they’ve made every gathering unforgettable. Despite their opposite temperaments, they’ve always been the perfect pair.

    And from the time little girls first started talking about weddings in grade school, Olivia always knew Austin would be her Man of Honor. Nobody knows her better, and nobody can whip a group of unruly people into shape faster — making him the ultimate Man of Honor.

anne-sophie daoust

  • Olivia and Anne-Sophie met at what can only be described as the wild west of their lives — otherwise known as the equestrian industry. (And no, it’s not Heartland. Think more soap opera series… but with horses that are worth more than all of our houses combined, and with riders that make characters from Days of Our Lives seem sane.)

    When people asked where they lived, the easiest answer was “Florida.” In reality, they were juggling summers in Kentucky or somewhere up north, winters in Florida, and three weeks of horse shows a month across the U.S. and Canada stacked on top. Somewhere in that chaos, she and Olivia ended up as surprise roommates one winter season in Wellington, Florida.

    They knew nothing about each other, but one wine night and a “girl dinner” later, it was clear they’d be stuck with each other for life — and not just because of the lease.

    At the time, they were both “as single as a Pringle,” which meant braving the circus of online dating in South Florida together — always on call as each other’s wing woman or, when necessary, escape plan.

    From mid-20s life crises to wrangling runaway horses (sometimes after getting dumped in the middle of a field), Anne-Sophie has a rare talent for finding the silver lining and making everyone around her feel not just better, but genuinely special and loved.

    Through the highs, lows, chaos, and rosé toasts to barn life, Anne-Sophie has been Olivia’s fiercest supporter, truest friend, and forever cheerleader — no matter where in the world they each land.

kari wood (villalobos)

  • The first person Olivia ever met from Ben’s family was his little sister, Kari. For Christmas that year, Ben had gifted her plane tickets to Florida so she could visit during spring break. The timing, of course, overlapped perfectly with Ben’s busiest season at work — but that didn’t stop him from planning a week of fun for Kari, his friends, and his then-newish girlfriend, Olivia.

    Olivia, trying not to overstep, played it cool… until the perfect moment arrived. A fire (literally) broke out at Ben’s work, pulling him away for the morning. Seizing her chance, Olivia boldly asked Kari to brunch — just the two of them.

    What happened at that First Watch in Boca Raton has gone down in history as the start of their lifelong friendship. Kari brought the hard-hitting questions, Olivia had all the right answers, and by the end of the meal, they were laughing like old friends. The rest of the trip included beach days, Floribama Shore commentary, Chi-Chi’s up, and of course, the wave that nearly swept them both into the Atlantic.

    Since then, their bond has only grown stronger — from singing and dancing at the Greeley Stampede, to celebrating Kari’s graduation in Hawaii, to Christmas in Colorado with matching pajamas (yes, even Mr. Wood joined in), and now as soon-to-be sisters and bridesmaids at each other’s weddings.

    Growing up with just one older brother, Olivia never got to experience what it was like to have a sister — but now she has the best one of all.

peyton witt

  • Ah yes, Peyton—Ben’s comrade forged in the fire of tax busy season. The two met the way all soul-bonded friendships begin: through modern-day indentured servitude at a CPA firm (name redacted for everyone's safety... mostly the firm's). If you've never experienced tax season in public accounting, just imagine stress-eating Cheez-Its at 2 a.m. while arguing over spreadsheet formulas. It’s trauma. It’s bonding. It’s beautiful.

    Though Peyton and Ben first worked together virtually—spending endless hours on Microsoft Teams in a haze of caffeine and depreciation schedules—they didn’t actually meet face-to-face until Ben and Olivia took a scouting trip to Northern Georgia. Romantic? No. Professional? Barely. Legendary? Absolutely.

    Since Ben and Olivia made the move, the friendship between the two families has only grown stronger. Whether it's sneaking off to a Braves game, planning impromptu fishing trips, or masterfully avoiding real responsibilities, Peyton is always down for a good time and a solid excuse to dodge work emails.

    Now proudly standing beside Ben, Peyton represents the only relationship on this groomsmen roster that was born entirely through Excel formulas and passive-aggressive client emails—and that, friends, is true accounting love.