Austin has been around ever since Tyler can remember, and in the course of their long relationship, brother and best man are only a couple of roles that Austin has played. Others include teammate, co-worker, roommate, miscreant and general accomplice. Tyler has learned a lot from Austin over the years. Ever the renaissance student, Austin is fluent in many of the greater and lesser arts. From the hot topics in epistemology to the finer points of cabinetry restoration to the basic elements of classical guitar, Austin regularly makes Tyler feel like a dullard (in a good way). Throughout, Austin has remained a close confidant and he and Tyler have regular phone calls where Austin is known to advise Tyler on how to properly change his oil as well as which recent releases Tyler's been missing in the local record store. Austin is currently a carpenter on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and, if you’re not careful, will grab the nearest Gibson and begin serenading a crowd.
Tyler’s family moved next door to Mike’s family in the fourth grade and the two have been best friends ever since. During the course of growing up in a small town, Tyler always valued Mike’s earnest optimism and ability to strike up a conversation with anyone. Likewise, Mike always valued that he could copy Tyler’s homework without it becoming a whole thing. After high school Mike and Tyler ended up at different colleges, and eventually on different sides of the country. However, while Mike and Tyler are often at odds geographically, they’re still close enough to have a voice in each other’s lives. The same way Mike was sure to let Tyler know he thought Ellen was a fantastic addition to the family, Tyler was sure to let Mike know he should tone it down when he went too deep into a regrettable Mumford and Sons phase. Mike is now a professional photographer in Los Angeles and is more excited than anyone else that he gets to wear a vest at the wedding.
The first time Tyler met Brian, Ellen’s middle brother, it was in the midst of one of Brian’s 18-hour solo drives from Miami to Milwaukee. When he arrived in Cleveland for a pit stop he was barely speaking coherent sentences, but Tyler was still impressed by Brian’s Bruce-Springsteen-meets-Jimmy-Buffet style that can only be achieved by a true Miami transplant. Brian also loves making his own music, and Tyler is holding out hope that Brian’s wedding gift will be an original rendition of David Bowie’s “Modern Love” on ukulele. When not making sweet, sweet music, Brian is a personal trainer in Miami and is excited to be back in his hometown for the wedding.
Kevin, Ellen’s younger brother, is someone who the rest of the groomsman would be jealous of if he wasn’t so damn nice. When Tyler first met Kevin, Tyler was impressed by Kevin's subtle confidence and the fact that he has the ability to outswim the majority of the general population. Though Kevin’s exclusive mode of communication is Snapchat, he and Tyler have still been able to connect through a shared love of Mario Kart, competitive vintage pinball, and the Flaming Lips. When not breaking hearts, and numerous UAA collegiate swimming records, Kevin studies electrical engineering at Washington University in St. Louis.
Chris, or Stone as he’s known to all but those who share his last name, first met Tyler on a road trip to Tyler’s first Dave Matthews Band show. As any real fan will tell you, after you share a weekend with someone at a 3-day, outdoor DMB show, you reeallly know who they are. Nevertheless, after that weekend Stone and Tyler became fast friends. Over the years Tyler has learned a lot from Stone, including the value of being a person who is always ready to come along for the ride and the importance of making jokes that no one else can hear. Stone regularly visits Tyler in New York where he inevitably ends up serenading a packed room of noraebang karaoke goers to a stirring rendition of “Crash Into Me.”
Mark and Tyler met at law school orientation where they locked eyes across the room and shared knowing looks that said, “Do you know sports?” Tyler and Mark’s friendship is often incredibly symbiotic. For example, Tyler made Mark the lawyer he is today by continuously challenging him on the eccentricities of the U.S. Legal System and cheerfully quizzing him on esoteric Law Review editing rules. In return, Mark taught Tyler the finer arts of recreational woodworking, the basic tenets of blackjack and just how important a punchy E-vite can be if you really want to get the right mix at your Halloween party. Mark is now an IP lawyer in Columbus, OH where he regularly throws rockin’ Halloween parties.
Pat and Tyler met while sharing an office at their law firm in New York. In the dog-eat-dog world of corporate law, Pat and Tyler were kindred spirits – both hailing from (relatively) rural areas. The law firm, keen on fostering such a promising friendship, would often keep Pat and Tyler in the office for stretches of up to 36 hours or more. Thankfully, this provided plenty of time for Pat and Tyler to share secret, homemade hair care secrets and argue over whose Spotify history is less mainstream. While Pat has moved on to Washington D.C., he and Tyler regularly meet up to talk politics and attend Fleetwood Mac tribute shows.