The Bride and Groom

Elissa has a Gobstoppers addiction. She’d go into the convenience store where Bryan worked quite often. He thought she was cute and looked her up on facebook one day. He commented on her blog about Descartes. She looked up his IP and found him on facebook. Read their first conversation. They had their first date in March of ‘06, watching Rent in Elissa’s dorm room, and became an official couple a few days later. Bryan proposed on Otober 5th 2008 in Disney World on the balcony of their hotel room during Illuminations. Learn more about the couple.

The Maid of Honor

Elissa and Rachelle met in preschool. Elissa has fond memories of running around with their friends with headbands over their eyes pretending they were Geordi from Star Trek. Even back then, they were geeks. Elissa and Rachelle didn’t meet again until middle school biology class when they were assigned to be lab partners. They soon became best friends. They went shopping together, they went to Disney together, they even lived together for a year and a half at college. They are “sisters in spirit,” as the picture frame above Elissa’s desk says.

The Best Man

Brian moved across the street from Bryan when they were in fourth grade. Though the friendship was occasionally tenuous at first – Brian forcing unwanted family recipes on Bryan, and Bryan being just plain mean – sharing the same classes in seventh grade and lots of hours spent playing Dragon Warrior gave them a deep understanding of one another, and friendship to span a couple decades now. Bryan and Brian both know that if either of them has any personal issues to discuss, the other will be there to help with brutal honesty, and a lot of really corny jokes.

The Bridesmaids

Elissa and Krissy either met through Rachelle, Cara, or in chorus. However they met, friendship was inevitable. Elissa, Krissy and Rachelle were on stage crew together for the high school production of Pippin. Their tasks included the important job of throwing body parts out on stage. Krissy is the one who inspired The Evil Squirrels song and the famous Elissa “whee.” She is also the unofficial planning process and party photographer.

Elissa met Carolyn through Andrew as they were dating at the time. The first time she saw Carolyn was when Ms. Smith picked her to play flute for the concert in her freshman year of high school. Elissa often visited Carolyn for some tofu and frozen yogurt at the Douglass dining hall during their time together at Rutgers. The talented Carolyn will be performing during the ceremony.

Bryan and Cheryl have been friends for quite a while. Elissa met Cheryl a few months after she and Bryan began dating at one of her parties. Elissa was very excited to learn Cheryl enjoys karaoke as much as she does. Several parties full of Apples to Apples and a Tegan and Sara concert later, Elissa decided she was the perfect choice to complete the bridal party.

The Groomsmen

As children, Bryan and Chris had that typical brother relationship where they were both occasional companions and tormentors of each other. The most time they spent together was at their dad’s house on weekends when they had little to do but play games and watch Nickelodeon together. Though they don’t see each other as much anymore, there’s a lasting mutual respect and understanding now that they’re out on their own, and they can always have a good time when they see one another.

Bryan met Geoff in first grade when they had the same teacher. Bryan visited Geoff’s after school on a fairly regular basis throughout elementary and middle school. They bonded over video games and dominated the classroom as children. As time’s gone by, they’ve always found various entertainment topics and life situations to converse about in a way that only great friends can. Geoff is easily the longest non-family friendship Bryan has had.

Elissa met Andrew in sixth grade. She was once taller than him. Bryan met Andrew not long after he first met Lissy. Probably Princess and Buffy, Elissa’s dogs, were attacking Andrew at the time as he’s one of their favorite people in the whole world. Andrew loves animals, all animals, and they know it. He won’t be dogsitting on the third though!