Bridal Party

We have assembled an All-Star squadron of bridesmaids and groomsmen to accompany us in our wedding. These folks have had our backs for many years, will be by our sides when we exchange vows, and will be with us for many years into the future. Get to know them!

Bridesmaids:

Shelby Stendahl, Mia’s younger sister by 15 months, works in a Massachusetts biotech firm making DNA. We’re not sure what that means either, but we know she had to graduate suma cum laude with a degree in biology from Keene State College to do it. She has an encyclopedic knowledge of fruit flies, an obsession with baking delicious cupcakes, and enjoys spending time with her three wild and crazy cats.

Brita Stendahl is Mia’s youngest sister by, well, by a lot. She’s younger than springtime and just as fun. Brita just graduated from Roger Williams in Rhode Island where she studied Political Science. It’s anyone’s guess what she’ll do next, but with her sense of humor, we predict she’ll go on to write for Family Guy.

Piper Goodeve: Mia and Piper instantly became friends when, upon seeing Piper act out puppy princesses with the other girls on her fist day of kindergarten, Mia realized that Piper was the coolest person ever. Over twenty years later, Piper is still the coolest person ever, only instead of puppy princesses, Piper now plays roles like Anne in Anne of Green Gables off Broadway, and Luisa in The Fantasticks. She received her MFA in Acting from Brown University last May. Piper is currently living it up in NYC where, in addition to acting, singing, and dancing her way to stardom, she knits luxurious little hats for babies. Piper would like it noted that she thinks MIA is the coolest person ever, and she knew it was so when Mia broke both her arms and had a pink cast. Together, Piper and Mia are unstoppable professional MadLibs players.

Emily Earle is thrilled to be part of Mia and Bob’s wedding! She and Mia have been friends since they started in Mr. Auer’s first grade class at Pine Hill Waldorf School. Since the age of six, they’ve shared countless birthday parties, torturous runs, and adventures in NH and NYC. Emily graduated from Williams College with a degree in history and environmental studies. After living in Madagascar, Washington, DC and Portland, Oregon, Emily has put down roots in Brooklyn and is working towards her master’s degree in journalism at New York University. Despite living in the city, Emily is a runner and an all-round outdoorsy kind of girl with an amazing knack for inspiring other people to get out and join her. If she can motivate to go running herself. It’s always easier with someone else’s company (that would be you, Mia).

Groomsmen:

David W. Holt, brother of the groom and the best man (well, better than most).

Born on the bi-centennial celebration of the British surrender at Yorktown, David has been a consistently innovative and subversive figure in American culture.

Holt is an accomplished musician, voice actor, documentary filmmaker, and the Lindbergh Baby.

Todd J. Lyman: Born between Lincoln’s Birthday and Valentine’s Day in 1975.  Grew up in South (with unfortunate exception of few years spent in Ohio in late ’70’s).  Attended Georgia Tech.  Pledged fraternity.  Fell in love with beer.  Began living in off-campus housing in Atlanta demilitarized zone.  Met Bob.  Claimed him as little brother in aforementioned fraternity.  Introduced Bob to beer and joys of off-campus living.

Prof:  Curb the Loonie talk, son.

Todd:  Right.  Eventually we had to leave the warm embrace of college life (it would seem that staying up until 5 in the morning playing Golden-Eye, living in houses that would be condemned if building inspectors weren’t scared to go near them and drinking beer by the gallon are all unhealthy activities).  I moved to the suburbs and went to work for an ultimately doomed ISP.  Bob, on the other hand, left the land of his fathers for Rhode Island of all places (an idea I was highly dubious of at the time but it would seem things have worked out for the best).  I now live in Marietta, GA (an outer-inner suburb of Atlanta…or is it an inner-outer suburb) with my wife, Shannon, and two step-sons:  Alex (8) and Allister (4).  We also have a baby girl who’s scheduled to be born in May.  I work for a software development company in Midtown Atlanta.  When I’m not working or spending time with the family I’m going to Tech games, vacationing on Tybee Island or just enjoying the outdoors.  Oh, and To Hell With Georgia!!!

John Securda: computer programmer, consultant, hockey goon, low brass volume specialist, photographer, Navy man, and all around nice guy. The multi-faceted Mr. Securda makes his home in the greater Atlanta metropolitan area. He and Bob met as freshmen trombone players in the $1.98 Noise of the Southland Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket Marching Band. Their mutual belief in never sacrificing volume for tone has resulted in millions of dollars of repair bills for the Georgia Dome, Bobby Dodd Stadium at Historic Grant Field, and the Robert Ferst Center for the Arts.

John is currently a consultant for Accenture, and is training for the ING Georgia Marathon on March 29, 2009 as a part of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training. His fundraising page can be found here.

Max Stendahl is the brother of Mia, Shelby, and Brita, and a student at Villanova University. He is a writer and artist, and has read books that you or I would never dream of picking up. His brand of hard-hitting on-campus journalism resulted in his being called a girl’s name by Hardball’s Chris Matthews, but I’m told that they have since reconciled and are part of the same weekly poker game.