Alicia & Greg
Wedding Party
Phyllis Hankel
Maid of Honor
Phyllis had no idea what she was getting into when she signed up to spend her Junior year of high school in America living with the Bolducs in Norridgewock, ME. She earned the title of honorary sister over a year of bon fires, clothes-sharing, and arguments over whether nutella or peanut butter is better. Phyllis and Alicia kept in touch after that year, and their families have visited each other over the years. Phyllis spent some time in Maine last year, and although that means it is officially Alicia's turn to visit her in Germany, she still agreed to be Alicia's Maid of Honor. Fun Fact: Phyllis was so good at eating the snacks in our house before Alicia could get to them that Alicia adapted to eating Phyllis' least favorite food: celery.
Mike Loranger
Best Man
Mike is a down-to-earth guy always ready to ride bicycles. When I first met Mike he was skidding corners, riding wheelies and dropping to flat whenever possible. Not much has changed, and that's what I love about the guy. His personality is infectious (in a good way). Mike has a way of always looking for positives in life, making sure to appreciate the little things, and make each day into an adventure. The first time i rode bikes with Mike he showed up with a bike that had no tread on the tires, and tape holding together spokes. It didn't seem to slow him down. Our riding styles and bikes have changed through the years, but one thing that's remained constant, is outside of Alicia, he's my favorite person to ride bikes with. Fun Fact: Mike breaks more bike parts than me.
Tira Denny
Bridesmaid
Alicia and Tira met through their partners, but quickly became great friends. They can be found shredding on the local singletrack most summer afternoons (and spring, and fall, and even winter...) Tira is a great friend. She is attentive and understanding, and she always makes sure everyone is having a good time. She can have a conversation with anyone in the room (Alicia obviously lacks this trait) and never has trouble finding the good in people. She is energetic, active, and Alicia's go-to adventure buddy. Fun fact: Tira is a classically-trained bassoon player! But Alicia has never heard her play (and Tira has never heard Alicia play the saxophone. They should jam sometime.)
Scott Guimond
Groomsman
Scott is the most energetic person I know with a knack for being good at almost everything. He's also extremely thoughtful, and he will help you solve any problem (even if you don't ask). My first memory of Scott is watching the Boston Celtics playoff run back in 2010 (they lost). We were at a Buffalo Wild Wings, and he ordered a Corona with lime. It's not the drink that stands out, but his reaction to tasting the drink. "What do they do to the limes here?" A question the waitress likely has never heard before, and never will again. There is never a dull moment if Scott is around. Fun Fact: Scott has a mini dirt bike that's caused more property damage than it's worth.
Margaret Williams
Bridesmaid
Alicia and Margaret have been BFFs since they went to the Skowhegan State Fair in sixth grade. They were concert buddies in high school, protecting one another from the mutiny of the mosh pits. They spent countless hours listening to WCYY (before it was bad) and "discovering" the latest "undiscovered" emo bands on Myspace. Alicia and Margaret both have degrees in Biochemistry, but Margaret actually puts hers to use. She more recently found a passion for sustainable agriculture and the likes, and Alicia thinks that is really cool. Margaret is now Alicia's go-to person for composting and gardening advice. Fun Fact: Margaret and Alicia met on AOL instant messenger before they started going to the same school, likely after a random Buddy List Exchange. Alicia never told her mom that.
Ben Santos-Rogers
Groomsman
Ben is an extremely chill guy that's always ready for an adventure. He once drove a rental car 6 hours just to get breakfast in Canada. He also convinced me to take the best vacation of my life when we visited Colombia for 3 weeks back in 2009. I can honestly say I am a more adventurous for knowing him. Ben and I went to grade school together. We were always friends, but it wasn't until 2006 when we became roommates that our friendship really grew into a stronger bond. He now lives out in California, but I still consider him one of my best friends. Fun fact: Ben played a key role in the time I had to get the largest amount of stitches in my life.
Lindsay Houlihan
Bridesmaid
Lindsay and Alicia met in PA school, where they spent nearly every Sunday (and some Saturdays, a few Wednesdays, and most Tuesdays as well...) cramming for exams--Alicia would read study guides to Lindsay as she sipped her latte, and a beautiful friendship was born. Lindsay spearheaded the Portland, ME branch of FART (Friday Afternoon Running Team), a nationally recognized club (maybe?), to which Alicia quickly jumped on board. Alicia would lend her savvy MS Paint skills for weekly announcements, and Lindsay would provide the hype. Fun fact: Lindsay and Alicia ran their first marathon together last year, the day after graduating from PA school. They signed up late at night after a few glasses of wine.
Hans Volland
Groomsman
Hans is laid-back and easy-going. He's also smart, and has a seemly endless supply of interesting facts. If I were to setup a trivia team he would be my first pick. He's also creative. We once wrote a movie about aliens. It likely would have been a masterpiece, but due to creative differences it was never filmed. Our friendship started back in our hometown, Buxton. We were friends through High School, but really bonded once we became roommates. Some of my favorite memories with Hans are in the kitchen. He's always cooking up something great , and always willing to share. Fun Fact: Hans once lost a bet trying to get his 1986 Chevy Monte Carlo to do a burnout, in reverse. He also is the only person I know to buy a motorcycle and crash it into a mailbox less than 1 minute later.
Jess Boutin
Bridesmaid
Alicia and Jess met through their partners, but they bonded over their love for a good malbec (or even a questionable one--they don't discriminate). Alicia loves Jess's fun and bubbly personality, and her ability to throw a fantastic BBQ. Jess is hilarious and will absolutely make you cry laughing if you're lucky enough to spend some time with her at the wedding. Fun fact: Jess has a son named Benson, but she affectionately refers to him as Frank. Frank has a sock monkey named Bernadette. Don't mess with Bernadette.
Adam Bryant
Groomsman
Our friendship started Junior year in High School. One of my fondest memories is when we took videography together. While no future classics were produced, we both got A's making "Where's Batman", "C.H.I.P.S." (a 7 minute feature film filled with action-packed drama), and"top ten/ten worst cars in the high school parking lot" - need i say more? Adam has always been a friend I can count on regardless of the issue. When I needed help figuring out what beer was the best value - he was there. When I blew up my motor in my Civic driving like an idiot - he was there. He even helped shape the part Fun Fact: Adam and I own a car together that we use for autocross (poor-man's racing). It works out well for me as I'm good at breaking it, and he's good at fixing it.
Eric Tozier
Groomsman
Eric is extremely savvy. If you need to find a deal he is the man to call. He loves to debate almost anything (possibly more than I do). He has a big heart, and always willing to help anyway he can. I've known Eric the longest (obviously) since he's my brother. We grew up sharing a room together and thrived on finding creative solutions to problems. Like the time we were asked to spend time outside since it was a "nice day." We complied, but only after finding an extension cored and moving the TV and Nintendo outside as well. Fun Fact: While Nerf guns are fun it's easy to lose the foam darts. We found that rolling up small balls of Play-Doh made "safe", indoor ready bullets for the bb gun. The experiment was a success, but short lived. Mom did not approve.