Anne & Michael
Wedding Party
Anne Hildebrand
Bride
Anyone reading this already knows a bit about her, but here goes: loves her furbabies (as seen in picture) and her books. Would rather be outside than inside, experiences over stuff any day all day, self-certified tree hugger and spends her money on food and travel. Wouldn't have it any other way.
Michael Aranda
Groom
Mike is a certified sneakerhead (check out the kicks in the ceremony), obsessed with professional wrestling, and a long-suffering Dallas sports fan. When the Cowboys inevitably let Mike down, he escapes to the world of video games and Broadway musicals. Mike is adjusting to life as a cat-dad and has learned to live with little teeth marks on his CPAP tubing.
Kate Olson
Maid of Honor
Anne met Kate the first day of class (Prof Seiple's Monday 8AM...yes 8AM Principles of Literary Analysis) freshmen year at Kutztown University. They continued the matching classes tradition pretty much the remainder of their four years. Highlights include Kate's incredible lunch seat saving abilities (and for seven!), a wicked scavenger hunt maze, ice skating on her parents' frozen pond, planning a bomb ass weekend in the White Mountains alongside Anne's other lovable weirdos, a fellow fan of Tswift and the WNBA (and driving up to CT from PA, on a work night to see the game! Dedication), being a bustle dress queen and their partners being fellow Lorelai Gilmore stans.
Joel Clement
Best Man
Mike met Joel during his first week at Appalachian State in their Freshman seminar. It took one class for them to realize the seminar was a joke, and they deduced a plan: Joel would attend on Mondays, Mike on Wednesdays, and they would both skip on Fridays and get breakfast. Their friendship grew from their shared love of video games, professional wrestling, and heated debates on their drives between Boone and Raleigh.
Tiff Blisard
Bridesmaid
Anne met Tiff during her sophomore year at Kutztown University, (though technically might have met freshman year through Care Bears). They were both freshman mentors that year (aka RA's, but better). Highlights include an RIT road trip, a couple Warren Christmases with Kate where they discovered the glory that is the Train Station and those bennys, 5AM Shady Maple birthday breakfast (worth it), being Anne's go to bartender, supplying her with much needed plastic bags every visit without fail (Boston problems), and supplying her with ALL the cheese during Bachelorette weekend. And lastly, her daughter painting Anne's nails and Anne later mistaking them for rose petals while in a hot tub. Not the same haha.
Chris Kinney
Groomsman
Mike met Chris when Chris started working at Berklee Online. Having only been in Boston for a few months, Chris became Mike’s first friend in the city. Their first conversation centered around a Nintendo Amiibo on Chris’ desk. After work trivia at McGreavy’s turned into late-night NFL Blitz matchups at Bit Bar (undefeated no more!). Chris has made it a personal goal to help diversify Mike's music tastes, The Protomen and Sammy Hagar concerts being the highlights.
Steph Reiley
Bridesmaid
Anne met Steph through their mutual friend, Caitlin during her sophomore year at Kutztown University. Highlights include a NYC bus trip to see How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, the best book recommender a girl could ask for (Firekeepers Daughter. Y'all should read it), meeting her furbaby, Bowen (even though he hates Anne with a passion haha), realizing they have very similar hair shades (Anne may have been tipsy off the margaritas during that exchange), ranting (and raving) about their advisees, and cat memes for days.
Isaac Brown
Groomsman
Mike met Isaac when Isaac started working with his brother Patrick. It didn’t take long for Mike to view Isaac as another brother. When all the Arandas migrated to New England, the transition was more manageable for everyone when Isaac decided to join them. A consistent theme of these biographies is that Mike and Isaac bonded over their love of games (video, board, card). Their first time playing Munchkin will always be a highlight. Now if we can only get him and Craig to move back to Massachusetts.
Sarah Kupka
Bridesmaid
Anne met Sarah in March 2016 when they were both teachers in South Korea. Highlights include daily rants about their shared place of work, monthly zoom calls (time zones be damned), Sarah saving Anne from a crazy monkey on Monkey Island in Vietnam (staged pictures do not work on animals), ALL the puzzle cafes (something Anne continues to miss since returning stateside), onsens in January (seriously the best), Sarah slowly but surely bringing out Anne's defective Christmas spirit, a very foggy NYC weekend trip before covid descended upon the world, and having a Korea inspired picnic in Boston.
Larry Montani
Groomsman
As Mike's older cousin, Mike has "known" Larry his entire life. One of Larry's early influences on Mike was when they were fighting, and Mike swore in front of his parents for the first time. The absurdity of the moment made the two forget what they were fighting over. When Mike lived with the Montani's after college, Mike and Larry would have weekly lunch hangouts. They would swap a poker chip back and forth to remember whose turn it was to pay. Despite him being a Giants fan, their bond over fantasy football continues to this day with weekly lineup discussions (sorry for the bad advice!).
Michelle Murphy
Bridesmaid
Anne met Michelle through Mike back at the close of 2020 at a backyard bbq (cuz covid times). Highlights include constant recommendations for trashy yet addicting TV and movies and then proceeding to rant and rave about them, Napa Valley wine tour where Anne felt it after one stop...,extremely helpful wedding advice as she is a fellow bride to be (and learning the beauty that is salsa in the process), humoring her at the trampoline park where Anne relived her glory days, learning the beauty that is Prosecco and a lovely day trip to Nantucket.
Zachary Dunn
Groomsman
Mike and Zach’s friendship started with the most awkward playdate in elementary school. Their parents arranged for them to hang out, resulting in three hours of NHL Hitz and about five words spoken between them. Their friendship grew in high school when they were both on the swim team. Zach’s constant recruiting significantly influenced Mike to attend Appalachian State (App beating Michigan sure as hell helped). Fun fact, Mike only voted in the 2010 mid-term elections because Zach bribed him with Taco Bell.
Sara Meyer
Bridesmaid
Technically Anne met Sara in 2015 when they were both teachers at the same school in South Korea, but they got to know each other much better when they found out they were both in Boston post Korea time in 2018. Highlights include rafting on the Saco River (and beating the rain!), brunch for days, a new appreciation for Japanese cuisine (aka ramen), painted mug gifts, free pool trips and not-so-free pedicures (but equally enjoyable!).
Nick Montani
Groomsman
Since Nick is Mike's younger cousin, he has had the honor of knowing Mike his entire life. Known as Mikey and Nicky in the family, they both have banished the -y from their names as adults. Despite being a Giants fan, their mutual love for sports has bonded them since childhood. While they both attended golf camp as kids, only Nick has been able to translate those skills to adulthood. Nick is also responsible for the first time Mike fell asleep at a bar (Power Plant in Baltimore).
Melissa Aranda
Bridesmaid
Anne met Melissa through Mike (of course haha) in early 2021. Highlights include being her unofficial and much appreciated plus one while Mike was busy being a groomsmen at a cousin's wedding, unforgettable Quiplash games when Anne realized their sense of humor are quite aligned, drinking too much tequila and saying absurd things (Anne) and then laughing (both), all the Milo visits, and finding that much needed safety pin ahead of the engagement party.
John Miller
Groomsman
Mike met John (other known aliases: Jesus, Wilson) in the sixth grade at Apex Middle School. If there is anyone to blame for Mike’s continued love of professional wrestling, it can be placed on John. They had an arrangement with Mike’s dad that they could order a wrestling PPV if they did a weekend of yard work. They also bonded over their fascination with horror movies. Whenever Mike is about to see a new horror film, he consults John about the number of jump scares in the movie (anything over five requires all the lights on).
Tim Hildebrand
Bridal Escort
Anne met Tim all the way back at about 18 months old so he's seen her through all the things. Highlights include all the absurd (yet creative!) plays they'd put on with friends and cousins alike, making friends with random strangers on their childhood trips (Tim was better - I hardly spoke), catching Tim's Catbite shows in Philly and Boston, discovering our extensive family tree and realizing we are, in fact, Eastern European, Italian, and French most of all, stealing some great recipes of his (this dude can cook!), helping Anne plan Dad's bench memorial, and last but certainly not least, the furbabies, Derek, Nacho, Xena and Amanda Bynes 2.
Joshua Koenig
Officiant
Mike met Josh on his first day at Appalachian State. The only Royal Flush Mike has seen in a poker game was courtesy of Josh freshman year (too bad he didn't know he had it). When Mike moved to Boston, it wasn't long before Josh and Michelle followed, and their trio established Boston as home base. One of the crowning achievements of the trio is when Josh finally won the New Balance dance-off at Fenway Park (after losing to the woman in the wheelchair the previous week). I'm unsure if proud is the right word, but the number of hours Mike and Josh have consumed watching Red Zone is legendary.
Rebecca Bridges
Mother of the Bride
Anne has known her mama, Rebecca since the day she was born. Rebecca has been Anne's go-to person for everything. She has literally been through all of it with her, every crazy decision along the way. Anne owes her love of travel and food to her, and a lot of her bravery, too. Rebecca is the bravest person she knows. Favorite memories include Machu Pichu for (almost) sunrise (pictured), Quebec where they practiced their questionable French, navigating Paris and London while Rebecca was on crutches, Olympics in South Korea (where she got to meet Anne's family away from home, plus the babies!) Fellow pedicure and soccer queen. Plus, gifting Anne her OG cat, Broxie when she was 7 and then Cayden for her 16th birthday.
Althea Aranda
Mother of the Groom
Mike has known his mom since the day he was born. We can blame Althea for Mike's love of musicals, treasure hunting, and sweets. Musicals they have seen in person together include In the Heights, Hamilton, Something Rotten, Wicked, and Six. The vast majority of the memorabilia in Mike's office Althea hunted down. When Mike was in pre-school, Melissa was in regular school hours, and Pat was in his special needs program; Mike would get home around noon and spend the afternoon with just his mom. Mike would wait for the soap operas to trigger Althea's post-night shift nap and turn the TV to cartoons.
David Hildebrand
Father of the Bride
Anne has also known her dad, David since she was born. He'd always tell her the roof of the hospital was melting the day Anne was born (late August in Texas problems). Anne credits her love of history and conservation to her dad. He was thrifting and composting before it was in vogue. David and Anne had an uncanny love for the same shows (Dark, Stranger Things, This is Us and Mad Men to name a few) and would talk and theorize about them constantly. Highlights include their weekly phone calls (one of the few people to get Anne on the phone), their trip to Ireland where they found out they're actually Scottish and not Irish and their regular breakfast trips at the Train Station (where he'd order scrambled instead of over easy or benedict, like a crazy person). Anne misses him every day.
Michael Aranda Senior
Father of the Groom
Mike has known Mike Sr since the day he was born. In the constant battle of "Which Mike are you talking to?" we will refer to the groom as Mikey (in this section only!). Mikey's love of all things science fiction comes from Mike Sr. One of Mike's defining childhood memories was attending a science fiction convention with Mike Sr and Mr. Rob. After meeting Hikaru Sulu, Geordi La Forge, the BODY of Darth Vader, and Kenickie from Grease, Mikey was hooked. Instead of bedtime stories, Mikey and Mike Sr would play an hour of "Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire", and the adventures of Dash Rendar continue to occupy way too much of Mikey's time. With Mike Sr. being an engineer, Mikey was exposed to technology at a very early age and 100% contributed to his career path.