Wedding Party
Xavier Ali Travis
Officiant
Xavier and I (Adrien) met like a decade ago in a production of Brylcream. We weren't close and we forgot about each other until we were both in a production of Smokey Joe's Cafe some seven years later. We didn't talk much until tech week when we realized we lived ten minutes away from each other and we should probably carpool. That week had no fewer than five four am chat seshes in my car featuring Jack in the Box garlic fries. Our acquaintanceship rocketed into best friendom immediately, both of us under the influence of late nights and garlic fries as we bared our souls to each other. From that week on he was my ride or die. He saw the beginning of our relationship from the front row. He even said yes when I asked him to drive 1500 miles to help me move in with the love of my life.
Monique Cornelius
Best Woman
Monique was my very first friend, and she's seen more of me than anyone in my life. We met in our church's eighth grade youth group, bonding over a cartoon. She then did her best to befriend me by drawing me dozens of pictures of dragons and phoenixes. It worked, and for the next eight, nine years?? - we've been there for each other. Through sleepovers, cartoon binges, babysitting her little siblings, all of my coming outs, and all the hard times, she's been a constant in my life. I don't think we've ever fought. There's never been anything but love, even as we defied people that said we shouldn't be friends. We've never left each other hanging. I love this woman and I'm going to keep her in my life until we're old and decrepit.
Adrienne Stratton
Honor Attendant
Adrienne and I (A) met four years ago in our first year music theory class, and then we didn't talk for almost a full year. Eventually I bullied them into being my friend, and now I rely on them for their near daily encouragement, support, and acceptance. Adrienne is one of the first people I came out to, and there is nobody I would rather have to be my person of honor. (Adrienne, I trust you to make an appropriately cheesy speech at some point during this whole wedding thing.)
Anna Steenson
Bridesmaid
To be honest, I don't think I (A) stood a chance of NOT being friends with Anna. I met her on my first day of college, discovered that she was my next door dorm neighbor, that we had the same major (music), and that we were in the same first year seminar. I introduced Anna to coffee that first year of college, and now our friendship is solidly based on a shared love of coffee, potatoes, and Batman. This day would not be complete without Anna standing up with me and then drinking way too much coffee with me after the ceremony.
Haley Hodges
Bridesmaid
Haley and I (A) also met on the first day of college, but we didn't truly become friends until our sophomore year where our similar schedules meant that we often enjoyed ("enjoyed") Hubbell breakfast together. It was over the mediocre potatoes and biscuits that we developed our potato scale of excellence and discovered that we both had a profound dislike of everybody who wasn't a dog. Haley is the most protective, welcoming person I have ever met, and I wouldn't dream of not having my Italian mother by my side for such an important day.