Wedding Party
Paul Richard
Best Man
Ryan and Paul met about 15 years ago in Otis through their shared love of watersports. You’ll find them together throughout the summer whether they’re enjoying time on their boats, trying out Paul’s newest toys, taking Addie and Amanda out on the town (hopefully beyond The Knox), or hanging out discussing advancements in technology and engineering, which Paul has a knack for. Paul is a brilliant engineer with an ability to fix just about anything. He always has an answer for Ryan’s favorite longstanding question: “Hey Paul, how is [this random object] made?” Beyond that, he is a true and loyal friend who is always going out of his way to help others. Ryan had the honor of being Paul’s Best Man in his wedding.
Arianna Ricciardi
Maid of Honor
Amanda has known Ari her whole life - she’s her younger sister! From endless summer days (and sometimes nights) swimming in Nana and Papa’s pool, making up dances to make the rain go away, decorating their childhood room with personally designed Bratz doll printouts, to illegally downloading countless songs on Limewire for their mixtapes, and making some questionable choices in Amanda’s Honda Accord, they’ve been through thick and thin together. Amanda and Ari share countless memories and inside jokes, especially from the Vine era, SNL episodes and movies they watched growing up, all things Tim Robinson, dressing Vito up as a Hannah Montana (sorry Vito), and the Cousin Skeeter episodes that made them laugh so hard they’d wake their mom up. Ari is a fantastic chef and an even better baker - she makes the best macrons that you’d swear came straight from France. She is a loving dog mom to Milo and a music aficionado - they saw their first concert together (Avril Levine!!) While Amanda and Ari may be different in many ways, they share a bond that only two sisters could.
Mitchell Sobolevsky
Groomsman
Mitchell and Ryan were fraternity brothers at Syracuse where they lived together for two years. They may have butted heads at first, but it was only because Ryan was constantly pushing Mitchell’s buttons, which he enjoyed re-hashing during Mitchell’s best man speech. Mitchell is as driven and hardworking as they come, and has the confidence and wit to go toe-to-toe with top lawyers and big name politicians (ask him about the AOC video). He has fully embraced Dad Life and is happiest spending time with his wife Madison and their daughter Annie. Ryan can always count on Mitchell as a source of motivation, hard truths, and harder laughs. Between his big aspirations and his little-brother humor, it’s no wonder he has remained among Ryan’s closest friends no matter the distance between them.
Casey Nicoll
Bridesmaid
Casey and Amanda started out as neighbors, and ended up as sisters! They still live just around the corner from each other and love spending time together, whether for family dinners, nights at Nathan Bills, Saint Patrick Day activities or summer weekends at the lake. Casey has an infectious laugh that is guaranteed to come out when “I Think You Should Leave” gets quoted. She is a hard-working homeowner, dedicated and loving cat mom to Ghost and Marie, and meets every life challenge (big or small) head on. Casey is the first to lend a helping hand, hold your hair back when the Italian roads get a little too windy, and always shows her love and generosity with thoughtful, creative gifts. She is also Ryan and Amanda’s go-to cat sitter, and is among the few who does not fear Charlie’s feistiness. Amanda can always count on Casey to be there no matter what.
Lucas Horvath
Groomsman
Lucas and Ryan have been friends since grade school, but their friendship has only gotten stronger through the years. If they’re not getting into trouble together, they’re helping each other get out of it - like when Lucas sprinted a mile uphill from his house to recover Ryan’s crashed motorcycle before the cops showed up. Lucas was Ryan’s first friend that Amanda met. Thankfully, she was not scared off by the offensive jokes, ridiculous accents, or nonsense words that seemed to make up the second language they spoke in. No, hanging out with Ryan and Lucas is not for the faint of heart - especially when the beers are flowing. Nonetheless, Lucas is an incredible and loyal friend who is always helping out and will always have your back. He is unapologetically himself, and we love him for it.
Brianna DeLand
Bridesmaid
Bri is Ryan’s little sister, and has all the outward lovingness and compassion that some may not see in Ryan (at first). Bri welcomed Amanda into the family with love and enthusiasm from the start, and shared insight into Ryan’s mind that only a little sister could. She is an incredible nurse, who is dedicated to all of her patients, and the best auntie to Wes-Man and Baby Ella. Bri has also taken on the role of family cake-maker, and always blows us away with her delicious and beautiful creations. Bri and Amanda have shared many days filled with boat rides, surfing sessions (Bri doing the surfing), beer Olympics on the dock, board games with the family and movie nights featuring Coneheads, which they watched an unhealthy amount of times one summer. Whether she needs a laugh, a chat, medical advice, or one of her famous hugs, Amanda knows she can turn to Bri for just about anything.
Michael Barsalona
Groomsman
Like Mitchell, Ryan and Michael were fraternity brothers and housemates in college, though Michael is two years their junior. Ryan had a soft spot for Michael and would regularly get him out of typical pledging chores by inviting him to hang out in his room. Countless memories from their time at school have grown into a lifelong friendship, with Friendsgivings celebrated at Michael and his wife Emma’s house, ski trips to Emma’s family’s Okemo house, summer weekends in Otis with their beloved pup Cannoli, and so much more. Michael is an entrepreneurial man of many hobbies - a tinkerer, techy, gardener and former shrimp farmer. Between his passion for personal finance and hunger for home improvement projects, he and Ryan always have something to talk about. Michael is an all-around great guy.
Addie DiFrancesco
Bridesmaid
Addie has welcomed Amanda into lake life since day one, and provides much needed balance to Ryan and Paul’s regularly scheduled shenanigans. Addie is a dedicated runner with an impressive track record - pun intended, and her love for all things horses is second to none although GooGoo Dolls is a close rival. Addie is also the historian of the friend group, with an exceptional ability to recall hilarious stories and memories from over the years. She is always there to snap pictures when it counts the most, including Ryan and Amanda’s engagement when she and Paul were visiting Italy at the same time! Beyond that, she is a kind and caring friend and loving pet mom to Gatsby and Wilson. Addie is always there for a vent session, a laugh (usually through her unmatched knowledge of movie quotes), a double date at our favorite Indian restaurant (followed by a chaotic McDonald’s drive through order), book recommendations, reciting ITYSL episodes word for word, or a relaxing boat ride in the summer.
Vito Ricciardi
Groomsman
Vito is Amanda’s little brother, and the bond they share reminds Ryan of how grateful he is to share in and experience their relationship. Vito has lived with Ryan and Amanda in spurts over the past few years in between his stints as a hunting guide and cattle farmer out west. Whenever he’s home, the jokes start flying and the laughs don’t stop. Between too many rounds of Rocket League, hours of skit comedy, and questionable interpretations of the letter G, there is never a dull moment when Vito is around. Beyond the laughs, Vito is a compassionate individual who looks out for his sisters as if he was the oldest, and he’s a hard worker with confidence and conviction. Everyone is always happy to see Vito!
Lindsey Placek
Bridesmaid
Lindsey and Amanda also met at the lake, and became fast friends thanks to their shared sense of adventure and spontaneity. Lindsey is free-spirited and one of a kind - don’t be surprised if she jets off to Hawaii or Colombia for an extended staycation… I mean “work.” She really is so hardworking and dedicated to anything she sets her mind to. Lindsey is a go-to resource for the best farmers markets and local restaurants, and she’s the first to know about concerts (near or far) worth going to. Amanda and Lindsey have shared countless laughs and good times at the lake over the years, including that one joke Amanda told after knocking out a second floor window screen onto a deck full of people that they just can’t seem to remember! They also have many Gemini traits in common, which is not surprising considering they share back-to-back birthdays! Lindsey is a caring and trusted close friend who is always on Amanda’s wavelength.
Kevin DeLand
Groomsman
Kevin is Ryan’s older brother and oldest sibling. As the oldest child, he led by example with his stellar academics, multiple varsity letters, big circle of friends, and all around coolness. Ryan has always looked up to Kevin - both figuratively and literally - and always felt honored to get to spend time with his older brother and his friends. Kevin’s intelligence and intellectual curiosity know no bounds. He has written code for IBM, developed learning software for children in Africa, and completed some personal projects that would make you ask, “How the heck did you even come up with that?” Kevin’s sense of humor and uniqueness are a couple of toppings on the DeLand family pizza that elevate it from a basic combo to a “house special.”
