Wedding Party

Jacqueline Siefert

Maid of Honor

Jackie and Alyssa met when Jackie was born, during a snowstorm in Maine, and they've been close ever since! Currently residing in Newport, RI, Jackie is one of the middle Siefert Sisters and the creative genius behind their venture, Science Pants. She is a fine artist, apparel designer, dog owner, bunny enthusiast, and entrepreneur. Remarkably, Jackie is responsible for this wedding, as she connected Donald and Alyssa!

Angela Siefert

Maid of Honor

Alyssa's earliest memory of Angie is when Alyssa was three years old, and Angie was a newborn. Alyssa remembers holding the squishy warmth of Angie's body, and she's loved her ever since! The youngest-middle of the Siefert Sisters, Angie is a financier, world traveler, connector, and entrepreneur, and she has lived in nearly every Manhattan neighborhood. All the great Science Pants marketing and new projects come from Angie's genius, and she's always happy to discuss politics and eagles!

Madeline Siefert

Maid of Honor

Alyssa clearly remembers the day that Madeline was born in 2002: one of the happiest days of her life! Madeline is the youngest Siefert sister and co-MOH. She is an avid reader, creator, artist, and source of sarcasm. Maddie is currently attending the same high school as her sisters, Westover School, and she enjoys theater, lacrosse, and rolling her eyes at Donald. Check out her uniquely brilliant art on Instagram @angrykitchenutensils

Jesse James Jarvi

Best Man

Jesse and Donald met when Jesse was born (on Halloween of '88). Jesse spends his days testing heavy machinery and equipment, and his weekends involve dominating the softball scene of the Eastern Seaboard, hunting trophy white tail bucks, and residential carpentry with his dad. He recently married the woman of his dreams and bought a house in Topsham.

Jodi Desak

Bridesmaid

Jodi is a very special girl. A loyal black-and-gold-bleeding Pittsburgh native, Jodi and Alyssa crossed paths at Carnegie Mellon. Though Alyssa was initially annoyed by Jodi's perpetual tardiness (and jealous of Jodi's sociability), they were inseparable for most of their college years, with Alyssa essentially living in Jodi's room and Cadillac (which she can parallel park like a pro). Jodi and Alyssa keep their friendship going by competing in Tough Mudders together (in Pittsburgh and Vegas) and gchatting as much as possible. A Chemical Engineer, Jodi supervises many men at an environmental firm in Pennsylvania.

Chris Bliss

Groomsman

Chris and Donald were roommates when Donald first made his migration from Maine to Connecticut. Both engineers, Chris and Donald also worked together and hiked the 100 Mile Wilderness of the Appalachian Trail in 2014 (where Donald missed Alyssa a lot and sent her romantic text messages). After that intensive bonding experience, Chris and Donald keep in touch through their love of camping and brewing beer. Recently married, Chris is an engineer at Electric Boat in Groton, CT.

Christie Adams

Bridesmaid

Christie and Alyssa met in college, where Alyssa tried (unsuccessfully) to displace Christie as Varsity Soccer Goalkeeper. They went on to spend a great deal of memorable time together, including playing lacrosse and living in a (now hilariously) dysfunctional house their junior year at Carnegie Mellon. Christie is a master crafter/scrapbooker and has many, many embarrassing stories about Alyssa. Christie is currently a Physicians Assistant at Johns Hopkins Hospital and recently got married too!

Chisom Amaechi

Bridesmaid

Chisom and Alyssa met in college, where they discovered that they also grew up only miles away from each other. As a hardworking, brilliant Chemical Engineering major and President of the Optimist Club, Chisom continued to inspire and motivate Alyssa throughout college and beyond. Chisom is passionate about bringing sustainable energy to resource-poor areas, and she spent several years making this happen in Guatemala. Chisom's famous smile and boundless compassion make her a treasured friend, and Alyssa is thrilled that Chisom is currently pursuing her MBA at Yale so they're neighbors again!

Shane Bourgault

Groomsman

Shane looks like James Franco. Shane and Donald met in college; they were lab partners freshman year in Physics Lab. They were inseparable since, and they have many fond memories around the UMaine campus, especially the pool. Shane and Donald ended up working together at Electric Boat after graduation, before Shane pursued his dream to live in California. You can find him paddle boarding in San Diego most days now.

Emily Reardon

Bridesmaid

Emily and Alyssa go way back. They first met at sports camp before their freshman year of high school. Alyssa is still unsure how they became fast friends, as she was supremely awkward at age 13, and Emily has always been beautiful and gregarious. Alyssa and Emily played varsity sports together at Westover School, where they were also Heads of School (HOS). A rampant CT enthusiast, Emily worked in sports broadcasting at UCONN before her current role in digital marketing. Emily recently moved to Georgia, where her husband is coaching a university football team, and Alyssa suspects that they've significantly increased the average Georgian speaking speed.

Dan Woods

Groomsman

Dan and Donald go way back; actually, Dan was Donald's first friend ever! They crossed paths in the hallowed halls of Richmond Elementary School, when they were in the same kindergarten class. After bonding over their shared love of cartoons, video games, camping, music, and all things funny, Dan and Donald spent countless hours navigating the awkwardness of middle and high school. A resident of upstate New York, Dan has a young son and access to great hiking.

Sarah Elzay

Bridesmaid

Alyssa met Sarah (affectionately called 'Deppy') in high school, where they instantly bonded over a love of sports, the outdoors, and silly T-shirts. They further bonded when they went off to college, Deppy at Johns Hopkins, creating insanely long AIM chats and navigating their semi-adult lives together. Alyssa spent nearly every summer with Sarah's wonderful family, exploring Carolina beaches and competing in tanning contests (Alyssa always won, unless you count the darkest freckle, in which case Deppy had some victories). Sarah can win anyone over with her Southern Belle loveliness, deep compassion, and rampant enthusiasm. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Ecology in Oklahoma, the state that she and her husband are making great again!

Dan Armstrong

Groomsman

Dan was one of Donald's first Connecticut friends. They met when they played in a band together; Dan on guitar, and Donald on bass. Over the years, Dan and Donald have played music almost weekly and shared too many laughs to count. Men in Provincetown say that Dan looks like Harry Potter. Like many of Donald's friends, Dan is an engineer with an active family, including a very cute son who has agreed to serve as Ring Bearer.

Marina Niessner

Bridesmaid

Marina is the most badass Yale Finance Professor you'll meet. Alyssa and Marina crossed paths in July 2013 when they were moving into the same condo building, and they've been friendventurers ever since! As Alyssa's neighbor for several years, Marina has known Donald since the early days of DnA, and they've discussed relationship joys over countless bike rides. Marina and Alyssa enjoy exploring the culinary delights of New Haven during the 20% of time that Marina is in town and isn't traveling to exotic places...

Brian Clark

Groomsman

Brian and Donald are cubemates at work. Along with several other groomsmen, Brian is a flagship member of Murray Mondays. Secretively, Brian is an excellent chef, avid literature consumer, and history enthusiast/commentator. Donald and Brian have plenty to discuss whenever a new Dan Carlin podcast emerges. Brian's daughter Lillian has tentatively agreed to serve as Flower Girl in the wedding.

Mahi Trivellas

Bridesmaid

Mahi was Alyssa's first friend in grad school, when Mahi was a Yale undergrad research intern with Alyssa. Initially spending 40 hours a week together, they learned how to lab effectively while having more fun than anyone else. Mahi and Alyssa have kept in touch through a record-long, six-year email chain that has chronicled the ups and downs of post-grad life. By the time of the wedding, Mahi will have obtained her MD from Tulane and will be rocking an orthopedic residency program!

Adam Koppel

Groomsman

Adam and Donald met their freshman year of college; Adam was the smartest one in the class, and Donald and friends copied his Fortran code. They then became roommates in college, and they carried over their roommate status to Connecticut, when they both began working at Electric Boat. Adam is two-dimensional; when he turns sideways, he's gone! A New Hampshire native, Adam and Donald enjoy shooting guns and building furniture and submarines.

Bruce Coffin

Officiant

Mr. Bruce Coffin has known Alyssa for over 10 years, since he gave her her first (and only!) 'F' in sophomore English class at Westover. Amazingly, Mr. Coffin has known the Jarvi family even longer, as he was a classmate with Donald's grandmother, Naomi, in Vermont (and he showed us the yearbook to prove it)! Mr. Coffin is a lifelong educator, poet, author, and lover of literature and light beer.

Eva Siefert

Mother of the Bride

Vincent Siefert

Father of the Bride

Ethel Jarvi

Mother of the Groom

Donald Jarvi, Sr.

Father of the Groom