Wedding Party
Taylor Abbey
Maid of Honor
The BFF. Alex sorta figured she'd find the cheese to her macaroni online, she just wasn't expecting it'd be her maid of honor! Taylor is the kind of vegetarian who cooks bacon for her cat, and the kind of infectious disease researcher who cultures noxious bacteria in her free time. Alex and Taylor share a love of contradictions, defying expectations, impractical footware, needy pets, unreasonably long phone calls, fidgeting in photos, and all things new and strange.
Will Camisa
Groomsman
Since their first week of college, George and Will have shared many meals and intramural trophies with gusto. After years of co-leading the robotics club and perfecting the game of nertz, they went to far-flung grad schools but soon found themselves driving an autorickshaw across India. Ever since, George kept popping up in San Francisco and threatening to move there, until he did. Even a pandemic barely hindered their adventures (ask about the Grand Canyon!).
Shaibya Dalal
Bridesmaid
College roommate extraordinaire. This formative cohabitation and partnership in crime has set the bar dauntingly high for all of Alex's roomies and partners since. Shaibya still holds the title for best fashion advice, late-night gossip, rapid cleaning by concealment, hashtag construction, political idealism, vocal projection, and commitment to weekend relaxation. Please be advised: there will not be any toasts at this event, and Shaibya doesn't have any incriminating stories, so there's really no need to ask.
Dan Yurovsky
Groomsman
George and Dan met in their first week of their PhD program at Indiana University, and immediately began to coordinate their social calendars. As computer scientists daring to cogitate about cognition, they agreed about a lot, and argued enthusiastically about the rest. Deciding it was easiest to coordinate social calendars by moving into a shared house, they did so for a few years of grad school, and conducted many shared culinary and scientific experiments.
Mookie Vannucci
Bridesman
Doctor-at-arms. Miss Manners recommends grad school friendships as the backbone of one's apocalypse survival squad whenever practicable. Having seen each other through PhDs, a pandemic, family holidays, wedding planning, winter in Europe, and far too many cardio sessions, Mookie and Alex are ready to take on four horsemen any day of the week.
Adri Rommers
Groomsman
George and Adri met in Leiden, where they passionately played ultimate frisbee and board games. After fanning the team’s competitive flames, the dynamic duo joined forces to coach the team on the field (to victory!), and in life. Even when separated by the Atlantic, they have continued to enjoy discussing games, bad horror movies, and other nerdy pursuits.
Alexandria DeVita
Bridesmaid
The cool big sister. Left is original Alex, and right, spicy Alex. The two met when 5-year-old spicy Alex bought a Polly Pocket from 4-year-old original at a yard sale. Original Alex promptly concluded that she was in fact not too old for Polly Pocket, and spicy has kept her firmly in touch with her inner child ever since. It's unlikely they'll ever get their fill of tree climbing, sleepovers, spontaneous mosh pits, urban foraging, or shouting along to punk rock.
Roy de Kleijn
Groomsman
Roy and George shared an office and an advisor at Leiden University, and on occasion the cramped back of a car racing down the autobahn, or to NC beaches. Roy taught George the finer points of Dutch social life, bonhomie, and cuisine, while George and Roy struggled to learn how to make robots more human-like (mustaches?). Grateful their robot progeny have gotten Roy’s good looks and charm, the duo are still seeking the roots (and fruits) of intelligence.