Wedding Party
Sara Magnuson
Maid of Honor
Sister of the Bride. Anna and Sara share a sense of humor that only two sisters can possibly understand. Sara has been instrumental in helping make our day so special, and we can't thank her enough for all of her hard work. For those of you who don't know her, Sara is bubbly, but is also a no-nonsense hard worker when it comes down to getting things done. We think she is the perfect Maid of Honor and the perfect sister.
Tom Conerly
Best Man
Brother of the Groom. Tom and Peter are the best of friends, and their bond is evident to all who know them. Tom is as intelligent as he is interesting, but beyond his career/hobbies, he is as sweet and loving as any person can be. Peter benefits immensely from Tom's willingness to always lend an ear and offer unbiased advice and wisdom. They can often be found bouncing ideas off one another or co-navigating through all of life's ups and downs. We are so lucky to have Tom in our corner, during the wedding but mostly through the more intimate moments of our lives.
Mahea Peak
Maid of Honor
Co-Maid of Honor, Bride's (other) soul mate-- Mahea and Anna began their enduring lifelong partnership when Mahea jumped in to help Anna in a fist fight over a journal in middle school. Being 13 is rough. Mahea fully deserves her role as Co-Maid of Honor due to a decade-and-a-half of counselling Anna through all the chapters of Peter and Anna's relationship. I think we all knew it would work out eventually, but I guess being a young adult is rough as well! We could not have made this life happen without Mahea, that's all there is to it. Anna is the luckiest girl in the world to have Mahea by her side.
Charlie Olson
Groomsman
Lifelong friend to the Groom - Charlie and Peter began their relationship walking to school together from the 4th grade onward. They still enjoy long nights of intense board games as they have since they were young, and their hobbies have only grown together throughout the years. Now they enjoy doing construction projects together and bouncing ideas off each other (Charlie is a great sounding board for Peter), and just spending time together with friends.
Ester Helbling
Bridesmaid
Ester and Anna met through their undergraduate jobs working in a chemistry lab at OSU, while taking all the same classes for their degrees in Chemistry. Anna says that of all the best things she took away from her undergraduate time at OSU, Ester is top of the list. She has always been a bright light to Anna, and is the most genuine, loving person. Anna adores her as a calming, steadfast, unconditional-type-of-love companion through all of life's adventures and misadventures.
Kate Olson
Groomswoman
Charlie Olson's better half, Kate is a dear friend to both the Bride and Groom. Kate and Anna get together often to do all the girl things their respective men do not enjoy, like attending plays and musicals, enjoying great food, talking about their lives and loves and everything in between. Kate and Anna share a passion for homesteading, chickens, kids, gardens, flowers, cooking, parties, the list could go on and on... we are lucky to have her by our side!
Elena Goralogia
Bridesmaid
Anna was on the hiring committee that brought Elena's husband Greg to OSU. Anna thought (and still thinks) Greg is really cool, so imagine her delight when cool Greg came to Corvallis with his super cool wife, Elena. Anna adopted Elena as a new close friend before Elena was even informed of the situation. She's so grateful that Elena was on board! Anna loves Elena for her humor and style, her sense of realism, her ability to listen and empathize to anything and everything, and Anna has loved watching their family grow from two, to three, to four.
Austin Gallup
Groomsman
Austin and Peter are close friends in all the most important facets of Peter's life: climbing, video games, career interests, outdoorsy things, house parties. We love Austin for his compassion-- he can make people feel good about themselves in the most unique way, one that he probably doesn't even realize. Austin is kindness, and he is a born mentor that both Peter and Anna benefit from constantly. Austin makes us and everyone he knows, better, happier people. We owe Austin a great debt of unconditional love and friendship.
LeeAnn Mikkelson
Bridesmaid
LeeAnn is simply the definition of grace, compassion, and hospitality. Anna became friends with LeeAnn's husband John through the College of Forestry at OSU, where they found mutual interests in art, building, nature, and much more. Once John realized what a good fit Anna and LeeAnn may be for one another, he made the connection and the rest, they say, is history. Anna cherishes LeeAnn's calming company, her wisdom, lived experiences, and their shared hobbies (they are currently training for a half marathon together-- one LeeAnn does almost every year). Not to mention LeeAnn is the best chef that Anna knows, not only preparing delicious, thoughtfully-curated foods for every dietary restriction and party size, but somehow makes it look easy in a way that Anna is both the beneficiary of, and is completely inspired by.
Meghan Foster
Bridesmaid
Meghan was hired into the College of Forestry as a young millennial around the same time Anna was wandering the halls, also as a young, lost-and-confused, newly-hired millennial. Meghan was a lifeline for all things commiseration, compassion, and friendship. By the time Meghan left her job at the college, their relationship had expanded far beyond the scope of their shared careers, and instead was deeply interwoven through shared hobbies and experiences. Meghan has a way of keeping things real that is unique, hysterical, loving, and honest in a way that feels like a necessity in anyone's life-- and Anna is so grateful to have her.
Gabby George
Groomswoman
While Gabby is a Groomswoman--and rightfully so for her unique relationship with Peter--she is adored on both sides of the aisle and if we had two of her, she'd be a Bridesmaid as well. Anna loves that Gabby is the most spirited person in any conversation she is a part of. She loves posing controversial, interesting, hysterical, and/or weird and uncomfortable topics of conversation to a diverse audience. There is never a dull moment with Gabby. Not to mention she's an incredible hostess and a joy of a person to be around in any setting.
Jeremy Vonderfecht
Groomsman
Jeremy, Gabby, and Peter met through the Rationality community in Portland a few years back and hit things off immediately. Peter instantly appreciated Jeremy's inquisitive nature, intelligence, and suite of diverse, interesting hobbies--many of which Peter shares. Peter and Jeremy can be found playing board games, camping, crafting, exploring, and often comparing notes or debating on their latest career or intellectual pursuits.
Diane Vivio
Groomswoman
Diane is a big personality loved and cherished by both Peter and Anna-- and no wedding would be complete without her company. She lights up the room and is the life of the party, of which she attends and throws many. Her laugh is infectious, her sense of humor is on point, and she never shies away from fun, new experiences and sharing what she loves with who she loves. We are so grateful that we fell into her inner circle.
Kyle Libra
Groomsman
Kyle and Peter met by injecting malaria into themselves. Willingly. For the sake of science! And to benefit humanity. They are kind and kindred spirits who dive into weird and interesting new experiences, both individually and together. Kyle and Diane are married and the most natural pair imaginable-- with perfectly complimentary personalities that make absolutely any situation, party, wedding, event, birthday... better in every way.
Melissa Fowler-Ruby
Bridesmaid
Melissa and Anna's relationship goes back to high school, where Melissa had (and still has) a unique way of making Anna feel included in every way. Melissa has an amazing sense of humor, is unconditionally kind, but can still bring the sass! She is a joy to be around and her and Anna have shared many, many laughs over the years.
Joshua Ryon
Groomsman
Joshua and Peter met back in Seattle in their early 20s. They bonded through shared experiences and adventures, philosophical conversations, business ventures, and ties to friends and family. They were a pack of three with their late friend Nicholas, who undoubtedly would have been in attendance with us today.