Danielle & Brian
Our People
Erica Buchanan
Maid of Honor
Erica is--and always will be--Danielle's baby sister. Though she lives in Dallas, TX, with her husband, Chris, and their two dogs, and is busy managing a Lululemon, she's always there when Danielle truly needs her. And while they always had a pact to be each other's maids-of-honor (the term "matron-of-honor" is awful and Danielle refuses to use it), Danielle would have asked her anyway. They've always stood by each other's sides (even when fighting, as sisters do), and on such an important and special day in Danielle's life, that's exactly where Erica will be.
Sean Luby
Best Man
Sean is Brian's younger brother, and there's no one else Brian would've wanted as his best man. They not only grew up together as children but got to know each other closely as adults living in the same home until Brian and Danielle moved in together. They've always enjoyed spending time together going to concerts, comedy shows, and New York Comic-Con. They even met Hulk Hogan together! Sean currently lives in Colonia, NJ, though he and his girlfriend, Amanda, are in the process of moving in together, as well.
Shon Poiesz
Bridesmaid
Shon is Danielle's sister-in-law and went to high school with Danielle and her brother, Ben. She is also the mother of Danielle's two crazy and adorable nephews, Will and Zach, and works as a physical therapist at a school district near their home. They all live in San Jose, CA, which is way too far away from New Jersey.
Ben Poiesz
Groomsman
Ben is Danielle's only brother, and while the two of them didn't exactly get along growing up, life as adults has been a bit different. They are, of course, still siblings, though, so the ketchup teasing has continued and probably will continue forever, much to Danielle's chagrin. Ben currently works at Google in Northern California, where he lives with his wife, Shon, and two sons, Will and Zach.
Kelly Hendrickson-Walker
Bridesmaid
Kelly and Danielle have been best friends since they were in fourth grade. She's the only friend Danielle has ever truly fought with like sisters, even if it was about a seventh-grade short story. Kelly is the most caring, considerate, and selfless person Danielle has ever met, and she is beyond grateful that Kelly is still such an important part of her life and that they are finally back in the same state. Kelly lives in Bethlehem Township, NJ, with her husband, Jeff, and two sweet children, Timmy and Madeline.
Chris Buchanan
Groomsman
Chris is Danielle's brother-in-law and soon will be Brian's brother-in-law-law. He is a brilliant rocket scientist (yes, literally) and a hilarious, friendly, and kind human, who Brian immediately liked and connected with. He and Danielle's sister Erica live in Texas with their two dogs, and Danielle and Brian getting married is a great way to get them to visit more!
Lorrie Noggle
Bridesmaid
Lorrie and Danielle met at their first book publishing jobs in New York City in 2006. They knew they were soul friends the first time they had lunch and as Danielle's grilled cheese came toward the table, Lorrie told Danielle to close her eyes, then plucked the icky pickle off Danielle's plate, and sopped up the juice before telling her she could open her eyes again. From then on, they were nearly inseparable, and the sheer number of stories they could tell and adventures they've had together would easily take up the maximum word count here. Lorrie currently lives in Richmond, VA, with her husband, Jonathan; cat, Emerson; and dog, Nala.
Rob Salyga
Groomsman
Rob and Brian have been coworkers for five years and recently became field partners. They may have only started working together closely in 2018, but you get to know someone pretty well and pretty fast when you are stuck in a car with them for eight hours straight several times a week! Rob has become a good friend of Brian’s, giving him great pre-wedding and pre-family advice, and has already shown himself to be caring and dependable in even the most unexpected situations. He enjoys spending time with his wife and their two kids at their home in Titusville, and he might “occasionally” watch the show “Live PD.”
Alex Hargett
Bridesmaid
Alex was gently forced into a friendship with Danielle when she interned at Penguin and was assigned a seat next to Danielle. Unfortunately for her, Danielle didn't know anyone on that floor, either, and tends to talk to herself while she works, so Alex got to hear all about everything Danielle had to say. But somehow, Alex was all right with that, and she and Danielle became BFFs. They've had some truly amazing times together, and Danielle will always remember watching Alex experience her first snowfall and jump in her very first pile of crisp fallen leaves. Alex now lives in Los Angeles, CA, with her husband, Justin, and their cat, Puddle.
Anthony Ucelli
Groomsman
Anthony and Brian have known each other for about six years. They started as colleagues and quickly became friends, hanging out at TGI Fridays for happy hour with some of their other coworkers. Before Brian met Danielle, he often spent time with Anthony and his wife, Crystal, and another couple, so Anthony took on the role of Brian's wingman. After all, it's no fun being a fifth wheel! Luckily for Danielle, his attempts were unsuccessful. Anthony and Crystal live in Barnegat, NJ, with their son, AJ.
Brooke Poiesz
Junior Bridesmaid
Brooke is the half sister Danielle never expected to have. But when Brooke was born Danielle's junior year in college, she unknowingly became a shining light in her big sister's life. Creative, intelligent, and sometimes a little kooky, Brooke is growing up to be an amazing young woman, though it's happening way too fast for Danielle's liking. Brooke loves to dance, is a wonderful artist, and somehow became a budding entrepreneur, selling homemade slime to kids at her school and then growing her business into an official Etsy shop. (Check her out at @slimy_sucess on Instagram and her shop Slimysuccess on Etsy!)
William Poiesz
Ring Bearer
Will is Danielle's six-year-old nephew. While he is certainly a handful, he's one of the sweetest and funniest kids you'll ever meet--and he has a ridiculous memory, so be careful what you say and especially what you promise! He's also an amazing big brother to his one-year-old brother, Zach, and does not hesitate to tell Google Home to play Zach's favorite song--"Happy" by Pharrell--when he gets upset and then dance with him for as long as it takes to get Zach to feel better.
Gillian Poiesz
Junior Bridesmaid
Gillian is Danielle's half sister and the youngest of her siblings. She's clever, caring, silly, and hard-working. Be careful, though; she can sneakily cause trouble if you aren't paying attention, especially when playing board games. Gillian's favorite thing to do is play soccer, and she is dedicated to growing into the best player she can be. She's a member of the Match Fit Academy Football Club, and her diligence to the sport, while also keeping up with her schoolwork, impresses Danielle every day.
Zachary Poiesz
Ring Bearer
Zach is Danielle's two-year-old nephew. He is a little monkey who loves to climb everything, has the most infectious smile, and loves to dance. He always brings his light and happiness to even the darkest days. He is growing up far too fast, and he and his big brother, Will, live much too far away.
Alison Harris
Reader
Alison is one of Danielle's closest friends and confidants. They met at a New Jersey Young Professionals dinner several years ago and instantly got along. Alison is one of the most caring, considerate, and thoughtful people Danielle has ever known and is a calming, supportive, and optimistic presence in Danielle's life. Danielle is incredibly thankful for Alison's friendship and can't imagine having her not take part in this special day. Danielle and Brian frequently spend time with Alison and her husband, David, and always have a great time, whether they're at Alison and David's Martinsville, NJ home, their favorite hibachi restaurant, or elsewhere.
Mark Poiesz
Officiant
Mark is Danielle's cousin and one of her best and dearest friends, despite the fact that he lives in Nashville, TN, with his wife, Carla, and dog, Dallas, and is constantly on tour as the best drummer ever. (He is currently drumming for country artist Tyler Farr.) He is one of the kindest, strongest, most compassionate souls in the world, and he was the first member of Danielle's family to ever meet Brian. So when Danielle and Brian decided they wanted someone they knew and who knew them perform their wedding ceremony, Mark was the only person for the job. Besides, he and Carla have one of the most inspiring, supportive, and loving marriages you'll ever see, and if even a tiny bit of that pixie dust rubs off on Danielle and Brian's marriage, they'll be even luckier than they already are!
Tara Hart and Greg DiStefano
Readers
Tara and Greg are one of the happiest, most impressive, and most inspiring couples both Danielle and Brian have ever met. Tara and Danielle met over a decade ago in a masters-level publishing class when Danielle lived in NYC, and their friendship has never faltered since. It wasn't long before Danielle met Greg, too. She could tell immediately that his and Tara's caring, hilarious, and compassionate souls were made for each other. Going to their wedding in the Fingerlakes in 2016 was one of the first trips Danielle and Brian took together. Tara works in the contracts department at Penguin Random House and Greg is an elementary school shop teacher. They live in Putnam Valley, NY, with their one-year-old son, Liam, and crazy dog, Koko.