Rebecca & Stephen
Wedding Party
Natalie Rube
Maid of Honor
Natalie Grace Rube entered Rebecca's life on "New Teacher Orientation Day" for her first job out of college. Natalie came into Becca's life at precisely the right time; Becca had just started a new job (and adulthood) and was completely overwhelmed. Since day one, she has been every person Becca needed her to be. She was a best friend, roommate, travel buddy, binger of mildly-ridiculous-but-incredibly-special Netflix original movie partner, cheerleader, confidant, shoulder to cry on, and role model. The memories they've shared over the past seven years are some of Becca's most treasured. The best way to summarize their friendship is with a quote from a random boy who met them at a party. He said, "boy, you girls are made for each other"... and Becca couldn't agree more.
Jason Stump
Man of Honor
There is no one on this planet who matters more to Becca than her older brother Jason. From the moment she was born, she looked up to him, and through the years, that admiration has only grown. Jason is empathetic, passionate, driven, caring, loving/able, ridiculously smart, and most importantly a champion for others. If the world was filled with people who cared half as much as Jason does about fixing the world for the better, we'd have a Utopia. He has been there for her since the beginning and is always the first person she turns to when she needs a hug, laugh, or an honest perspecitve check. ;) He has been her rock through childhood and she leans more and more on him every day. She couldn't be prouder to call him her big brother.
Jim Topper
Best Man
Jim is Steve's older brother and is more than deserving of the best man title. Since they shared bunk beds, Steve has always looked up to him (even when Jim wanted the bottom bunk). While Jim has been a constant in Steve's life, he's also been a compass, guiding him through school, career, and all things growing up. Jim values family over everything else and will drop whatever he is doing to help you over a life hurdle or a chemistry test. He's easy to look up to but hard to emulate - once Jim has a goal in mind, his determination is unmatched. Not a bad quality to have in your go-to guy. Plus, he makes mean steaks and Manhattans.
Kristina and Spiro Koltsaklis
Koumbari (Greek term For REALLY important people)
Kristina (also a bridesmaid) is Becca's cousin and the closest thing to a sister Becca has ever had. When they were little, Becca wanted to be like her, dress like her, talk like her-- you get the picture. She was/is Becca's role model. Enter Spiro and Steve. The perfect pair to add to an already perfect duo. This fabulous foursome hit it off right away, and now all call themselves "The Cabinet" (don't ask; we don't remember where it started). S&B agree that they have never witnessed a truer love than that of Kristina and Sprio. They've been with them through it all and marvel how their love strengthens every day. B&S hope to love that way throughout their marriage. The Greek tradition of holding the stefana (crowns) links the two couples for life-- which is exactly as it should be.
Brian Bastian
Officiant
Brian entered Becca's life through her best friend Lauren. They became instant best buds and have shared MANY laughs throughout their 10-year relationship. Brian and Lauren were the first couple that Steve was introduced to. Becca needed their approval before continuing the relationship. After the dinner, Steve looked at Becca and said, "Yeah. We can be friends with them." Since this first meeting, they have become one of Steve and Becca's favorite double-date pairs. They traveled to California together-- a dangerous gamble-- & left the vacation more bonded than ever. Steve calls Brian a "stand-alone friend", which means that even if we separate, he would remain a part of Steve's life. When thinking of who was to officiate the ceremony, they couldn't think of anyone better than Brian.
Craig Stump
Father of the Bride
The man, the myth, the legend. Craig Stump is one-of-a-kind. As Becca grows older, she begins to see just how many quirks and idiosyncrasies she shares with her father and if she's being honest, she loves them all; they bring her a sense of pride. Aside from those, he also taught her very important lessons about the environment, investing money, prioritizing what is important, etc. He is always there to talk her off a ledge and to provide support and a sense of reason. Recently, Craig, Jason and Becca have been taking hiking trips to different National Parks, and out of all of her memories, these top as some of her favorites. She has always been "daddy's little girl" and doesn't plan on that changing any. time. soon.
JoAnna Pahides Stump
Mother of the Bride
"Like mother, like daughter" has never been more true than the mother-daughter duo of JoAnna and Rebecca. JoAnna is way more than just Rebecca's mom; she's her best friend, confidant, guidance provider, role model, and adventure seeker companion. She has been there through it all, the anguish, elation, frustration, giddy-excitement, trials, and tribulations--you name it. Rebecca works each and every day to walk in the footsteps of her mother. They're, figuratively, huge shoes to fill (in actuality, JoAnna has very tiny feet, something she also gave to her daughter). Rebecca can't think of any single person who has impacted her life more and can't wait to continue to make lasting memories together. She is her everything.
Robert and Janet Topper
Father and Mother of the Groom
Busy with 3 kids and 5 grandkids, they do it all. Bob is a Jack-of-all-trades helping through the years with woodworking, replacing break lines on a car, calculus differential equations, and home renovations. An engineer through and through, he taught his kids to think independently and problem solve. Janet proves that nursing is a lifestyle, not just a career. There is no one who cares more - she’ll be the first to celebrate in success and the first to brace in a storm. Her 3 kids followed her into the medical field, which officially qualifies her as a role model. Strong independently, stronger together, Bob and Janet complement each other to form a unit capable of tackling all life's challenges. Their kids share their best qualities (and quirks) – something about apples and trees.
The Bride Tribe
My Beautiful Bridesmaids
This group of ladies has been with Becca since the beginning, & Joanne a brand new addition! She met Lauren, Gabby, and Emily through theater and high school, and Kelsey was a childhood neighbor who soon grew into a forever friend. Throughout her childhood, they shared every moment together: in school, at play rehearsal, after school, at home, on weekends; this group was inseparable. If you were to pull any memory from Becca's youth, it's highly likely these girls would be in it. Although they have all changed/matured over time, their bonded friendship has remained. She is forever grateful for their influence and guidance. They have helped write her story, and what a great one it's become. Becca is also so excited to add Joanne to the mix as the sister she never had but always wanted!!
Gentlemen's Club
The Groomsmen
These guys have come into the picture through different phases of Steve’s life. He’s lived with a lot of them at some point, shared drinks with all of them at a lot of points, and cherishes their friendships constantly. Whether they live down the street in Philly, across the state, down the coast, or across the country, these are Steve’s go-to guys. There’s so much overlap, so let’s go chronologically. Here’s the main breakdown of when they met Steve, lived with him, or lived in the same city: Pre-school/just past diaper years: Drew Middle school/high school years: Neil, Matt H, Drew Penn State years: Alex, Matt S, Chris, Neil, Drew Med school years: Collin, Alex, Neil Post med school Philly years: Chris, Neil, Alex, Matt H, Collin All of these guys helped make Steve who he is today.
The Girls - Topper Crew
Flower Girls
These four beautiful girls will be representing Stephen in our flower girl brigade. We love our nieces and cousins so much and couldn't imagine a day without all of them in it, so we decided, "the more the merrier". These girls have welcomed Becca into their family with little open arms and she is ecstatic to officially earn the title "Aunt Becca"
The Girls - Stump Crew
Flower Girls & Junior Bridesmaids
These four girls have been a huge part of Becca's life. As a young girl, Becca got to be in both Katina and Maria's weddings (the girls' mothers) and it seems only fitting that the tradition continues. Becca always says that if any of her kids turn out like any of the four, she will have done something right. Vaia, Becca's goddaughter, and Sophia have graduated to the big leagues and are Jr. bridesmaids, and Juliette and Nora will be joining Steve's nieces to round out of flower girl crew.
Jack Chiccarine
Ring Bearer
How. cute. is. he. We are confident that Steve's nephew, Jack, will CRUSH his job of walking. He's been practicing for this role for a few years now and we believe he's mastered it. As the sole male representative of youth on either side of the wedding, he has a huge responsibility on his shoulders... that, and also we just wanted to see him in an adorable suit.
John Kalogredis
Understudy
"But what happens if someone gets sick, or gets cold feet and can't perform their assigned duties?"- Every worried bride at some point during the wedding process. Well, that is where John comes in. Friends and family close to John describe him as dependable, flexible literally and figuratively), and there for others in times of need. Special skills include: walking AND throwing flowers simultaneously, giving off-the-cusp speeches with a beverage in his hand, looking great in a suit, rapping/singing some solid tunes, and wearing a white dress when absolutely necessary. Clearly, John was the perfect person to choose as the understudy for any and every role that needs to be filled on our special day. John, we probably can't do this day without you...