The Bridal Party When we went to choose our bridal party we didn't really plan on having such a large group (5 attendants for each of us!) but it just sort of worked out that way. In retrospect, we're glad it did, even if it does make the head table logistics a little odd. In many ways, we couldn't imagine omitting any of them.

Below you'll find a one-paragraph blurb about each of the members of the bridal party. We've also included a bit about another friend of mine who agreed to sing for the mass (canting for a Catholic Mass is no small thing) and the priest, an old friend of the family who agreed to officiate for us.

We would also like to thank several other people, most notably our families who were very helpful, especially our parents (thanks wedding planner!Dad), Kim's Nanny and an especially big thank to you to Kim's uncle Charles who is organizing all of the decorations and flowers.

Kim's Attendants

Maid of Honour - Catalina Anghel

Catalina (or Cat as I call her) and I have been friends for a few years now. Although I don't see her very often (as of this writing I haven't seen her in over a year and a half) I consider her my closest friend. Even though she's in Padova, Italy this year and Bordeaux, France last year she always takes time to call or send postcards even when I'm not as quick to reply. She's even flying in three weeks before the wedding to help work out all of the final details and see a bit of the Maritimes with me. And if you happen to see her at the wedding ask her what she thinks of the Maritimes in summer. ;-)

Bridesmaid - Mononita Roy

Mononita and I have been friends since ninth grade and I see her more than anyone. We even ended up in the same city after our undergraduate degrees (although with her in med school and me in grad school, our frequent get-togethers often end up being weeks apart). Still even in med school, she still finds time to get together and just chat about anything and everything.

Bridesmaid - Patricia (Trish) Weeks

I first met Trish when she started dating my brother almost a year and a half ago. Although our only contact was through Andrew at first she quickly became a good friend in her own right. She's lots of fun to hang around with and is always willing to lend an ear. I'm still trying to convince her and Cat to move to Halifax! And hey, if she can put up with my brother she must be alright (just kidding Andrew!). As the only bridesmaid in Fredericton, Trish has been extraordinarily helpful at getting things done that I can't necessarily do from Halifax as well as helping me on the weekends I come home.

Bridal Attendant - Trevor Stewart

Although some people have expressed surprise that I have male bridal attendants I frankly didn't think they belonged anywhere else. Although James was more than willing to have both Trevor and Travis stand as his groomsman, I was insistent that if they were willing, they would stand with me. I've known Trevor since grade 12 but really got to know him when we were both doing physics. I don't know that I would have gotten through without him. He was always willing to help me figure stuff out as well as just listen to me stress about trying to finish my courses and lots of other stuff. And when he visited James and I in Halifax one weekend he suffered through a bad sci-fi movie that I had wanted to watch and mock. If that isn't friendship I don't know what is. Trevor is flying in from his graduate research in Germany for the wedding.

Bridal Attendant - Travis Stewart

I've known Travis just as long as Trevor (for those who don't know, they're twins) but they've individually become great friends to me. Although I would often drag them both out for late night coffee study/bitch sessions at Tim Hortons and while Travis also helped me through school some (although if you ask Trevor I'm sure he would insist that he had done the assignments first and would enjoy watching Travis scramble to finish them the night before), I would be even more likely to talk to Travis about what was going on with my life. When I went out to Vancouver this past summer for a conference (he's there doing grad work) he spent three days beforehand touring me around and we had a blast just talking about our school stuff but especially our lives. And he never complained once when I wanted to keep popping into stores looking for stuff.

James' Attendants

Best Man - Jonathan Neilson

Jonathan and I first met in grade two at Priestman Street, and we've been friends through high school and beyond, despite the fact that we were never actually in the same class for anything academic - I took French and Jon didn't, so we actually went to two different schools for a while. Jon's nearing the end of a biology degree at UNB, and he puts his knowledge to the test in his own backyard, which is part garden, part vineyard, and part greenhouse. He's also been involved in the local bagpipe band for many years now - but sorry, ladies, he won't be showing up to the wedding in his kilt. (At least, he tells me he won't...)

Groomsman - Michael Shannon

Mike and I met on our first day in high school, and of all the people in our little group of friends that would hang out at lunchtime, the two of us were probably the most similar. We ended up both going to UNB and pursuing degrees in physics, and while I did a second degree in CS, Mike's path led him towards the math department, where he tackled the mind-boggling field of general relativity with his usual intensity. Mike can communicate in more languages than I can keep track of, do math in more dimensions than most people realize exist, and will probably revolutionize physics someday once he gets the resources to do so.

Groomsman - David Rioux

David is my cousin, the oldest of the five grandchildren on my father's side of the family, and probably the closest I've got to an older brother (in public we've occasionally been mistaken for such, since there is more than a passing resemblance). David has a Masters of Science from Dal, and has spent a good chunk of his career working for various technical consulting firms - which gives us plenty of computer gripe stories to swap when we find time to get together. He owns one of two antique automobiles which our grandfather meticulously restored back in the 70s and 80s.

Groomsman - Steven Beyea

Steven is a fellow alumnus of UNB, having finished his PhD in physics at the MRI Research Centre just as I was starting there, and is Kim's graduate supervisor at the NRC Institute for Biodiagnostics (Atlantic). He's also one of my unofficial supervisors at the lab, and one of my mentors in the arcane world of MRI physics. Though he spent a few years down in New Mexico as a post-doctoral fellow, Steven is a Canuck through and through, and can often be seen nursing a large Tim's, playing pick-up hockey, and silently wondering if the Leafs will ever make the playoffs again.

Groomsman - Andrew Brewer

Either James or I have written a decent amount about all of the other attendants. I don’t feel like I need to say all of that for Andrew. He’s my brother and he’s always been there for me. We’re not the closest siblings in the world but we have a really good relationship. It was a no brainer that he be part of such an important celebration for me. He’s about to enter his final year of a Business degree and his keen business sense (especially related to retail) has served him well. And like every other member of my immediate family he’s a huge hockey fan although he prefers watching it live.

Other Participants

Cantor - Veronica Horton

I’ve known Veronica for quite some time now. Before I even became friends with her in Junior high we actually were in some Sunday school classes together as we went to the same church for many many years. Even though Vern went away for University we still managed to keep in touch. I asked Vern to cant at the Catholic mass not only because she has sung the parts of a mass probably many hundred times over but because she has a beautiful voice, loves music and has been a great friend to me over the years. And on top of that, after she had agree to sing and found out I was having trouble deciding on a pianist, her very talented mother, Bernadet Samulski, offered to play the piano at mass.

Celebrant - Father John Carten

Father Carten has been a friend of my mother's family for many years. He was best man at my uncle's wedding and was supposed to take part in the mass at my parents wedding as well, but was called away for a retreat necessary for his ordination. Although he's with the Scarborough Mission in Ontario he has spent many years travelling all over the world for the mission (including spending several years in Japan) he has often come back to New Brunswick as he still has family and friends here. He also was kind enough to preside over my grandfather's funeral which meant a lot to my family. We're very grateful that he has agreed to come back to New Brunswick to officiate at our wedding as it's very important to us that the ceremony be special and filled with friends and family.