The wedding party...

DAVID'S SIDE OF IT:
Much of today involved telling people important to us about our decision to get married. It's very exciting to share this kind of happy moment with people.

I'd like to talk a little bit about how we selected our wedding parties. I know many people just select their family members, which is fine and dandy. In my case, though, I stole a page out of my friend Jeff Sentell's playbook and picked people who've been there for me in different periods of my life. They're all still near and dear to me, which is how great friends should be.

Jeremy Yohe, heretofore known as "the best man," has been there for me since about the time I started working in Lima the first time around. He may be the only man to ever see me cry, when my apartment in Lima had its first burglary and I didn't know who to call. He came over to help settle me down. Most of our memories are a lot happier than that, but the best of best friends are there for you in good times and bad. He's that guy.

Adam Van Brimmer, AKA runner-up to best man (in the event best man cannot live up to his duties, Adam shall wear the crown), has been a good buddy since back in college. Truth be told, I think I like post-college Adam even more than I liked college Adam. His wife settled him down, which caused all of us to learn he's much more than just a fun drunk. He helped me get to Savannah and made the time working down there nearly enjoyable and the time not working there absolutely a joy.

John Glick, the high school buddy, is honestly the only person I went to high school with who I still talk to. John and I came from very different worlds. He's an only child, while I'm one of seven. Despite some vague memories of not liking each other in kindergarten, he and I have been buddies for ages. We discovered girls together... and we discovered how complicated they could be. We both know how lucky we are to have great gals in our lives.

Tom Lucente, the short guy, is the only guy in my wedding party shorter than I am. I'm about 5-10, so it's not like I'm a shrimp. It's all these freaky 6-foot-plus friends I've had over the years, you know? Anyway, aside from height, Tom offers perspective on life and hearty conversation about what being a good Libertarian is all about. He's probably the best part about working in Lima again, getting a chase to razz him every time I call the office.

Jacob Ritzler, the junior groomsman, is technically shorter than Tom. But he's only 7, so he's supposed to be. He's a cool nephew. Allegedly, the night we asked him to be in the wedding party, he pulled his dress clothes out of his closet and placed them over a chair. When his parents asked why, he said he wanted to keep them out for the wedding. Good kid.

R.J. Brumbaugh, the ring-bearer, has the honor of smacking me between the legs more than 25 times yet still being in my good graces. He and Lissie have become very cute together. They each ask about the other, yet when they're together they ignore one another. Both of them will be good teenagers some day.

JESSICA'S SIDE OF IT:

I never thought that I would be the one looking for "volunteers" to be part of my wedding. I always said that I would be the girl who would have a small ceremony, most likely in a remote location. But when you find your "soul mate" you want to be able to celebrate the occasion with all of your family and friends. I guess I never had the feeling that I wanted to proclaim my love for one person to a large group of people, but now I know what it feels like to be in love and I want to share this joyous occasion with all.

My group of ladies is a combination of family and friends. Some veterans and some new additions, they're all very important people to me.

Kelli Kieper, the matron of honor, this was a pretty easy decision for me. Kell has been there with me through so many things. As children, let's just say we did not have the best of relationships. There were multiple occasions of sibling abuse, mostly on my part. As we grew older and matured, we realized that it was pretty neat to have a sister who is also your best friend.

Melinda Deleruyelle, the fun friend who always knows when it is time for a "girls' night out". Even though she stole the title of "Ms. Putnam Acres" from me me, we have so much fun together and have made a name for ourselves at the local establishments here in the great county of Putnam. Look for Melinda to surprise and amaze at the reception at her gyrations to Warrant's "Cherry Pie."

Jill Jorolemon, the life-long friend. Jill and I met on the playground in kindergarten. Even though she was a year older in school, we remained close. After both of our families moved out of state due to job transfers, we have remained close friends. We have been with each other as we have experienced some interesting events in our lives. Jill is quite the woman. Over the past 18 months she has had to deal with being diagnosed and treated for breast cancer. She has remained strong through all of these events and I respect her courage and perseverence.

Katie Trinko, R.J's big sister and David's niece. Katie has a spark about her. From the moment that I met her, I knew that she was a special individual in David's life and I immediately could tell why. Even though it takes her 30 minutes to tell a 1 minute story, her enthusiasm for life is remarkable. Katie was one of the first people to acknowlege that she saw the connection between David and I.

Emma Kieper, the junior bridesmaid. Even though she is only 7, Emma has had a huge impact on my life. As my first niece and my first expereice as a caregiver, Emma and her "Gigi" are best buds. Emma is so excited about being part of the festivities and also excited about meeting Jacob.

Elisabeth Purk, AKA Lissie. The most beautiful flower girl ever! The first gift from God that changed my life. The pride and joy (most of the time) of our lives. She has matured so much over the past couple of months. Even though she can be stubborn and difficult at times, she is an intelligent, determined and joyful child.