Wedding Party
We have a lot of friends, and a lot of good friends, which made it pretty impossible to narrow down the ones we wanted beside us on our big day. So we didn't.
Jeremy Wilson
The First Person on the Mic
In 1986, Jeremy Aaron Wilson began his professional relationship with the McClelland household as an embedded romance consultant.
He has delivered his unorthodox and counterintuitive matchmaking advice through group workshops, field trips and one-on-one role-playing. His 2004 "Watching Arrested Development: Hangover Recovery for Very Short-Term Relationships" proved quite successful.
Always a precocious pupil, Ashlee modified Jer's patented "You, You, and You" maneuver to win an enduring place in David's heart and mind.
David and Ashlee's marriage represents a lifetime achievement for him. While marking the end of this consultation, Jeremy is available for new assignments. These can be obtained by approaching him and offering an opinion on something.*
* Final charges will be determined by the number of words Jeremy speaks in session at the wedding; this includes any combination of Jeremy and: guest, animal or a mirror. Prompt remittance is appreciated.
Josh Galban
The Officiant.
Joshua Anthony Galban has been a fixture in Ashlee's life since Peter Gabriel released his chart-busting So LP in 1986. They bonded over "Sledgehammer" and a love for all the things that interested them, including Doctor Who and Degrassi Junior High. Were it not for Ashlee, Josh would never have seen Santa Fe, Amsterdam or the inside of her house.
Please note: The officiant is not an actual reverend or priest. He was at one time revered by all the grown-ups in his life. Now a grown-up himself, some of that luster has faded. He's available for weddings and the funerals of close friends. Baptisms are out: due to his inability to swim, Josh is not allowed near any body of water larger than a toilet.
(Ashlee once had to rescue him from a 5 foot deep pool into which Jeremy pushed him. By consecrating her marriage, you might say he's finally repaying the favor.)
He has been described as "responsible," "extremely funny" and "half-Mexican;" Ashlee and David were lucky to get him on such short notice.
Jennifer Grady
The Bride's Maestro (aka Statler to Ashlee's Waldorf, or vice versa)
Jen and Ashlee used to hang themselves out the Wellesley dorm window where they lived and do their best imitations of Statler and Waldorf to the innocent girls passing by.
"These girls walking around campus aren't half stupid!"
"No, they're ALL stupid! Look at them out in the snow when they could be in here!"
(combined laughter from Jen & Ashlee, followed by annoyed look from passer-by)
It was never truly determined if Jen was Statler or Waldorf.
Ann Manubay
The Luckiest Girl You Know (with the cutest face)
Annie and Ashlee have been friends since their Wellesley days. However, they have been friends most closely the last four, after Ashlee moved into an apartment four blocks away from Annie and her lovely wife, Dabney, in Boston's South End.
Annie is delightful, which makes it impossible to hate her when she wins every contest she signs up for and most poker games she plays.
Dabney Frake
Ashlee's Polka Dot (aka The Designer)
Ashlee was lucky enough to meet Dabney through her wife Ann Manubay, whom Ashlee went to college with. It is not often you become as close to a friend's partner as you do the friend, but that is just what happened for Ashlee with Dab. Especially once she realized Dabney shared her love of things Japanese, fun fabrics, and items of diminutive size.
If Ashlee someday moves to Vermont, Dabney may be held singlehandedly responsible.
If it wasn't for Dabney, none of you will receive an invitation to this wedding.
"I mean, if I want to live on a beach and walk around naked that's my business-ok!"
Devery Doleman
The Stolichnaiad (and the Can-Do-Anything Girl)
Ashlee knew Devery might be the most amazing woman she'll ever meet after the first day in their shared Modern Poetry class. It became very clear they were both committed to various performing arts when Ashlee joined the same Shakespeare acting troupe that Devery was in, though Devery has continued along this track since college, fronting a successful New York City area band.
Over the years Devery and Ashlee have developed and grown in similar ways, and Ashlee delights in having Devery as her Secret Hippie Confidant and Vegan Conscience.
Devery is smarter than you and there is nothing she can't do.
Danielle Beshong
Dutchy I (The Sudden Wellesley Schoolmate)
When Ashlee moved to Amsterdam, knowing virtually no one, Danielle approached her in the office hallway during her first week there.
"Hey, did you go to Wellesley? I recognize you."
After that Danielle rather quickly offered her apartment for Ashlee to stay in while looking for a place of her own. Danielle was going out of town and was happy to offer her space to a fellow Wellesley alum in need.
Ashlee feels she must come clean and tell Danielle that during that two weeks she used some of her makeup and lotions quite liberally. They became close friends despite this secret Ashlee has harbored for the past eight years.
(Yes, they had to move to Europe to become friends, even though they went to college together at the same time.)
Danielle and Ashlee both adore volle vet vanille vla.
Terra Walker
Dutchy II (The Neighbor)
After Ashlee moved into her Amsterdam apartment, she soon discovered that she was a mere three blocks from another new & fun colleague, Terra. This lead to many afternoons of Scrabble, bike rides, and drinking biertjes at the Jesus Bar together. Natuurlijk, they became very close as they realized they had in common a burning desire to get the most out of life and embarked on several subsequent adventures, including the Relocate to Boston Adventure, the Drive to Ouray Colorado in the Middle of Winter Expedition, and the Great Amsterdam Visit of 2006.
Terra helped Ashlee understand that tomorrow is always a very good day to get a new tattoo. Waiting longer than that is just silly.
Terra also makes the best cheese-less pasta dishes in the whole world.
Meredith McClelland
The Maid of Honoriffic Stature (aka Birdhouse in My Soul)
Meredith knows every word on the Flood album by They Might be Giants, and will sing the entire thing given the opportunity.
You can call her Sweetums.
Kingsley Moore
My Only Sunshine (aka The One Who's Known Her the Longest)
Kingsley and Ashlee grew up across the street from each other in Dallas. They had a fun childhood playing in tree houses and going to elementary school together until Kingsley moved to South Carolina.
Despite all the years, they have still stayed close, especially once Kingsley finally let Ashlee color in her Black Beauty coloring book.
Natalie Stanco
Created in an oft-overlooked provision of the nineteenth amendment, Natalie Stanco looks surprisingly youthful for her 87 years of age. She has maintained her girlish good looks through a steady diet of feminist theater and event planning. David met Natalie at TAG high school in Dallas, TX. Having each been spiritually born of a constitutional amendment (see also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Bennett_and_Amendment_XXI_to_the_Constitution), the two became fast friends.
Niko "Is it cool?" Fruechting
Not on Boats
Wells "Kevil Thorton" Tuthill
Secretary of Danger
James "Jimi Brown?" Brown
Mckinney
Tony "Math and Beatles" Jacobs
Right On
Patrick "Quinn Queasy" Reddington
Department of Droid Reconstruction
Chris Dempsey
Aaron "Ramone" Waldkoetter
back of the van
