Nico and Jo are saying "I do!"

Nico's Groomsmen

Nico's turn to talk about his groomsmen.

JoAnn and I share the same particularity. We have a beautiful family composed of many individualities. They are not only blood related but love related. My "guys" as I usually call them are the back bone of my happiness, personality and sanity. As we all lived a couple of blocks away from one another, we have spent nearly every weekend night together in the past 18 years. When we move to a party, we move in as a group. Not one, not two, but 10 guys. This is our strength. These are my brothers, who I can count on if ever a problem occur. And this is why I want them by my side for the most beautiful day of my life.

They are: (by Alphabetical order)

Alexandre Bruneau: my mother always told us that when my brother and I first arrived at  kindergarden, he came to us and asked if we wanted to play with him. We have since then never stopped hanging out, partying, (and later) drinking for the past two decades. He is for sure one of my closest friends, one who I can rely on, one who shares numerous secrets and private jokes.

Alessandro Cerutti: my twin brother. Born eleven minutes after me, we still debate who is the oldest. I may have come out first, but he took the looks. Smart and funny, he is the kind of guy you hate having as a wingman. He has achieved a lot and I am proud of who he is and what he has become. He has always been there for me. I love him not only as a brother but also as a friend.   

Christophe Iontzeff: is probably the most outgoing, crazy, irrational friend I have. We met in elementary school. I have never seen a person finish naked at a party as often as him. How many times have we been thankful of his presence to take us out from boredom and sleepiness. He is generally the leader of the pack when it comes to making fools of ourselves and spicing up our lives. Just for that in itself, I love him. He is also a generous and caring guy who I can rely on.

Philippe Iontzeff: younger brother of Christophe. More mature and very cynical, he is one of the funniest guys I know. He has a very dry and witty humour which is the complete opposite of his brother. He is a person you can rely on if you can wait 1 pm to wake him up. We have spent numerous days together playing poker, video games, and watching soccer games. He is one of the sweetest guys I have met. Makes me think of a CareBear.

Francois Peyrot: Even though our paths only crossed 'recently' (in comparison to the length of time I've known the other groomsmen) he is someone I really appreciate. We did most of our law school together in Paris and in San Francisco as well as taking the New York Bar exam. We shared the experience of moving abroad and leaving our family and friends for the first time. As we moved in together in SF, we discovered a lot of common interests and similarities in our personalities. He is a person I trust and one I believe will be immensely succesfull due to his unbelievable social skills.

Jean Baptiste Thamin: we met through Christophe more than 10 years ago when we were orgainizing the biggest independant high school party. Since then, we have spent numerous nights making movie parodies with our friends and watching real movies until 7 am. He is the worst person ever to watch movies with as he doesn't stop speaking. That is probably a reason why he has become a comedian. He is like a Duracell batery as he generally is the last one to sleep and the first one to get up. He is a wonderful listener and a great humorist. Between Chris, Philippe and him, we generally have quite a show every night. He is a person who I can rely upon at any time of the day and night (if you manage to get hold of him)

Xavier Tuminello: the third Italian and "World Champion" of the group with my brother and myself. Again, I met him through Christophe during high school. He is a great guy. I have spent and shared quite a lot of things with him the past few years. He has decided to branch out and is currently living in Ireland with his girlfriend. He is definetely a guy I can count on. He has also been a great support on my lunch breaks by being my official fast food buddy. Waiting for you in SF for In & Out, Wendy's, BK, Jack, Taco Bell and then numerous others.

All in all, these are my brothers. Because of who they are, I am who I am. And because of that, I found my soul mate. So thank you all for having been there for me all these years and all future years !!!

The Maids of Honor

We waited until I got to see my "Maids of Honor" (why choose just one?) in person before listing everyone in our bridal party on this blog.  Our bridal party is very important to us. It's one of those things that bonds Nico and I -- we both have really good friends we can count on. I can't tell you how much more I respected him when I found out he had a huge group of friends that he called his own. (Never trust a guy who has no friends...)

Maids of Honor: Bottom line, there are some friends who cross the line from being friends to being family. These girls are my family. They are the ones I have leaned on, shared secrets with, laughed with, learned how to grow up with (and from) and the ones who inspire me every single day.

They are: (in Alphabetical order)

Suraya Akbarzad: Suraya and I met at Edelman (this will be a theme with a lot of the Maids!) years ago. She came in as an intern right after I did. Though we didn't get close until after I had left Edelman, she's become a trusted friend and one of the sweetest people I know. I also can't count how many times Su and I have been laughing and no one else understands why!

Melissa Chanselor: "Chansey" ("La Chanse" while she's in Paris) is also an ex-Edelmanite, though I met her years after I had already left the agency through my friend Nicole. (More on Nicole later) She recently visited me in Paris where we shared a lot of laughs, loads of lost sleep and alcohol, as well as discovered our eerily similar tastes. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Melissa is one of the nicest people I've ever met.

Jen Cole: The best friend anyone could ever have, Jen and I met when we moved into an old Victorian house in downtown San Jose. We bonded over having NO HEAT in the house (no kidding, we literally had NO furnace) and a weird male roommate named Ian who liked to visit our rooms when we weren't home. Jen and I have had many adventures, including a loooong backpacking trip in Europe (France, Italy, eating LOADS of candy somewhere in Switzerland?) and many nights out dancing until the wee hours of the morning, but most of all, we've been there for each other, no matter what. Oh, and Jen's up to get hitched in July 2007! I couldn't be happier for my Sister Soul!

Arlene Del Orbe: 'Lene's one of those girls that you just laugh with. No matter what, she's up for a good time -- whether it's just a good conversation about writers over a bottle of merlot or an all-nighter, going from a club to an after party to someone's living room to breakfast at Bagdad Cafe.  But even when there aren't any laughs, she's there and can talk to you about everything. She's one of those friends who, even if you don't see her every day, you can pick right up where you left off when you do see her and it's like no time has passed.

Nicole Jordan: Ohhh I can't say enough about this girl! I first met her on the balconies of Edelman (with Megan). She's been through a lot of ups and downs with me and we've laughed, danced and shopped through them all! She's a great friend who I love not only because she's been there for me, but also because she's always open to everything and is up for anything. She's also a source of inspiration because of her determination and her drive. I'm not kidding, this girl keeps me going when I just want to say "OH F**K IT!!!) I'm looking forward to many more adventures with her.

Anne Montastier: Anne was Nico's friend first, but as I've said before, I not only got Nico as a great fiance, but I also got Anne in the deal! Anne quickly became one of my best friends, not only because we shared a lot of the same interests (and yes, the bottles and bottles of champagne and wine helped too!) but because she's one of the sweetest people I know. Plus, she helps me with my French! Merci, Annie!!

Megan Prest: "Strawberry" is a darling. An incredibly upbeat force, you can't help smile when she's around. I met Megan (along with Nicole) at Edelman where our Trinity soon became our savior from the stresses of the PR world. But outside of work, we grew to understand each other as well. I've always admired Megan for knowing when to say 'when' and being brave enough to pursue other things she was interested in. This girl's got determination and a huge heart!

I can't imagine not standing with 'The Girls' at this important time of my life. I can't imagine jumping into the next phase of my life without knowing that they're still there for me, as they always have --- a big, boisterous, fun loving and supportive group!