{"id":10,"date":"2013-10-19T01:25:51","date_gmt":"2013-10-19T01:25:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/letiziaanddave.fijomarketing.com\/?page_id=10"},"modified":"2016-06-16T02:12:11","modified_gmt":"2016-06-16T02:12:11","slug":"bridal-party","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/letiziaanddave.com\/?page_id=10","title":{"rendered":"The Bridal Party"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Best Man:<\/strong>\u00a0Billy Friebele<\/h3>\n

\"Best-Man-Billy\"<\/a>Billy Friebele the best brother a guy could ask for. \u00a0He’s my role model, confidant, adviser, wrestling partner, and best friend since I was born. \u00a0An amazing artist and educator, he and I have a lot in common, but somehow we spend most of our time hanging out joking and laughing instead of discussing our artistic endeavors and pupils whose lives we make better with our outstanding instructional talents (joke – but not really, we’re kind of amazing). \u00a0 If we ask you who looks older, do me a favor and say that he does. \u00a0He likes to gloat that he is aging better than me. \u00a0Not everyone can see me on the basketball court, but Billy has some sick defense. \u00a0I still let him know who has the better jumper, though as I routinely pop 3-pointers in his face whenever we make it to the court. \u00a0All sibling rivalry aside, Billy has seen me at my best and worst and still is the first person I call when I am on cloud nine or down in the dumps. \u00a0He knows me better than most and can always make me smile, laugh, talk me off the ledge, and make me see the bright side of a gloomy situation. \u00a0I hope that one day I can be as great of a husband, father, and brother that he is today.<\/p>\n

Groomsman:\u00a0Joe McDavid<\/h3>\n

\"Joe\"<\/a>Joe McDavid has been one of my best friends since age 13. \u00a0He truly has seen every side of me. \u00a0He and I have rambling imaginations and senses of humor that routinely make us\u00a0add onto each other’s jokes until we both are splitting at the side with laughter. \u00a0Since he and I both enjoy hip hop and music in general we collaborated on several different tracks in our spare time during my college summers, some of which we still listen to and think “We made this?!?!” \u00a0As we have aged, our schedules seem to have grown opposite, limiting the time that we can hang out, but whenever we do, it is just like old times: no worries and an all out blast. \u00a0Joe is blunt, speaks his mind, advises with his heart, and truly cares. \u00a0Whether we are going to concerts, Redskins games, parties, or working on music, Joe and I can rely on one thing; that we will go into it with 1000% intensity. \u00a0Like my brother, Joe can’t keep up with me on the court, but he hustles like a boss and also has some pretty nasty defense. \u00a0Although many things like distance, feuds, schedules, school, and girlfriends have tested our friendship, nothing has broken it, and nothing ever will.<\/p>\n

Groomsman:\u00a0Thomas Swindell<\/h3>\n

\nThomas has been one of my best friends since my senior year in college. \u00a0Although he and I went to Guilford at the same time, we didn’t get to know each other until we studied abroad in Seville, Spain. He met Letizia the same time that I did, and witnessed the progression of our relationship. \u00a0In fact, he was instrumental in getting Letizia and I back together after 8 years apart. \u00a0For that, I am forever in his debt. \u00a0He’s always looked out for me and advised me on what’s best. \u00a0My favorite quote from Thomas came soon after he reconnected Letizia and I. \u00a0He said: “Dave – DON’T F%$# IT UP!”. \u00a0Needless to say, I haven’t. \u00a0Thomas, like me, has many sides. \u00a0He is professionally focused, driven, level headed, and calm. \u00a0He is also hilarious, loud, a straight clown with his friends, and he and I can shut the club down if we want to – or at least we could at age 21. \u00a0Oh – and I CANNOT beat Thomas on the basketball court. \u00a0Yeah…. \u00a0we played pickup on the same team in Seville and I would never put myself through the embarrassment\u00a0of competing against him. We have known each other for over a decade now, and if I know Thomas at all, I know that he and I will be best of friends for many more decades to come.<\/p>\n

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Groomsman: Maclean Struthers<\/h3>\n

\"Maclean\"<\/a>Maclean Struthers would do anything for anyone who is in need. \u00a0He is a great guy like that. \u00a0When he came into the life of my coworker and great friend Kathryn, I could not have approved more. \u00a0Mac and I quickly became very good friends. \u00a0Mac, Kathryn, Letizia, and I have had numerous cabin trips, dinners, BBQ’s, hikes, in depth conversations, and hundreds of hours of laughter. \u00a0But enough about the ladies – this is about Mac! \u00a0Mac is one of those guys that you could call up to install a dishwasher or watch football, go fly fishing or build a fireplace, hit up a party or just sit in the backyard and knock back some cold ones. \u00a0He got me to play golf for the first time and lose about 200 balls in the forest (I have a mean slice I guess). \u00a0He’s down for whatever and loves to have fun and that’s why I identify so much with him. Mac is genuine, caring, and if I call him up to hang out, it’s always a guaranteed to be a load of laughs and nonstop meaningful conversation. \u00a0Most importantly, he has been wonderful and gracious to people who are important to me including Kathryn and Letizia (back to the ladies I guess… ) \u00a0I have no idea how Mac would measure up to me on the basketball court, but I am assuming I would win because b-ball has oddly never come up. \u00a0However, if we went fly fishing, I’m sure he would take the W.<\/p>\n

Maid of Honor: Mayra Rodriguez, M.D.<\/b><\/h3>\n

\"Mayra\"<\/a>I first met Mayra in my freshman year of high school at Dominican Academy in New York City\u2019s Upper East Side.\u00a0 What\u2019s funny about our friendship is that we knew each other all through high school and even though we were in the same clique and always hung out together we were never very close, probably because our personalities are very different.\u00a0 But, somehow when it came to going clubbing, something we both loved to do, (go figure!) we were the best of friends! \u00a0I went to college at Fordham University in Manhattan and lived at home with my parents while Mayra went to Columbia University and lived at the dorms \u2013 2 train stops away from each other.\u00a0 We started hanging out a lot which surprised our friends and family.\u00a0 But we ended up becoming inseparable. \u00a0Almost every single weekend we went out dancing and she is still my go to girl for Salsa, Hip-Hop and of course Reggaeton! Now that I am finishing up medical school and she her Nephrology Fellowship, we often only get the chance to talk for a few minutes or meet up for dinner here and there.\u00a0 But, when we do, we have tons of laughs (usually about all the things we\u2019ve been through together) and realize that although we\u2019re no longer less than a mile away from each other, our friendship knows no distance.<\/p>\n

Bridesmaid: Kathleen Syron \u2013 Brice<\/b>\u00f1o<\/b><\/h3>\n

\"Kathleen\"<\/a>On my way to Seville, Spain in 2002 I met Kathleen in the Barcelona airport waiting for our connecting flight.\u00a0 We were an unlikely pair but somehow our study abroad experience would make us very close friends.\u00a0 While in Sevilla, Kathleen and I would meet for tapas almost every night and share our thought, fears, observations and experiences usually with a bottle of wine.\u00a0\u00a0 We traveled to Barcelona together and even went to Ireland, where her family gave me the good Irish name Bridgette…hahaha\u00a0\u00a0 (my name was a bit difficult for the older folks to pronounce or remember). \u00a0Now, when it comes to dancing, at Kathleen\u2019s wedding was probably the most I\u2019d ever seen her dance!\u00a0 Since Sevilla, we have remained close friends and have seen each other grow from wayward 21year old girls wandering Europe to becoming focused, career driven women.\u00a0 I am most honored to be the godmother to her daughter Mary Francisca, a promise she made to me back in Spain.\u00a0 Even if we don\u2019t speak for extended periods of time we know that we will always be there for each other.<\/p>\n

Bridesmaid:\u00a0Kathryn Connor<\/b><\/h3>\n

\"Kathryn\"<\/a>When I first went to DC Dave insisted that one of the first person\u2019s I needed to meet was his friend Kathryn.\u00a0 Well of course I was curious to meet my now boyfriend\u2019s best female friend…hmmm.\u00a0 But the instant I met Kathryn I knew why they were such good friends.\u00a0 Immediately we clicked and just started chatting away even when Dave wasn\u2019t in the room.\u00a0 We both approved of each other and I was certainly happy that he had such a wonderful friend to keep him grounded while I was still living in New York.\u00a0 Since moving to DC Kathryn always made me feel right at home.\u00a0 Dave and I have gone over to Mac and Kathryn\u2019s for numerous dinners, games, BBQ\u2019s even pumpkin carvings.\u00a0\u00a0 Going out with Kathryn is always fun especially because she is willing to dance to whatever music is playing!\u00a0 When we get together we laugh a lot and talk about how fun it would be to live and raise our future families next door to them! \u00a0\u00a0Kathryn\u2019s strong beliefs and open-mindedness is refreshing and inspiring.\u00a0 When it comes to our new location for residency she is one reason why I really wish we could stay in DC.<\/p>\n

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Bridesmaid: Magdaliz Alvarez<\/h3>\n

\"Letizia<\/p>\n

I first met Magda a few months after Dave and I moved in together while walking Rosie in the backyard of our apartment complex.\u00a0 I saw her on the stairs balcony enjoying our wooded view and I thought to myself, I think that girl is Puerto Rican.\u00a0 I walked up the stairs to go home and Magda asked to pet Rosie.\u00a0 Immediately we squealed at the fact that we were both Puerto Rican and Magda invited me over her place for drink.\u00a0 From that moment on, we have become very close friends.\u00a0 We can talk for hours, usually during an impromptu visit by her apartment 2 doors down. She is the life of the party and everytime Magda comes over it undoubtedly turns into a salsa party!!\u00a0 Magda is very thoughtful and has quickly become one of my best friends.<\/p>\n

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