As Audrey noted the other day, I have neglected to introduce you to the strapping young gents who will help us keep the day in order and help you find your seats at the wedding: our ushers. Three friends of ours will be on hand to help that day: David Hartmann, James Anderson, and Matthew Classick.
Hartmann:
As Hartmann so brilliantly describes in a bio he wrote himself, we met on our first day of high school. Both equally shy about jumping in on a “spit race” we decided that we’d hang out instead of joining the other group, and we became fast friends. Dave remained a great friend to me through high school and college, even visiting me at UVA when I was in the hospital. (Okay, I was voluntarily doing a medical study to make some cash, and his a capella group happened to be performing at UVA that week, but it sounds way better when I embellish it). We both moved back home after we graduated from college – Dave from Haverford and I from UVA – and I had mentioned a wonderful girl named Audrey to him, saying that maybe I should set them up. Instead, I decided that I should date Audrey, but that I’d love to have her meet my good friend Dave – and I think everyone is glad with the way that’s turned out! Dave recently graduated from George Mason’s law school and will be moving out to Chicago this summer. He’s a great friend to both me and to Audrey, and we’re very excited to have him join us in Charlottesville this fall!
I first met Ando at the final audition for the Whethermen, an improve group down at UVA. Neither of us made the group, but we remembered each other (no doubt for the perceived humor) and would say hello around Grounds. We both joined Resident Staff during my third year (Ando’s second year), and would see each other a bit more frequently around Grounds through various organizational meetings. I still didn’t know much about this mysterious, funny Australian, but I knew that he and I got along in our brief 5-minute encounters with one another. So when I was able to choose my staff for my dorm fourth year, I used my #1 draft pick to ensure that Ando was the other male RA in my building (and yes, RA’s at UVA do pick their staffers with a snake-style draft, just like in fantasy football). It was that next year that Ando and I really got to be good friends. He and I had many walks from Old Dorms to the Corner and back; many nights where we stayed up late for no good reason, sometimes working on papers, sometimes distracting the other from papers, and Ando even spent that Thanksgiving with my family in Bethesda, MD. Gradually Ando became my confidant on Grounds who I would approach for some outside perspective and advice. And I think I served that role in return. After graduating from UVA, I knew that Ando would stay a lifelong friend of mine. He has visited me in DC, and both Audrey and I have had the INCREDIBLE chance to visit him in Australia. He’s a great guy, and I’m excited for everyone to meet my friend from Down Under. Classick
Matthew Thomas Classick and I didn’t meet until Audrey introduced me to him in 2009. Classick and I became fast friends, despite my transgression of repeatedly calling the Phanatic the dumbest mascot in all of sports the first time we spent a significant amount of time together. I think this calculated obnoxiousness won over his heart, and we quickly discovered that we enjoyed many of the same things: sports (playing or spectating), various brews, words and wordplay, and foosball (still undefeated at Whitlow’s lifetime, baby!). Our friendship has grown into one of mutual respect, fun banter, and a go-to for each other for someone to talk to when things go awry. Classick has come to be one of my best friends over the last few years, and I am very excited that he will be there to support me and Audrey on our wedding day and beyond.
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