Anna & Ben
Wedding Party
Ellen Gowdy
Maid of Honor
A Navy brat, Ellen grew up all over the country. She met Ben's younger brother, Stu, in their Junior year at Elon University. Like Anna, Ellen fell for that special brand of Gowdy charm! Anna and Ellen met when Ellen visited Maine in the summer of 2008, and they became fast friends. Ellen and Stu married in August 2015 at the Gowdy's home in Berwick, and officially joined the Gowdy clan. Ellen and Stu live in Raleigh, North Carolina with their daughter Paige. Ellen runs a small business recruiting talent for tech startups. She loves cooking, gardening, and visiting family in Maine!
Stuart Gowdy
Best Man
Stu Gowdy is Ben's younger brother. They grew up together in South Berwick. Stu moved to North Carolina to attend Elon University for computer science, where he met his wife. Stu remained living in North Carolina, probably enjoying the temperate winter's more than Maine. However, he enjoys coming home to Maine for bird hunting in the fall with Marc and Ben. Stu has spent his career in the software industry. Stu lives in Raleigh NC with his wife, and their baby Paige.
Megan Turner
Bridesmaid
Megan Gardner-Turner is Anna's older sister. Megan grew up in Eliot, Maine. After graduation she moved to the midwest to attend The University of Oklahoma where she married and started a family. She continues to live in Oklahoma during the school year but escapes the heat by coming home with her family every summer. Anna has obviously known Megan for her whole life and, having less than a 2 year age difference, they share many childhood memories. Despite their differences (Megan is a math nerd and Anna most definitely is not), they will always share a special bond that is a product of their shared life experiences. They love and appreciate many of the same things : flowers, reading, musicals, historical stories and the fashions therein, and Scrabble to name just a few. Megan also enjoys teaching at church and as a special education teacher, and her hobbies include knitting and gardening.
Troy Miller
Groomsman
Troy Miller grew up in Bar Harbor Maine and attended college at the University of Maine in Orono, where he met Ben. Living in Penobscot Hall they shared many adventures, and spent time as roomates when they moved off campus, and then again for a summer in Bar Harbor. Troy and Ben share many personality traits which has bound them as fast friends, including their love of quality science fiction, and spirited debates. Troy moved to Colorado in 2008 and married his wife Sabrena in 2013. They celebrated the birth of their son Ellis in 2016. Troy enjoys reading, and marine life (both to admire, and eat).
Kate Leonard
Bridesmaid
Kate Leonard is Anna's best friend, and grew up in Eliot Maine. She went to college at Bowdoin, and graduate school at Franklin Pierce University. Kate married Brian Straub in 2016, and they live with their two sons in South Berwick. Kate & Anna met on the playground in first grade, as the only kids who could climb up to the top of the monkey bars. In middle school, they rode the bus together, and formed a solid friendship. After college Kate, Anna and Ben lived together, and shared many adventures such as lobstering, hosting epic Halloween and summer parties, with winters spent laughing to FRIENDS or yelling at P90X. Kate's a mother, a physical therapist, and professional ice cream scooper. She enjoys playing hockey, running, skiing, and eating raw cookie dough with Anna.
Cole McMannus
Groomsman
Cole McMannus is originally from Maine. He has moved around a lot, and is a director of engineering. Cole lived across the street in Gorham, Maine when Ben and Anna bought their house in 2016. Ben and Cole share a love of skiing, fishing, chess, and hot sauce. Cole has his pilot's license, and enjoys flying his drone, which he used for Ben and Anna's first wedding postponement, "pandemic photo shoot". Neighbors no more, but still friends. Cole now lives in Bangor Maine with his fiancée and daughter.
Parimala Stephens
Bridesmaid
Pari grew up in Biddeford, Maine. She attended college in upstate New York for engineering and then returned home to Maine. Pari met Anna at the gym in Saco, over a shared second party connection with Bowdoin college. They became "gym buddies" and soon became fast friends, with their similar love of baking and Disney movies. Pari moved to Atlanta, GA, where she married her husband Andrew in 2017. Pari enjoys baking, fitness, and trips to the park with her dog, Kitsu. Despite the distance, Pari and Anna have remained good friends, and now have this special occasion to celebrate and be reunited once again!
Brendan Gowdy
Groomsman
Brendan is Ben's cousin, and confesses that he always looked up to Ben as a kid. They share many memories of get togethers and family camping trips. Ben is the oldest of all the cousins, and Brendan recalls Ben always, and to this day, beating him at everything: political wits, tests of strength, etc.. Despite this, Brendan has always accepted defeat with good humor, maintaining his affable nature. Brendan holds multiple different trade licenses, and just recently began a traveling consulting job. He is moving back to Pennsylvania, from Connecticut, and is the father of two sweet little boys.
Julieanna Turner
Junior Bridesmaid
Julieanna is Anna's niece. Julie is 14 years old, and lives in Norman Oklahoma with her parents. Julieanna was named after a family friend and her aunt Anna. Julieanna is a freshman in high school. She is currently in her 10th year of ballet, and she is also in advanced acro dance. Julianna loves baking, crafts, fashion and music. She is excited to be a Jr. bridesmaid, and this will be the first wedding she has participated in.
Gloria Sabera
Flower Girl
Gloria Sabera is 5 years old, and is the youngest daughter of Laurel and Sisay Sabera. Gloria's mother Laurel and Anna were very close friends in high school and spent much and their spare time together. Laurel met her husband in Haifa, where they married. Gloria lives in Eliot Maine with her parents and her older siblings: Samaya, Violet, and Isaiah.
Ellis Miller
Ring Bearer
Ellis Miller is 4 years old and is the son of Troy and Sabrena Miller. Ellis lives with his parents in Longmont Colorado and loves it when "Unc Ben" comes to visit. Ellis loves foxes, playing "space baby" with Ben, singing, dancing and the baby shark song.