The Wedding Party
Ryan Burrell (Groom)
Ryan is employed as a Web Designer/Developer at Prodigy Pixel, where he creates stunning web designs for people smart enough to hire his company. He sings in the church choir, and enjoys playing World of Warcraft, growing cacti and other succulents, balancing Scrabble games on his head, and cooking; he is famous for his ability to throw random ingredients into a pot, bring it to a boil, and produce something delectable. His vices include Legos, imported beers, science fiction novels, and Adobe Photoshop.
Brenda Driver (Bride)
Brenda is the Technical Trainer for Missouri State University Computer Services, which means she does a little bit of everything. Her current hobbies include sewing, reading, scrapbooking, gardening, yoga, and being annoyed with her cell phone. She can play bass guitar and takes pride in knowing how to change the oil in her car, as long as Preston is there to fill in the details. She has been a Big Sister to Jessica, the flower girl, since March 2007, and encourages anyone who will listen to volunteer for Big Brothers Big Sisters in some form or another.
Ryan Butler (Best Man)
Ryan is employed as a programmer at McKesson. He and the groom share the same initials, which made things very confusing for them growing up. He enjoys going to movies, drinking fine beers at the MudLounge, and using his mad ninja skillz to fight crime late at night in the urban underground of Springfield, MO. Remember the great Springfield Diamond Heist of ’01? No? That would be because he foiled the would-be thieves. Oddly, the diamonds were never recovered. Incidentally, he drives a very expensive vehicle. Coincidence? Who knows?
Elizabeth Driver (Maid of Honor)
Elizabeth, the bride’s sister, is employed by Barnes & Noble and will be moving to Kansas City, MO in June 2009 to be near her almost-fiancé, Andrew. She and Brenda grew up with a quiet disdain for each other – that is, until Brenda went to college, when the sisters discovered that they really didn’t like being so far apart after all. Beth encouraged Brenda to move to Springfield in 2005, which Brenda credits as the wisest advice anyone has ever given her. As Assistant Manager for Whitehall Jewelers, Beth helped Ryan find and purchase Brenda’s engagement ring and wedding band.
Chris Foley (Best Man)
Chris is an EMT for St John’s Hospital and serves as a volunteer firefighter in the Willard Fire Protection District. He enjoys outdoor activities such as camping, floating, and fishing, especially if any of these activities can be combined with beer. He and his wife, Candace, recently bought a house on the other side of forever (aka Willard) and hope to start a family in the near future.
Lea Ann Harper
Lea Ann is a stay-at-home mom to two wonderful boys: Keegan, age 5, and Kadence, age 3. Her husband, Kyle, will serve as the Bride’s Escort during the ceremony, and the boys will be ring bearers. She holds a Master’s degree in Childhood Education and plans to find a teaching job in the near future. Lea Ann loves Chinese food and enjoys scrapbooking with Brenda and Traci.
Preston Hazelwood
Preston is employed as a programmer for Educational Benchmarking, Inc. He enjoys World of Warcraft, fine beers, the subtle art of innuendo, playing with his Wii, and taking apart vehicles to see how they work. His TV is larger than a small elephant; thus the home he shares with his wife, Traci, is often a gathering place for things that require a large screen, like watching The Office or playing drunken Mario Party.
Traci Hazelwood
Traci is employed by St John’s Hospitals as an MRI Technician. She and her husband, Preston, spend all their time remodeling their house, but when she can get Preston to do all the hard work, she sneaks off and works on her scrapbooks. Traci also loves Chinese food, and enjoys gardening and playing World of Warcraft with Preston and the rest of the gang.