A young city boy wearing a Canadian tuxedo and a winning smile leaned dangerously back on the two legs of his chair in the library of Belfast’s University of Ulster art college to make pleasantries with the awkward looking country girl triumphantly sporting crochet. That was when Peter met Jackie. A fast friendship was formed. He may have been taking pity on her as he has since been heard to comment that she looked like she was wearing a tea cozy with her crotchet hat, but Jackie asked no questions—she knew she was onto a good thing.
And so began their romp cross continents, through fashion schools, bad dates, language barriers and designer houses to arrive at this rather adult moment in their friendship journey. Jackie is honored to be Peter’s Best Woman at his wedding to the lovely Eddie. She aspires to rise to the occasion with even half the aplomb Peter did when she sprung the news on him in the car on the way to the church, to her 2013 wedding to Chris, that she hoped he wouldn’t mind being MC at the reception. That afternoon. No, not very adult at all. But what a job he did: The spontaneity! The ad libbing! Made for the stage he is, they said.
Secretly Jackie hopes Peter will be getting wed in that same Canadian tuxedo although she knows it has long since been replaced by Valentino, Paul Smith, and Dries Van Noten. So instead she’s expecting multiple outfit changes on this fabulous big day, when she will be sure to fluff his train while triple checking that her own ring bearing pockets are without holes.
Oliver is proud to be Eddie’s Best Man during the ceremonies, having been his friend for over 15 years. They met each other in Rotterdam where they both pursued their MBA degrees at the Erasmus University and later became direct colleagues, working for the same company in Amsterdam.
The older, wiser Eddie often acted as a mentor to Oliver, while they both share the distinct quality of being total nerds who’d never admit they were. Just ask Eddie about Marvel movies and his displayed knowledge would confound even tv’s Sheldon Cooper (-just a small example, but I think it says enough).
Both liked to play squash where Oliver was as happy to win as Eddie was happy to try (but lose). They would further bond during hiking trips to Eddie’s home country of Peru and the Grand Canyon. Eddie was naturally Oliver’s best man when he married his wife Fatima in 2017 and now Oliver is honored to return the favor. Oliver lives in the Netherlands, is married (to Fatima still-#4life) and is the proud father to his most beautiful daughter Senna.