Hi, everyone, and welcome. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Kate, Lana’s best friend and maid of honor. Lana has asked me to say a few words tonight, but before getting into the speech, I wanted to thank Mike’s parents, who are our wonderful hosts for the evening. Bob and Jeanne have been so gracious during this whole process, and I can’t imagine Lana marrying into a more wonderful family. I’ve known Lana and Mike for years. In fact, all three of us went to middle school together, but we didn’t actually become friends until we met as doe-eyed freshmen at Boston University. What are the odds that three kids from Northampton would end up on the same floor of Danielsen Hall? I couldn’t believe it when I saw Lana wandering around, looking for her room assignment. And then when we met up with a lost Mike in the dining hall? It felt like fate had brought us together. I have to be honest and tell you folks that I didn’t really take to Mike as quickly as Lana did. It may have been his propensity to dress up in costume for every conceivable holiday, recognized or otherwise. Or maybe it was the fact that he couldn’t fathom watching a movie that didn’t have some sort of laser sword in it. I can assure you, I was forced to sit through the original Star Wars trilogy more times than I’d care to admit. Still, I saw how much he cared for Lana, and I saw how happy Lana was when she was with Mike, so when they started dating the summer before our sophomore year, I can say honestly that I was overjoyed. Lana brought Mike out of his shell a bit, and Mike in turn taught Lana a lot about appreciating the little things. She may even have taken a shine to Star Wars. Mike’s very persuasive. [pause for laughter] When they came back to school in September, I knew right away that I had a lot of third-wheeling in my future. Luckily, we became the perfect tricycle, and the next few years of school flew by. The day before graduation, Lana sat down with me and said she wanted to marry Mike. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing! We were only 22, and she was ready to settle down. Unfortunately, that was the same day Mike decided to tell her he had been accepted to his graduate program in Wales. They were long-distance for two years before Mike moved back to the states, and they both logged many a frequent flier mile. I think it was all worth it in the end, though, because it was those two years that made Mike realize how much he loved Lana. He told me once that, during his grad school days, talking to Lana felt like home, even though he was thousands of miles away. It was those conversations that convinced him he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. When he asked me for my help picking out the ring, I obviously obliged. After all, I know you can special order an R2-D2 ring, and there are only so many droid references a girl can take. Mike popped the question at the airport, surrounded by strangers and security personnel (and me), and Lana said yes. They moved into an adorable little house in Hartford—with a guest bedroom for everyone’s favorite third wheel—and I don’t think I’ve ever seen either of them happier. It will feel really weird to call you each other’s husband and wife, but I’m so proud of you for what you’ve accomplished, both in your relationship and in your lives. I’ve seen you grow into such amazing people, and I’m so happy I can call you both my friends. I love you and want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for letting me share this special moment with you. Please raise your glasses, everyone. To Lana and Mike! Downloaded from http://www.wikihow.com