Hendrik's god daughter and niece Francesca Mia (3 years old) is one of the two flowergirls at our wedding. Francesca Mia is the daughter of Hendrik's older brother Stephan.
Pia's goddaughter and niece Amanda (10 years old) is the other flowergirl (Amanda admires Hendrik very much). Amanda is the daughter of Pia's older brother Thomas (Peppe).
THE BRIDESMAIDS
Jessica (Jessi) Troberg (to the right) and Pia (to the left, admittingly not the most flattering picture) met at 'Tant Linnea' who was their nanny from age 4 to 5. In the picture they are Lucia and Lucia maid. Lucia is celebrated in Sweden and the Swedish speaking parts of Finland on December 13 in honour of Saint Lucia. When Jessi stayed the night she would spend the morning reading Donald Duck, waiting for Miss Sleepy to wake up :-) Jessi and Pia went to the same kindergarten and later also started school together. After high school they went their separate ways but have always remained in close contact. Jessi gave birth to Isabella in 2003 and Pia is Isabella's godmother.
Kati (Katarina) and Pia in Berlin, Summer 2006. Kati pregnant with Alexander who was born in December 2006. Pia and Kati became friends in high school and have been close friends since then. Kati is the eternal optimist who often tells Pia 'yes, of course it will work, just do it'! Kati married the love of her life Matthias in the summer of 2005. Kati lives in Berlin, Germany.
Sebastian ("Sebi", "el Chileno Culeado")
THE GROOMSMEN
Ben ("Benhameen")
Georg ("George")
Jef ("Jefe")
Kati (Katarina) and Pia in Berlin, Summer 2006. Kati pregnant with Alexander who was born in December 2006. Pia and Kati became friends in high school and have been close friends since then. Kati is the eternal optimist who often tells Pia 'yes, of course it will work, just do it'! Kati married the love of her life Matthias in the summer of 2005. Kati lives in Berlin, Germany.
Lidia and her two sons, Conrad (on Pia's lap) and Dominic (next to Lidia) at Pia's and Hendrik's place in Helsinki, June 2007. Pia and Lidia met in the seascouts in Jakobstad ages 7 and 6, respectively. Their paths have crossed many times and together they have enjoyed student life in Vasa and lived in the same apartment building in Helsinki where they would share delicious evening meals prepared by Lidia. Lidia married Kaz, father of Conrad and Dominic in the autumn of 2004.
Karin (Katarina) Valkama has almost always been Pia's neighbour, at least in Finland. They have known each other more or less always, however, it was not until Helsinki that they started "hanging out" and Hendrik and Karin's husband Antti quickly joined. It is with Karin and Antti (who got married in July 2003) that Pia and Hendrik stay up until five o'clock in the morning laughing about absolutely nothing and possibly opening one more bottle of bubbles...(And no they are not pretending to be seamen in the picture. It's custom in Finland (and Sweden) that when you graduate from high school you get this hat that we call 'studentmössa" and every year on the last day of April and the 1st of May we celebrate whilst wearing our 'studentmössa').
THE BEST MEN
Hendrik and his "big brother" Kristiaan (Chile).
Hendrik and Kristiaan 23 years later (Finland summer of 2007).
Kristiaan ("Gordo")
A talented writer and thinker, Kristiaan is also Hendrik's older brother and friend. Although different in many aspects, they are two sides of the same coin. Anyone who knows them both will also know that they share a very special and inseparable bond.
Sebastian ("Sebi", "el Chileno Culeado")
Hendrik and Sebastian have known each other since childhood, when they lived as neighbours in Chile. They would meet again many years later in Holland where they attended the same high school. After graduation Hendrik joined Sebastian in Maastricht to study International Business. It was in Maastricht that the two of them became very close friends; a friendship that they share to this day. Today Sebastian is a self-entrepreneur in Santiago de Chile.
THE GROOMSMEN
Ben ("Benhameen")
Hendrik and Ben had their first beer together during a class trip to Berlin in 1994. The friendship was immediate and Ben soon became a regular at the Knoester house in Wassenaar, where Hendrik and Kris lived without adult supervision the greater part of the year. Hendrik also became somewhat of a fixture at the Seisler household, even long after Ben went back to the US to study law. In 2001, Hendrik, Ben and Georg travelled to Peru to hike the infamous Inca Trail. Having survived the hike, Ben today lives in Boston (USA) where he practices law - still enjoying the odd beer.
Georg ("George")
Hendrik and Georg met in high school but what brought them together was Georg's exchange year in Maastricht where they co-lived in the same apartment. The two did almost everything together, earning them the "old married couple of the year" award from the Seislers, Ben's parents. Today Georg works as a sollicitor in London (UK) and recently bought his first apartment together with his girlfriend Siobahn.
Jef ("Jefe")
Jef is one of Hendrik's old high school buddies and, like Ben, another regular at the Knoester household growing up. Together with Kris the three spent a lot of evenings together joking around and having fun. Jef has a terrific sense of humour so if you happen to be sitting next to him try asking him to do an impersonation of Eddie Murphy's Raw or Delirious. Today Jef lives in The Hague with his high school sweetheart Tanja and commutes to Hilversum every day where he works as an up and coming architect.
Vladimir ("Vladi-Vodka")
Legend has it that Vladimir arrived in Holland speaking little English and wearing a green sheep sweater. Kristiaan and Hendrik took an almost immediate liking in Vladimir (admittingly because of his sweater) and friendships were soon born. Like Ben and Jef, Vladimir was another visitor to the Knoester household growing up. Although Vladimir traded in his sheep sweater long ago, he has remained a very close and trusting friend to the Knoester brothers. Today Vladimir lives and works in New York (USA) together with his wife Catherine.