Bold Monk Brewing Co

Rehearsal Dinner

Welcome Drinks

The Stave Room

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Reception

Our Wedding

If you asked Anna Porter if she would ever marry someone funnier than her, she wouldn’t hesitate before saying no. Unfortunately for her, it's not too hard to beat someone whose jokes consist only of movie quotes. That being said, Anna is from Atlanta, Georgia, where people are typically a lot nicer than where I (Daniel Russo) am from. Anna has two older brothers and one younger sister. I had the pleasure of spending a lot of time with her family, which is another reason I’m so excited to marry her. I come from an amazing New Jersey Italian family full of boys. So I’m sure you can already see why Anna and I don’t always have the same methods of talking about things. I tend to be loud and straightforward, while she likes to be gentle and nuanced. But that’s exactly why it works. Now, moving on to more of our story. We didn’t meet by random chance. It was a plan God had orchestrated long before we met. And typically, when we explain how we met, we have to make sure people are still following along—so try your best. Anna went to school and played volleyball at William &amp; Mary in Virginia and played a fifth year and got her master’s at Colorado State. I graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in soccer (kidding—it was economics). After 3.5 years, I got drafted to play professional soccer for Atlanta United. After asking four people to room with me, the fifth finally said yes—a fellow draftee named Javier Armas, who played at Oregon State and is from Spain. At this time, Anna was finishing her master’s online from Colorado State, so she was living with her parents in Atlanta. While at William &amp; Mary, she had become close friends with a lot of the men’s soccer team there (no shocker—she’s marrying a soccer guy). One of her best friends, Alfredo Bozalongo, was also from Spain and had stayed with her family after graduation to spend a few more months in the U.S. When Javi and I got settled in, Alfredo messaged him—they had known each other briefly from Spain—and invited him over for dinner and to meet the family. Javi went, came back saying how amazing they were, and invited me to meet them too. The next evening, we went out for trivia night at Fado (a bar), and right away, I knew I was in when I found out Anna’s older brother and mom also went to Notre Dame. Domers love Domers—it’s just a fact. For Anna, it was love at first sight. For me, it was just great to finally meet some community, since I had moved to Atlanta knowing no one. That was the first night we met, and we both walked away with very different expectations of what would happen next. Despite that, we stayed friends for months. We hung out all the time, and to be honest, I didn’t think much of it—I was being a naive guy, while Anna (and everyone else around us) thought we should already be dating. During this time, we also began exploring our faith. Both of us grew up with Christian parents who instilled good values in us, but we hadn’t yet fully realized where those values came from. Javi, who was a Christian, began helping us by simply inviting us to church. That church is where Jesus began working in both of our hearts. I was meeting with the men for Bible studies, and Anna was meeting with the women. Our shared faith helped deepen our friendship in a meaningful way. And honestly, if it weren’t for God, I wouldn’t have seen the amazing woman right in front of me. It wasn’t until April 2, 2024, when I tore my ACL, that God made it clear to me this was the woman I was supposed to be with—but not right away. I spent four weeks after surgery on crutches, and Anna was there constantly to help and take care of me. Not because she had a crush on me (which she did), but because that’s just the kind of person she is. I see it every day—in how she treats everyone, no matter who they are. Two weeks post-surgery, God gave her the courage to ask me out. Unluckily for her, I still wasn’t ready. I told her no—I saw us just as friends and didn’t want to risk losing her or her family if things didn’t work out. Two weeks later, the Porters offered to take care of me while Javi was out of town and I was still basically helpless. Of course, I said yes—and it was the best decision I ever made. I spent the entire week going on "friendly" dates with Anna (since I had rejected her just two weeks earlier), and it slowly became clear I had feelings for her. So I prayed. And prayed. And God made it abundantly clear—it was time to ask her out. So I did. She hesitated—like any sane woman would. She asked what the heck had changed in two weeks, and honestly, all I could say was that God changed my heart. Anna is the most amazing woman I could ever ask for. There’s never a moment I’m not laughing with—or more often, at—her. She cares deeply for not only me, but for everyone and everything. She’s beautiful, smart, kind, and hardworking. But even with all those amazing qualities, that’s not what makes her the most attractive to me. It’s her love for Jesus. He’s the real hero in this story. Without Him, there would be no story. And without Him, there would be no wedding to celebrate.

Daniel and Anna's Story

Our Story

Photos

Bridesmaids

Hello to anyone reading! I didn’t know these websites were a thing until recently but it feels cool to be writing in one! My name is Rose and I am Anna’s younger sister. If you think we look twins don’t tell anna, she’s proud of being 3 years older. I would like to say that even though we look alike we have different interests but that would pretty much be a lie. I play college volleyball at Iona University (like Anna) and love to go to coffee shops, find new music, bake, and spend time with people I love (also like Anna). All that being said, I am beyond excited to celebrate Anna and Daniel and can’t wait to add another brother to the family :)

Rose Porter

My name is Amy Schwem and I am a senior at William & Mary, where I met Anna! I’m from Chicago and will be moving back there after I graduate and pursuing a master’s in nutrition & dietetics at Rush University. I also serve as the marketing and social media manager for The Hidden Opponent. I met Anna when we became teammates at William & Mary!

Amy Schwem

I am currently coaching volleyball at William and Mary in beautiful Williamsburg, VA! After finishing the last two years of my playing career here, God opened a door for me on staff here and it’s been amazing so far! I am grateful for all of the amazing things this place has brought me— but in this season of life I am especially grateful it brought me Anna! Anna and I were lucky enough to play together and our friendship has continued to flourish and grow over the past few years! I’m beyond thankful volleyball brought me this forever friend and sister in Christ!

Emma Minnick

My name is Gabi Ganley and I grew up in Leesburg, VA. I went to the College of William and Mary and studied International Relations. There I met Miss Anna and had the pleasure to play volleyball with her for two years and be her roommate for almost 4 years! I now live and work in Arlington, VA as a consultant for the federal government. I am so happy and excited to celebrate Anna and Daniel’s love and can’t wait to see them grow together! Love you always Miss Anna Banana

Gabi Ganley

My name is Barrett Power! Originally from Lincoln, Nebraska, I now live in a tiny town & coach volleyball at the University of South Dakota. Anna & I met at Colorado State where we played volleyball together. I’ve never had a friendship so immediate, starting from the first day I walked into our apartment & saw her playing cribbage I knew we’d be best friends!

Barrett Power

My name is Josie and  I live in Atlanta and work as a hematology & oncology nurse at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. I’ve known Anna since day one. Literally… Anna and I first met back when we were still in diapers. Anna has been there through everything with me from preschool graduation to high school and I’m so excited to be here for her on one of her biggest days yet!!

Josie Bauer

Hi! My name is Sarah Kate and I live in Atlanta and work as a Social Catering Planner at the InterContinental Hotel in Buckhead. I’ve known Anna since kindergarten, and we went to school together all the way through high school. We became very close friends playing volleyball together on our high school and club teams. I feel so lucky to have her as a close friend since then.

Sarah Kate Thompson

My name is Maggie McCurdy. I graduated from Santa Clara University in 2024 and moved to Chicago, Illinois. I have been loving life in a new city and welcome you all to visit! Just like Anna, I love to be active, bake, cook, craft, and watch Get Smart. Anna and I have been great friends since the Christ the King elementary school days in Atlanta, and she remains a huge part of my life. From volleyball practice carpools to weekly Porter Parties to baking Christmas cookies yearly to vacationing in San Diego, we’ve shared so many amazing memories and I can’t wait to see her flourish in this next chapter! Yippie!

Maggie McCurdy

Hi y’all! My name is Clare, and I like to think of myself as the older sister Anna (and Rose) never had. Anna and I grew up together in ATL, and since our houses were so close, we spent sooo much time together—whether we were playing volleyball outside, watching movies, or just hanging out. I went to school at Boston College, where I earned both my undergraduate (’21) and graduate (’23) degrees. After that, I commissioned as an officer in the United States Navy and just moved to California this past April! I’m so honored to be part of this wedding and beyond excited to celebrate Anna and Daniel as they build the rest of their lives together!

Clare Naughton

I am Anna’s sister-in-law and a proud native of Aurora, IL. I attended the University of Notre Dame, went to grad school in Philadelphia, and currently live in South Bend, IN where I manage operations for a pilgrimage company. I have a deep love of travel, music, golf, and geography, and has somehow managed to last nearly nine years of affiliation with the Porter family without remembering the rules to euchre. Although I have only been an official member of the PoFam for less than two years, Anna welcomed me as a sister with open arms from the first day they met. Anna’s kindness, bright spirit, and adventurous heart have been an immense blessing in my life, and I could not be more excited for her and Daniel as they begin this next stage of their life together.

Jenna Porter

Groomsmen

Hi everyone, my name is  Ronny Bantang, Daniel’s best man. I’ve had the pleasure of growing up and experiencing life with Dan as best friends. I can confidently say we have been by each other’s side through everything and am happy to call him my brother from Anotha Motha. I am currently working for the Florida Panthers while finishing my master's degree at the University of Miami.  Our friendship has never run dry and I couldn’t be happier for Daniel and Anna. My memories with Dan are to be cherished forever, especially the fun nights... and I can’t wait to make more at the wedding! 

Hi my name is John-Michael Rodriguez or JM. I was Dan’s freshman year random roommate. I live in Miami, FL and will be starting medical school in the fall. Dan and I were freshman year random roommates at Notre Dame. They say 50% of random roommate pairings end up in divorce, instead we slept 4 feet apart from each other for 3 years. Every happy couple bickers too - he threw pillows at my face when I wouldn’t wake up to my alarms, and I let our trash can overflow for 3 weeks to see if he would pick it up (no luck). I wouldn’t trade those years for anything in the world - Dan is the brother I never had and I’m honored to be his groomsman.

JM Rodriguez

Hi my name is Matt McLaughlin aka Maslo. I was one of Daniel’s roommates and teammates at ND. I’m grateful that Daniel chose me to be a groomsman considering I used to lock him out of my room for days when he was annoying me. Now, I’m in graduate school at Marquette University in Milwaukee, hoping to start working for an MLS team in January. Vancouver would be nice if Daniel and Anna need a roommate.

Maslo

Hi, I’m Tyler, born and raised in Jackson, New Jersey, where Dan and I grew up playing soccer together. Even as we went off to different teams and schools, I somehow stayed stuck as Dan’s unofficial training partner — lots of lifting sessions and pickup soccer at the local fields whenever we were home from college. While Dan went off to Notre Dame (no big deal), I played soccer at York College of Pennsylvania, where I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Tyler Howlett

Hey everyone, my name is Joe. I’m one of Dan's childhood friends and I am grateful that he chose me to be one of his groomsmen. Currently, I’m an accountant for Deloitte and an aspiring CPA (I think). I know what you’re thinking, you probably won’t find another groomsman with such an exciting and fulfilling career and you’re right. I’ve known Dan pretty much all his life. We were on the same soccer team and were touted as the two most likely to go pro and I probably would’ve but I rolled my ankle at a rec basketball game in middle school and I was never the same. I’m so excited for the wedding and to see where you two go from here.

Joe Weinstein

My name is Javi, and I live in Atlanta. I first met Dani in December 2023 at the NCAA final four. They actually won that game, but it only was because I couldn't play. One month after that, we started playing on the same team. He begged me to be his roommate, and I accepted. He also begged me to be his groomsman, and that's why I'm here. 
Jokes apart, we are more than friends now, we are brothers in Christ.

Javier Armas

I’m Anthony, Daniel's oldest, smartest and subjectively best-looking brother. I live in NJ and am a Mechanical Engineer. Daniel tried the whole engineer thing but …. let’s just say it’s a good thing he knows how to kick a soccer ball. There are a hundred funny and embarrassing stories I could tell about Daniel but I think all I want to say is how proud of him I am and the person he has become. I wish him and Anna all the best and we're all grateful to have her in the family! Love you guys!

Anthony Russo

My name is Chris aka the Pizza Guru. I have the honor of knowing Daniel just by pure luck because my parents must have had a good night. Without me, Daniel would have the mental state of an egg shell. All the times I whipped baseballs at him helped him become mentally and physically tough. I’m very proud of all he has accomplished and grateful to have him as a brother. Welcome to the family Anna! Love you both!

Chris Russo

My name is Max Russo, l am Daniel's older brother, we know each other from our father, I live in Texas and work for the biggest HVAC company in the south. Daniel is only a professional soccer player because of my elite training program.  My music taste is also better than Anna's.  Daniel was also an accident but we still love him the same.

Max Russo

My name is Sam Porter, Anna’s brother and Daniel’s future brother-in-law! I did my undergrad at Notre Dame (fitting) and my master’s at the University of British Columbia (also fitting). I currently live in South Bend, IN and am a physicist and Ph.D student. If I’m not fixing particle accelerators, I’m likely at a local brewery, playing jazz piano, or looking at maps. I’m beyond thrilled to welcome Daniel to our family, and am so happy my competitive, big-hearted little sister found such a perfect match for herself. I can’t wait to celebrate in Atlanta with everyone, and for the beginning of their journey together.

Sam Porter

Wedding Party

Yes! There will be a shuttle from the Embassy Suites. If you are at the Intercontinental, don't worry, we have not forgotten about you! Embassy Suites is just a few steps away across the street. SIGN UP ON OUR TRAVEL PAGE for a seat on the shuttle. We hope to make this as efficient as possible to make sure we get everyone to the ceremony on time. Seats are limited on each shuttle so be sure to sign up in advance. Thank you!

Is there a shuttle from the hotels to the event space for the ceremony?

These shuttles will LEAVE at the time listed below. Please make an effort to be out waiting for the shuttle around 10 minutes prior to ensure we stay on schedule! SHUTTLE TO CEREMONY (leaves from Embassy Suites):- Shuttle #1: leaves at 3:15 pm- Shuttle #2: leaves at 3:50 pm SHUTTLE AFTER RECEPTION (leaves from Stave Room):- Shuttle #1 (to hotels): leaves at 9:00 pm- Shuttle #2 (to Fado and/or hotels): leaves at 10 pm

What is the shuttle schudule?

The reception will end at 9:30 pm and afterwards we will head over to Fado in Buckhead!

What time does the reception end?

No, you do not! These shuttles will be first-come, first-serve! If you are hoping to go to Fado post-reception, it is only a few miles down the road for a cheap uber!

Do I have to sign up for the shuttle for post-reception?

Q + A

Sign up here for your shuttle time to the ceremony! To ensure we stay on schedule to arrive on time, if you plan on using the shuttle prior to the ceremony, please sign up for a time slot. Shuttles will leave from the Embassy Suites. If at Intercontinental, please walk across the street for shuttle pick up. SCHEDULE- 1st shuttle: leaves at 3:15 pm- 2nd shuttle: leaves at 3:50 pm

Shuttle Sign Up

The InterContinental Buckhead is only 10 minutes away from the venue, near many shops in the heart of Buckhead. The wedding block allows guests to check in either on Thanksgiving or for Friday, depending on when you plan on coming into town! Through this link, you can book a room at the discounted rate.

InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta by IHG

Only a few yards away from the InterContinental, we also have a wedding block at the Embassy Suites. Only a few minutes walk from each other, both hotels are 10 minutes away from the venue. Through this link, you can book a room at a discounted rate.

Embassy Suites by Hilton Atlanta Buckhead

Travel

Near Venue

A great place right by the venue if you want to grab a bite to eat and play some pickleball! Personally, we have never been and totally doesn't sound like a place we would like because neither of us are competitive at all ;)

Painted Pickle

Walking distance from the venue with a great covered patio with tons of outdoor seating as well as plenty of space inside. Great place for a drink and some cornhole prior to the ceremony! Fun fact: Daniel and I did trivia here and contributed plenty of creative answers but ZERO correct ones.

SweetWater Brewing Company

East Pole Coffee Co. is a staple coffee shop for the Porters that is right around the corner from the venue if you are wanting a little afternoon coffee! East Pole was the first place I tried taking Daniel on a date (not sure if Daniel would've called it a date but I did) but it was closed because of plumbing issues... oh well Daniel wanted to be the first one to take me on a date anyway!

East Pole Coffee Co.

Near Hotels

Walking distance from the hotels - great place for a Saturday brunch! Their biscuits are phenomenal, but not nearly as good as our homemade sourdough biscuits...

The Flying Biscuit Cafe

Lenox is one of Atlanta's top shopping destinations right down Peachtree Street, with lots of retail stores and restaurants within walking distance. If you are lucky, they will have Santa out early!

Lenox Square

Phipps is copy paste of Lenox but a little pricier. However, there is Legoland for the kiddos if you are interested! Do not tell Tim Porter you are going or he will want to tag along🤓

Phipps Plaza

General Atlanta Activities

Check out the top 50 activities to do in Atlanta! Some of our favorites are Piedmont Park, the Georgia Aquarium, and the World of Coke! Click link <a href="https://discoveratlanta.com/50fun/main/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.

Things to Do

Registry

Check out the wedding newsletter for more information on the fun weekend! LINK HERE

Wedding Newsletter

Our Honeymoon in Honduras!!

For our honeymoon, we’ve been given the amazing opportunity to go on a mission trip to San Pedro Sula, Honduras, from Dec. 2–8 with a non-profit called Upper90. We’ll be mentoring young athletes and helping develop their community. We couldn’t imagine a better way to begin our marriage than by serving the Lord and others together. We would be so grateful for your support in helping us raise the funds needed to make this mission possible!

<a href="https://upper90goal.networkforgood.com/projects/261707-anna-daniel-s-fundraiser" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CLICK HERE TO DONATE</a>

Anna & Daniel