Weddings
Sanguanpiyapand — Florence
Pylin Jane Sanguanpiyapand and John Mason Florence were married August 4 in Chiang Rai, in the northernmost province of Thailand. The glorious five-day celebration included both an eastern and a western wedding. Guests stayed at a camp with elephants that have been rescued from the streets of Bangkok. They were taught commands and then rode the elephants all about and into the river where everyone was dunked.
The traditional Thai wedding began with a parade following the groom. He was asked many questions about the bride, and if he had been unable to answer them, there would have been no wedding. Fortunately, he passed. Then, all the guests tied white cotton string around their wrists to bind them. A Buddhist priest read prayers.
Christian wedding vows were taken in a magnificent cultural center. The groom’s brother, Robert, traveled from New Orleans to serve as best man.
The couple met at an art gallery in Bangkok and have had amazing adventures ever since. The bride represents Sherman Williams Paints and runs a bed and breakfast in the city, the groom publishes a magazine called Bangkok 101 and is head of a large travel organization representing the Mekong Delta countries.
The guests from Rye included the groom’s parents, Michelle and Dave Florence, Dara and Josh Levine, and Pisami Jaigla, and her husband and daughter.
Whipple — Bergan
Clare Hope Whipple and Robert John Bergan were married Saturday, September 22 at Church of the Resurrection in Rye. The Reverend Daniel O’Reilly performed the nuptial mass. A reception followed at Shenorock Shore Club.
Dr. Whipple, a graduate of Williams College, is a second-year resident in internal medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. She received a medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine.
The bride is the daughter of George and Joan Whipple of Rye.
Mr. Bergan, also a graduate of Williams College, received an MBA from Columbia University. He is a stock analyst at Arch Capital, an investment management firm in New York City.
The groom is the son of Robert and Anne Bergan of Exeter, New Hampshire.
Brunson — Clark
Maire Katharine Brunson, daughter of Elizabeth and David Brunson of Rye, and James Travis Clark Jr. were married June 23 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Dallas, Texas. Following the ceremony, a reception was held at the Mansion on Turtle Creek.
The bride, known as Katharine, is a lead paralegal with Berry Appleman & Leiden, LLC, in Dallas, specializing in corporate immigration. She is a graduate of Convent of the Sacred Heart in Greenwich, and Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
The groom, known as Travis, is the son of Mary and Jimmy Clark of Corpus Christi, Texas. He graduated from Salisbury School in Salisbury, Connecticut, and Southern Methodist University. He is a geologist with Dynamic Production, Inc., a Fort Worth-based independent oil and gas exploration company.
After a honeymoon in Bermuda, the couple returned to their home in Fort Worth.
Engagements
Olko — Thunell
Dr. Robert and Mary Joan Olko of Rye announce with pleasure the engagement of their daughter, Catherine Estelle Olko, to Hunter Andrew Thunell, son of David and Lisa Thunell of Walpole, Massachusetts.
After graduating from Rye High School, the future bride received her undergraduate degree from Brown University in 2010. She is currently a graduate student at Columbia University School of Nursing in the Family Nurse Practitioner Program.
After graduating from Phillips Academy Andover, the future groom received his undergraduate degree from Brown University in 2010. He is currently an Oil and Gas Analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in Boston.
Back to the Beach
Playland Beach officially opened to dogs October 1, nearly seven weeks earlier than it did last year.
Dogs (and people) are allowed on the beach off (and on) leashes from dawn to dusk provided owners clean up after their dogs and have their dogs in voice control.
Births
Lindsay and Timothy Martin announce the birth of a son, Archibald Moss Martin, September 18 at Greenwich Hospital. He weighed 8 pounds, 10 ounces and was 21 inches long. He joins brother Ben, 2.
His maternal grandparents, John and Nancy Bello, live between Rye and Arizona. His paternal grandparents, Herbert and Betty Martin, reside in Delaware.
