The Boy In The Bridal Party
Brandon Sansone has a lot of weddings to attend, and none of them are his own. (Photo: Courtesy of Brandon Sansone)
A month before he’s set to walk down the aisle for the third time, my friend Brandon Sansone texts me. “I’m like the male version of 27 Dresses,” he writes. I smile, because he’s not kidding. If I didn’t regularly stalk his life on Facebook and Instagram, I’d think he might be an international spy. Or more appropriately, a Real Housewife, always equipped with a witty caption and a glass of wine in one hand, traveling to another exotic or random locale with an entourage of beautiful, dressed up, manicured women.
In 2015 alone, the 30 year old attended weddings and bachelorette parties in Miami, Las Vegas, Italy, northern Michigan, upstate New York, New York City, Connecticut, New Jersey, Maine and Cape Cod. The first time he was asked to be a bridesman was in 2012 at his childhood friend Chelsea’s wedding.“I had honestly never thought I would be included, because I thought it was taboo to have a man in your bridal party,” says Sansone. “She made me feel so welcome and took any awkwardness out of the equation.”
Throughout the years, he’s faced some uncomfortable elements as the only guy, but thankfully they’ve been minimal. “One thing that I don’t love is the bachelorette party—the sashes, penis straws, crowns and other various gag gifts make me cringe,” laughs Sansone. “Luckily, they have only been sprinkled here and there at the bachelorette parties I have been a part of.”
Brandon Sansone isn’t the groom but the best friend in the bridal party. (Photo: Courtesy of Brandon Sansone)
While he’s typically jetsetting for “I dos”, the next stop on the wedding tour is where he lives, in New York City. On February 20, he’s going to join his best friend Ariel Moses, 30, on her side of the altar, as a member of the bridal party. The two met working in public relations in 2012. They’ve been inseparable since. “Ariel and I just get each other. We both have a very dry, sarcastic sense of humor that some people love or hate. We happen to love it,” says Sansone. “She has a huge heart and is always willing to go above and beyond for her friends, which I find extremely honorable. We make each other laugh on the daily—what else can you ask for?”
Despite their close ties, the groom isn’t jealous – or worried. “All three of us share a Zipcar account, and I don’t even drive,” says Moses. And the two men have bonded over other things, aside from the bride. “I think it is important to be close with the groom as well,” says Sansone of Ariel’s fiancé Marshall. “Otherwise it doesn’t really make sense for me to be in the wedding. Marsh and I are very close, and have our own friendship besides having Ariel in there. I have been known to show up at his DJ gigs unannounced and dance the night away.”
In addition to attending the before-nuptial festivities, Sansone has been issued a few different responsibilities – and experiences – for the upcoming wedding. “I wouldn’t say that my role has been much different than the other ladies. Everyone has been contributing in their own ways. Since Ariel and I work together, I have been her moral and mental support at the office,” says Sansone. This includes random instant messages throughout the day, gauging his opinion on décor, table settings, seating charts and shoes.
When Moses asked him to be in the party, he was the recipient of a bottle of Whispering Angel wine, as well as a pair of sweatpants that say BRIDESMAN in large block writing, down the side.
Brandon Sansone isn’t the groom but the best friend in the bridal party. (Photo: Courtesy of Brandon Sansone)
This certainly won’t be the last time Sansone will serve as an important part of a couple’s ceremony. In August, he’ll be ordaining his roommate’s wedding in Connecticut. Time for tux No. 28.
“It is always amazing when I am walking down the aisle, seeing the confusion on some of the crowds faces. You can tell that they are looking at me like, ‘Why is he on the brides side? The poor guy went in the wrong direction!,’” says Sansone. “Older grandmothers, aunts, cousins see me at the bridal showers and other functions. The confusion on their face really makes me laugh. It’s 2016 everyone – this is the new normal!”
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