Colorful Wedding at The Chicory
I live right down the street from New Orleans and let me just say, if ever there were a wedding to embody the energy of the city, this is it. With Sapphire Events New Orleans behind the helm, it's no surprise it's amazing, and if Dark Roux's images have anything to say on the matter, it's a wedding with heart that you won't forget anytime soon.
From the stunning bride... Jeff proposed on St. Patricks Day 2012. I knew right away that this was a festive start to what would be a whirlwind year for us. While we both currently live in Atlanta, I am originally from Louisiana and Jeff from Florida. Anyone who has met me almost immediately learns of my love for Louisiana, and subsequently, being in love with me means being in love with Louisiana as well. Throughout our courtship, I would take Jeff with me to Louisiana for food, family, football and fun! A defining moment in our relationship was when Jeff converted and became a Saints fan. As we both root for rival college football teams, having the Saints in common was a must!
When we began talking about plans, the only decision we already knew the answer to was where to get married - New Orleans. We wanted our family and guests to be in the middle of all the French Quarter action, so we chose our venues with proximity in mind. Luckily, one of the most beautiful churches in New Orleans, Immaculate Conception, is only a few blocks away from the heart of the quarter. That was easy! For our reception, we really wanted people, especially our out-of-town guests, to feel like they were experiencing New Orleans. I searched venues throughout the area, and luckily found The Chicory. With its exposed brick and gas lanterns, it was perfect; we fell in love. As a bonus, the food was amazing and the staff was incredibly attentive! In addition to location, Jeff and I really wanted our guests to have a good time. We wanted our wedding to be a great, New Orleans party! When I discovered our band, ELS, I knew we would easily accomplish this. They are a fabulous party band from Louisiana that plays anything from Motown to current hits. Its all fun music complete with choreographed dancing and costume changes!
Now, with all the logistics booked, we started researching photographers and florists. Jamie, from Dark Roux, was the first photographer I met with. I knew within two minutes of meeting Jamie that I needed him and his wife, Heather, to photograph our wedding. I feel very fortunate that they were available on our wedding day. The beautiful pictures they took will allow me to remember every detail, person and dance-move that was a part of our day. Jeff and I couldn't be happier with the photos. After hiring a photographer, I started thinking about how I actually wanted our wedding to look. From the beginning, I knew I wanted it to be very colorful, but thats about it! I met with Juli Vaughn in Atlanta one day. I actually didn't think much would come of it since she was based in Atlanta and our wedding was in New Orleans. When I told her all the colors I wanted her eyes lit up and she began sketching floral arrangements I couldn't have dreamed of. Her excitement was contagious and I could tell that she and I were on the same page. Juli has flawless taste, and I trusted her completely to make our wedding look the way I would have imagined it had I been creative enough to come up with it!
On the day of our wedding, the weather couldn't have been more perfect. Everything went so smoothly thanks to our planner, Valerie Gernhauser. My bridesmaids and I had a girly afternoon getting ready complete with matching robes and the requisite champagne. Since our ceremony was a full mass at 6pm, I wanted to take pictures beforehand so it would be sunny. Jeff and I had a private first look, in an intimate courtyard pool area at the hotel. It was really sweet. Then we went into the French Quarter to take wedding party photos. Jamie and Heather were able to perfectly capture the essence of New Orleans in the photos. The ceremony was very special to me. Jeff and I were married by my cousin, Father Beau Charbonnet. It meant so much to know, and further be related to, the person who would be joining our two lives. After the ceremony it was on to the reception. The band couldn't have been better and we danced up a storm! I had a permanent smile on my face all day long. From the custom Mardi Gras beads to the beignets, New Orleans was the overriding theme of our wedding. We second-lined out of the reception into a waiting pedicab. People always ask me if I would want to do it all over again. It was the most fun day of my life, but I have to say no because there is no way everything could go as perfectly as it twice.
When we began talking about plans, the only decision we already knew the answer to was where to get married - New Orleans. We wanted our family and guests to be in the middle of all the French Quarter action, so we chose our venues with proximity in mind. Luckily, one of the most beautiful churches in New Orleans, Immaculate Conception, is only a few blocks away from the heart of the quarter. That was easy! For our reception, we really wanted people, especially our out-of-town guests, to feel like they were experiencing New Orleans. I searched venues throughout the area, and luckily found The Chicory. With its exposed brick and gas lanterns, it was perfect; we fell in love. As a bonus, the food was amazing and the staff was incredibly attentive! In addition to location, Jeff and I really wanted our guests to have a good time. We wanted our wedding to be a great, New Orleans party! When I discovered our band, ELS, I knew we would easily accomplish this. They are a fabulous party band from Louisiana that plays anything from Motown to current hits. Its all fun music complete with choreographed dancing and costume changes!
Now, with all the logistics booked, we started researching photographers and florists. Jamie, from Dark Roux, was the first photographer I met with. I knew within two minutes of meeting Jamie that I needed him and his wife, Heather, to photograph our wedding. I feel very fortunate that they were available on our wedding day. The beautiful pictures they took will allow me to remember every detail, person and dance-move that was a part of our day. Jeff and I couldn't be happier with the photos. After hiring a photographer, I started thinking about how I actually wanted our wedding to look. From the beginning, I knew I wanted it to be very colorful, but thats about it! I met with Juli Vaughn in Atlanta one day. I actually didn't think much would come of it since she was based in Atlanta and our wedding was in New Orleans. When I told her all the colors I wanted her eyes lit up and she began sketching floral arrangements I couldn't have dreamed of. Her excitement was contagious and I could tell that she and I were on the same page. Juli has flawless taste, and I trusted her completely to make our wedding look the way I would have imagined it had I been creative enough to come up with it!
On the day of our wedding, the weather couldn't have been more perfect. Everything went so smoothly thanks to our planner, Valerie Gernhauser. My bridesmaids and I had a girly afternoon getting ready complete with matching robes and the requisite champagne. Since our ceremony was a full mass at 6pm, I wanted to take pictures beforehand so it would be sunny. Jeff and I had a private first look, in an intimate courtyard pool area at the hotel. It was really sweet. Then we went into the French Quarter to take wedding party photos. Jamie and Heather were able to perfectly capture the essence of New Orleans in the photos. The ceremony was very special to me. Jeff and I were married by my cousin, Father Beau Charbonnet. It meant so much to know, and further be related to, the person who would be joining our two lives. After the ceremony it was on to the reception. The band couldn't have been better and we danced up a storm! I had a permanent smile on my face all day long. From the custom Mardi Gras beads to the beignets, New Orleans was the overriding theme of our wedding. We second-lined out of the reception into a waiting pedicab. People always ask me if I would want to do it all over again. It was the most fun day of my life, but I have to say no because there is no way everything could go as perfectly as it twice.