Louisiana Weddings

We usually basque in the beauty of The Nichols photography within the state lines of good ol’ Texas which we adore. But seeing The Nichols do New Orleans is a whole new ballgame. And that ballgame includes a parade through the streets accompanied by a jazz band. Now tell me that doesn’t sound amazing. See even more right here in the NOLA filled gallery.

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From the bride…Justin and I have known each other since we were kids but didn’t start dating until we were in college. After being together for almost six years, I had planned a trip for Justin’s birthday to New Orleans, our favorite getaway, a place I grew up visiting frequently and where we have a family home. I had planned a birthday surprise for him, little did I know that he had an even bigger surprise in store for me! He proposed to me on the balcony at my family’s place in the French Quarter, it was completely romantic and nothing short of amazing!

So when Justin and I began discussing wedding plans, the idea of a destination wedding in New Orleans seemed perfect. It’s a city where we have had some of our best times, and it seemed perfect to have our guests share the joy in a place that is so close to our hearts, a place that is full of life and conveniently not too far from home! With Justin being a graphic designer and photography being one of our hobbies, there were a few things that were really important to us for the wedding. We wanted a great photographer, we searched thoroughly and then fell in love with the style and beauty of The Nichols’ pure talent. From there we ended up making or creating most of the details for the wedding. We made our invitations, programs, website, favors, welcome bags, etc. We got very inventive and resourceful, wanting the wedding to be a product of us and our creation. Deciding on wedding favors, we wanted something that our guests could bring home as souvenirs. We created a handkerchief that we included in the program so that our guests could use it in the second line parade between the ceremony and the reception. If you’re not familiar with New Orleans culture, a second line parade is a traditional jazz parade where you walk through the streets in celebration led by a brass band and in this case, also by the bride and groom. We also thought it would be fun to give out pralines, a traditional treat known in New Orleans, as well as a personalized set of Mardi Gras beads that we designed and my dad had produced.

When the actual wedding day arrived I was slightly anxious until the moment I locked eyes with Justin at our first look prior to the ceremony. From then on, I felt at ease and nothing could go wrong. One of the best moments of the day was when the ceremony was coming to a close, we had just been pronounced husband and wife and were about to walk back down the aisle when a group of talented singers came out of nowhere and began singing “All you need is love.” If you have ever seen the film “Love Actually,” which is one of Justin and my favorite movies, then you know what came next. After the singers began an A Capella version of this song, random musicians with their instruments began popping out of the crowd playing the melody. In an effort to make this the most amazing day of our lives, my dad had orchestrated this as a surprise for us…and boy was it! The pictures that The Nichols captured during this were priceless and it made for an amazing memory that will last a lifetime. From there, we had so much fun walking through the streets with the brass band during the second line parade, swinging our handkerchiefs back and forth. When we arrived at the Omni for the reception, it was beautiful as always and they did an amazing job putting everything together. The band was phenomenal…they had everyone going on the dance floor all night long. It was simply the best time of my life. The day was filled with love, laughter and overwhelming emotions. The weather was beautiful, our family and friends were present and we were finally getting married. We couldn’t have asked for anything more.

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Photographer: The Nichols | Ceremony: Jackson Square | Reception: Omni Royal Orleans | Floral Design: Dunn & Sonnier | Cinematography: Dyle Films | Band: MoJEAUX | Wedding Dress: Reem Acra (The King and I) | Bridesmaid Dresses: Ann Taylor | Bride Shoes: Vera Wang  | Second-Line Band: The Storyville Stompers | Groom + Groomsmen Attire: Black by Vera Wang via Men’s Warehouse | Bride + Bridesmaid Robes: Plum Pretty Sugar | Wedding + Groom’s Cake: Zoe’s Bakery | Hair + Makeup: Flawless Bride

Happy Saturday SMPer’s. We have a charming French Quarter wedding with more than just a few ways to start your day off right. One. A cool as can be couple. Two. Carefree NOLA style. And three. A fabulous film that really lets you in on this chic soiree. A film that brings this southern romance to life. A film that gives you such an honest sense of this blissfully in love duo. Brought to us by 3Ring Weddings this New Orleans wedding is a sweet reminder of what it’s all about. You can see even more images from Keith Cephus Photography right here in the gallery.

From the bride… I had recently returned from a wonderful “girls” trip to the Bahamas with my best friend and another close friend. I returned energized and definitely with a sun-kissed glow of spending a week in the Caribbean. I almost contemplated not going as I was still recovering from my vacation, however, I had a family friend who was visiting and also wanted to reconnect with my friends hosting the event. The date was Saturday, August 15, 2009. The hosts were one of my favorite couples from college. The wife was a sorority sister who had become General Counsel of the agency that Chafula worked and the husband, also a college classmate. Upon arrival and lots of hugs, I settled into the kitchen when I noticed a man in the kitchen prepared some type of specialty punch.

He was so handsome and something about his presence intrigued me. He was wearing a pale pink polo shirt, madras pants, and flip flops. I didn’t introduce myself immediately and continued to join reconnecting with friends (old and new) and line dancing. As the evening progressed, I soon found myself sitting a table in the backyard when the gentleman I had noticed all night, pulled his chair next to me. It was an immediate chemistry and talking to him was so easy. I must mention that he had arrived to the barbeque with a close female friend. I assumed that she was a girlfriend but she left after a few hours and then Chafula moved his chair next to mine. I, of course, attempted to call him out for trying to make a move after she left. It turns out (as I would learn later) that she was indeed a great friend (we have spent the past three new year’s eve/day holidays with her and her boyfriend). Turning back to our first meeting, Chafula and I continued talking and laughing as if we were old friends. The next thing we knew, the hosts were putting us out as it was 2:30am and everyone had left. As a gentleman, Chafula walked my friend and me to the car and we exchanged information. At first, I had no idea how to correctly pronounce his name! An hour later, I was home and the phone rang. It was Chafula and we continued the conversation and the rest is “history.”

We knew early on in our relationship that we wanted to get married and spend our lives together. Both of us felt it was important to focus on our relationship with each other and spend the time on building our foundation. We attended pre-marital counseling in June 2011 to make sure that we had discussed the issues that sometimes derail couples. Until that point, our relationship had sustained some very significant events in our lives and we were able to overcome them together. On the last business day of December 2011, we decided that we wanted to go into 2012 as a married couple and headed down to the D.C. Superior Court to apply for a marriage license. And that is the day; we were engaged to be married.

I spent several months in New Orleans for a short term work assignment and got to know the French Quarter very well. I fell in love with the Ritz Carlton for its aesthetics and wonderful customer service. Not to mention, New Orleans is a wonderful destination locale and I knew that the Ritz Carlton would take great care of my guests. Chafula is originally from Louisiana and we wanted to have our wedding that reflected our personal style. Our wedding colors were pale pink, raspberry, silver, and black. My floral preferences were peonies and calla lilies. My florist used a combination of white and varying shades of pink flowers. We felt it was important to incorporate the themes of New Orleans throughout weeding. Our reception was held in the French Quarter Bar which was a room that had large French doors and balconies that opened out to the French Quarter. The floors were dark wood floors and had the room had wonderful architectural details. We had a three tier cake – each was a different flavor and color. One layer was red velvet. I incorporated a very unique southern tradition using cake pulls baked into the bottom layer of our wedding cake. Cake pulls have the origin in the old Victorian tradition of “ribbon pulling.” In those days, charms of luck and good fortune were placed into the wedding cake by the bride for her single friends. Our wedding cake was prepared by the pastry chef at the Ritz Carlton. The pastry chef placed the 7 sterling silver charms with specific means inside the bottom layer of the cake and all the single ladies are given the opportunity to pull a charm from the cake (a ceremony called the “ribbon pull”) just before the cake is cut. I asked our deejay to play Beyoncé’s single ladies song and read the meaning of each of the charms aloud instead of doing the traditional bouquet toss. Each charm had a special meaning.

Our wedding day was so special and aside from moving the ceremony indoors was perfect. We had fun. Our family was there to celebrate with us. We did have a few guests that were delayed due to the wedding. I will always remember Chafula’s look when I was walking down the aisle and the moments of our ceremony when we exchanged our vows. Our vendors were fabulous and we were blessed to work such a wonderful group of ladies and gentlemen.

Cinematography: 3Ring Weddings / Photography: Keith Cephus Photography /  Planner: All Events Perfect / Florist: Nola Flora / Makeup: Faces of Virtue  / Wedding Dress: Vera Wang / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Bride’s Jewelry: Tejani / Venue: The French Quater Bar at the Ritz / Cake: Ritz Carlton

We meet some crazy cool couples on the pages of SMP and today is no exception. This fabulously chill duo had us wishing we were on their guest list from the very first image. We’re totally embracing their hip vintage vibe and laid-back (but still super stylish) Louisiana nuptials. With colorful florals and a flirty Lena Medoyeff dress, this wedding is DIY done right. Photography dream team, Jamie and Heather of Dark Roux were there to capture all the magic, music, and melt-worthy moments. You won’t want to miss a beat, so make your way on over to the gallery to see every more.

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From Dark Roux… The second we got to the hotel, Heather fell in love with Alicia’s dress as well as all of the hand made ties for Rex and the groomsmen that Alicia made. The ceremony took place outside of the Destrehan Plantation (which is right outside of New Orleans, Louisiana) with the reception happening just behind in the Mule Barn. Alicia’s smile, (As Rex’s older brother put it) had enough energy to light up the entire city! The best moment of the night is when all of their siblings sang a hilarious song that Rex’s brother wrote about the two of them falling in love in Machu Picchu. The ceremony, the second line that followed, the dancing, the band, the food, the second line (which is a New Orleans tradition of dancing with a Jazz band back to the reception after the ceremony), all of it was second to none. This was a really an amazing night!!

Photography: Dark Roux Photography / Venue: Destrehan Plantation, / Dress: Lena Medoyeff in Portland, OR / Floral Design – DIY by the bride, her mother, bride’s sister-in-law, and family friends / Flowers: Online and Whole Foods / Pinwheel decorations: DIY / The Band: Sharon Martin Band / Cake: Gambino’s / Cake stands: Debbie Kraemer of DK Clay / Veil: Made by the bride with pieces of lace from her mother’s veil / Hair & Makeup: Salon M

I basically did a jump for joy when I saw this pretty, little gem in my inbox. Not only am I a huge fan of the Crescent city, I just so happen to be heading there in just a few days. There really is no destination like New Orleans, and this colorful wedding proves it over and over again with its fab images from Amalie Orrange Photography. There’s nothing not to love, from the fun yet formal ceremony to the gold accented reception and it’s all right here for you to enjoy.

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From Amalie Orrange Photography… Amanda and Justin met while living in San Diego while Amanda was working as an events planner and Justin was in the military. They decided to have a beautiful wedding in New Orleans and went all out. This was a weekend wedding party! Amanda wanted a true New Orleans wedding from the brass band, trolley, the classic French croquembouche as their wedding cake and the insanely gorgeous Galvez as their venue. Everything was simple stunning! I am in love with the images and this couple — the bride smiled from ear to ear all day long.

Wedding Photography: Amalie Orrange Photography / Wedding Venue + Catering: Galvez Restaurant in New Orleans, Louisiana / Wedding Planning: Kelley Mitchell / Floral Design: Bee’s Wedding Designs / Officiant: Rev. Charles R. Cross / Wedding Cake: Zoe’s Bakery / Wedding Invitations + Paper Goods: Jenny Lam-Jolley / Brass Band: Salty Dog Brass Band / Band: The New Orleans Suspects / Linens, Candelabras, Cocktail Tables + Rentals: Event Rental / Photo Booth: Big Easy Photobooth / Transportation: Capital City Trolleys / Wedding Dress: Yvonne LaFleur / Hair: Warren English / Makeup: Make Me Up

After a long Holiday weekend full of toasting and cheer, we know it can be a bit challenging to get back into the swing of the work week. Have no fear SMPers, that’s where Tanja Lippert comes in. You see, one peek at the pretty below from her beyond talented lens, and you’ll be singing the “I love Monday” tune right along with us. Because Monday means the wait to unveil this timelessly perfect fête is finally over, and that this gallery is ready and waiting for you to devour. So get cozy lovelies, because there is so more to sing about right here.

From the Bride… When we started planning our wedding, we had two objectives in mind: we wanted it to reflect who we are as a couple, and more importantly, we wanted our friends and family to have fabulous time. Having had an interest in art from an early age and ultimately getting a degree in art history, I have always admired the New Orleans Museum of Art, and I knew it would be a beautiful backdrop for New Orleans-worthy party. Because the building, a neoclassical, beaux arts-style structure built in 1911, is so grand, we tried to keep all of the details elegant and simple to let the space itself shine. The ceremony and cocktail hour were held outdoors in the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden with the reception following inside of the museum itself.

We wanted to include a few uniquely New Orleans touches, and my favorite, by far, was the Roman Candy man, who parked his cart outside of the museum to hand out candy at the end of the night. I have fond childhood memories of the Roman Candy man handing out the sticky treat at the Audubon Zoo to a line of children, myself included. As a child, obtaining a stick of the chewy taffy that stuck to your teeth, the roof of your mouth, and anything else that it touched much to our parents’ dismay, was the highlight of any trip to the zoo.

I cannot thank our fabulous photography/stylist team of Tanja Lippert and Tia Reagan enough for their vision and expertise. We met Tanja and Tia in California in January for an engagement shoot, so having them come to New Orleans to style us and photograph our wedding felt like having family with us cheering us on and supporting us on the most important day of our lives. As you can see from the gorgeous photos, which they captured the day perfectly on film, we have a keepsake that will last for generations.

Wedding Photography: Tanja Lippert Photography / Wedding Venue: New Orleans Museum of Art in New Orleans, Louisiana / Event Planning: Michele + Brittany Adams of Unique Weddings in New Orleans / Floral Design: Perfect Presentations / Wedding Cinematography: Nola-NYC / Catering: Joel Catering & Special Events / Wedding Cake: Haydel’s / Candy Cart: Roman Candy Man / Band: Crescent City Soul Band / Lighting + Rentals: Fleur de Lis Event Rentals / Wedding Dress: Vera Wang / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Hair + Makeup: Tia Reagan

DIY has come a long, long way. Perhaps it’s the new breed of seriously crafty Brides (and Grooms), but wherever the uptick in craftiness is coming from – I am loving every minute of it (and not so secretly envious of their skills). What’s even better is when I have zero idea that anything is DIY until my eyes stop at the description, and then my socks are literally knocked off. Which is just what happened with this wedding captured by Maile Lani Photography. The Bride just happens to be a DIY genius (and the talent behind P.S. Creative) and she had her stylish hand on every little detail, making for one envy-worthy wedding. See so much more here!

From the Bride, Owner of P.S. Creative… Our three main priorities for our wedding were a great venue, great photography and create a big impact on a small budget (the unofficial theme of this wedding was great deals). We achieved all three and more. Race & Religious is a beautiful old New Orleans gem. It captured our style perfectly and we knew it would set the right mood: an intimate celebration that felt like a great party at our own home (if our home were a 200-year-old, eclectic, antebellum showplace).

As a designer and lover of all things beautiful, I set out to create every detail that I could on my own. I created the stationery as a modern nod to the city I have come to love and plan to build a life in. The save-the-date started it all. Using a vintage map of New Orleans I centered in on the intersection of Race & Religious Street where our wedding would take place. I carried the typography and color palette into the rest of the suite, and cut and tied everything up on one very long night in November. I knew I didn’t want one specific color as our theme, so I chose spring hues paired with crisp black and whites. I chose a cheerful Liberty of London floral print paired with a chic black and white pin dot fabric for our bunting and spent two weeks sewing 30 feet to hang from the venue’s amazing architecture. The Parisian ticking striped runners were also sewn by me, as a chic nod to New Orleans’ French origins. I collected vintage milk glass bud vases and chose an online flower retailer that had the perfect shades of raununculus, garden roses and my favorite little billy buttons. On the morning of the wedding, my mother and bridesmaids helped me arrange all the vases and create four lovely bouquets that not only looked fantastic, but also saved us a ton of money. We grouped vases on each table with wooden pillars and mercury glass votives. It was exactly as I imagined: chic, classic and timeless. All the work inspired me to expand my fledgling stationery business, P.S. Creative, in order to assist brides who want a certain level of styling for their wedding day, but may not have the time or expertise to achieve it.

We saved money in a variety of ways. First we chose to keep our wedding small, at around 65 guests. We wanted only our nearest and dearest. We choose to only serve beer and wine, along with two cocktails: a perfect pear and a blood orange old-fashioned, which saved us a ton. We did an elegant buffet of updated New Orleans fare, rather than a sit-down dinner. My dress was a beautiful, Grecian-style gown by Jenny Yoo that I snagged for a steal at an online flash sale site. My wedding ring also saved us a ton. By choosing a white gold and diamond band from the 1940s, we paid a fraction of the cost of a new ring in a similar style, and my super-crafty husband made his ring out of scrap wood. We saved hundreds on music by curating our own iPod playlists that played through the house’s speaker system and hired a great New Orleans brass band for one set after dinner to get everyone on their feet (best decision ever). My bridesmaids wore lovely black cocktail dresses from a local boutique that were half the cost of normal bridesmaids’ dresses, and who wouldn’t want to wear those again!? The DIY elements alone saved us thousands of dollars, and while at times it got a little tense, good planning and time to complete each task kept things moving. It made our wedding feel like it truly belonged to us. By making economic decisions and doing things ourselves, we were able to serve really good quality bar items, nice wine and the good booze. I was able to hire the photographer of my dreams, the amazing Maile Lani, who captured the day in the most beautiful way, so we can enjoy all our hard work forever.

Wedding Photography: Maile Lani Photography / Wedding Venue: Race & Religious in New Orleans, Louisiana / Flowers: FiftyFlowers / Floral Design: Patricia Quinn Stokes of P.S. Creative (The Bride) + The Bride’s Mother & Bridesmaids / Catering: Palate / Wedding Cake + Desserts: Shake Sugary / Wedding Invitations + Event Signage: Patricia Quinn Stokes of P.S. Creative (The Bride)  / Band: Young PinStripe Brass Band / Table Runners, Bunting + Tablescape Design: Patricia Quinn Stokes of P.S. Creative (The Bride) / Favors: The Groom, Owner of Leah’s Pralines / Wedding Dress: Jenny Yoo via The Aisle / Hair + Makeup: Cat Vo of Aristocat Salon + Nail Spa / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Trashy Diva / Men’s Attire: Men’s Wearhouse

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Jenny Yoo

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Weddings held in New Orleans are so deserving of jazz hands and maybe a few high kicks because they are that cool. And the pictures captured by NBP Images are also that cool. They tell the tale of a jazz-inspired love fest set amongst the awesomeness that is the Terrell House. And that love fest is the wedding that keeps on giving with even more to be perused in the full gallery. See it all right here.

From the Bride… Clay and I are both Texas natives, but it took meeting in the romantic city of Savannah, Georgia, while attending college for us to find each other and fall in love. His cowboy boots, shorts and John Deer green bicycle couldn’t be overlooked … how could I have not found myself smitten? On our first road trip back to Texas together, we decided upon an adventurous and impromptu stop in New Orleans, and it was the beginning of a love affair of a different kind for us both. It seemed all the things we shared a passion for could be found in this colorful city: art, music, history and food. It was the perfect place to bring our family and loved ones for our wedding. We knew the Garden District would be ideal, and a B&B would provide space for everyone to stay and showcase the cozy charm and feel of NOLA, while still being reminiscent of the Savannah we loved. We logged a lot of hours and scoured many options, but we knew the moment we crossed the threshold of the Terrell House that our decision was made. It was elegant in its southern charm, not to mention the hospitality that welcomed us with open arms. In order to set the mood, our friend Peter from Blackbird Press in Savannah did an outstanding job with the letterpress invites. They had an old world elegance with a garden-esque flair, which captured the spirit of our day.

Our ceremony was an intimate, loose blend of tradition. We incorporated the Quaker practice of having the ones you love circle you while exchanging promises and declaring your love and devotion. Our guests were invited into the courtyard, where the music and cocktails welcomed them. While everyone mingled, Clay and I met inside the house enjoying a quite moment together before joining hands and stepping outside together as one. At the right moment, we locked eyes and rang a little a bell (given to us by my mom) that indicated the start of the ceremony and an unforgettable evening to come. Our contact at the B&B was extraordinary! She kind enough to order flowers for us to design ourselves, so I took on the challenge of the bouquet, boutonnière and centerpieces. Another Savannah friend and chef, Michael Gottlieb, who had moved to NOLA to share his passion and gift for all things scrumptious, provided food. With his help, we arranged for a selection of southern, passed hors d’oeuvres with service and silver provided by our gracious host at the B&B. Clay’s mother and friend made some bunting, and we strung it with handmade doilies and a felt pennant found on Etsy to mark the celebrative atmosphere. Clay and I shared a panache for all things old and with a story. We had also searched antique stores for old brass instruments to set the tone and pay homage to the history of the city. Along the way we found some old wooden letter stamps with our initials, which we embellished with gold paint. We also, were fortunate enough to find some vintage music flash cards that guests could leave their wishes and advice on. Music on a budget was a huge challenge — but the city has many wonderful options and all one needs to do is stroll the streets in order to stumble upon endless talent. After many emails, we found a lead and were put in contact with a fabulous band. They were pleasant, punctual, talented and stylish … we couldn’t have asked for more! We danced, drank and ate our way into the evening and then took the festivities to the streets. Our guest left with old iron fleur de les finials that we’d found during a flea market trip and brushed up with a little antique gold paint. We took the apropos strands of gold beads in search of the best jazz in the city!

My best friend and a fellow SCAD alumnus, Nichole Barrali of NBP Images, was kind enough to capture our day and all of its magical moments, all while celebrating with us and looking stunning! She had the artistic vision to capture the best parts of the New Orleans we both adore, utilizing some of the iconic backdrops and scenes of the city: Preservation Hall; historic, hand-painted wall advertisements; local Lucky Dog stands and unparalleled architecture. She made our pictures not only stunning but also treasured memories and beautiful keepsakes.

Wedding Photography: Nichole Barrali of NBP Images / Wedding Venue: Terrell House in New Orleans, Louisiana / Flowers: DIY / Bouquet Wrap Fabric: A Vintage Pillow / Catering: Michael Gottlieb / Desserts: Sucre / Wedding Invitations: Peter Roberts of Blackbird Press / Bunting: DIY / Felt Pennant: Etsy / Wedding Dress: Designer Unknown via Kathi Rich Boutique / Groom’s Suit: Macy’s

A beautiful blend of southern style and Danish traditions, this New Orleans wedding by  Studio Tran Photographers just lovely in every way. From the gorgeous couple who couldn’t be more in love to the gorgeous florals by Bee’s Wedding & Event Floral Designs and all the sweet touches in between – this is one full gallery you do not want to miss!

From Bee’s Wedding & Event Floral Designs… Kelli carried a hand-tied bouquet of white ranunculus, lily of the valley and geranium greens. Bridesmaids carried hand-tied bouquets with Juliet cabbage roses, parrot tulips and ranunculus. The bride and groom stood in front of an old repurposed door frame featuring an arrangement of ranunculus, baby’s breath, tulips and English ivy. The door was flanked by two wooden shutters, Boston ferns and two large wooden barrels of baby’s breath. Down the aisle, we accented the chairs with clusters of baby’s breath on every other chair and clusters of Juliet cabbage roses on every other chair. Her table centerpieces were all a little different. We used mason jars and mercury vases accented with flowers in the same color palette as her bridesmaids’ bouquets.

From Studio Tran Photographers… Kelli and Simon are two beautiful people, and their love for one another was so infectious! Their southern New Orleans wedding that incorporated Danish traditions was intimate, emotional, inviting and beautiful. Our southern New Orleans weddings are fast-paced, going from ceremony right into open bars and lots of dancing and partying. The Danish aspect of the wedding slowed things down with a three-hour dinner, complete with lots of heartfelt speeches. I had many conversations with Kelli asking her if she was sure the dinner would actually last that long, and she assured me it would! I couldn’t believe how quickly the time flew by, as the speeches were all so endearing with stories of this amazing couple growing up, Kelli traveling around the world, how they met and fell in love and how they decided to blend traditions and get married in New Orleans. 

The day really did start like any other, but right after the ceremony, the Danish guests passed out lyrics to a song and they all began singing to Kelli and Simon. Kelli was tearful during this time, and you could tell she was so touched that Simon’s family and friends had done this for them. Following this Danish tradition we dove right into a New Orleans tradition, the Second Line parade! The Coolbone brass band started up, the umbrellas and custom handkerchiefs were passed out, and the police escorted the bride, groom, wedding party and all the guests on a parade through the streets of the French Quarter. Once seated for dinner, the cheerful yet tearful speeches began. Throughout the night you would hear the clinking of forks on the wine and water glasses, and Kelli and Simon would duck under the table for a secret kiss and then climb on to the seats of their chairs for a very cute and public kiss! Other cute Danish traditions were the cutting of the groom’s socks during the first dance and making sure we cut the cake before midnight!  

From the Bride… For both Simon and me, our wedding has always been an exciting opportunity to bring both of our worlds together. Simon is from Europe (Denmark), and I am from the US (Louisiana). And we couldn’t think of any better place that New Orleans and the French Quarter, with its history built on the blending of different nationalities and cultures. I must be honest that I was not always sure how the whole day would turn out – blending Southern and Danish traditions… But for us, it was always about us having the day that was perfect for us and not necessarily what a typical Danish or American wedding was supposed to be. Our only wish was that every single person at the wedding know how special they were to us, and we hoped they would feel this in the details we put into planning our big day!

Wedding Photography: Studio Tran Photographers / Ceremony: Montegut House in New Orleans, Louisiana / Reception: The Chicory in New Orleans, Louisiana / Wedding Planning: Michele Adams of Unique Weddings in New Orleans / Floral Design: Bee’s Wedding & Event Floral Designs / Wedding Cinematography: Lipari Films / Wedding Cake: The Royal Cakery / Wedding Stationery: Southern Fete Creative / Ceremony Music + Second Line Band: Coolbone Music of New Orleans / Entertainment: After8 / Lighting: Luminous Events of New Orleans / Goodie Bags: Lost Bridge Designs  + Aunt Sally’s Pralines / Table Name Plan: DIY by the Bride’s Mother + Kathy Curry / Handkerchiefs + Umbrella: Gems Printing / Wedding Dress: Allure Bridals via Bridal Loft / Bride’s Belt: Icing 101 / Bride’s Bird Cage Veil: Fascinating Creations / Bride’s Shoes: Christian Louboutin / Hair + Makeup: Flawless Bride / Bridesmaids’ Dresses: J.Crew / Groom’s Suit: Custom from Switzerland / Groomsmen’s Ties: Burberry

This couple is dipping for joy all over New Orleans and to be honest, we can’t blame them. They were married in a super duper romantic ceremony in the hustle and bustle of downtown NOLA, in a break in the downpour – and it was stunning. The soiree was captured by the bride’s friend Carla Ten Eyck in a way only Carla could do. They day, which can be found in it’s entirety in the full image gallery, has got us practicing our dips all over the SMP offices!

Marrying Rob in New Orleans was a dream come true. After seven years together and him proposing in New Orleans it was only natural for us to get married only blocks away from the proposal.

Our wedding was on the corner of the famous Royal Street and Pirates Alley. Royal street is lined with art galleries and musicians. We really wanted our wedding to be something special and not ordinary, especially since I am a wedding photographer also. The idea of getting married in the middle of the street at that corner was something that to my knowledge had never been done. So of course we had to do it and with the help of Danielle from NOLA Bash it was pulled off!

The day of our wedding it poured! I mean poured, but I was determined to get married on that street corner rain or shine! Minutes before the ceremony it stopped just long enough for us to have the ceremony and our traditional second line band parade. One of the best moments for me was walking down Royal Street with strangers watching and cheering. Rob and I looked at each other and both said at the same time… only in new orleans … only here. It was then we both realized that after 7 years we were husband and wife.

Photography: Carla Ten Eyck / Event Coordination: NOLA BASH / Candle Decor: Luminous Events / Reception Venue: Hotel Mazarin / Second Line Band: The Young Pin Stripes / Reception Band: Dwayne Burns / Cake: Haydel’s / Makeup: MAC / Hair: Beautique Salon / Video: Jim Alteri of Vintage Cinema / Brides Dress: White Dress By the Shore, Modern Trousseau / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Flowers: Cat from Datura: A Modern Garden / Bridesmaid Dress: Victoria’s Secret

This wedding will leave you breathless, speechless, and with your jaw on the floor. I pinky promise. A true New Orleans wedding, the soiree took place in the heart of The French Quarter, and today I am convinced that there is nothing prettier than a stunning bride in a gorgeous Monique Lhuillier gown, hand in hand with her brand new, and black tie-clad, husband in The Big Easy. Or so Wayne and Angela‘s cameras have led me to believe. Promise me you’ll save a few moments this afternoon for the gallery and I promise you you will be in complete awe.

From Wayne and Angela … When Melissa and Ali, two New York City lawyers, began to plan their wedding, there was no better place to tie the knot than Melissa’s beautiful hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana. They selected a ceremony site located in the heart of the ever-so-colorful French Quarter—the Hermann-Grima House—a historic museum featuring traditional New Orleans architecture and a cozy garden courtyard where this happy couple would exchange their vows. Since so many of their guests were traveling in from all over the world, Melissa and Ali planned a lot of small details to give everyone a true New Orleans experience. For one, they honored the birth place of jazz and hired a local jazz band to set the mood during their ceremony. They even served beignets for dessert that evening!

The bride looked stunning in a classic Monique Lhuillier lace gown and fine pearls; a Swarovski-embellished veil was the cherry on top of a effortlessly beautiful look. But more than looking picture-perfect on her wedding day was how happy both Melissa and Ali looked when they saw each other for the first time before the ceremony! Even their bridesmaids couldn’t help but get a little teary-eyed.

As first-timers to the French Quarter, there was no doubt it would become one of our favorite places to visit. Pastel-colored buildings painted the streets with soft greens, peachy corals and heather blue. It was such a dreamy backdrop for their wedding portraits—full of history and timelessly romantic. As Melissa and Ali walked hand-in-hand down the weathered streets as newly weds, we were certain this would be the beginning of a beautiful journey together.

Photography: Wayne and Angela / Ceremony Venue: Hermann-Grima House / Reception Venue: Windsor Court Hotel / Dress Designer: Monique Lhuillier / Shoes: Kate Spade / Bridesmaids Dresses: Jenny Yoo / Florist: Fat Cat Flowers / Cake: Sucre / DJ + Emcee: Dr. Jazz + Rock-It Productions / Event Planner + Coordinator: Get Polished Events / Make up + Hair: Get Polished Beauty / Invitations: Bella Figura

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Bridesmaid

Jenny Yoo

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There is a serious Terrell House party about to happen on your screen.  The bride is every bit the guest of honor of this 20’s inspired New Orleans bash in a shimmering Jenny Packham sheath. Fancy as this couple looks on the big day, their first date took place at a hot dog stand (an upscale one, of course, as the groom would interject right about now).  Tory Williams for Kristy May captured the colorful Great Gatsby meets Mardi Gras celebration, so it’s time to grab a mask on a stick and peep through those holes at the big easy on the eyes entire gallery!

Click here for the FULL wedding!

From the bride… Alex and I were both transplants living in Los Angeles — he in the radio industry and I am a footwear designer — looking for love, but we had no idea we would actually find our soul mates. On our first date, he asked me out and took me to a hot dog stand (he insists it was a classy hot dog stand!), and I knew from that day that he was the one. Not too many months later, we decided to change our lives, take a leap of faith and move across the country to North Carolina to start our life together. He proposed on the front steps of our little southern bungalow, and we let the planning begin!

I have always loved the 1920’s era for its music, glamour and sense of free spiritedness, so when it came time to look for inspiration, I knew my hometown would be the perfect setting for a modern “Great Gatsby” themed soiree. My mother and I searched for the perfect New Orleans courtyard and found it in the Garden District’s Terrell House. Its lush greenery, romantic fountain and grand guest houses made perfect place welcome our family in friends and to create a magical evening with a nod to the past.

On Friday, Alex’s parents carried the theme and hosted our reherarsal dinner at John Besh’s Domenica Restaurant inside the Roosevelt Hotel. The grand columns, gilt accents and art-deco elegance was the perfect complement to the modern Italian fare the guests dined on. One of our favorite memories of the evening happened when all of the chefs and staff cheered as we were escorted to our private dining room — through the kitchen! So many of our guests had never visited our beloved city, so we especially wanted to give them a quintessential New Orleans experience, sharing our love of food, music and community. As we planned the big day, these elements were the keystones. For food, the Terrell House proprieter, Linda O’Brien, created a classic creole-cajun menu, including jumbalaya, crab bisque and cajun fried turkey on french bread. For music, the Brent Rose Trio played rag time and jazz classics throughout the night with a surprise appearance from the Young Pinstripes Brass Band and Mardi Gras Indians who led the second-line parade (traditional New Orleans parade). Our family and friends flew in from literally all over the U.S. and as far as Paris. To get guests mingling Alex and I created a grapefruit Tom Collins to sip on, and Kristy May Photography and Tory Williams set up a photo booth and encouraged the guests to don the Mardi Gras themed props. Together, being surrounded by all of our loved ones in our favorite city, it just doesn’t get any better. Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Wedding Photography: Tory Williams for Kristy May / Wedding Venue: Terrell House in New Orleans, Louisiana / Floral Design + Catering: Linda O’Brien of Terrell House / Wedding Cake + Groom’s “New Jersey” Cake: Swiss Confectionery / Cake Pops + Candy Bar: Queen of Pops / Brass Band: Young PinStripe Brass Band / Jazz: Brent Rose Trio + Mardi Gras Indians / Wedding Invitations, Hand-Drawn Map, Monogram, Save-the-Dates, Guest Book, Candle Favors with Custom Match Books: PAPER+SNOW / Fabric Poms, Table Runners, Custom Handkerchiefs for the Second Line Parade, Candy Bags for the Candy Bar, Second Line Umbrellas, Antique Teacup Collecting: The Bride’s Mother / Wedding Dress: Jenny Packham / Bride’s Stole: Vintage / Bride’s Shoes: Seychelles / Bride’s Jewelry: Borrowed from the Groom’s Mother / Bridesmaids’ Robes: Plum Pretty Sugar / Groom’s Suit: J.Crew

I might need help with this wedding. Every time I sit down to introduce it, my mind starts swirling in a pretty New Orleans-induced haze, filled with beautiful cotton bouquets, stunning historic churches, big brass bands, cookies and milk, soft candlelight, natural (and gorgeous) decor elements… You see, this is the problem. The images from Maile Lani Photography set my soiree-adoring mind swimming in romantic Southern details, and not a coherent word is to be found! I simply must leave you with the gallery, so I’m not the only one muttering about the gorgeous that is this wedding.

Click here to see the rest in the gallery!

When people ask me about our wedding the one word that comes to mind is “perfect.” From the moment I was engaged (and let’s be real even before we were engaged) I had a picture in my head of what this day would be like. We knew from the beginning that we wanted to do most of the planning ourselves. I’m a theatre director and Marcus is a lighting and sound technician/designer. We really wanted our wedding celebration to be a big party with all of our friends and family. For as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to be married on New Year’s Eve. That wasn’t an option at our church so December 30th it was.

We are the eighth generation on my mother’s side of the family to be married in St. Michael’s Church. I grew up attending this church with my grandmother and have so many fond memories in this beautiful wood and marble structure. Once we decided to have the wedding here everything else started to fall in place. Poche Plantation is gorgeous and located right next door to St. Michael’s Church. The bridesmaids and I stayed here the night before the wedding. It’s also where Marcus and I had our “first look.”

Behind the church is a great big empty parish hall that we were able to transform into anything we wish. We’ve always loved the outdoors and all things Southern. Somewhere early in my planning, I came across a blog post about using cotton in place of flowers. I instantly fell in love with the idea for our December wedding. It reminded me of snow (something I knew we would be very unlikely to get for a December wedding in Louisiana). My mother started phoning Louisiana cotton farmers until she got a very nice lady on the phone at Young and Young Cotton Farms. Her name was Dorothy and she was incredible. She informed us that we only had a week or two left in the cotton season and if we wanted to come pick cotton that we needed to come that weekend. So my mother, godmother and I drove up to Wisner, LA the following weekend for a cotton-picking expedition. Being in that cotton field was one of the most amazing moments of my life. It was so beautiful and Dorothy taught me so much about cotton!

I love natural materials and neutral colors so burlap seemed like an obvious choice to accompany our white cotton theme. Marcus and I met in New Orleans at college and we spent a lot of time in Audubon Park among the oak trees. So when I started looking for wedding invitations a tree theme emerged. Being the DIY girl that I am I decided to design and print my invitations. My friend and co-worker who is a wonderful graphic designer stepped in and helped me finish them up so we could mail them before the wedding date passed us up!

I’m allergic to milk so I didn’t want to have a traditional wedding cake. I love oreo cookies (they are vegan!) and saw the idea of oreo’s stacked in the shape of a cake on Martha Stewart – it seemed like a perfect choice for me. We had a “milk bar” to accompany the oreo cookie “cake.” We offered almond, soy and cow’s milk in repurposed Starbucks frappuccinos bottles. I’m a teacher and collected the bottles from my students then my dad used his sand blaster to engrave “MILK” on each bottle. My mother really wanted me to have an actual wedding cake so she agreed to bake one for me dairy free. She is an amazing baker (and cook!) and actually ended up baking cup cakes and other goodies for the desert table.

We truly did everything ourselves and only hired people to cater and provide music. We called in a lot of favors from our family and friends! All of Marcus’ work friends donated their time to hang the truss and lights for the space. I’m born and raised in New Orleans, so we hired The Pinettes, the only female brass band, to play for our reception. They were waiting for us outside of the church and we second lined with our entire wedding party and guests into the reception hall. The party started right away! We wanted this to be a celebration of our love for each other and all of our friends and family who have been with us along the way.

We ended the night by releasing Chinese Lanterns into the sky. It was such a beautiful moment to be standing on the levee with all my family and friends watching the sky light up with our lanterns. It was the perfect ending to a perfect night.

Photography: Maile Lani Photography / Wedding Dress: Pronovias from Bustles and Bows / Shoes: TOMS / Grooms Suit: Rubensteins / Bridesmaids Dresses: Amsale from Wedding Belles / Hair piece: Created by Bride / Hair: Mandy Pembo, Shear Fun / Groom’s Cake: May May Cakes / Entertainment: Pinettes Brass Band / Wedding Coordinator: Cindy Pembo / Lighting & Production Management: SM Entertainment Consulting / Ceremony: St. Michael’s Church

With Valentine’s Day less than a week away – and the excitement building – we figured it was about time to show off one of our favorite LBB Jewelers, because, as she says, I’ve never met a woman who doesn’t like jewelry! dejarnette new orleans is a boutique jewelry designer out of – you guessed it – New Orleans and we can’t get enough of her dainty detailed pieces. So we asked her to sit down and answer a few questions we were dying to know. Don’t forget about dejarnette new orleans’ portfolio where you can get the lowdown on this talented lady!

How did your passion for jewelry grow into dejarnette new orleans?

dejarnette new orleans is the name of my company (dejarnette is my middle name). I design and create handmade jewelry. I’ve been designing jewelry for myself and close friends for many years. I began selling my pieces at local boutiques in 2004. I then decided to launch a website and offer my jewelry to those outside of the New Orleans area in May 2006.

What kinds of pieces do you just love?

I love super girly pieces with a little bit of quirky. I get so excited when I find unusual vintage bits or things that I can transform into a necklace -everything from vintage mardi gras doubloons to antique hardware to delicate lace. I love being able to throw on some jeans and a t-shirt and add a statement piece of jewelry to make my outfit special.

What is your favorite part of a wedding?

For my wedding it was the ceremony. I walked up the aisle with my Mom and Dad and the aisle was lined with candlelit lanterns. To see all of my family and friends as I walked down the aisle and then see my handsome groom was a magical moment. When I’m a guest at a wedding, I appreciate all of the little details. I know first hand the time and effort that is involved in each and every aspect of the planning process.

Does the city of New Orleans every influence your work ?

Absolutely! Mardi Gras is just around the corner, which is my favorite time of the year in New Orleans. The costumes, floats, themes – it is unbelievable the intricate details involved in every aspect of this holiday.

What advice to you have for brides & grooms to be?

To relax, have fun, and enjoy your special day-it goes by so quickly!

How about any advice for our readers with Valentines day just around the corner?

I’ve never met a woman who doesn’t like jewelry!

Jewelry: dejarnette new orleans / Photography: Jennifer Zdon, Twirl Photography + Elizabeth Ray Photography + dejarnette new orleans

This couple had their dream wedding, thanks to winning the big prize from Crate & Barrel’s Ultimate Wedding Contest. And to be completely honest, it is my dream wedding too. And I’m betting more than a few of you might have visions of this soiree dancing through your head tonight. It is filled with so many romantic, classic New Orleans touches I seriously need someone to come through this screen and pinch me. Docuvitae has provided us with SO much eye candy, sweet as molasses, from the day that we had to fill up a great, big gallery for your viewing pleasure!

Thanks to my orange shoes, a beautiful love story, the support family and friends, and a whole lot of luck, we were the 2011 grand prize winners of the Crate & Barrel Ultimate Wedding Contest. The contest enabled us to have our dream wedding in New Orleans, Louisiana. In mid-2011, we relocated to Beijing, China and our guest list spanned 41 states and seven countries. We wanted to give our guests a destination wedding in America that had a unique local flavor, worthy of at least a weekend visit. There is no better place to host a celebration than the French Quarter in the Big Easy, and our wedding mantra was “laissez bon temps rouler” (let the good times roll). Julie Gibson, founder of Studio Grace, designed our save the date and passport like-invitations that reflected both NOLA and our ever-traveling careers.

Romantic, old New Orleans was brought to life thanks to Yifat Oren & Associates, our wedding planner, courtesy of Crate & Barrel. Stefanie Cove, Managing Partner, was with us every step of the way to choose the best local vendors (neither Michael or I are from NOLA) that would bring the vision of Southern charm, cajun comfort, and French elegance to life. Laura Kleinhenz of Docuvitae, our photographers, captured each moment in their authentic photojournalist style. They produced images that were more than just photographs – they were art! Welliver productions shot our wedding video and stayed with us throughout the entire evening.

The day began at the Aveda Paris Parker Salon where the bridesmaids, mothers of the bride and groom, and me had our hair and makeup done. The stylists and artists treated us like old friends, did beautiful work, and gave us a relaxing morning. We returned to our hotel to change; the bridesmaids wore long, ivory Two Birds Convertible Dresses (purchased from Bella Bridesmaid DC), which gave them fifteen different ways to wear their dress. The thick, high-quality jersey fabric was comfortable to wear all day and photographed beautifully. I wore two dresses: for the ceremony, a Pronovias lace gown and for the dinner and at the reception a silk with tulle overlay gown by Vera Wang. I purchased the Vera Wang dress from the most lovely Bridal Boutique I had ever been to: Mimi NOLA. Gail and Mimi, two of NOLA’s finest ladies assisted me and theirs is the only VW bridal boutique in New Orleans. They gave us the most personal attention, service, and advice for hosting a spectacular local wedding. They are the place to go bridal shopping if in New Orleans, hands down. As a nod to how we met, I wore orange pumps and my bridesmaids and flower girl did too. The groomsmen changed into a Calvin Klein classic tuxedo from Men’s Wearhouse and my handsome groom wore his own tuxedo by J.Crew. To give the groom distinction, we had him be the only one in a white bow tie and the rest of his men in black.

We wanted to maximize time with our guests, so we decided to take pictures before the ceremony at one of the most iconic parks in New Orleans, Jackson Square. It sits before St. Louis Cathedral, which provided a stunning backdrop for the portraits. Next, we asked our guests to meet at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, which tucked in the 140 friends and family for an intimate and cozy view of our ceremony. Pastor Stephen Aguillard gave what my Grandfather called, “the best wedding ceremony I’ve ever seen” as he preached about men’s and women’s needs in marriage. We wrote our own vows; Michael read his from a neatly folded piece of paper, me from my iPhone, which caused a few chuckles. It added to the interesting quirk of our young Pastor reading from his iPad, too. Our florals for the ceremony were by Ambiance Flowers and added to our mostly white with a few pops of orange in our bouquets. Harry Hardin’s string trio played Air on the G String for the family procession, Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley for the bridal party procession, and then my father and I entered with Mascagni’s Intermezzo. After a tearful vow exchange, we recessed to the traditional Mendelssohn’s Wedding March.

Joyfully marching out of the church as husband and wife, we were greeted by the brass instruments of the Storyville Stompers, one of the most decorated second line bands in New Orleans. Orange handkerchiefs and white feather boas were handed out to the guests and to their surprise, we began marching down the French Quarter. Michael and I briefly followed the parade in a horse and carriage, but we soon joined the crowd, not ones to miss out on any fun. Locals took pictures from their balconies and some even threw beads! We marched and danced with the brass band about eight blocks to the reception site, Galvez Restaurant, located in the French Quarter on the bank of the Mississippi river.

As the sun was setting, the second line band played for our cocktail hour outdoors in the Dutch Alley next the French Market. White lights streamed the alley, and specialty New-Orleans-inspired drinks and delicious Spanish-Cajun hors d’oeuvres were passed around. When it was time, guests were invited to walk up the votive lined stair case, up to the dining hall where five long king’s tables were set. I remember hearing my mother gasp, “Wow!” Each of the tables had no fewer than 100 candles illuminating the room; some in candelabras, some in candlesticks, and small votives. The room needed no other lighting, and the hundreds of candles were my favorite signature touch. The tables also were decorated by Ambiance Flowers vases with white flowers and baby’s breath. Each place setting contained a hand-written note to each guest, from either Michael or me, thanking them for coming.

Dinner was led by Chef Laura, of Galvez. Even though our event was black tie, we served our five courses family style to make for a more personal meal. Our guests passed around their incredible spanish, american, and french inspired dishes: ensaladas, crab cakes, grilled rack of lamb, paella valenciana, and shrimp and grits. It was cooked to perfection, thank you Chef! Our toasts broke up the courses, and our best man and maid of honor gave memorable and touching speeches. My father went last, and after his invited the guests to the dance floor, in the neighboring room.

The dance floor at Galvez is surrounded by French windows and doors that lead to a wrap around balcony. It’s one of the most romantic views in New Orleans, and our guests could watch steamboats chugging along the river as they sipped cocktails on the Crate and Barrel designed lounges outdoors. Or, inside they could get footloose with us to the incredibly talented, seven piece band, Taboo. They were a show stopper and played everything we asked, plus the favorites that even kept my Grandparents dancing way past their usual bed time.

We served two cakes: our wedding cake was by a local favorite sweet shop: Sucré, and they did a buttercream, three tiered wedding cake and our Groom’s cake (we’re in the South, after all!) was by Courtney Schmidig, a family friend and pastry chef at the French Laundry. I insisted on taste before appearance, so there was no fondant, only delicious butter cream and natural ingredients, they both were outstanding, but Courtney’s took the cake to another level!

We danced until midnight with Taboo and their incredible band arrangement and ended the night with a stellar performance that had most guests ready to continue their evening onto Bourbon street. In the morning, we relived the night over beignets and chicory coffee at Cafe Du Monde and bid a final farewell to our guests. We’re still hearing stories about how amazing strolling down the French Quarter with a second line band was, and the awesome jazz ensemble during cocktail hour, and the candlelit views of the Mississippi at night. Thank you Crate & Barrel, and thank you New Orleans, you gave us all an event to remember.

Wedding Contest: Crate & Barrel / Wedding Planners: Yifat Oren & Associates / Church: St. Mark’s United Methodist / Pastor: Stephen Aguillard / Reception, Catering & Bar: Galvez Restaurant / Invitations: Studio Grace / Photographer: Laura and Hannah of Docuvitae Photography /  Videographer: Welliver Productions / Flowers: Ambiance Flower Shop / Second Line Band: Storyville Stompers / Reception Band: Taboo / Bridal Gown (Ceremony): Pronovias, from Designer Loft, New York / Bridal Gown (Reception): Mimi NOLA / Rings: Blue Nile / Tableware, Lounge, and Decor: Crate & Barrel / Rentals: Your Event Delivered / Bridesmaid’s Dresses: Two Birds, from Bella Bridesmaid / Hair & Makeup: Aveda Paris Parker Salon New Orleans / Groom’s Tuxedo: J.Crew / Groomsmen Attire: Men’s Wearhouse / Wedding Cake: Sucre / Groom’s Cake: Chef Courtney Schmidig / Farewell Breakfast: Cafe Du Monde

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Designer Loft

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Have you been to New Orleans? It’s fantastic. Gorgeous, old architecture all around gives an old world romance feel. Which is why it is the perfect spot to hold a southern wedding. If you haven’t been to the Big Easy, fear not. Eau Claire Photographics was able to capture it’s essence whilst capturing this fabulous wedding – which is also SO New Orleans chic. The wedding is one of my favorites from Nawlins, with a easy, romantic charm oozing from every photograph. You’ll want take it nice and slow to see them all in the gallery, so click here!

Click here for the highlight film from Your Day Productions!

After considering having the wedding at Rachel’s family property on the Northshore, the couple realized that New Orleans was there home, where they met, and would be the most meaningful place to get married. Because there would be a majority of out-of-town guests, they decided to play up the “New Orleans” theme and what could be better than a courtyard wedding? After interning at the Gallier House in undergraduate school, Rachel knew just the place – the sister property: the Hermann-Grima house on St. Louis Street in the heart of the Quarter.

Because the majority of the guests would be traveling in from out of town, the couple decided to make a whole weekend celebration of the wedding and invite all guest to all the events. They really wanted their family and friends to see many sides to the region and have a variety of experiences. Therefore, on Friday evening, the weekend began with a “Laissez le Bon Temps Rouler!” champagne and dessert Welcome Reception at the Martine Chaisson Gallery in the Warehouse District. A string trio, featuring top musicians from the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (an organization that both the couple and Rachel’s father are passionately involved with), entertained the guests while enjoying desserts and champagne from Joel’s Catering.

On Saturday, all guests were bused to Lacombe (a small town located north of the lake) to enjoy a Rehearsal Supper at the Chotin Residence on the bayou. Mary Garrett, the Chotin’s long-time house keeper graciously catered the event and cooked her famous Red Beans and Rice, along with Shrimp and Chicken pastas. Guests gathered under the ancient, moss-filled oaks and listened to Bluegrass music by Otis Hurtz & The Cry Babies (Spider Murphy, John Malcovich and Dave Talmage) while sipping on Jason’s favorite drink from the Bloody Mary bar. Praline Bread Pudding and Pecan and Apple Pies (baked by Rachel’s mother) rounded out the menu for the afternoon.

The wedding ceremony and reception were both held at the Hermann-Grima House in the French Quarter on Sunday, October 9th, beginning at 5pm in the afternoon. Between the two, guests were entertained by the same ceremony gypsy jazz band, Zazou City Quartet, in the adjoining Stable Courtyard for a “happy half-hour”. Passed hors d’oeuvres and signature cocktails (“Jason loves New Orleans Sazerac” and “Rachel loves Texas Margarita”) were enjoyed by the guests while the main courtyard was transformed from ceremony to reception.

The bride carried a solid cotton bouquet and the softness was complemented by the bridesmaid’s pop of color with the orange  carnations. Rachel borrowed two large vases from her father’s extensive McCarty Pottery collection and filled them with cotton to flank the altar for the ceremony. Orange roses in vases with sliced oranges were placed on tables at the reception. Not only was orange Rachel’s grandmother’s favorite color, but also orange roses were her favorite flower. Along with the orange color theme, oranges held special meaning to the couple because (as the story goes) the Lincolns, several generations ago, lived in New Orleans on an orange plantation before settling in San Antonio, Texas.

Although what may appear to be an over-the-top, extravagant wedding – Rachel prided herself on cutting corners and being cost-conscious by creating a majority of the details herself and shopping around for the best prices. She designed all invitations/graphics herself and printing at home on recycled paper, borrowed as many family heirlooms as possible. She also designed the flower arrangements herself and therefore used a small neighborhood florist to implement her designs. Rachel’s mother helped tremendously: assembled welcome bags for the guests, sewed the flower girl’s dress, made the ring bearer’s pillow, made the favors. Rachel handled all the planning herself until two weeks before the wedding when she realized she would need a little help in executing the plan! 

We both agree that two of the most special moments were when we were alone and able to soak it all in. After our “first look” on top of the Omni Royal Orleans Hotel, we went down into the Quarter and took pictures on Pirate’s Alley. This was a great experience for us. We were able to calm our nerves, spend a little time together and capture some great shots.

Photographer: Eau Claire Photographics / Videographer: Your Day Productions / Floral Designer: Audubon Flowers / Day Of Coordinator: Old.New.Blue / Rehersal Planning & Design: Charlotte Weil Event Design / Invitation Designer: Rachel Chotin Lincoln, Printed on recycled paper from Paper Source / Stickers: Sticker Mule / Save the Dates: Smartpress / Cake: Gambino’s Bakery / Wedding Gown Designer: Alyne Bridal / Bridesmaid’s Dress Designer: Ann Taylor Loft / Band: Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra String Trio, Otis Hurtz & the Cry Babies / Ceremony & Happy Half-Hour Music: Zazou City Quartet / Reception Music: Jayna Morgan and the Sazerac Sunrise Jazz Band

We don’t see nearly enough rehearsal dinner inspiration for our fête loving hearts but these events are a a great way to bring personality into your wedding pre-party. While your Big Day might be reserved for the more traditional, the rehearsal dinner allows you to let loose, let your hair down and, in this case, throw an Oyster Dinner. Elyse Jennings Weddings designed this dream of a party fit for the glamour lover yet totally attainable with easy DIY elements woven throughout. And joining the knockout list of vendors is Greer G Photography who snapped all the loveliness including the perfect floral foliage by Bee’s Weddings and Events and Tupelo Honey’s invitations that had us at hello. I mean watercolor mollusks? Genius. Get your inspiration on in the full gallery.

Click here to see the entire gallery of images!

From Elyse Jennings Weddings…While I love a bride who is completely into personalizing their wedding day designs, I know that not all brides are ready to commit to that trend- especially our more traditional brides who are born and raised in New Orleans! We wanted those brides to know that there was a way to have the best of both worlds and prove to them that personalizing your event doesn’t mean that it has to be a “theme.” I designed and personalized this rehearsal dinner to show couples that it is okay to bring their heritage, passions, and personalities into their wedding parties! I based the designs of this rehearsal dinner on my own family’s heritage of oyster fishing. We named each of our dinner tables an oyster dish, incorporated oyster shells in the table decor, and even built an oyster chandelier!  We also incorporated burlap, which oyster sacks are made out of {and a huge trend right now, as you know}! All small touches of the family without coming off as super themed! While oysters and burlap are very raw elements, we added the wedding glam by incorporating mercury glass and sequins–the perfect marriage where rustic meets chic!

We chose the beautifully unique backdrop of Race and Religious, a venue in New Orleans that has so much character and personality in itself! The messy clay, exposed brick, and gas lanterns exuded the unique Nola vibe that we were going for!

By using a bunch of DIY things {the chandelier, burlap and jute wrapped candles, pearl wrapped champagne flutes, banner, pool monogram, and bench swag}, we created a perfectly attainable and unique rehearsal dinner. My incredible team of vendors, and fantastic photographer, helped immensely to bring my vision to life and capture it perfectly! We hope to have given brides some ideas and inspired them to take a chance and add some of themselves to any of their wedding parties! It will separate their wedding from every other wedding! Enjoy!

Planning + Design: Elyse Jennings Weddings / Photography: Greer G Photography / Floral Design: Bee’s Weddings and Events / Lighting Decor: Luminous Events / Invitation Suite: Tupelo Honey / Venue: Race and Religious / Make-up: Ashley Melzer Sievert / Hair: Ginger Dickey at Color Bar Salon / Sweets: Sucre / Dress: Alice + Olivia via Saks

Happy Weekend, LBBers! We’ve got a special cinematic treat for you this morning and I’m going to give you a little advice. If you’re already likely to cry at this New Orleans highlight film, just for the simple fact that it is a highlight film and that alone can bring a tear to your eye (guilty), don’t read the description from the talented cinematographers, BRIDE FILM, until after you watch it. If you’d like the shed an extra couple tears at a little butterfly’s appearance in the film, by all means, read the description first. But don’t say I didn’t warn you. And when you’re ready for more like this (it’s the weekend after all – you have all day!), click here for more beautiful, cinematic work!

Photo courtesy of Bray Danielle Photography.

[iframe http://player.vimeo.com/video/23139923?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&color=f5b571 600 338]

butterfly. // cayden + kevin + bridgette from // BRIDE FILM // on Vimeo.

From BRIDE FILM … We had the great pleasure of becoming friends with Bridgette and Kevin. Bridgette is a special events coordinator in New Orleans and Kevin is anathletic trainer at a local high school.

When we first met to do their “how we met” piece for the rehearsal dinner, I was really impressed by how well they knew each other.  Each question I asked, similarly phrased, was answered with remarkable accuracy to the other.  They really understood and knew everything about each other because of how they communicated before actually dating.

They had exchanged emails.  Kevin would write from Mississippi and Bridgette would respond.  This cycle of countless email exchanges and no phone interaction proved somewhat puzzling until finally Bridgette replied per email, “Hey are you gonna call?”  And so this initiated a their first date.

Naturally, I thought their story of love would be pretty apparent.  Equally as important as Kevin and Bridgette’s story is our other main character, Cayden, Bridgette’s son.  This 5 year old, supercharged with energy, was the real star of the show.  This little guy was tearing up the dance floor the entire night.

Lastly, you will see on the film that a butterfly attaches itself to Bridgette’s dress during the ceremony.  She immediately burst into tears and smiles.  All of her programs were marked with butterflies in remembrance of her brother.

Cinematography: BRIDE FILM / Event Planning: Dakota-Cuvee Events / Photography: Bray Danielle Photography / Ceremony Venue: Sculpture Gardens, City Park / Reception Venue: New Orleans Museum of Art / Band: Rockin Dopsie & The Zydeco Twisters / Floral: Dunn & Sonnier / Cake: Zoes Bakery / Lighting & Fireworks: See-Hear Productions / Rentals & Furniture: Your Event Delivered / Makeup: About Face of Mandeville / Hair: Urban Retreat / Music for Video: “Stones” by PlainJane Automobile / Music Licensing: Song Freedom

This New Orleans Plantation wedding? Hello GORGEOUS. From the light streaming through the Spanish Moss to the tickled pink and purple details to the sweet bride and groom, this fête is dripping in glamour. And it’s a homegrown, Southern style glamour at that. The cake and desserts? Made with love by the couple’s mothers. The flowers? Arranged by the bride’s talented father. The decor? Bridesmaids. All captured by the oh-so-talented Eau Claire Photographics, this affair was DIY stunning. And the party doesn’t stop here – it continues in the gallery!

More, more, more? Check our the great video from Prodigy Media Group!

I really wanted to get married outside while still incorporating New Orleans and the South into the vibe of the day. We went to visit Destrehan Plantation and I knew driving up that the huge live oak trees covered in Spanish moss with the historic plantation in the background was the perfect place for our ceremony. And what was even better was the rustic mule barn on the property that we could use for the cocktail hour and reception.

After discovering Style Me Pretty and the world of wedding blog’s I soon found myself drawn to the same images over and over, and easily came to the conclusion that I wanted my wedding to look like Anthropologie threw a wedding at a barn, everything rustic and natural but still clean and crisp.

I wanted my bridesmaids to be able to make their own dress choices, so I chose an array of purples and corals from J. Crew and let them go to town on their dresses and accessories. My Dad and I ordered the flowers online from the Flower Exchange and he and a good friend put together all the arrangements and bouquets like experts. I enlisted everyone I know into collecting jars and bottles, ordering and finding things on etsy, ebay and in flea markets, put bridesmaids to work crafting reception decor items, and forced my brothers and best friends to come help me decorate the day before the wedding.

I wasn’t really falling in love with any wedding cake pictures, so my amazing mother stepped up and baked and frosted all of the different cakes and cupcakes for the desert table and John’s mom even made his favorite mint brownies and brought them in with her from St. Louis. We provided to go containers and there wasn’t a desert left at the end of the night!

Picking favorite photos is impossible. Sandra of EAU Claire Photographics blew us out of the water with her work. We knew from looking at her previous weddings that she was going to be great, but we never thought the pictures would be as amazing as they are. I never once saw her the whole ceremony and reception, yet she and Sam managed to capture a perfect picture of everything! All the details that were so special to me, all the guests candid faces, the emotions on our faces and the excitement vibrating throughout the whole barn.

Photographer: Eau Claire Photographics / Videographer: Prodigy Media Group / Floral Designer: The Flower Exchange / Event Designer & Planner: Emily with Get Polished Events / Invitation Designer: Meredtih with RE Style & Design, Printed by Mercurio Brothers / Cake & Desserts: Brides Mom / Wedding Gown Designer: Allure Bridals from Ventura’s Bridal / Bridesmaid’s Dress Designer: J. Crew / Flower Girl Dresses: Lesley at Homemade Grits

Talk about beauty and brains, this Houston bride has it all and we are totally crushing on her ultra glam meets modern style. Hints of gold, monochrome flowers, bold jewelry, Chanel No 5…yep this wedding had us at hello… and then sucked us completely in with all the pretty images from Docuvitae. I swoon, you swoon, we ALL swoon for fabulously chic weddings and there is a whole lot more of this one in the gallery.

Click here to see the entire image gallery!

From the Bride… The design choices for our wedding celebration were inspired by our venues. For our ceremony, my husband and I chose St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, a historic building with incredible Gothic architecture and beautiful stained glass windows. Our reception was held at the Artista Restaurant, an elegant two-story edifice with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the downtown Houston skyline. While I loved the idea of an outdoor wedding, it was clearly not an option for Houston in August. To incorporate that outdoor feel, I transformed the restaurant balcony into an outdoor lounge space. Our wonderful florist, Melanie Tipton of Last Petal, brought my vision to life by accenting the lounge space and restaurant with simple, chic floral arrangements. Once our venues were selected, everything from our color scheme to our invitation style came into place.

After looking at numerous wedding invitation websites, we decided nothing in our budget really inspired us. My husband, a self-taught graphic designer, decided to take a stab at creating our wedding invitations. As a nod to our hometowns, my husband placed images of the Houston skyline and the Baton Rouge, LA Horace Wilkinson Bridge on the invitation suite. We then had the invitation suite letterpress printed. The end result was AMAZING!  My husband went on to design all of the stationary elements of the wedding–programs, menu cards, signage, etc.

In addition to getting the design elements just right, we infused our wedding with elements that would reflect our love (we decided to write our own vows in addition to citing traditional ones), family (my uncle married us) and sentimentality (I surprised my husband with a traditional New Orleans Second-line band for our exit as he always wanted one for his wedding day). And when our wedding day came, we let everything else go and decided to bask in the blessedness of the day–we laughed, cried (okay, I cried) and danced the night away. There were definitely bumps (okay, mountains) along the road in the planning process, but when we sit back and look at the wonderful images captured by Rebecca of Docuvitae (whom I found right here on SMP and cannot say enough positive things about), they bring a smile to our faces every.single.time.

Wedding Photography: Rebecca of Docuvitae / Second Shooter: Juli of Docuvitae / Wedding Ceremony: St. Paul’s United Methodist Church / Wedding Reception: Artista Restaurant / Wedding Cinematography: Aaron of 31FILMS / Flowers: Melanie Tipton of Last Petal / Wedding Invitation Design: Timothy Perry (The Groom) / Invitation Printing: Studio on Fire / Event Design & Planning: Kourtney James Perry (The Bride) / Bride’s Shoes: Jimmy Choo / Wedding Dress: Angel Sanchez via Maison de Mode / Hair: Albert Dominguez of Solution for Hair & Makeup / Makeup: Your Beautiful Face / Jewelry: DIY, The Bride (Created from Talbots‘ Necklaces) / Second Line Band: New Orleans Hustlers Brass Band / Vintage Rolls Royce: Jordan Limousines

Happy, happy TGIF! I know on Fridays we usually display oodles of inspiration via photo shoots but today we are going to switch it up a bit and bring you a plethora of inspiration from very real, very pretty weddings. We have a whole line-up of beauties to send you off into the wilds of weekend fun. And don’t forget, this is just a sampling of each celebration. By clicking on the gallery, you can revel in every inch of gorgeous that each wedding has to offer.

We are going to start things off with the absolute cutest day held in good ol’ New Orleans. The perfect combination of historic beauty and fun-filled whimsy, this wedding is an absolute charmer and we just can’t get enough of that perfect, perfect calligraphy by Jenna Hein. See the full celebration, NOLA style, in the gallery.

see all of the details here!

From the Bride…

Dan and I live in New York City. His family is from California and mine is from New Jersey, and so for our wedding, we decided to have everyone meet somewhere in the middle: New Orleans! New Orleans is one of our favorite American cities and holds a special place for us as a couple because we got engaged there. Everything we love about the city—its casual vibe, amazing food, vibrant music, fun, energy and magic—basically described the kind of wedding we wanted to have. There was no other place to have our wedding but New Orleans. About sixty-five of our closest friends and family joined us in New Orleans for our wedding, coming from 10 different states and three countries! (Not one person was from New Orleans!) To have all of our favorite people from all over the world in one place (just for us!) made the entire wedding feel so special. We had a very traditional Catholic ceremony at the Holy Name of Jesus Church, followed by a fun-filled reception at a historic building/event space called the Board of Trade. Dan and I were both equally involved in the planning and were super into it. We have the excel spreadsheets and millions of tearsheets to prove it! But the things I remember the most about our wedding day are the things we didn’t plan for: The street performers who played “Here comes the bride” when we walked by; hopping on a street car before our ceremony and having all the strangers onboard cheer applaud, the moment before we walked down the aisle and Dan was trying to make me laugh so I wouldn’t cry, eating leftover wedding cake together, with one fork, in our hotel room when it was all over.

Here is my advice for any bride planning their wedding from afar:

I highly recommend visiting your location to choose your venue in person. Places looked A LOT different on the internet than in person, and so I am really glad that we made a trip out there to check out venues. You can do a lot of things on the phone/internet, but it’s hard to do this one without someone being there in person Go with the local customs. Where I live in the Northeast, a traditional wedding reception is about 6 hours long with a sit-down dinner. We found out in New Orleans that they tend to do 3-hour long receptions with a buffet dinner. We opted to do it how the locals do it, and I am so happy we made that decision. Not only does it make it easier for your vendors to do what they’re used to, it will actually make your wedding more memorable and different for your guests. Then again, don’t be afraid to go off the beaten path. Since our wedding reception was so short…we didn’t do any of the typical wedding stuff: Cut the cake, throw the bouquet, etc. I am glad that we didn’t because it would have felt like we just had to cross things off our to-do list rather than enjoy our day. We did do a first dance—only because we took some swing lessons and wanted to show off our skills. But even that was not super choreographed and planned. We also walked down the aisle together which felt so special to me. It felt like we were walking into this thing called marriage together. When it comes to finding vendors, do a ton of research. Don’t always rely on web sites. Sometimes they look a little cheesy, but when you speak to the people on the phone, you get a better vibe. Trust your instincts. When I found a vendor I trusted, I often ended up asking them for recommendations for other vendors. When the photographer we wanted was booked, they recommended me someone who they worked with in the past who ended up being more affordable and just as great!  If you are doing any DIY stuff you want set up beforehand, do everything before you arrive to the location. You don’t want to be tying bows the night before. Ship everything (with tracking number!) to the location or your wedding coordinator a few days ahead of time. And if you can afford it, hire a day of coordinator to set everything up. Even though it was an added expense, I am so happy I did that and didn’t have to worry about it the day of the event. (The only this is that you SHOULD bring your wedding dress on the plane with you as a carry on. Don’t ship it) • Learn to let go. Not everything is going to be perfect. It’s a destination wedding. Things are bound to go awry. Focus on the stuff that is important. You are getting married! All your family and friends are there. This is freakin awesome! If you keep this in mind, you will have the best day of your life. We did!

Ceremony Location: Holy Name of Jesus Church / Reception Location: Board of Trade / Food: Pigeon Catering / Photographer: Ooti Billeaud / Second Photographer: Brittany Mitchell/ Florist: Nola Flora / Cakes: Flour Power / Band: Some Like It Hot / Second Line Band: Jazzmen Brass Band / Hair and Make-up: Glam Therapy / Veil and Hairpiece: Bridal Veil Falls / Invitation and Save the Date: Michele Lee / Calligraphy: Jenna Hein / Cake Topper: The Small Object / Praline Favors: Southern Candymakers / Day of Coordinator: Taylor Quintini / Wedding Dress: Melissa Sweet Reverie / Bridal Shoes: Stuart Weitzman (heels)/ J. Crew (flats) / Bridesmaid Dress: Priscilla of Boston / Groom’s Suit: Perlis / Groom’s Shoes: Tommy Hilfiger