If you could sum up your wedding in three words, what would they be?
Sentimental, Romantic, Energetic
Tell us about your wedding venue(s) and why you chose to get married there.
We chose to get married in New Orleans because my parents met there, my dad grew up there, and I spent a lot of time there as a child. It was also our first vacation destination together. When we were thinking about where to get married, we wanted a central location to accommodate all of our friends and family members who are scattered across the country. Also, New Orleans is ALWAYS a good time and we knew it would give everything a fun vibe!!! I chose the Elms Mansion for a few reasons: I wanted an outdoor venue and imagined lots of string lights hanging from magnolia trees. I also wanted to have my ceremony and reception at the same place to make the experience seamless. The Elms had a beautiful pavilion for our ceremony and I equally loved how easy it was to turn the space into a gorgeous reception location while everyone toured the mansion and had cocktails in the library. It was a classic, romantic, quintessentially southern venue that I felt captured the beauty of New Orleans.
What was your favorite wedding detail?
I loved the flowers! I wanted the colors to be soft and neutral with lots of greenery and touches of gold. I also LOVED the lighting of our ceremony and reception space. The candles and string lighting really set the mood. I also fell in love with our invitations— they incoporated our New Orleans theme while still keeping the romantic vibe I envisioned.
What is your favorite wedding memory from the day?
Oh goodness, that is a hard question. Besides hearing Pat say his vows (which absolutely had me crying and were so romantic), I would have to say ending the night with a trolley ride and second line down Canal Street was my favorite memory. Our wedding was a destination wedding and most of our guests had never been to New Orleans, so that was such a fun detail to incorporate and people still gush to me about it. Partying down the street and watching the entire city celebrate your new marriage WITH you is such an incredible experience!!! But, I also really enjoyed our first dance— we practiced for so long to learn swing, rumba and tango!
How did you incorporate your personalities into your wedding celebration?
Pat and I have traveled a lot in our relationship and LOVE to try new foods, drink good wine and beer, and experience new places. We love vacations! And we are close to our families! When we sat down to talk about our wedding, we decided that the most important thing to us is that all of our guests had FUN and that our wedding was an experience and a vacation for everyone! So we made sure that we had great southern food, New Orleans drinks, a live band, and plenty of opportunities to spend time as a group over the weekend. We hosted a welcome dinner and post-wedding brunch so everyone could spend time together. Also, we wrote our ceremony (very non traditional) to make sure it suited our beliefs of what marriage looked like to us. We wrote our own vows and had a wine box ceremony because that felt more authentic to our relationship than a more traditional ceremony.
What is your wedding song?
“Let’s Stay Together” by Al Green & “Hallelujah I Love her So” by Ray Charles
Prep Location: Hotel Monteleone | Ceremony & Reception Location: Elms Mansion | Event Planner: Unique Weddings and Events | Catering: Elms Mansion | Florist: Iris Florals | Wedding Cake: The Sweet Life Bakery | Wedding Dress Designer: Olvi at Maeme Bridal | Getting Ready Attire: Plum Pretty Sugar | Bridesmaid Dresses: Bhldn and Stone Cold Fox | Bride’s Hair & Makeup: Flawless Bride | Ceremony Music: Harry Hardin | Reception Music: Phunky Monkeys | Videography: Bridefilm | Stationary: Copper Willow Paper Studio | Transportation: RTA Trolley
