Tell us a little about yourselves!
We met while Ahmad was in New York City for a work trip in 2015. We had already been following each other via social media and had many mutual friends from our hometown of New Orleans, LA. We met up over drinks in Harlem and the rest is history! Since then, we have been together for over 5 yrs. The first half of our relationship, we would visit each other for days at a time every month due to long-distance (Ahmad living in New Orleans and me living in New York City).
In September 2017, Ahmad relocated to New York City to be with his true love, me! He proposed to me on my 30th birthday in 2019 at The Palace of Versailles in France. After taking a tour of the estate's indoors, he found a quiet spot in the garden so I could have a birthday photoshoot. Ahmad promised me a new iPhone for my birthday, so I was in complete shock when he asked me to marry him instead. I was caught off guard and asked "Are you serious!?" After a few minutes of happy tears, I quickly added, "Yes!”
There wasn't a specific moment I knew he was the one but more so the consistency in his actions over time. When he was willing to move cross country to be with me, I knew this was someone who truly loved me! And I was excited to start that next chapter of our life together.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
We were initially planning to have 250 of our closest friends and family come celebrate our union in March 2021 but of course the pandemic changed all of that. We kept down sizing the list to be in compliance with the current/local guidelines but it became too stressful. In early January 2021, we made the hard decision to postpone our bigger wedding celebration to the same time in 2022. More than anything, we still wanted to get married on our original date so we started planning our private, micro ceremony to solidify our commitment to each other.
How many guests did you have?
We had 10 guests.
Tell us about your outfits.
Our Style was minimal, monochrome, soft and chic. My wedding dress was an ivory satin cut-out midi dress by Anna Quan, a designer I discovered on Net-A-Porter. It was so difficult to find a dress that was subtly sexy, elegant, and fresh (non-traditional) at an affordable price point. I couldn't have chosen a better dress!
My favorite accessories were jewelry pieces gifted to me that belonged to my late grandmothers; a ring from my maternal grandmother and a watch from my paternal grandmother.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
The most important part was keeping our original wedding date!
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
My aunt and uncle attending our wedding ceremony as surprise guests from across the Bayou! We kept our guest list to a very small number to keep everyone safe but that didn't stop my family from finding creative ways to still be a part of our special day. We got married in our aunt's backyard which sits along Bayou St. John. After the officiant officially announced us as husband and wife, we heard faint shouting from a distance. I couldn't believe they thought enough of us to watch our ceremony from afar, across the bayou. My heart was so full!
Any tips for couples getting married, particularly during Covid?
Know that everything will work out! Don't stress over what you can't control. You want to look back on your special day with no regrets. Trust your gut and instincts! You will have a lot of different (mostly unsolicited) opinions thrown at you but only you and your partner will know what's best for your special day And - stay true to your vision!
Photographer : Khrystina Steib from Steib Weddings @steibweddings | Ceremony Location : Private Residence along Bayou St. John in New Orleans | Reception Location : Private dinner at Superior Seafood @superiorseafood | Celebrant : Amaris Ross Hillard @iampastoram | Flora : Amanda McGowan @statementpiecesbyjane | Nail Stylist: Kiyann Bramlett @nolanailgirl | Hair Stylist : Denise Robinson @msdeescurlmagic | Cake : Amber Oliver @cakes_by_amm | Bride's Dress : Anna Quan @annaquanlabel | Bride's Shoes : Boohoo @boohoo | Groom's Shoes : Aldo Shoes @aldo_shoes | Engagement Ring : The Clearcut @theclearcut | Wedding Bands : Diamonds Direct @diamondsdirect | Bride's Earrings : Rayne Schlöss Only Made @onlymade.rs