Tell us a little about yourselves!
We’re goofy, non-traditional, true best friends. Avid lovers of Star Wars. We have the same birthday but one year apart.
Why did you decide to get married where you did?
I went on a trip about 10 years ago with my mom to New Orleans and fell in love with the city. The following year we took my grandfather, who was like a father to me, with us. We did a road trip down from Chicago and had the time of our life. The three of us were always close, but that trip brought us closer in ways I cant describe. On our drive back to Chicago, he told us it was the best trip of his life. He passed away a year later and my mom and I made it a tradition to visit every year.
When I met Jack, something felt different. And when I asked my mom if he could join us in our tradition trip to New Orleans, she knew I would marry him. When he proposed, he told me there was nowhere he could imagine other than New Orleans. Latrobe’s on Royal in NOLA was a great middle point for all of our families and friends, and would keep the spirit we wanted – for everyone to have the time of their lives!
How many guests did you have?
120. Coral Dove captured our day.
Tell us about your outfits.
We knew we wanted to be non-traditional in every aspect of the wedding. Jack and I went shopping one day and saw something that caught our eye for him in the window of Brooks Brothers.
What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?
Personalization. We knew this was not just about us, but also about all of our loved ones that were coming to celebrate with us. We wanted everyone to know how much we appreciate, respect, and love them for getting us to the point we were. And we wanted them all to feel as special as we felt with having them there. So we planned in a way that we knew everyone would have a great time!
Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?
Our family altar. We had three members of our families that passed away and were not able to be with us. But we know their spirit is with us always. We wanted to make sure their energies felt welcome and seen in our space. We reserved our first seats for them with portraits of them which I incorporated monarch butterflies on the frames. We also had a special alter in the reception room for them with all of our offerings we’ve collected for them through the years.
And when we first arrived, we made sure to stop at the church in Jackson Square to light a candle in welcoming their spirits to guide us and be with us on our special day. Their love was absolutely felt.
Any tips for couples getting married?
Don’t be afraid to feel all of the feels. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed. There were times that we were at each other’s throat in the planning process, but what grounded us was talking with our counsellor. Our counsellor was amazing and getting us to talk about what we loved about the other, and bringing us back to why we were doing this to begin with.
Also, fellas, don’t be afraid to jump in! What made it easy for us was the tag team we were doing. I was able to focus on a lot of the craft of things/materials/creative while Jack took on all of the communication and negotiation with vendors. This strengthens the love and friendship between the two of you!
Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?
Minister LaToya. We absolutely love her. She was able to see us through our story we told her. The tears never stopped during her ceremony speech. I feel absolutely blessed that we were able to be with her during such a special time in our life!
Photographer : Caitlin Taylor from Coral Dove @coral.dove | Videographer : Sutton Raphael @suttonraphael | Ceremony + Reception Location : Latrobe’s on Royal @latrobesonroyal | Celebrant : Minister LaToya @ministertoya | Rentals : Firefly Ambiance @fireflyambiance | Planner : Latrobe’s on Royal @latrobesonroyal | Flora : Sharime Kayla Design @sharime_kayla | HMUA : by the Bride | Catering + Beverages : Latrobe’s on Royal @latrobesonroya | Brass Band : True Blue @truebluebrassband l | Ceremony Dress : Wona Bridal @wona.nyc | Party Dress : Nadine Merabi @nadinemerabi | Grooms Tux : Brooks Brothers @brooksbrothers | Engagement Ring : Mateo NYC @mateonewyork | Wedding Rings : Vintage | Bride's Shoes : Jeffery Campbell @jeffreycampbell