vows, beads and happiness: a new orleans wedding

As a Houston portrait and boudoir photographer, I don't get to travel outside too often. So when Jessica Vallecorsa of JVallecorsa Photography asked me to come second shoot in New Orleans for her beautiful couple late last year, a quick slideshow of happy memories in the French Quarter from my sailor days sparked brightly in my mind's eye. I, of course, speedily said yes. It was actually more like, "YES! YES yes yes YES!"

So the two of us packed our bags into her souped up red mini cooper and trekked eastward. What a little tart her mini cooper was, with its sparkling chrome accents and painted rear-view mirrors! The truckers couldn't help but honk at this beauty. Repeatedly. I'm hoping one year I'll be so good, Santa would bring me a mini cooper for Christmas.

And even though we met some traffic on the way there, it wasn't enough to dampen our spirits. We were rearing to go, batteries charged and energized both literally and metaphorically, when we met Lisa and Jay the next day in their separate hotel rooms. Actually, Jay was already dressed to the nines in his military uniform before I got there, anxiously waiting with his best man for Lisa to get ready. So I didn't get any of his "getting ready" shots, but that's alright. Here are some of my favorites:

Our first view of Oak Alley Plantation, where the ceremony was to be held, was breath-taking. The first thing that came to mind was Gone With the Wind's Tara, Scarlett O'Hara's majestic home. The ceremony was held under the trailing branches of these oak trees, presided over by Marie, our Justice of the Peace.

The tears came.

And didn't stop coming.

When the ceremony finished, we toured the grounds and got some amazing "Mr. and Mrs." photos. We kept it fun and romantic.

*So* Gone With the Wind!

I searched back into my early high school days for some inspiration for this next shot: I remembered reading a romance novel with something similar on the cover. You like?

Back into the limo and on our way to the French Quarter. I couldn't help but notice that they were not messing around with cutting the cake! That knife meant business.

Walking down Bourbon Street, we met all sorts of  fabulous characters.

The couple specifically wanted some gris-gris from Madame Laveau's House of Voodoo. For good luck!

Honestly, it was so much fun being there, being a part of Lisa and Jay's life as it unfolded in the most special day of their lives. Thank you Jess for asking me to shoot with you. I will definitely always remember this non-traditional New Orleans wedding.

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