Abbey and Louis were married in an early Fall wedding at Christ Cathedral Church, followed by a reception at the Chicory. Check out their story, in their own words, below!
How did you meet?
We actually met at a wedding. Louis was the best man, and I was a friend of the bride - passing out brochures & manning the guest book. We met at the rehearsal dinner, but didn't hit it off until the after-reception party the next night. We kept in touch and dated long distance before I made the move to Georgia, where we now live.
Proposal story?
We were in Birmingham, AL, for a friend's 30th birthday around New Year's. Little did I know he had been planning a surprise proposal at the Botanical Gardens there. The Gardens were across the street from our hotel, so we decided to go walk around to "kill time" prior to the birthday party. Louis had a friend go out there and set up the location for us and take photos of our special moment. We had been talking about getting married for a while, but it was a total surprise. We got to spend the rest of the weekend celebrating the new year and our new life together with friends.
What was your favorite part of wedding planning?
Our time spent in New Orleans! Louis's family is from Houma, so we took our opportunities there to spend time in the city and bring our families together to meet and be part of the planning process. We love traveling to New Orleans, so it was important to us to incorporate that energy into our wedding for those that have never been. We made a point to work with vendors that not only knew the city, but captured some of that same vitality.
Least favorite?
Probably just the time and money spent. All throughout the process, we tried to be evaluative of what we needed and what we could live without, and while we loved everything that we chose and would ultimately have changed very little, the energy put into making those decisions is exhausting.
Favorite memory of the wedding day?
I think just having our friends and family show up for us in a way bigger than we ever could have imagined. Most everyone had to travel to get to New Orleans, and we had very few that weren't able to make the trip. Those that came were genuinely supportive, loving, and literally cheering us on throughout the day. There was a moment as our reception was winding down, and our second line ended in a dance party in the middle of Fulton Alley, and Louis and I got to get a bird's eye view all of these people that mean so much to us.
Advice to other couples?
Try to have fun with it, and make it your own. Pick 2-3 things that are the MOST important to you for the day, and focus on those as you plan. The rest will fall into place, and you can adjust your budget and energy and accordingly. Also, rely on your vendors. Prior to the day of, just make sure you know who is going to be where, but for the most part, your vendors will be the ones that usher you through the day so you don't have to think so much about the timelines.
Vendor Credits
Photography | Brocato Photography Collective
Coordination & Styling | Satchel Planning & Design
Ceremony Venue | Christ Cathedral Church
Reception Venue | The Chicory
Prep Location | International House
Bridal Gown | The White Room, Mountain Brook, AL
Florist | Leaf + Petal
Baker | Beth Biundo Sweets
Reception & Secondline Band | Nola Dukes
Hair & Makeup | Verde Beauty