Once again, St. Charles Avenue magazine is delighted to present you a curated selection of locals’ weddings for your enjoyment. Whether you’re in the midst of planning your own wedding, dreaming of one in the future or just like to view how people have celebrated their “big days,” you can find inspiration, beauty and the knowledge that no matter where New Orleanians’ weddings takes place, our locals can’t help but show their local pride. In this, our 14th compendium, we offer you six weddings that prove no matter the size, location or opulence, love shines through.
DeLucca – Gibbs
After working the night shift, Christina Marie DeLucca went to The Green Fork for a juice, not a husband, but a chance meeting with Brent James Gibbs changed all that. They clicked instantly and were soon having dinner at Marcello’s downtown.
A year later, while vacationing at Alys Beach, Florida, Brent asked Christina to go for a walk on the beach at dusk. It was there in the sand that he asked her to be his wife.
On April 22, 2017, Fr. Eduardo Gabriel married Christina and Brent at Gulf Green at Alys Beach. Jim Couch played guitar and vocals and Donnie Sundal was on keyboards.
Festivities had started the night before at a rehearsal dinner hosted by Brent’s parents at Restaurant Paradis on Rosemary Beach.
After dinner, guests wandered down to the beach to enjoy live music, dessert and a bonfire celebration.
Immediately after the wedding ceremony, guests were served Dark & Stormy cocktails and participated in a New Orleans-style second-line leading through the streets of Alys to the reception venue, Central Park at Alys Beach.
Christina’s bouquet incorporated photos of the couple’s grandparents and a piece of lace from her mother’s wedding veil.
Café Thirty A, a favorite restaurant of the couple, catered the wedding reception, which featured seafood favorites such as Royal red shrimp, stone crab and charbroiled oysters. The couple kicked off the dancing with Van Morrison’s “These are the Days” played by The Atlanta Party Band.
Anna Schaefer and Glenny Beahm from AN.GLE Events and Brian Watson of Myrtie Blue interpreted the bright tropical green and relaxed elegance that the couple wanted into the décor and design elements of the wedding. Margaret Jones of Scriptura created an invitation suite expressing the same island vibe.
AN.GLE events also added delightful touches, such as an appearance by French Truck Coffee as the night wore on and including Green Fork cookies in the guests’ welcome bags alongside custom sunglasses.
The couple spent a week at Alys Beach after the wedding and then returned to Old Metairie where they live. Christina is an Anesthesiologist at Ochsner Medical Center and Brent is a Ship Pilot on the MS River with Crescent River Port Pilots’ Association.
Bride’s Dress: Inbal Dror, Dimitras Bridal Chicago & Custom capelet by Suzanne Perron St. Paul New Orleans
Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Joanna August Flower Girl Dresses: Susanne Lively, Mignon Children’s Boutique
Groom’s Attire: Custom Luca Falcone
Groomsmen’s Attire: Perlis
Engagement & Wedding Rings: Custom by BeJe Diamonds and Jewelry
Rentals: SOHO Events & Rentals
Wedding & Groom’s Cakes: Confections on the Coast
Photographers: James Cusimano and Otto Schulze of James + Schulze, Colorado
Videographer: Sixpence Productions
Hair: Jared Landry, Paris Parker on Prytania
Makeup: Sean Gispert, Paris Parker on Prytania
DuQuesnay – Cunningham
Cousins are often your best friends, and so it is with Katherine Duncan du Quesnay and her cousin Emily du Quesnay Walhood. Emily invited Kate to Dallas for a holiday weekend and arranged several blind dates for the seasonal events. As fate would have it, one date was enough. Kate met Peter “Perry” Murray Cunningham Jr. and was swept off her feet.
After two years of dating, Perry organized a surprise trip to Laguna Beach, California, where he proposed at sunset on bended knee.
Chef John Besh’s team hosted the rehearsal dinner at Pigeon & Prince and after dinner a second-line, with a San Antonio flair, moved the party to the top of Latrobe’s for dessert and to continue the celebration.
On Saturday, March 25, 2017, Kate and Perry were married at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in New Orleans. Father Jonathon Hemelt and Father Juan Torres, O.P. and several Notre Dame seminarians performed the ceremony, which incorporated Gregorian chants, Latin prayers and beautiful music performed by Vance Woolf.
The reception was held at the New Orleans Country Club, which was adorned with oyster decorations including oyster topiaries, oyster garlands and oyster and pearl chandeliers. Meade Wenzel’s flowers in springtime pastel shades and fairy lights set the mood for the evening and completed the unique décor. Photographer Elizabeth Dondis captured the whole celebration
Kate’s “something old” and “something borrowed” was her great-grandmother’s wedding handkerchief, which is over 100 years old and has been carried by 32 family brides.
Kate and Perry led the dancing with Stevie Wonder’s “Signed Sealed Delivered (I’m Yours)” and then Kate took the floor with her father, Clay, to the sounds of “Shama Lama Ding Dong.”
Fun favors included “Don’t take my drink, I’m dancing” coasters, koozies, white flip flops and glowing ice cubes.
The couple enjoyed a honeymoon in the Caribbean Islands and returned to Houston, where Perry works for Guggenheim Partners and Kate for investment bank Jefferies.
Bride’s Dress: Theia, A & Be Bridal Shop, Dallas
Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Bari Jay
Groom’s Attire: Black Tuxedo, J. Hillburn
Wedding & Groom’s Cakes: Bittersweet Confections
Hair: Marcia Gauthreaux
Makeup: Tisa Beauty Bar Music: Mo’Sol
Gardiner – Webster
Elizabeth Hallowell Gardiner and Clifford Sewall Webster Jr., met on the beach on the coast of Maine when they were 8 years old. They saw each other every summer. They started dating seriously when they were 26, and within the year Cliff proposed on that same beach at sunset between their parents’ houses.
On September 10, 2016, Elizabeth and Cliff were married on the lawn of Elizabeth’s ancestral home, Oaklands, in Gardiner, Maine. A cousin of the groom, William Webster, officiated the ceremony and Elizabeth’s mother and brother sang “La Vie en Rose.”
The couple incorporated a feeling of “elegant farm” into the reception with leafy greens and soft whites. They married Elizabeth’s southern roots to their shared history in Maine with items such as Maine crab cakes with Tabasco aioli. The entrée was a farm-to-table family-style seated dinner including beef tenderloin from Elizabeth’s family farm.
Scriptura of New Orleans created a custom chifre for the couple with their initials across an oak tree to symbolize Oaklands, and a custom map of Maine for the save-the-dates highlighting where the couple was engaged and key wedding locations.
Cliff made custom game boards with a large “W” to honor their married name and Elizabeth gave her husband cufflinks with the dates and coordinates of the locations where they were engaged and married.
Since Elizabeth’s grandmother, Virginia McIhenny, could not attend the wedding, she wrote wishes for the couple that were printed in the wedding program.
The coupled honeymooned in Kennebunkport, Maine and Chilean Patagonia. They now live in Boston, Massachusetts where Elizabeth works in marketing for Sanofi Genzyme and Cliff is in management for Wayfair.
Ceremony Music: Trumpet Voluntary
Bride’s Dress: Theia, Blanc Bridal (now Town & Country)
Bridesmaids’ Dresses: BHLDN
Engagement Ring: The groom’s great-grandmother’s
Bride’s & Groom’s Wedding Bands: Custom made by Jean Boyadjian
Florist: KMD Florist
Favor: Custom Tabasco Bottles
Caterer & Wedding Cake: Aurora Provisions
Photographer: Mark McCall
Videographer: Boston Wedding Films
Hair & Make Up: Holly O’Reilly
Music: Bernie and the Waiters
Scanlon – Roche
Kathryn Lane Scanlon went to Pat O’Brien’s in the French Quarter to catch up with one of her best friends, Simms Carbine, who bumped into some other friends from Dallas. James Campbell Roche was one of those friends and, after a hurricane or two, Campbell invited Katie to the Alabama/LSU football game the next day.
Two years later, Katie, who was now living in Dallas, came back to New Orleans for an early Christmas dinner with her family, because she had to work on Christmas Day. Campbell had told Katie he was in Austin, Texas with his family. On arriving at Brennan’s, Katie’s sister Shelley led her to one of the private dining rooms, where Campbell was waiting to ask her to marry him. After Katie said “yes,” both sets of families celebrated Christmas and the engagement together.
On Saturday, May 27, 2017, Katie and Campbell were married under the beautiful oak tree at The New Orleans Country Club, where Katie’s parents were also married.
Kenny LaCour and Laura Thomas of Grand Events had orchestrated a fabulous rehearsal dinner at Arnaud’s the night before. A jazz band had welcomed guests, and after dinner the party went upstairs for a “Cocktails and Confections” dessert celebration. The night ended in a surprise finale with a second-line through the French Quarter.
For the wedding reception, Kenny and Laura decorated the NOCC main ballroom with lush forest greenery and burnished gold urns. Furniture such as benches, shelving and cabinetry was custom made for the formal dining room and a “Texas” room was created, complete with Texas cuisine and authentic longhorns.
Campbell’s groom’s cake also honored his home state of Texas, featuring his beloved cowboy boots and archery bow case for hunting.
The couple spent two weeks in Vietnam and Thailand and returned to Dallas, where Katie is registered nurse at Texas Scottish Rite for Children and Campbell is Managing Director at Holliday Fenoglio Fowler, a commercial real estate capital intermediary.
Bride’s Dress: Ramona Keveza, Warren Barron, Dallas, Texas
Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Dessy Group, Bella Bridesmaids
Groom’s Attire: Tuxedo by Canali
Engagement Ring: Baron Jewelry, New York City
Bride’s & Groom’s Wedding Bands: Bachendorf’s, Dallas, Texas
Celebrant: Andrew Forrest
Ceremony Music: Harry Hardin
Florist: Stephen Sonnier, Dunn & Sonnier
Invitation: Scriptura
Wedding & Groom’s Cakes: Zoë’s Bakery
Photographer: James Shaw
Videographer: Shotgun Films
Hair: Cassie Caillouet
Makeup: Tisa Camet
Music: Main Attraction
Schultz – Lester
Mutual friends introduced Rebecca Ann Schultz and Dr. Daniel Goddard Lester late in 2015. But since they were both traveling through the holidays, they spent several weeks getting to know each other through long telephone conversations.
Their first date in January 2016 at Boucherie quickly led to another, and 15 months later while celebrating his birthday in South Carolina, Daniel popped the question.
Rebecca is the incoming Vice President of the Board at the New Orleans Botanical Garden, and when The Helis Foundation Enrique Alférez Sculpture Garden opened two years ago, she knew that was the place she would one day enjoy her wedding.
Magistrate Judge Daniel E. Knowles III married Rebecca and Daniel on May 17, 2017. The couple invited immediate family only, and guests were asked to wear pastel colors or floral patterns to go with the garden wedding theme.
The bride’s bouquet and the groom’s boutonniere were made by Susan Capley of the New Orleans Botanical Garden staff with flowers cut fresh that morning from the garden. The intimate ceremony was followed by lunch at Mat & Naddie’s Restaurant, a neighborhood favorite that the couple frequents.
Guests were served a family-style meal provided by Michael’s Catering in the private event space. The wedding cakes were created by Gambino’s Bakery, owned by the groom’s aunt and uncle. Daniel is Canadian, so it was very touching that the groom’s cake featured a Canadian flag.
Immediately following their wedding, the couple left for a trip to France visiting Paris and Provence. They will celebrate their marriage throughout the summer with parties in New Orleans, Nantucket, Massachusetts and Toronto, Canada.
The couple splits their time between New Orleans and Alexandria. Rebecca will continue in her role as a fundraising and event planner and Daniel is an endodontist in Alexandria.
Coordinator: Carla Adams
Bride’s Dress: Saks Fifth Avenue, customized by Vanda Couture
Groom’s Attire: Canali suit, Weiss & Goldring
Engagement Ring: Bride’s maternal grandmother’s
Bride’s and Groom’s Wedding Bands: Adler’s Jewelry
Caterer: Michael’s Catering
Photographer: Natalie Finnegan
Hair: David Pham
Makeup: Alicia Higginbotham
Wilson – Wolfe
After a casual introduction at Oak Wine Bar, Michael Joseph Wolfe planned a memorable first date in the French Quarter with Caroline Benson Wilson.
The evening began with oysters at Bourbon House, followed by cocktails at Arnaud’s French 75 and ended with music at Irvin Mayfield’s Playhouse at The Royal Sonesta Hotel.
That wonderful evening was followed by many more, and about a year and a half later, after Caroline had played an exhausting tennis tournament, Michael insisted they wander around the French Quarter.
Slightly reluctantly, Caroline agreed. After appetizers at Galatoire’s 33 Bar & Steak the couple wandered through Jackson Square. Michael suggested having a caricature artist draw them. Again, slightly reluctantly, Caroline agreed. After an hour sitting in the sun, the artist revealed the drawing showing Michael on one knee with the caption, “Will you marry me?”
After Caroline said “yes,” they returned to Michael’s French Quarter condo where all of their friends and siblings were ready to celebrate. The festivities continued at Michael’s parents’ house, where both sets of parents and families had gathered to toast the newly engaged couple.
Six months later family and friends gathered for a rehearsal dinner at The Pelican Club, one of the couple’s favorite restaurants. After dinner, more guests and friends gathered for an after party at Galatoire’s 33 Bar & Steak.
On Saturday, December 10, 2016, Dr. Don Frampton married Caroline and Michael in the chapel at St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church.
The wedding party traveled to Brennan’s in the French Quarter for the reception. A magnificent wall of hanging orchids greeted guests as they entered, reflecting the bride’s beautiful all white orchid bouquet and floral arrangements for the ceremony.
The bride had always had M&M’s on her birthday cakes, so white versions of the candy were used for the wedding cake, which was displayed on a glass stand atop a stunning arrangement of white flowers including lilies, orchids and hydrangeas.
The groom’s bulldozer cake was accessorized with hard hats representing the construction industry in which both the bride and the groom work.
After enjoying a meal that included a full seafood bar in Brennan’s Oyster Room replete with ice sculpture, the couple toasted their marriage with silver goblets, which had belonged to the groom’s late paternal grandmother.
The couple led the dancing with “This Magic Moment” by The Drifters, and Tracy Wisehart-Plaisance captured the evening in a live painting.
Caroline and Michael spent two weeks in South America visiting Jose Ignacio, Uruguay, Mendoza, Cordoba and Buenos Aires, Argentina. They returned to their townhouse in the Garden District where Michael is the Vice President of Circle Construction, LLC and Caroline is the Manager of Communications and Culture for Barriere Construction Co., LLC.
Bride’s Dress: Pronovias, Town & Country
Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Jenny Yoo, Wedding Belles
Groom’s Attire: Baroni Prive, Perlis, with a needlepoint belt made by the bride
Groomsmen’s Attire: Baroni Prive, Perlis, with needlepoint belts made by the mother-of-the-bride
Bride’s and Groom’s Rings: Beje Jewelers Coordinator: Claudia Kelleher
Florist: Thibodaux’s Florist
Arrival Gift: Split of Veuve Clicqout and two engraved champagne flutes with wedding cipher
Favor: Roman Candy and Silver Bells
Invitation: Scriptura
Wedding and Groom’s Cake: Flour Power
Photographer: Jeff Pounds
Hair: Hope Webb, One 2 One
Makeup: Tisa Camet
Music: The Surround Sound Band
