Last year, Elisabeth McGuigan Gray got an early birthday gift. It was July 5, the day before her birthday, and the same night of the Tim McGraw/Faith Hill concert they were going to in New Orleans. Before the concert, Brian Lee Laborde, her boyfriend, told Elisabeth that he had an early birthday gift for her because he had to head back to Houston on her birthday. They were at her parents’ home and Brian took her outside to give her the gift: an engagement ring, of course. But unbeknownst to her, in the meantime friends and both sets of parents were in the house, so when the duo walked in the crowd was there to congratulate them—and wish Elisabeth a very happy birthday.
For the wedding, Elisabeth had a definite idea what she preferred. “I wanted it to be a light and fun evening, a spring soirée,” she says. To get just the right look, she called on Urban Earth to translate her ideas; she wanted all white flowers interspersed with coral and green. Her bridal bouquet was white peonies (“We fought for those—they were hard to find,” says Elisabeth), hydrangeas and tulips, while her bridesmaids carried smaller bouquets that had a splash of color coming from the coral peonies. The coral color carried over to Brian and his groomsmen’s Vineyard Vine ties that they wore.
The ceremony was at the Academy of Sacred Heart chapel, where Elisabeth wore a Junko Yoshioka for Bonaparte NY dress she found in Houston at Casa di Novia. Made of white duchesse silk, the top of the bodice was trimmed a ruffled organza ribbon. The bridesmaids donned Vera Wang lavender dresses from Ballin’s.
The reception was held at the New Orleans Country Club, which Urban Earth adorned with large white arrangements of flowers: peonies, Casablanca lilies, French tulips, tulips, hydrangeas and peonies. When Elisabeth started calling to secure places for the wedding, the only date she could get was May 5—Cinco de Mayo, which happened to be one of her favorite holidays. And in honor of that, one country club’s room was Mexican themed.
The cakes were by Zoë’s Bakery: the five-tier wedding cake was adorned with hydrangeas, while the groom’s cake was chocolate with a marlin jumping out of it—fishing is Brian’s hobby. Harvey Jesus and Fire provided the night’s entertainment.
After their honeymoon in St. John in the Virgin Islands, the couple returned to Houston, where Elisabeth works for Gulf Coast Entertainment, and Brian is the finance director of marine operations for Martin Midstream Partners.
Elisabeth and Brian Laborde leaving the church.
Todd Laborde, John Tracy Laborde Jr., Elisabeth and Brian,
Susan Laborde, Tracy Laborde and Marc Laborde
Bill Gray, Kathy Gray, Elisabeth and Brian, and Caroline Gray
Trisha Gregory, Babo Neubach, Ginger Logan, C’Airey Parker, Caroline Gray, Elisabeth, Joanie McEnery, Claire Meunier, Clare Colton, Nicole Laan and Margaret Blackwell
Patrick Browne, Devin Wakeman, John Tracy Laborde Jr., Todd Laborde, Matt Mann, Brian, ring bearer Becker Ferrer, James Lapeyre, Patrick Abadie, Marc Laborde, Ashton Laborde and Charley Katz
