Cheryl Christina Mintz and Brett Patrick Bauman both have strong philanthropic backgrounds and met while doing charity work for the March of Dimes. Their courtship was already filled with romantic trips including skiing vacations, scuba diving and many more adventures when Brett decided to take the next step and ask Cheryl to marry him.
Brett, as a true Southern gentleman, asked Cheryl’s father, Mitchell Mintz, for her hand in marriage, and Mr. Mintz simply replied, “You better ask her mother first.” Christie Mintz, of course, warmly invited Brett to join the family.
Two weeks later, Brett and Cheryl were in Destin, Fla. strolling down the beach at sunset when Brett brought Cheryl over to a nearby bench. Getting down on one knee Brett said “I love you very much, Cheryl,” as he reached into his pocket, “and I wanted to know if you would do me the honor of spending the rest of my life with you?” Cheryl whispered “Yes” and gave Brett a big kiss and hug.
Cheryl and Brett wed on November 14, 2009, at Touro Synagogue, the same synagogue where Christie and Mitchell wed. Preserving tradition, Rabbi David Goldstein, who also married Cheryl’s parents, and Rabbi Alexis Berk co-officiated the wedding. The two exchanged their vows under a chuppah of silver branches with blush roses.
Cheryl wore a very light-pink, raw silk, 1930s-style mermaid gown designed by Romona Keveza and purchased at Stanley Korshak in Dallas. Her veil was delicately accented with Italian lace incorporated into a golden border designed by Dami Behlar. She held a classic bouquet of Pink Goddess calla lilies. Brett wore formal tails from John’s Tuxedos with Pirate’s Jolly Rogers cufflinks that matched the pirate ship groom’s cake.
Each bridesmaid chose her own unique, black dress; Cheryl’s only request was that each lady felt beautiful in whichever dress she picked. The bridesmaids held multicolored rose bouquets. The groomsmen wore Formal Tails from John’s Tuxedos.
The reception was held at Cheryl’s family home – the more than 100-year-old Pratt Plantation. Meade Wenzel created the floral arrangements; a staircase was blanketed with peonies and blush and pink roses, and each table
had a unique arrangement of roses or orchids.
Joel’s catered the event, serving treats including: chargrilled and raw oysters; sushi; and numerous carving and pasta stations. A full bar was available offering everything from champagne to Crown Royal. Melissa Samuels created a 5-foot tall wedding cake with a different flavor for each layer that included fresh ingredients from local vendors. The decoration of the cake included thousands of gum paste sugar flowers painted in a pearl finish to shimmer through the night.
Leif Peterson and Sandy Smith, Big Band of 14 and a baby grand piano offered entertainment for the reception. For a whole year Cheryl and Brett worked on their first dance, a waltz to “So This is Love” from Disney’s Cinderella.
After the waltz, “Sunrise Sunset” played as the father of the bride and mother of the groom danced with their children. Cheryl then serenaded her new husband in French and English with the classic love ballad “La Vie en Rose.”
Photographer David Tompkins captured each special moment of the relationship, including a romantic bike ride during their engagement and their enchanting wedding send-off kiss in a Cinderella-esque carriage. Busters Videography captured the event on film.
Fireworks provided a fantastic completion to the fairytale celebration. The send-off began when Cheryl ascended the balcony to toss her bouquet to her eager single bridesmaids; the couple then boarded their horse-drawn carriage to begin a new life together.
Cheryl and Brett went on a three-week honeymoon to Thailand, Cambodia and Paris. The two currently live in Lake Terrace in New Orleans. Cheryl is currently a manager, buyer and publicist for Hurwitz Mintz Furniture Company, and Brett is the CEO of Planetguide, a multimedia company.
