Most engagements last months, and planning a wedding can become a time-consuming affair; but for Rachel Emma O’Dwyer and Devereux “Parker” Moring Jr., a two-week engagement was all the time
they needed to organize their intimate wedding.
Rachel and Parker had been family friends for a long time, and throughout the years they both saw each other socially and stayed in touch. They began dating when Parker was living and working in Mexico. The majority of their relationship was long-distance and there came a point when the two needed to make some decisions about their future. In July 2010, Parker found out he was being transferred to Egypt and asked Rachel if she wanted to marry him and embark on this adventure with him. Of course she said yes!
The service was primarily for family members. Avra O’Dwyer and Sally Moring, Rachel and Parker’s mothers, respectively, worked together to help coordinate the wedding. Luckily Meg Moring, Parker’s sister, came in town at the last minute from graduate school in California. Both Ruth O’Dwyer (Rachel’s sister) and Meg read stories from the Old and New Testament at the service.
On Saturday, August 7, 2010, Rachel and Parker married at Ralph’s on the Park. The couple believed that this would be the perfect place for their reception given the quick timeline to plan the wedding and they loved the private the lovely location.
Rachel wore a cream taffeta dress with rosettes circling the bottom trim, purchased from Saks Fifth Avenue. Fresh white roses decorated her hair and she held a bouquet of lilies designed by Villere. She also wore earrings that belonged to her great grandmother.
Parker wore a suit from Jos. A. Banks and a tie from Hermes purchased in New York City with a single white rose as his boutonniere. Parker’s parents gave him his grandfather’s gold watch, which he thought had been lost in Hurricane Katrina.
Jessie Adams performed the service. As a very special touch, Rachel’s wedding band was graced by diamonds given to her by her grandmother.
After the service, lunch was served to celebrate the marriage. Appetizers included: Worcestershire & Citrus Glazed Lamb Spare Ribs, Oysters Rockfeller Reprise and Ravigote Napoleon.
The first course was a City Park Salad, which included baby red oak, romaine lettuce, Granny Smith apples, Stilton bleu cheese and apple wood smoked bacon. The second course was a choice of grilled bone-in filet, pannéed veal, spiced cream cheese encrusted cobia or lump crabmeat and Creole tomato salad.
The third course was a traditional wedding cake created by Swiss Cakes on St. Charles Avenue. The two-tiered cake was covered with off-white traditional almond and beige frosting. Off-white and champagne colored sugar roses adorned the top and cascaded down the sides. Since Rachel and Parker are both Saints fans, they thought it would be appropriate to have fleurs-de-lis between the flowers.
The flower arrangements were oblong-shaped and composed of lilies, white roses, bells of Ireland and hydrangeas.
The fathers and grandfathers each wore a single white rose and the mothers and grandmothers wore orchids.
Rebecca O’Dwyer, Rachel’s sister, and Cathy Howard took pictures for the wedding. Rebecca wanted to take the pictures for her sister’s ceremony as a special gift to her sister, and she recruited her friend Cathy to assist.
After the wedding Rachel and Parker spent two nights in the Roosevelt New Orleans, explored downtown and rested before their big move to Egypt.
Next year, Rachel and Parker plan to have a party to celebrate their wedding with friends and family who were not able to attend their ceremony at such a short notice. Following the party the couple will take their official honeymoon. Currently Rachel and Parker live in Egypt where Rachel volunteers in giving women self-confidence and sales skills while Parker works at a local company.
