St. Charles Avenue’s Social Columnist, Shelby Westfeldt, married John David Mills at the Westfeldts’ compound in Fletcher, N.C. on Saturday, August 10. It was a magical wedding reception despite the rain that came down right after they said their vows in Christ School’s St. Joseph Chapel.
Shelby, a coffee trader with Westfeldt Brothers, and John, a landscape architect with Rene Fransen, met during college at Alabama and dated for two years. It was the Friday before Mardi Gas and they were going to watch the parades at a friend’s house before going to dinner at La Petite Grocery. They both ordered martinis and the waitress sat Shelby’s on top of a napkin that said, “Shelby, will you marry me?” She looked up and John was on one knee holding the most beautiful ring she had ever seen. She said, “Yes!”
Shelby wanted her wedding to be at their family home and compound dated to 1860 in Fletcher, N.C., right outside of Ashville. She booked the band Party on the Moon and Margo Bouanchaud from Baton Rouge for the fabulous dinner. Food stations included a seafood bar, a meat station, a fry station with shrimp, oysters and soft shell crabs and many more. The tent that connected to the main house and the other rentals all came from Classic Event Rentals. Shelby chose The Bloom Room for flowers and decorations, which included cascading flowers and greenery all over the tent and tables.
After leaving the church, all guests left in buses and were entertained at Sunny’s Lodge on the property while the wedding party took pictures. They then second-lined to the tent and the big house, complete with umbrellas. John and Shelby’s first dance was to “You’re All I Need to Get By” by Marvin Gay and Tammie Terrel.
After the magical night, fireworks lit up the night sky and Shelby and John were off to honeymoon in Jumby Bay near Antiqua.
