Vintage Wedding: Susan Louise Read Weds Edward Douglas Johnson Jr.

Susan Read attended Sacred Heart, Rosemont College and Newcomb College, where she pledged Kappa Kappa Gamma. Doug Johnson attended St. Martin’s and the University of Texas, where he was president of his fraternity Sigma Chi. He then attended grad school at Tulane University while working at Boeing. Susan and Doug met at a debutante party in 1966, but they had “please escorts” with other people. Doug wanted to ask Susan out, finally asking her to go to Le Petit Théâtre! They started dating in April 1966 and were engaged on July 2, 1967. This is the same year that Susan was Queen of Osirus and was a Maid in Rex and Mithras. She was madly in love with Doug, and for that reason did not formally make a debut. Doug was always going to be her date!

Susan was busy at her first semester of her senior year at Newcomb, so of course most of the planning for her wedding was done by her mom, Natalie Read! They bought her wedding dress and picked out bridesmaids dresses at Kreeger’s. They wanted the wedding at Holy Name of Jesus Church and the reception at the New Orleans Country Club. Nat called Rohm’s to do the flowers for the club and bouquets for Susan and her bridesmaids, who included her sister and Maid of Honor Caroline, Elizabeth Pipes, Linda Legardeur, Suzanne Dupuy, Anne McIlhenny, Jean Denechaud and Sissy Lawson. Doug chose Brooks Emory as his best man and Bubby Sarpy, Bobby Kerrigan, Charlie Steen, Dick Hesse, Tommy Coleman, Walter Mooney, John Reynolds and Susan’s brothers, Michael and Stephen Read, as groomsmen.

There were cocktail parties, showers and luncheons galore leading up to the wedding, including a fabulous party at Edith and Edgar Stern’s at Longue Vue. Susan’s dad, Louis Read, was the vice president and managing partner at WDSU.  The rehearsal dinner was at the Pontchartrain Hotel in a private room, and the wedding reception for about 600 friends was a cocktail buffet.

Susan and Doug stayed their first night at the Royal Orleans Hotel and then were off to their honeymoon at the Grand Hotel in Point Clear, Alabama.

Susan and Doug have three beautiful girls and eight grandchildren. Susan has stayed active, chairing many fundraisers and Junior League activities, and Doug is a founding partner at Johnson Rice here in New Orleans! 


Vintage Wedding: Susan Louise Read Weds Edward Douglas Johnson Jr.

Vintage Wedding: Susan Louise Read Weds Edward Douglas Johnson Jr.

Vintage Wedding: Susan Louise Read Weds Edward Douglas Johnson Jr.


 

Digital Sponsors

Become a MyNewOrleans.com sponsor ...