In early 2020, Sara Elizabeth Burrell went to dinner with a friend at Station 6. Their server greeted them with “Hey welcome in y’all, my name is Mikey and I’ll be taking care of y’all tonight.” Sara kept looking at him throughout the evening, and when Michael McGrath Duran, Jr. picked up the receipt at the end of the night, he found her phone number written on it. He called, and they planned to go on a date a couple weeks later. However, as news of COVID-19 became increasingly alarming, Sara realized they should not wait. She called Michael and suggested that they meet in case things shut down; a few hours later they were at Cure.
Proof positive that not even a global pandemic can stand in the way when you meet the right person, three and a half years later Michael was planning to propose. He took Sara to Station 6 for a “quick drink” on their way home. Little did she know he had arranged for the table where they first met to be available. They had a cocktail, chatted, and then he went to the bar to grab a round to go and close out. He came back with two glasses of champagne on—for nostalgic purposes—a serving tray, sat down and told her everything he wanted to say, and got down on one knee. A few minutes later, in a haze of laughter and happy tears, Sara said yes. The next morning, Michael asked for Sara’s children’s approval to marry their mom, and when they gave their blessing, he proposed again in front of them. The new family-to-be then headed to Second Line Brewing and pulled up to a surprise engagement party Michael had planned for Sara.
Michael’s knack for surprising Sara was evident on December 31, 2023, when he arranged for a jazz trio to play “What a Wonderful World” as she walked down the aisle at the Historic Swoop-Duggins House. The intimate courtyard was beautifully adorned in gold, navy and jewel tones, perfect for New Year’s Eve. In keeping with the festive spirit of the evening, after being pronounced husband and wife, Michael and Sara walked back down the aisle as newlyweds to “Iko, Iko.”
Their selection of special songs was especially poignant during their first dance to “Something” by the Beatles. That song was playing in Michael’s jeep on their first road trip together, when they exchanged their first “I love you’s” in a parking lot in Nashville. It was the perfect way to mark a new chapter in their lives together.
As they danced, they knew yet another new beginning was just around the corner. They had learned a few months before that Sara was pregnant. They celebrated the adventures to come in Charleston, SC, enjoying its incredible food scene and stunning architecture. They then returned to their home in Lakeview, where Sara is a paralegal and Michael is a salesman at Aucoin Hart Jewelers in Metairie.
Rehearsal Dinner Location: Etoile on Magazine Street
Reception Décor: Linda Novak
Coordinator: Self / Linda Novak / Ellen Walker
Celebrant: Jonathan Beck
Ceremony Music: Clarence Johnson Trio
Wedding Gown: Bliss Bridal
Bridesmaids Dresses: La Femme & Saks Fifth Avenue
Groom and Groomsmen’s attire: Perlis New Orleans
Engagement Ring + Bride & Groom’s Wedding Bands: Aucoin Hart Jewelers
Florist: Antigua Floral
Invitations: Colleen Gravley Leaf
Caterer: The Historic Swoop-Duggins House
Wedding Cake & Groom’s Cake: Bywater Bakery
Photographer: Justin Barbin
Hair: Paige Klumpp
Reception Music: BRW Band
