“Oh no, you’re too tall,” said James Phoenix Collier when a mutual friend introduced him to Kristen Landers Engelsen at Grit’s Bar. Kristen laughed, and they had their first conversation over cheap drinks and loud music. Soon after, they shared their first date at Pizza Dominica. After that date, the two were basically inseparable.
Two years later, James lured Kristen to the Bywater under the guise of a friend’s birthday brunch. However, Kristen insisted on voting before brunch, and she could not understand why James seemed so flustered by the unexpected stop—especially when they found out that their “friends were running late.” With time to spare before the “birthday brunch,” the couple took a walk in Crescent Park. There along the Mississippi River, James proposed. As soon as Kristen said yes, their family and closest friends popped out of their hiding places with champagne and berries! Their photographer brother-in-law, Jamey, had even been hiding under a blanket with a camera and captured the moment on film.
Jamey would later serve as officiant for the wdding ceremony, held at Latrobe’s on Royal on November 16, 2024. He delivered a heartfelt, thoughtful speech before pronouncing the couple husband and wife. As he slipped the ring on Kristen’s finger, James wore a suit they had designed together through their business, KILBY Suiting Atelier.
The couple’s attention to design and detail shone in the romantic, slightly wild color scheme—pinks, chartreuse, and burgundy. These colors, along with an abundance of candles, enhanced the historical beauty of Latrobe’s, giving the celebration a feeling of old New Orleans meets modern elegance.
This feeling inspired the evening’s specialty cocktail, the New Orleans classic French 75. In a nod to the business they founded together, they also created a grapefruit, lemon, and rosemary mocktail called “The Kilby.” These libations perfectly complemented the menu crafted by Latrobe’s; passed crabcakes and barbeque shrimp and grits stood out as crowd favorites.
The crowd was in a festive mood as Kristen and James shared their first dance as a married couple to “Friday I’m in Love” by The Cure. The upbeat, celebratory tone ushered in a night of dancing to music by the Bucktown All-Stars, capped off by a second line led by the Kinfolk Brass Band and a Black Masking Indian from the Black Feather Tribe. The second line paraded through the French Quarter to the Gold Mine Saloon, where the afterparty took place. Guests received matchbooks that said “We’re fired up” as mementos of an unforgettable night.
Within days of their wedding, James and Kristen were back at KILBY, where they design and make custom suiting and tailored garments. James is the master clothier and fit specialist; Kristen handles the creative direction and operations. They live in Uptown, where they are eagerly anticipating the arrival of a baby girl in late summer. The family of three will take a vacation together to celebrate the couple’s first anniversary in November.
Rehearsal Dinner Location: Tableau
Coordinator: Mint Julep Productions
Celebrant: James Shaw
Ceremony Music: Harry Hardin
Rings: Ramsey’s
Florist: Doris Ione
Invitations: Scriptura
Wedding Cake: Chasing Wang
Photographer: Love is Rad
Videographer: Bride Films
Photobooth: HD Photo Booth
Hair: Hair by Beth
Makeup: Makeup by Meggan
