Soon after Anna Grace LeCorgne moved back to her hometown of New Orleans from New York City in April 2008, she decided to train for a half marathon. Her friend at work (and future bridesmaid) convinced Anna to join her gym, Simply Fit, which happened to be the same gym where Wallace “Wes” Emile Schaefer III was a personal trainer. At first Wes knew Anna as the “tall blonde on the treadmill all the time.” They bumped into each other after running the January 2009 Mardi Gras Half Marathon, and the two started chatting while walking back to their cars. Anna was excited because she beat Wes’ finishing time.
Wes tracked down Anna’s phone number, and they started dating soon after Mardi Gras. Over the course of their relationship, Wes went with Anna twice to her family’s home in the Bahamas where her mother, Julie, is from and where Anna spent summers growing up. Her mom always told her that before deciding to marry someone, he must pass the test of being there, a place that’s very special to their family. Needless to say, he passed the test.
Two years later, on February 6, 2011, Anna and Wes went for a run in Audubon Park. After the run, Wes bent down to “fix his shoe” and proposed to Anna. He said that it seemed fitting to propose there because they first began talking to each other after a half marathon exactly two years prior and because they both love Audubon Park. Anna and Wes walked from the park to her parents’ house to tell them the good news and celebrated later that night with friends at a Super Bowl party.
After the wedding, the happy couple left for a 10-day honeymoon in Hawaii. They now live Uptown. Wes is a medical sales representative with Vortex Spine and Anna works at Johnson Rice & Company in Institutional Equity Sales.
Bride: Anna Grace LeCorgne, daughter of Parker and Julie LeCorgne of New Orleans
Groom: Wallace “Wes” Emile Schaefer III, son of Phyllis Gravois and the late Wallace Emile Schaefer Jr. of New Orleans
Date of the wedding: October 29, 2011
Ceremony location: St. Francis of Assisi Church
Reception location: Home of Parker and Julie LeCorgne
Coordinator: Claudia Kelleher
Wedding gown: Suzanne Perron design
Bridesmaids: Charlotte LeCorgne, Ashley LeBlanc, Sarah Samuel, Julie LeBreton, Lizzie Fitzpatrick, Meg Miles, Tate Wilson, Jenny Holladay, Mary Lafitte Buster, Maria Darby, Marion Hickman and Marysunny McCoy
Bridesmaids’ dresses: Monique Lhuillier design, purchased through Wedding Belles
Groom’s attire: Tuxedo from Perlis
Groomsmen: Todd Keanan, Jonah Keller, Patrick O’Hara, Bradley Case, Clint Capdepon, Scott Mouledous Jr., Parker LeCorgne Jr., Brian Schaefer and Terry Gravois Jr.
Groomsmen attire: Tuxedos from Perlis
Rings: Friend & Company
Florist: Meade Wenzel
Caterer: Margo Bouanchaud from Baton Rouge
Wedding Cake: Denise St. Pierre
Groom’s Cake: Flour Power
Photographer: Kevin Swan of Swan Luxury Photography from Zionsville, Ind.
Hair: Heather Mahoney from H20
Makeup: Cecile Covert
Music: Jay Ray and Gee, The MAXX from Atlanta, GA, and Dr. Lutz, a Bahamian DJ (late night).
