New Orleans native Karen Kristie Reily had just moved back home from New York and was enjoying spending quality time with her friends. Richard Hunter Yancey V, who had been living in New Orleans since college, was also spending a lot of his free time hanging out with friends. As luck would have it, Kristie and Hunter’s best friends were dating, so the two often found themselves together. Slowly, they grew close. This newfound closeness led to a first date at Shaya, followed by more dates and more fun with their group of mutual friends.

Almost three years later, the two were planning to build a life together – literally. Their new home was about to start construction on the day that Hunter convinced Kristie to walk over to the site with him. He told her that they were going to dinner at Commander’s Palace for his mother’s birthday, and that they were meeting the family at the site first. As they walked, Hunter handed her a gift. It was a silver dog tag with their dog’s name, Molly Yancey, on it, along with their new address. He told Kristie to flip it over, and there on the back side it said “will you marry me”. Kristie looked over, and Hunter was down on one knee with the ring out!

After an enthusiastic “Yes!” from Kristie, the couple set about planning a wedding weekend that would encompass both classic New Orleans and the natural beauty of Louisiana. They began with a touch of southern hospitality: greeting out-of-town guests with gifts from Sweet Olive Gifting upon their arrival. For classic New Orleans, they chose to hold their rehearsal dinner in the main room at Arnaud’s, where guests enjoyed the signature cuisine from one of the city’s oldest restaurants.

The wedding itself took place on March 30, 2019, at Marshdown, Kristie’s family’s country house in Slidell, where both of her sisters had also gotten married. Kristie and Hunter loved being able to let all their friends and family experience this special place out on the bayou. Kristie’s uncle, Garner Tullis, married the couple in a classic, rustic outdoor wedding. The simple, elegant greenery with French blue and white flowers perfectly complemented Bayou Liberty. As they said their vows, Hunter surprised Kristie with a second wedding ring: his great-grandmother’s gold band.

After the “I dos,” the celebration headed toward the back of Marshdown. Joel’s Catering prepared a fantastic menu that included mushroom ravioli, lobster corn dogs and tacos. Hunter and Kristie surprised guests with a glitter bar, and everyone had a blast! The fun, festive atmosphere of the reception was reflected in the Hunter’s choice of song for the couple’s first dance: the upbeat “Too Busy Thinking about My Baby” by Marvin Gaye. They capped off a perfect evening with late night bites and Lafitte’s purple drink.

The newlyweds continued the celebration on their own with a honeymoon trip to Tahiti, where they spent five days on Moorea and five days on Bora Bora. They then returned to New Orleans, where they live in the Garden District. Kristie is a real estate sales agent at McEnery Residential, and Hunter is in real estate management and development with Manson Realty Company.