Angel Nicole Wood and Kenneth “Taylor” Beery met in 2007 at a Fourth of July party hosted by a mutual friend on the Chesapeake Bay in Annapolis, Md. At the time, they were both living in Washington, D.C. – though as luck would have it, Angel was planning a move to Manhattan just one month later. The pair dated long-distance until Taylor convinced her to move to his beloved city of New Orleans.
Angel and Taylor married on the evening of April 17, 2010 at Trinity Episcopal Church. Taylor’s family has long-attended Trinity, where he also went to school for several years. Reverend Jesse Adams, a long-time family friend, performed the ceremony, and the narthex and altar were decorated with billowing floral arrangements of curly willow, white hydrangea and bells of Ireland.
The bride walked down the aisle in a gown of ivory silk duchesse satin with a sweetheart neckline and full skirt, featuring an embroidered belt embellished with Swarovski crystals purchased from Town & Country. The front and back of the gown were detailed with pleats descending from the center of the bodice toward the hemline and that continued down the cathedral-length train. Her veil had a matching ivory silk duchesse satin border, and was purchased from Kleinfeld in New York. For her “something old” the florist incorporated lace from Angel’s mother’s wedding dress in the wrap of her bridal bouquet; “something blue” was a diamond and sapphire bracelet belonging to her mother.
The bridesmaids wore short navy blue dresses from J.Crew, and each attendant chose a unique design to reflect her personal style. Angel’s junior bridesmaid wore a white silk dress with a navy blue sash to match the bridesmaids.
Taylor wore a tan and white seersucker suit with a green silk oyster-print tie from Pelican Coast. The groomsmen wore suits that matched the groom.
The reception was held outdoors, under the oak tree on the back lawn overlooking the golf course at New Orleans Country Club. After being introduced as husband and wife, the couple kicked off the night with their first dance to Etta James’ classic “At Last.”
Roland Montealegre, of Urban Earth, created the floral arrangements and décor for the reception and ceremony.
The reception buffet tables featured arrangements of flowers in shades of white and green. Cream-colored French tulips and curly willow branches rose from a bed of camellia foliage atop moss-covered pedestals; tall glass vases held rustic-strap iron spheres filled with green cymbidium orchid blooms and cream French tulips. The dinner tables featured centerpieces of tall white Rota vases with mounds of white hydrangea, cream French tulips and camellia foliage, dotted with sliced limes.
The reception was catered by New Orleans Country Club. It began with a cocktail hour with passed sweet tea vodka and lemonade, and spiked frozen lemonade. Servers presented Ahi tuna on wontons, fried oysters, caramelized onion and goat cheese tarts, and spinach, chicken and feta turnovers as passed hors d’oeuvres.
New Orleans Country Club set up several food stations offering a variety of traditional and New Orleans cuisine.
Charcoal grills served fresh New Orleans-style charbroiled oysters. A buffet offered vine-ripened tomato salad with mozzarella and basil; grilled vegetable platters; and wild mushroom risotto with white wine truffle oil. Other stations presented duck and andouille gumbo; garlic shrimp and grits; a mashed potato bar; and beef tenderloin and pork loin carving stations. Guests also enjoyed late night mini-burgers and French fries.
The wedding cake was displayed atop a rustic garden urn under the oak tree. It was all white with four tiers of vanilla buttercream filling and frosting decorated with white and light green flowers and foliage to match the other floral arrangements. In place of a traditional groom’s cake, Taylor opted to serve Café du Monde-style fresh fried beignets.
In from Nashville, the Jimmy Church Band played a mix of Motown and Top 40 hits that kept the guests on the dance floor throughout the evening. A photo booth added to the fun and relaxed ambiance of the reception, complete with a prop box of boas, hats and sunglasses. As a twist on the traditional guest book, the couple requested that guests leave a note for them on the pages of John Besh’s cookbook My New Orleans.
As the reception wound down, Angel and Taylor departed under a canopy of ribbons as guests waved them off with satin streamers. But the night wasn’t over yet! After a quick wardrobe change, the party continued through the night in the French Quarter.
Immediately following their wedding weekend, Angel and Taylor flew off to French Polynesia, and spent two weeks enjoying the islands of Moorea and Bora Bora. The couple currently resides in Uptown New Orleans with their Boykin Spaniel, Cantler. Angel is the controller for a local nonprofit organization, while Taylor is the Vice President at Riverbend Advisors, LLC.
