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SUMMER 2026
CONTENTS
FEATURED WEDDINGS
40
Minerva Alonso + Cooper Compretta
48
Avery Davis + Bryce Miller
54
Caitlin Herrin + Gaige Sidaway
60
Olivia Webb + Reid Tindle
ARTICLES
6 Full Circle: The Moments That Changed Everything
36 Green Flags: What Healthy Relationships Acutally Look Like
46 Ask the Mystic: What This Summer is Asking You to Notice
EDITORIAL
10 adorned: the jewelry edit
28 by the bayou: the reception edit
PHOTO CREDIT: Salty Blonde
Photography from the wedding of Caitlin
Herrin + Gaige Sidaway page 54.
DIGITAL ISSUE 32
A curated editorial of timeless jewelry,
heirloom-worthy details, and modern
bridal style, photographed at Fakiér
Jewelers in Houma, Louisiana.
Southern-inspired reception design on
the banks of Bayou Terrebonne in Houma’,
Louisiana
About The Cover
About The Cover
NOWWeddingsMagazine.com | 3
NOW Weddings Magazine @nowweddingsmagazine
@nowwedding
@nowmagazine504
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Follow NOW Weddings Magazine
PUBLISHER
JESSICA BURKE
JESSICA@NOWWEDDINGSMAGAZINE.COM
Ashley Revels
EDITORIAL LIASON
Taylor Van Ness
DIGITAL MARKETING
& CONTENT DIRECTOR
FOR ENGAGED COUPLES
Our blog is filled with tons of great resources,
inspiration, wedding stories and photo editorials
that will help you plan an amazing wedding.
FOR THE WEDDING PROFESSIONAL
NOW Weddings Magazine offers affordable
advertising packages with tons of perks.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
ABOUT ADVERTISING,
PLEASE CONTACT:
NOW Weddings Magazine
Phone: 504-832-2775
Email: sales@thenowbride.com
www.NOWWeddingsMagazine.com
NOW Weddings Magazine Digital Edition
is published by New Orleans Weddings
Magazine, Inc. Copyright 2026. All rights
reserved. Reproduction of any part of
this publication without the express
written consent of the publisher is strictly
prohibited. NOW Weddings Magazine is a
trademark registered in the U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office. The use of the trademark
is strictly prohibited. The information in
this publication is believed to be accurate.
However, NOW Weddings Magazine cannot
and does not guarantee its accuracy. NOW
Weddings Magazine cannot and will not be
held liable for the quality or performance of
goods and services provided by advertisers
or any other portion of this publication
NOWWeddingsMagazine.com
NOWWeddingsMagazine.com
ON LOCATION + FINE JEWELRY
Fakiér Jewelers
Houma, LA
PHOTOGRAPHY
Blackwell Photo + Video
GOWN
Essense of Australia
The Bridal Corner
FLORALS
Le Fleuriste Nola
HAIR + MAKEUP
Gleaux by Heather
MODEL:
Lauren Sevilla
for Chic Nouvelle Models
OAKLEIGH GARDEN ROOM
CRYSTAL PATIO
HISTORIC.BREATHTAKING.REFINED.
6 | NOWWeddingsMagazine.com
continued>>>
Full Circle
The Moments that Changed Everything
From the Publisher’s Desk
hirty years ago, if you had asked sixteen-year-old me
where life was headed, I never would have guessed I’d
still be in the wedding industry.
In fact, I very distinctly remember writing a journal entry
during those early days when I was working as an assistant
for my uncle, Roger Gibson who was a wedding photographer,
that was something along the lines of: “This is interesting, but
I don’t know if I see myself doing this for the rest of my life.”
Looking back now, I have to laugh.
At the time, I was standing behind the scenes, watching
someone else tell the story. It wasn’t until December 17,
1997, that everything changed. That was the day my uncle
handed me a camera and let me photograph a wedding for the
first time. I didn’t really know what I was doing yet, but I knew
one thing almost immediately... they couldn’t pry that camera
out of my hands after that.
That single moment quietly changed the course of my life.
As I’ve reflected on these past 30 years, one theme keeps
coming back to me: the full-circle moments.
I’ve realized that so many of the moments that shaped my
career didn’t seem significant at the time. They felt ordinary.
They felt random. But looking back, every one of them
became another stepping stone leading me exactly where I
was supposed to be.
One of those moments happened at a wedding in 2003.
I was second shooting for another photographer, and because
the bride was running nearly an hour behind schedule, I found
myself waiting at the church with the videographer’s husband,
named Julian St. Pierre. With nothing to do but wait, we spent
the next hour talking.
PHOTO: TAYLOR VAN NESS
“Sometimes life doesn’t announce the
moments that will change everything.”
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That conversation changed my life.
Julian and his wife, Terry Taravella, invited me to their studio,
gave me work editing videos, introduced me to photographers
who needed second shooters and album designers, and
eventually introduced me to Tammy Aguilar, the then owner
of this magazine.
Tammy was looking for a graphic designer.
The funny part is... I wasn’t really a magazine designer.
I knew design. I knew photography. I knew albums. But
magazines were a completely different world, and I had a lot
to learn.
In fact, the very first issue I designed had enough technical
mistakes that the printer charged Tammy over a thousand
dollars to fix them before it went to press. Tammy never said a
word. But after that issue was done, one of her daughters told
me it was the first production cycle where her mom hadn’t
cried putting the magazine together.
That has always stayed with me.
She saw something in me before I had fully grown into the
role myself.
Five years later, she walked into my office one afternoon and
told me, “I’m selling the magazine. Do you want it?”
Sometimes life doesn’t announce the moments that will
change everything.
Sometimes they begin with a delayed bride, a conversation
while waiting at a church, or someone believing in you before
you completely believe in yourself.
Over the years, my role has changed many times. I’ve been a
photographer, a graphic designer, a creative director, and now
the owner and publisher of NOW Weddings. But through
every chapter, one thing has remained the same.
I still believe this industry is filled with incredible people.
We’ve weathered challenges together that none of us could
have predicted. From Hurricane Katrina to COVID and
everything in between, I’ve watched wedding professionals
support one another, share resources, encourage each other,
and somehow find a way to keep moving forward. That’s one
of the things I’m most proud to be a part of.
I’ve also watched trends come and go.
I’ve heard people declare print was dead. I’ve watched
technology reshape how couples plan weddings. Today, I’m
seeing a new generation rediscover the beauty of tangible
things, printed photographs (and magazines!), meaningful
moments, and celebrations that feel deeply personal instead
of perfectly curated.
Some things always find their way back.
Because at the heart of every trend, every color palette, every
beautiful table setting, and every carefully planned detail are
two people choosing each other.
After photographing and publishing countless weddings
over the years, I’ve learned that the celebrations I remember
most aren’t necessarily the biggest or the most extravagant.
“Through every chapter, one thing has
remained the same:
I still believe this industry is filled with
incredible people.”
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They’re the ones that felt authentic.
One of my favorite weddings we’ve ever featured was a simple
backyard celebration. Years later, what I still remember isn’t
an elaborate floral installation or a lavish reception. It’s a
photograph of the couple holding hands and each wearing the
other’s sock. It perfectly captured who they were.
Their wedding wasn’t trying to impress anyone.
It was simply, beautifully, them.
I think that’s what I hope every couple remembers while
planning their own wedding.
Yes, dream big. Celebrate. Have fun with the details. But don’t
lose sight of the reason behind them. Plan a day that reflects
your story, your priorities, and your relationship, not someone
else’s expectations.
The details make a wedding beautiful.
The people make it unforgettable.
As for NOW Weddings, my hope has always been that when
you pick up one of our magazines, you feel inspired. I hope
you discover ideas that excite you, advice that helps you, and
stories that remind you your own is worth celebrating.
I hope you see yourself in these pages.
Whether we’re featuring a breathtaking ballroom reception
or an intimate backyard ceremony, our goal has always been
the same: to celebrate love and the people behind it.
Thirty years later, I still believe weddings are magical.
Not because every day goes exactly as planned.
Not because every centerpiece is perfect.
But because for one day, family and friends gather to celebrate
two people choosing to build a life together.
I’ve had the privilege of witnessing that thousands of times.
And somehow...
it never gets old.
Thank you for letting NOW Weddings be a small part of your
story.
Here’s to the next chapter.
Jessica Burke
Publisher, NOW Weddings Magazine
Behind the Scenes Every editorial begins with a vision and comes to life through the collaboration of incredibly talented wedding professionals. Here’s a
sneak peek from an upcoming feature in our Fall + Winter 2026 print edition, arriving on newsstands this September 2026. (Photo: Taylor Van Ness)
10 | NOWWeddingsMagazine.com
adorned
the jewelry edit
photographed by
photographed by
Blackwell Photo + Video
Blackwell Photo + Video
A curated editorial of timeless jewelry,
heirloom-worthy details, and modern
bridal style, photographed at
Fakiér Jewelers in Houma, Louisiana.
NOWWeddingsMagazine.com | 11
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NOWWeddingsMagazine.com | 13
From The Bridal Corner, this
Essense of Australia gown pairs
timeless elegance with modern
versatility. Crafted in matte lace
and Mikado with delicate floral
lace appliqués, the fit-and-flare
silhouette features detachable
off-the-shoulder straps and a
dramatic overskirt that creates
two distinct bridal looks in one.
the dress
the dress
Designed by Justin Musgrove of
Le Fleuriste Nola, this garden-
inspired bouquet features
soft mauve and blush blooms
accented with cascading green
amaranthus, creating an organic
arrangement full of texture,
movement, and timeless romance.
the bouquet
the bouquet
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Heather Hampton of
Gleaux by Heather created a timeless
bridal beauty look featuring softly
styled waves, radiant skin, and
warm neutral tones. Elegant yet
understated, the hair and makeup
complement each gown and jewelry
pairing while allowing the bride’s
natural beauty to take center stage.
the hair + makeup
the hair + makeup
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Designed by Ashley Barado
of Invitobella, this invitation
suite blends timeless elegance
with thoughtful craftsmanship.
Printed on luxurious heavyweight
cardstock, the die-cut suite features
a soft blush palette, an oval details
card, and floral-lined envelopes
that offer guests a beautiful first
glimpse of the celebration.
the invitations
the invitations
Classic diamond pieces from Fakiér
Jewelers elevate the clean lines of
the gown, including a graduating
natural diamond tennis necklace,
coordinating double-swirl diamond
earrings, an oval diamond wedding
band, and a brilliant-cut lab-grown
diamond engagement ring, and a
milgrain-edged halr-round men’s
wedding band all set in white gold.
the jewelry
the jewelry
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Romantic and undeniably regal, this
Essense of Australia ballgown from
The Bridal Corner embraces timeless
romance with a modern regal twist. A
structured strapless bodice gives way
to a voluminous lace ballgown skirt,
while shimmering floral appliqués
add soft dimension throughout.
the dress
the dress
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A vivid sapphire pendant from
Fakiér Jewelers introduces a subtle
hint of color, offering a fresh take
on the tradition of “something
blue.” Diamond hoop earrings, a
Picchiotti eternity bracelet, and
an emerald-cut engagement ring
complete the sophisticated look.
the jewelry
the jewelry