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january/february 2022
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REAL WEDDINGS
32
Kristina Belanger + Kyle Musson
44
Brooke Owens + Drew Boudreaux
PHOTO CREDIT: Kathleen Fox | From the wedding of Brooke Owens + Drew Boudreaux,
pages 44-47 | This image photographed in Brooke’s hotel suite at The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans
ARTICLES
9
The Top 10
Find out the first 10 things you
should do after getting engaged
12
To-Do Before “I DO”
26
What’s Your Style?
LET’S GET REAL: Realistic Budgets
LOVE STORIES
51
Ka’Lyn Gilbert + Michael Wilson
52
Vanna Carawan + Brandon Cassimere
53
Yelena Trepetin + Justin Williams
54
Grace Planchet +Nicholas Guillot
55
Cricket Giles + Kyle Hamer
FEATURED EDITORIAL
15
VINTAGE VIBES
Charming vintage wedding inspiration in
New Orleans’ Lower Garden District
N.O.W | NOWWeddingMagazine.com | 3
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JESSICA@THENOWBRIDE.COM
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CREATIVE DIRECTOR
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ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
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About The Cover
About The Cover
Look for new issues of
NOW Weddings Magazine every other month.
PHOTOGRAPHER: Sarah Alleman Photography
ON LOCATION: Race + Religious
CREATIVE DIRECTION + PLANNING: Taylor Baxter Olivares + Rachel Rose
BRIDE’S ATTIRE: GOSSAMER + The Lucky Sixpence
GROOM’S ATTIRE: Don Morphy
HAIR + MAKEUP: Kassandra Mireles
FLOWER PARASOL: Violeta’s + Botanica Wholesale Florist
BRASS BAND: Kinfolk Brass Band
MODELS: Jamie Bishop + Clemon Terrell for JEA Model Management
3803 Toulouse Street | New Orleans
504.486.4466 | orders@toulousegourmet.com
toulousegourmet.com
Jessica The Photographer
DELIVERY WEDDINGS CORPORATE EVENTS PRIVATE EVENTS
8 | N.O.W | NOWWeddingMagazine.com
3803 Toulouse Street | New Orleans
504.486.8351 | info@cannerynola.com
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W E D D I N G C E R E M O N I E S | R E C E P T I O N S
S H O W E R S | D I N N E R P A R T I E S | E V E N T S
brocato photography collective
cake, chandelier, draping courtesy element
10
10
THE TOP
WRITTEN BY: RENA SWEENEY, ALCHEMY EVENTS
PHOTO: AMIN RUSSELL PHOTOGRAPHY
IT’S A NEW YEAR AND IN THE WEDDING INDUSTRY, THAT MEANS A NEW GROUP of
freshly engaged couples. Congratulations to all of you who got engaged over the holidays!
You’re probably wondering what things are most important to do right away. Where do you
start?
We know you’ve got a handle on things like telling everyone, having your ring insured, etc.
so we’re going to dive right into the nitty gritty of what your top planning priorities should
be so you can start off on the right foot.
read on>>>
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SET A BUDGET
I know this isn’t the fun part of being newly engaged BUT everything hinges on this to-do list item. You don’t want to make
decisions before knowing how they will fit into the grand scheme of things. Even just locking down a venue is difficult if you don’t
know how much you have to spend or if it would take up your entire budget or not.
If you don’t know where to start, I suggest one of two methods. The first is to look at what you can realistically spend. How much
do you have in savings? How much can you afford to put towards your wedding during the time of your engagement without
putting yourself under financial stress? Will parents be helping pay? If so, while you’re discussing budget with them, find out their
expectations such as if they want to be the decision makers or if you’ll make the decisions on how to spend the money they
contribute.
If you have savings already and aren’t sure how high you should expect to go with your budget, I tell couples to first think about
what the “no way” number is. As in “no way would I want to spend that much on a wedding.” That’s going to be the number that
you know you need to stay under. So no matter which end of the price spectrum you start from, either way you’ll be able to
determine what’s right for you.
DETERMINE YOUR PRIORITIES
I personally feel like one of your top priorities should be photography. Choose a more basic bar package and get the extra hours
of coverage on your wedding day - you’ll never regret it! People don’t walk away from a wedding complaining that it wasn’t their
FAVORITE brand of vodka, but couples DO regret not going with their top pick or having enough hours of coverage for their
wedding.
CREATE YOUR GUEST LIST(S)
Everything hinges on the number of guests you invite. You don’t know how far your budget has to go or how big your venues need
to be if you don’t have a general idea of who you want to be there celebrating with you. Start with a rough list of people you HAVE
to invite and then work on the “B” and “C” lists.
DECIDE IF YOU NEED A WEDDING PLANNER
Options range from event management (“day or month of coordination”) to full design and planning services.
One of the most difficult things I encounter as a wedding planner is when a client comes to me already having other contracts in
place. They may not have realized what they signed, that the vendor doesn’t have a great reputation or just that it may not have
been the best fit for you, your aesthetic or budget.
It makes things much easier when, as a planner, we can start from the beginning to make sure all the pieces are in place and you
fully understand the contracts you’re signing. Simply put, you don’t know what you don’t know. I often have clients tell me there
are so many aspects they would have never thought of and appreciated that were brought up before signing with their vendors.
SELECT YOUR VENUE(S)
Ok, it’s no surprise that this is also toward the top of our list! You need to first decide what your style is so you can begin to narrow
down venues that will work with your vision. Your vision can be very broad at this point; you don’t need to rush to Pinterest!
This could be as simple as knowing you don’t want a rustic look, that you want a very sleek and modern look or if you have to get
married in the summer that a fully indoor space might be a must. This will help you start to narrow down locations that you like
and then you can begin to ask for prices to see which of those will work within your budget.
Once you’ve found your dream venue, you’ll be able to start to design for the space, think about what your personal style and
clothing will look like, etc. If your ceremony and reception are at different locations, you’ll just need to make sure each of them
has the same date available.
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2
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SET A DATE!
Since you now have your venue(s) selected, lock in a date with them and that will finally make you officially ready to start booking
other vendors.
BOOK YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY + VIDEO
Photography and videography are next because they are some of the most important vendors you will hire. These are your
memories and the artwork that will hang in your home the rest of your lives and should reflect your own personal style. Couples
often make the mistake of just looking at who might be in their price range, however, I have my couples do it differently.
First we start by identifying what style of photography (or videography) they prefer. Do you want a lot of black and whites, light
and airy photos, or more vibrant colors? Photographers are artists and as such, each has their own unique style. However, keep
in mind that if you like the light and airy style but your wedding is at night with a dimly lit ballroom reception, you’re not going to
get the same look as what you’re seeing in that photographer’s portfolio.
This is where it’s particularly important to ask to see a full gallery of a wedding they’ve done that is similar to what yours will be.
Ask to see examples in your location or a similar setting at the same time of day your wedding will take place. What you’re looking
for here is to ensure that the photographer you select can shoot well in the atmosphere you’re creating (whether it’s dimly lit
candlelight or during the day).
Also start to consider if you like more traditional posed photos, more casually posed or a modern take. Once you know what style
you like, then you can look for photographers who have that style and then see which ones are in your price range.
BOOK YOUR ENTERTAINMENT
Entertainment is a must for any good party, whether it’s a live band or DJ. Unless they are a DJ company with multiple people
available, they will typically only be able to do one gig per day so their calendar is going to book up quickly.
SECURE HOTEL ROOM BLOCKS
Although tourism continues to take a hit due to covid, if you’re planning your wedding in an area that gets a lot of conventions or
seasonal traffic, hotels can still book up pretty quickly. This means that sometimes, even if your wedding is a year away, you might
have difficulty finding hotel blocks available for your date. Don’t wait to secure your room blocks. I typically recommend offering
two options at different price points to ensure all of your guests are considered.
IT’S DESIGN TIME!
Ok, go ahead and hit Pinterest! Who are we kidding? We know you’ve already done it! Now is the time to start to narrow down
your vision for the wedding. Note why you like something such as if you like the colors in a bouquet but not the shape. This will
help your vendors guide you into selections that fit the aesthetic you decide on.
If you’re a couple without a strong vision going in, just knowing a very general idea of what you like, you can also just collect
anything that speaks to you and then go back and group things.
When it comes down to it, if you have a few things that are one style but many, many more that are another style, it will be clear
which is the direction you should go for your wedding.
Now that you know what you’re looking for you’ll be able to determine what other vendors you need. As you’ve probably noticed,
your priority is booking those vendors who can only do one event per day because you want to go ahead and get them locked in.
I hope this list has been helpful and if you haven’t already, make sure to request one of our NOW Wedding Planners and check
out NOWWeddingMagazine.com for additional planning resources. Happy Planning!
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NINE TO FIFTEEN MONTHS PRIOR
n Announce engagement to family and friends and
plan an engagement party
n Choose wedding date, preferably more than one in
case your preferred venue and/or vendor is booked
n Select wedding attendants
n Establish budget early, with maximum amounts for
each event/vendor/etc.
n Decide on the style, formality and guest-list size for
the wedding
n Select wedding planner
n Reserve ceremony and reception location
n Secure wedding officiant
n Begin compiling guest list and mailing addresses
n Start the selection process for wedding
professionals, including photographer/
videographer, entertainment, ceremony music,
caterer, transportation, florist and stationery
n Start the wedding gown and wedding attendants’
dress search
n Consult travel agent for honeymoon plans. If
traveling abroad, you will need valid passports and
up-to-date immunizations
SIX TO NINE MONTHS PRIOR
n Select gift registries
n Order wedding gown & accessories, including
veil, shoes and undergarments (wear to fittings)
n Choose and order menswear for groom and
attendants
n Take engagement pictures
n Select and order bridesmaids dresses, schedule
fittings, etc.
n Engagement party
n Finalize wedding professionals:
Baker
Caterer
Florist
Photographer
Party Rentals
Ceremony Music
Reception Entertainment
Stationery
Videographer
Other __________________________
DO YOU FEEL AS THOUGH you have a million things to do before you say, “I Do”? Not to worry.
We’ve compiled a time line to help organize all your wedding events. Review the numerous wedding
professionals at NOWWeddingMagazine.com and let them help plan your perfect wedding.
To-Do Before “I DO”
Image Credit: Sarah Alleman Photography
N.O.W | NOWWeddingMagazine.com | 13
FOUR TO SIX MONTHS PRIOR
n Finalize guest list and mail Save-the-Date announcement
n Reserve rehearsal dinner location and/or caterers
n Order wedding invitations and thank-you notes
n Hire calligrapher
n Create wedding website with directions, accommodations,
local attractions and other wedding details
n Reserve accommodations for wedding night and out-of-town
guests.
n Book honeymoon and finalize travel documentations, if
necessary
n Order wedding cake, groom’s cake and any other
confections
n Research all legal requirements — permits + licenses
n Purchase/rent any decor to be used during the ceremony
and/or reception
TWO TO FOUR MONTHS PRIOR
n Purchase wedding bands and have engraved if desired
n Order favors and gifts. Purchase cake knives, toasting
crystals and other accessories
n Mail out-of-town invitations
n Reserve wedding day beauty appointments for bride and
attendants
n Select wedding readings
n Confirm menu selection and/or bar with caterer
n Book specialty services, including photo booth, ice sculp-
tures, rentals, Second Line, etc.
n Continue writing thank you notes for previous parties,
couple showers, etc.
FOUR TO SIX WEEKS PRIOR
n Mail local invitations
n Begin addressing wedding announcements
n Pick up wedding rings
n Complete name-change documents, if applicable
n Print ceremony programs
n Remember to update wedding website with any changes
n Review banking and insurance information and see what
needs to be updated after you’re married
n Fill out a Change-of-Address at post office, if necessary
TWO WEEKS PRIOR
n Confirm all appointments and finalize professional services:
Baker
Lodging Reservations
Beauty Appointments
Party Rentals
Caterer
Photographer
Ceremony Music
Reception Entertainment
Entertainment
Transportation
Florist
Videographer
Honeymoon Reservation
Other_________________________________
n Arrange for pick-up of wedding gown, if you haven’t done
so already
n Plan seating arrangements, if necessary
n Pick up marriage license
n Plan honeymoon wardrobe, obtain travel tickets and
confirm reservations
n Remember to update wedding website with any event
changes
ONE WEEK BEFORE
n Schedule pick-up and return of tuxedos/suits, if rented
n Prepare final checks to wedding vendors, as well as
donations to ceremony officiants and musicians, if
necessary
THE DAY BEFORE
n Welcome family and friends from out-of-town
n Have honeymoon bags packed
n Gather all wedding day items
n Attend rehearsal dinner and give gifts to wedding party and
family
YOUR WEDDING DAY
n Arrange to see hairstylist and make-up artist BEFORE your
attendants
n Be dressed and ready about two hours before ceremony
for photos
RELAX...
saying “I DO” is the easy part!
LET
US
STAY
WITH
YOU.®
The day you’ve always dreamed of is our pleasure.
To plan the wedding you have always imagined, contact the Catering Team at
The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans at (504) 670-2871 or visit ritzcarlton.com/neworleans
© 2022 The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C.
N.O.W | NOWWeddingMagazine.com | 15
NOW WEDDINGS
STYLE
VINTAGEvibes
vibes
EXPLORE>>>
credits
credits
PHOTOGRAPHY
Sarah Alleman Photography
sarahallemanphotography.com
ON LOCATION
Race + Religious
raceandreligious.com
CREATIVE DIRECTION + PLANNING
Taylor Baxter Olivares
travelingshootswithtaylor.com
CO-PLANNING
Rachel Rose
rachelroseweddingsandevents.mypixieset.com
FASHION
GOSSAMER
shopgossamer.com
Don Morphy
donmorphy.com
The Lucky Sixpence
theluckysixpence.co.uk
FLORALS
Violeta’s
shopvioletas.com
Botanica Wholesale Florist
botanicawf.com
HAIR + MAKEUP
Kassandra Mireles
photosbykassy.mypixieset.com
RENTALS
Sweetheart Rentals
instagram.com/sweetheartrentals
LINENS
AM Linen Rental
amlinenrental.com
TABLE RUNNER
SnassyCrafter
snassycrafter.etsy.com
CALLIGRAPHY
Line Avenue Calligraphy
lineavecalligraphy.com
BRASS BAND
Kinfolk Brass Band
neworleanskinfolk.com
MODELS:
Jamie Bishop + Clemon Terrell
for JEA Model Management
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ABOUT THE VENUE
Race + Religious is a historic multi-
building property filled with artwork
and antiques located in New Orleans’
Lower Garden District at the intersection
of Race and Religious Streets.
Event designer Taylor Baxter Olivares contacted Janie,
owner and designer of The Lucky Sixpence to create
the crown featured in this editorial. Janie’s designs often
include vintage elements and luxurious details.
For her custom creations, like the featured crown, Janie works closely
with her clients to capture their vision. After speaking with the client and
reviewing their inspiration photos, Janie begins work. “I come up with a
design, sketch it out and then look for elements that could work in making
the piece,” she says. “In this case a bronze tone was really important along
with natural organic elements so I selected some bronze leaf shapes and
then gave them a colour treatment to lift the matte bronze to one of a
warmer golden glow. I love to add luxury details to elevate my pieces so
in this case I used warm honey coloured crystal pearls along the base.”
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Jamie is wearing an exquisite tulle dress with petal embellishments and bell sleeves sourced
from GOSSAMER, a US based vintage clothing company, and Clemon is wearing a slate blue
notch lapel suit from Don Morphy, a bespoke menswear company in Dallas, TX. Jamie carries
a parasol of fresh flowers from Botanica Wholesale Florist styled by Violeta’s.
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We love the deckled edge of this
bespoke letterpress invitation suite
by Line Avenue Calligraphy.
The table design incorporated
Vintage French Country ladder
back chairs with rush seats from
Sweetheart Rentals and a gauze
table runner by SnassyCrafter.
Brilliant blooms from Botanica
Wholesale Florist, arranged
by Violeta’s add a splash
of color the design.
Jamie is wearing an ivory
pleated chiffon tiered
gown with a high neckline
sourced from GOSSAMER.
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