Kait & Billy

Kaitlyn & Billy were originally scheduled to get married at Tribeca Rooftop in NYC, but like many couples, their plans were interrupted by Covid. Kait & Billy are both in the medical field, with Kait working on the front lines. After their second wedding date was also put at risk due to Covid-19, they decided to move their wedding down south to New Orleans. Billy’s godmother owns a catering business there & the couple has strong ties to the city. With 7 months until their new wedding date in New Orleans, they set out to plan their third wedding. The week prior to their wedding, the last of the restrictions in New Orleans were lifted to allow dancing, a blessing that proved the third time’s the charm!

Kait wanted to infuse her chic NYC plans with New Orleans charm, including having a show stopping seven tier black cake. Billy wanted to give their friends & family a blow out party because he was adamant this time they WERE getting married, despite a storm in the Gulf causing high winds the weekend of their wedding. Guests dined with the ghosts at Muriel’s Jackson Square for the rehearsal dinner and on the wedding day all gathered at the famous St. Louis Cathedral for their Catholic ceremony. Kait had “said yes to the dress” at Kleinfeld’s to a beautiful, chic Pnina Tornai, however, with her grand southern ceremony now happening, she decided an all lace Monique Lhuillier ball gown was in order as well. With only her maid of honor & me (the wedding planner) in on it, Kait surprised her family & friends with a first look to show them her beautiful surprise ceremony gown. Following the mass, Kait & Billy arrived at their reception venue, the Old Ursuline Convent Museum (coincidentally, also haunted) where they had a first look of their venue before guests arrived.

As guests arrived, Kait changed into her Pnina Tornai gown & they had no idea that two days worth of setup had to be redone that morning due to high winds or that furniture was screwed & strapped down. Some outdoor decor had to be moved inside, crystals taken off the outdoor chandeliers & linens tied down. Instead, they dined on hors d’oeuvres such as chicken & waffles & a modern charcuterie display while enjoying specialty drinks with the couple’s pup pictured on them.

During the first dance to “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” by Frankie Valli when the music hit a crescendo cold spark fountains were set off behind the couple as a surprise for the guests (a surprise we tested during their own first look of the space before guests arrived). As the night progressed, Mardi Gras masks, beads & glow sticks were passed to guests on the dance floor before a brass band led everyone in a 2nd line to end the night. As guests left, they were handed individual king cakes complete with gold king cake babies. Whoever finds the baby in the king cake typically has to buy the next one to keep the party going but the night of their reception, everyone received a baby, tasked with keeping the party going as they headed off to their after party.