Darryl and Lissette - New York in the House at Southern Oaks in New Orleans
Woooooo, what a wedding this was! I absolutely love working with folks from New York. I really think there is a New York/New Orleans connection, and in this case there literally was, as Darryl has family here in New Orleans. When I met these fine folks before the wedding, I knew they were going to be a lively bunch, and I was not disappointed. My day started off with Lissette and her gals, while second shooter Ryan Hogson-Rigsbee started off with the guys. Spirits were high all around, and you could practically taste the hairspray in the hotel room. Once the ladies were all ready, I grabbed a couple of natural light portraits of Lissette and some detail shots, we headed over to Southern Oaks. Click the thumbnails for a lightbox view!
Southern Oaks
Southern Oaks is a beautiful location, and we had some time for individual and group portraits before the ceremony, as we shifted Lissette and Darryl around to make sure they didn't see each other until the ceremony. We got the outdoor shots done in a hot second, literally - it was well over 90F outside, and what felt like 100% humidity, as is typical for New Orleans summer.
The Ceremony
Emotions were high as Lissette was brought around to the front of the venue in a beautiful vintage car. Lissette's mom was blinking back tears, and Darryl had to let out a huge whoop when he saw his bride for the first time. Lissette's proud papa did a fine job of staying composed and proudly presenting his daughter. After a short but sweet ceremony including vows the couple composed themselves, the brass band struck up a tune, and the party got started in earnest.
The Party
Once everyone was inside in that sweet, sweet air conditioning, drink in hand and ready to party, things really turned up a notch. The brass band set up the vibe with a set before the DJ took over, and first dances melded right into a free dance floor that saw plenty of action. We even snuck out for a huge family photo in the back, along with a couple more portraits of the bride and groom. In a first for me after shooting hundreds of weddings, one of the guests sang an absolutely incredible song for the bride and groom right at the end of the wedding. Goosebumps were a thing for sure.
Last couple of portraits...
HUGE thanks to these guys for letting me document their celebration, and thanks to the fine folks at Southern Oaks for taking care of us so well. Big thanks as well to Ryan Hogdson-Rigsbee for a great job shooting and assisting with me.