New Orleans Wedding Photographer | Slidell, Baton Rouge, MS Gulf Coast | Michael Caswell » tree of life

Halloween Wedding – Tree of Life & Audubon Golf Clubhouse – Andra & Ramiro – 10/31/08

Michael Caswell — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 16:17:03 +0000

Andra & Ramiro’s friends Catherine & Calvin were married at this same spot a year ago, probably my most unique wedding of that year. And Andra & Ramiro’s wedding was certainly the most unique of this year! The ceremony was held in Audubon Park at the Tree of Life, a huge oak that was planted over 200 years ago for the wedding of New Orleans Mayor Jean Etienne de Bore.

Being Halloween night, the bridal party and all of the guests were dressed in costumes, many of them quite elaborate! And if that weren’t enough, the couple’s beloved dogs, who also participated in the wedding, had their own costumes as well. Their friends, Seán and Gwen of Seán Johnson and the Wild Lotus Band, performed some wonderful kirtan music during sunset ceremony.

Then, the Panorama Jazz Band let a second line through the park to the reception at the Audubon Park Golf Clubhouse, and then played during the reception as well. Every member of this band was amazingly talented… they were so tight, it sounded like they had been playing together forever!

Catherine & Calvin’s Wedding – Tree of Life & Orleans Club, New Orleans – 10/20/07

Michael Caswell — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 21:03:00 +0000

Catherine and Calvin’s wedding ceremony was about as unconventional as it could be! With absolutely perfect weather, the wedding took place at the Tree of Life in Audubon Park. The tree, a live oak, was planted during the wedding of New Orleans Mayor Jean Etienne de Bore over 200 years ago. The tree is massive, with the large root system making an ideal “stage” for the couple to stand on. And yes, those are shrimping boots that the bride and groom are wearing… there’s a long story behind that, which is too lengthy to post here, but suffice it to say that the boots have special meaning to the couple, dating back to their childhood. Catherine is a documentary filmmaker, and had three cameramen, including one with a steadycam rig, filming the event for an autobiographical documentary she is producing.

The reception was at the Orleans Club, and New Orleans legend Kermit Ruffins and his band entertained! At the end of the memorable night, Kermit led a second line march out to a waiting motorized rickshaw, in which the couple was whisked away.