We started out on this beautiful October afternoon for Jessica and Luis’s wedding with coverage of the bride getting ready at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown New Orleans, and some shots of her and the bridesmaids along the Canal Street streetcar tracks. As is usually the case, when you don’t need a streetcar, they are lined up one after another, but when you are waiting for one to grab a photograph, there are none to be found! But we persevered, and eventually one came along.
We then headed to Saint Agnes Catholic Church in Jefferson for the wedding ceremony. This parish was established in the 1930s, with the current spacious and elegant church being built in the 1950s. The people here were very nice to work with, having a refreshing understanding of maintaining the balance between respecting the religious sanctity of the ceremony while still recognizing the importance of capturing good photographs of this moment.
The reception was held at nearby Southport Hall, which is near the river on Monticello Avenue in Jefferson. New Orleans is blessed with a broad variety of wedding reception facilities. Many are very elegant and sophisticated, but that type of formal atmosphere does not necessarily appeal to every couple. Southport Hall, a concert venue with a storied past dating back to the 1900s when it originally opened as an illegal gambling establishment, is delightful in that it fully embraces its gritty and informal character, while also providing delicious food as well as excellent service and a well-coordinated event thanks to manager Jay Bagnetto and his staff. Jessica and Luis were an easy-going and fun-loving couple, which made this venue’s relaxed environment perfect for them and their guests, and everyone had a fabulous time! Beth’s Flowers crafted the beautiful bouquets and floral decorations, while Janel Sproles did the cakes.
