Joey and Stephanie committed themselves to each other at their Hotel Mazarin wedding in New Orleans, Louisiana with an intimate ceremony.
They met in August 2014 in their Petroleum Engineering Program at Texas Tech University.
Stephanie walked into her Geology lab feeling nervous due to the class’s reputation. Until she saw Joey.
He was known around the department for being very good at Geology, so she decided to ask him to be her lab partner. Joey happily agreed!
Over the next few months, they met multiple times a week to study for all their classes and developed a friendship.
Then, one night in November, Stephanie wanted to go watch a movie and invited a few friends, including Joey.
Joey was the only one able to join, so he asked Stephanie if he could take her out to dinner first. So that night, they enjoyed their first date at Jazz, a New Orleans themed Cajun restaurant.
The following summer, Joey moved to Oklahoma City and Stephanie moved to Tulsa for their summer internships.
At the end of the summer, they wanted to take their first vacation together, so they booked a trip to New Orleans! (They’ve since traveled to the Crescent City more than a dozen times!)
After graduation, they moved to Midland, TX to begin their careers.
They learned to live together with their two pups and continued growing their passion for exploring new places (Guatemala is one of their favorite adventures.)
Then, one afternoon while in the comfort of their home, 4 years after they became lab partners, Joey got down on one knee and asked Stephanie to be his wife.
She was so excited that she actually forgot to say, “Yes!”, and Joey had to ask her again. They celebrated by drinking champagne by the pool and dreaming of where to elope.
Once their families changed their minds about eloping, they had to decide where to host their wedding.
Joey is from Oklahoma and Stephanie is from California, so their families weren’t in the same location.
So, if people were going to have to travel for the wedding, they wanted their guests to travel to a fun location that had a lot to offer.
Then it hit them – New Orleans. They had grown to love the city so much that it only seemed natural to exchange vows there.
Stephanie’s favorite moment of their big day: I have two moments that really stand out to me. The first being the end of the ceremony after we had been announced as husband and wife when the brass band burst into the courtyard.
All of the guests started waving their handkerchiefs and dancing and there was so much excitement in the air! It was the moment the party officially started.
The second being right after the second line, while all the guests were being escorted into the reception.
Joey and I snuck away into a private room to enjoy a meal and a glass of champagne together.
It was such a calm, intimate moment and we had a chance to breathe and appreciated everything that just happened while alone together.
We got to enjoy our incredible food and enjoy each other’s company before we started mingling with guests.
Joey’s favorite moment from their big day: My favorite moment was our first look. I got the chance to see my bride all dressed up for the first time in a private moment.
I also really loved the second line. I initially didn’t want to have the second line, but after some convincing, I realized it would be a fun experience for our guests.
I am very happy I changed my mind because it was one of the best experiences. I feel like it gave us the chance to incorporate the city that we loved so much into our own celebration and our guests still talk about it.
Associated Vendors
Dress Store: a&be
Bridesmaid Dresses: Jenny Yoo
Dress Designer: Made With Love Bridal
Other: Edifice Protection Group
Other: Printer Paper & More
Officiant: Sensational Ceremonies
Musicians: Nola Violinist
Tuxedo and Mens Attire: Men’s Wearhouse
Other: Need A Ride Pedicabs
Bakery: Haydel’s
DJ: Calfee Productions
Cinema and Video: Bella Productions
Design and Decor: Firefly Ambiance
Lighting: Firefly Ambiance
Floral Designer: Herbivore Floral Designs
Band: Kinfolk Brass Band
Hair Stylist: Hair by Nicole Leigh
Makeup Artist: Melissa Vaccaro
Caterer: Hotel Mazarin
Ceremony Location: Hotel Mazarin
Event Planner: Amanda Price Events
Photographer: Sarah Mattix Photography