Timeless il Mercato Wedding in New Orleans

Turner and Matthew were married in New Orleans and had an incredibly beautiful, il Mercato wedding.

From the bride: We were both living and working in Nashville when we met.

I was working as a recruiter for a staffing agency and worked with a few of Matt’s friends from high school.

We ended up crossing paths after a work outing and the rest is history.

Choosing New Orleans as our destination didn’t come easy.

I was born and raised in Mandeville, LA, my mom was born in Shreveport, LA, and my Dad in New Orleans, LA.

After Hurricane Katrina, we moved to Nashville, TN and that is where we currently live.

I knew that I didn’t want to get married in Nashville because I just never envisioned it, but I also never knew that I wanted to get married in New Orleans.

Matt and I thought about Charleston for a bit since that city was so special to us with it being where we got engaged.

After knowing that we were going to have a destination wedding, the thought came to mind to have it in New Orleans.

The idea was that if we were going to have a destination wedding, there’s nowhere else we’d enjoy more than New Orleans.

It is home. It would forever be a memorable city for us. That’s when we hit the ground running with our planning.

My bridesmaid’s dresses were a soft rose gold with off white wraps.

I like to describe my dress as a “Meghan Markle” style.

I chose a timeless dress because I wanted to be able to look back in 20 years and still be just as in love with it.

The ceremony was held on December 28, 2019, at St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church in New Orleans, Louisiana.

My vision was very traditional and simple. We had whites, greenery, and simple but elegant floral.

Finally arriving at the church and lining up to walk down the aisle was the most special moment.

The second my dad put the veil over my face, the tears began to stream. Theresa, the photographer, caught the moment perfectly when my dad and I were trying to hold it all together.

And then finally- walking down the aisle to Matt.

We decided not to do a first look and we are so glad that we didn’t. It made seeing each other for the first time that much more special.

It was such a surreal moment to feel like I was seeing my husband for the first time. We both had such exciting, but anxious nerves that we will never forget.

The reception was at il Mercato wedding venue just off of Magazine Street in New Orleans.

Associated Vendors

Tuxedo and Mens Attire: Men’s Warehouse
Bridesmaid Dresses: Jenny Yoo
Dress Store: Town and Country Bridal
Invitation Designer: Alaina Polander Design
Photo Booth Equipment: Boogie Booth
Cake Designer: Bittersweet Confections
Transportation: Alert Transportation
Equipment Rentals: Distressed Rentals
Musicians: The Tip Tops
Caterer: Joel Catering
Event Venue: JW Marriott
Event Venue: Il Mercato
Hair Stylist: Amber Buxton Salon
Makeup Artist: Melissa Vaccaro
Ceremony Location: St. Charles Presbyterian Church
Cinema and Video: Chad Bower Productions
Floral Designer: Leaf Petal New Orleans
Event Planner: Amanda Price Events
Photographer: Theresa Elizabeth Photography