Happy Monday, lovelies! Today we are extremely excited to share the absolutely one-of-a-kind New Orleans wedding of Hope and Josh, captured by Sarah of Hazelwood Photo.
What we love about Hope, besides her enviable red locks, is that she is true to herself.
When we look through photos added to the community or submitted to our blog, we always keep an eye out for something fresh and different. It doesn't need to be outlandish, just unique is its own little way. A little "je ne se qua" if you'll literally pardon our French:)
Well today's wedding has got it in spades! A bride with gorgeous, braided red hair and a groom that looks like a Disney prince? Yes please! A DIY wedding at one of the premier wedding venues in The Big Easy. Brilliant! How about we throw in a truly epic brass band wedding entrance? Now we're cooking! And did we mention that both the bride and groom are rocking multiple tattoos?
[Queue the record scratch sound effect] Say what?!
That's right folks, today we have a DIY New Orleans wedding with a brass band entrance, a handsome tattooed groom and a stunning red haired bride. To top it all off, Hope and Josh's daughter nearly stole the spotlight as the adorable flower girl!
Can one wedding handle this much awesomeness? Well that is the most amazing part — it is truly one of the most beautiful weddings we have seen. Rich in local flair, traditions and authenticity; photographed with timeless elegance by Hazelwood Photo. We are so grateful to Sarah for allowing us to share this wedding with you. You are all in for a real October treat!
Here is what we love about Hope, besides her enviable red locks: she is true to herself.
We love when a bride defies a simple label, and we love that she didn't cover up her tattoos for her big day.
Many brides with tattoos feel compelled to plan an alternative style wedding or to choose a less formal setting because of their ink. Gowns with sleeves are showing up more and more, and Hope could have easily justified a shrug for an outdoor October wedding. Instead, she rocked that zombie girl tattoo! It gave the perfect amount of personality to her vintage themed wedding. She is a great example of how to look elegant without losing your edge.
From the bride:
"The inspiration behind the theme of our wedding was vintage/collective/DIY. Pinterest sparked a lot of ideas and DIY crafts helped us stay below our budget of 10K. You don't have to spend thousands to have a great wedding."
From the bride:
"Bridesmaids were able to choose their own light colored dress. The dresses came from: Forever21, Macy's, Von Maur, Shopruche.com, Akira Chicago, and Neiman Marcus. Girl's shoes also just had to be nude in color and came from: Nordstrom, Nine West, Michael Kors, Macy's, Von Maur, and Famous Footwear."
"In the bridesmaids bouquets we used blue hydrangeas, and in my bouquet I had ivory hydrangeas and peach roses. The groom, groomsmen, and ring bearers had craspedia ball yellow flowers which my Aunt Amanda assembled."
You will not see a cuter flower girl than Hope and Josh's gorgeous daughter, wearing a tutu they found on Etsy for only $35! We totally <3 the fashionable ring bearer attire as well (they look like miniature groomsmen).
For their New Orleans wedding, Hope and Josh decided to integrate local customs and traditional architecture along with their vintage theme. They chose the 150 year old Benachi House and Gardens, a gorgeous Louisiana landmark which was restored, redecorated and repaired after Hurricane Katrina. The venue is now a wedding paradise, with lush gardens and gazebos on the outside, stunning parlors and dining halls on the inside. Every detail is steeped in history, from the ornate chandeliers to the granite mantleplaces. The couple was married on the front veranda in front of family and friends on a sunny October day.
The most memorable part of the day for Hope was the brass band entrance, a New Orleans tradition called a Second Line parade. Eight jazz musicians playing trumpets, trombones, drums and a sousaphone led the entire wedding party and guests through the front gates towards the ceremony site. Now that is how you celebrate a wedding!
From the bride:
"Grooms and Groomsmen, Volcom Fricken Chino Pants in Charcoal from Volcom.com. Suspenders and Bow ties from Solidcolorneckties.com"
As night fell on New Orleans, the celebration continued with music, dancing and games outside the Benachi House.
From the bride:
"First dance was to the song "God Gave Me You" by Blake Shelton, and the bride and father dance was to "I Loved Her First" by Heartland. During the ceremony we played a range of music from pop, oldies, to country."
Congratulations to Hope and Josh, and thank you so much for allowing us to share your special day. Best wishes to you in your marriage and all the future holds;) You can see even more photos of their amazing wedding here.
For brides-to-be, the key takeaways from this wedding are: stay true to yourself, book a gorgeous venue like the Benachi House, and hire Hazelwood Photo if you can! Sarah is just so good; every wedding in her portfolio is simply stunning! We hope to bring you more of her work very soon.
Check out Hazelwood Photo's profile for more!
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Background: photo by wreckless