Real Wedding {Andi & Joe}

I am so excited to share this wedding with you for the first "Real Wedding" here on Under A Paper Moon. Andi and Joe's wedding, as you will see, is classic and elegant with a perfect touch of New Orleans thrown in the mix.


The Couple: Andi and Joe
The City: New Orleans, LA
The Location: French Quarter-- St. Louis Cathedral & Omni Royal Orleans
The Day: December 13, 2008
The Photographer: Chris Williams of Zoeica Images

Getting Ready

A carriage ride through the French Quarter on route to the church.

The breathtaking St. Louis Cathedral

The Ceremony Begins

Off to the reception with a perfect New Orleans tradition- a "Second Line."

The exterior of the Omni Royal Orleans decorated beautifully for the holiday season.

With a New Orleans wedding, surely you were expecting a party... looks like this one did not disappoint!

And, finally, some action on Bourbon Street.

How did you decide where to hold your wedding?

Andi: I always knew that we would get married in New Orleans. It is my hometown, and my favorite city in the world. It also helped that Joe really likes New Orleans as well. It's just the general "feel" of the city... there is such a vibe of happiness and love... and the people are what make the city. It's something hard to explain unless you have visited before.

That being said, I knew that I specifically wanted to get married in the French Quarter. I love the architecture, and we wanted everyone from out-of-town to be able to come to the hotel and walk to everything from there. So, we chose St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square as the church and the reception was at the Omni Royal Orleans, which is about 2 blocks away.

What special touches did you incorporate into your wedding day?

Andi: We incorporated some New Orleans touches. We did a traditional Second Line with a brass band from the church to the reception. Everyone in the bridal party had umbrellas, and the wedding guests were given handkerchiefs with our logo for the Second Line.

And, this would only happen in New Orleans, the police blocked off an area outside of the church where a bar had set up tables to hand out drinks, which were "something old" (old-fashioned,) "something new" (mojito,) "something borrowed" (cosmopolitan,) and "something blue" (blue hawaiian.) This started the party off right!

Also, for Joe's groom's cake we did Baked Alaska brought in from Antoine's, which is a traditional New Orleans dessert and Antoine's is the oldest-family run restaurant in the country. Joe loves ice cream cake, so it was a surprise for him. The waiters brought them out with the band and paraded around the ballroom. It was a hit.

Lastly, my "something old" was my Nana's holy medal of the Blessed Mother. We wrapped it around the base of my flowers.

Do you have a favorite memory of the day?

So many! I would have to say it was our vows. I started to cry and TOTALLY had not thought that I would. I remember Joe's smile when my voice broke, and it was priceless. Also, as a while, the recption was a blast! I danced with my Dad to "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," and everyone was clapping along. We had a "routine" :) We also had an after-party at the Bourbon Street Blues Club, and it was great... 8 hours of open bars, so it was naturally New Orleans!

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A big "thank you" to Andi and Joe, as well as Zoeica Images, for allowing me to share this gorgeous wedding. There were so many beautiful images, it was difficult to chose which ones to show, but you can see all the images here.

Also, if you missed Andi's bridals portraits earlier today, be sure to take a look at the stunning photos, taken in New York City on a blustery November day.

*Update: Chris wanted to make sure that he credited his second shooter Amy Brassette for her work on this wedding too.