“I want to be her bestie.
Truly an absolute joy from start to finish. She made me feel calm, taken care of, and beautiful.”
Getting Ready: Hotel Monteleone
Portraits: Ursaline Convent
Ceremony: St. Marys French Quarter
Reception: Latrobes
Band / DJ: Louisiana Spice
Coordinator: Rylan
Florist: Meade Wenzel
Bakery: Chez Ru Rene
Hair: Faces of Virtue
Makeup: Faces of Virtue
Bridal Boutique: Yvonne LaFleur
Tuxedo Store: Perlis
2nd Line Band: Kinfolk
Videographer: Chad Bower
Candles/Lighting: Latrobe’s
I cannot say enough good things about Corine and Kacie. Corine went above and beyond, directing traffic along with a trombone player from Kinfolk when the NOPD decided to abandon our second line. She kept everyone on task and on time. She was kind, fun, sweet with the kids and old folks…truly an absolute joy from start to finish. She made me feel calm, taken care of, and beautiful. I want to be her bestie.
How did you meet?
Online, like true millennials.
Include a little bit about yourselves. What do you do?
Michael is a JAG officer (attorney) in the Coast Guard. He is also a writer, an avid reader, and a former collegiate runner. He is from Mississippi. Lauren is a physician (anesthesiologist) from New Orleans.
What is your favorite thing about each other?
Michael: She’s kind, caring, and genuine. She makes life steadier but also more fun and exciting.
Lauren: He is loyal, solid, and unwavering. He is the calm in my storm.
How did the proposal go? Who proposed to whom? Were you surprised?
Michael dropped down to one knee in my kitchen after a lovely dinner at La Petite Grocery.
Where was your ceremony?
We got married at St. Mary’s at the Old Ursuline Convent. We are both practicing Catholics, and I have a particularly strong devotion to Mary. The gardens of the convent grounds are also incredible and feel like a private garden in Europe. We also love that it’s the oldest building in the Mississippi River Valley.
Reception
Latrobe’s felt like classic New Orleans. The structure itself is gorgeous and did not even need much decoration. The food is also incredible. The ladies who help you plan, particularly Rylan, made everything so easy and smooth.
Read more below the gallery!
What unique or special things did you do at the reception?
We had Kinfolk Brass Band lead us from the church to the reception, accompanied by pedicabs for our older guests and a bike cart serving drinks along the way. We had many out-of-town guests, so we wanted everything to have a strong New Orleans feel. I think we achieved that!
At the reception, we had pictures from our parents’ and grandparents’ weddings. Our cake was modeled after our parents’ wedding cakes—each tier alternated with designs from each family. We also passed out lighted foam sticks to keep the dance floor going.
Pick one moment in the day that was your favorite.
Seeing 220 of our loved ones packed in a church to celebrate us.
Hearing the second line band strike up as soon as the doors opened after our ceremony.
Did it really go by as quickly as everyone says?
EVEN FASTER!!!! We want to repeat the whole weekend, not because anything went wrong, but because it was just so much fun!
What was the inspiration behind the color palette and decor you picked?
Our favorite color is blue, and it went with the venues.
From the bride: When you first saw the groom, what were you thinking or feeling?
I was finally relaxed after seeing him. I was hesitant to do a first look because I was worried it would take away from the “walking down the aisle moment,” but it ended up being very calming.
From the groom: When you first saw the bride, what were you thinking or feeling?
He agrees, lol.
Who was your baker? What was the flavor of your cake? Was it delicious?!
Mrs. Terry from Chez Ru Renee. She baked my sister’s wedding cake 10 years ago, and my family still talks about how good it was…and she did not disappoint in 2026!
We had three flavors: classic almond cake with toasted almond filling, yellow butter cake with chocolate fudge filling, and chocolate cake with chocolate fudge filling. All three were fabulous. We brought extra slices on the plane for breakfast on the way to our honeymoon.
Did you do a first look? If so, how did you feel about it?
We did, mainly for timing reasons, but the traditionalist in me was hesitant. I am very glad we did it, but the moment did not feel as intimate as we would have hoped.
Did you have a coordinator, or did you plan everything yourself?
I planned mostly everything myself with a lot of help from family, friends, and excellent vendor recommendations. The ladies at Latrobe’s said we did not really need to get a coordinator, and they were right.
What was your first dance song? Why this song?
“To Make You Feel My Love”—the original by Bob Dylan, Michael’s favorite artist. The words perfectly capture how we feel about one another, and you cannot beat those raspy vocals.
Band or DJ? Did they rock it?
Louisiana Spice was EPIC! We have had tons of compliments from friends and family and even a request for contact info for a future family wedding.
What advice do you have for future brides or grooms?
RELAX! And trust the experts. Don’t try to control the uncontrollable—weather, traffic, or the priest and cantor getting stuck behind the Gay Pride Parade.
