Photo Props & Backstories

So before I share our engagement pictures, I just wanted to touch on a few more props that we used.

I didn't want to use too many props, as I wanted to keep the photos focused on us and the locations, but I did have a few ideas I wanted to incorporate. 

I already showed you the very difficult process of making the fleur-de-lis date sign, which we did use. 

We also used the "Just Engaged" buttons that Disney gives out for free. Yep, there are free things at WDW. I think these are adorable if you got engaged at Disney or are just a fan, no matter where your pictures are. "Just" is a pushing it here, since we were "just" engaged eight months before, but who's counting right?

We wore our buttons every day during our engagement-moon!  Sphinx also had a birthday button!

Doing a Fais-Do-Do

As we learned, New Orleans weddings seem to be a bit different, but of course we still include plenty of the same traditions such as cake cutting, tosses, photo-op exits, and first dances. So we're doing all the regular first dances, but I also wanted to add another surprise dance in the mix.
Both of my mother's parents are of fully Cajun. We're talking French speaking, cochon-de-lait roasting, red beans and rice on Monday, from "out in the country" Cajun.  Actually on a vacation in Nova Scotia, they found a poster listing the original families that traveled from Acadia to Louisiana, and my grandmother's maiden name was on there! While I am pretty far removed from the Cajun country personality - honestly, I'm more of a city girl - but it is a big part of my heritage and I'm going to try to honor it - with a Cajun dance!
I remember my grandparents going dancing when I was younger, and something about hearing the accordion and fiddle just gets my heart going!

Me and my Maw Maw at my college graduation. For my graduation party, she started weeks early making tons of food and freezing it!/personal photo

My MawMaw passed away last year, and it was very hard on our family because she was such a strong person and she seemed invincible.  The cancer came up very suddenly and her battle was about six months. It's definitely upsetting that she isn't here to share in this time with us - and tell us what to do! So this is also a way to honor her at the wedding reception.

Laissez les WTF Rouler

The Big Easy has been getting plenty of attention as of late: we hosted SuperBowl XLVII and the Discovery Channel keeps putting on shows detailing how south Louisiana folks shoot things (plus whatever is going on in TrueBlood these days. Seriously, that shiz cray). Despite the colorful picture these shows paint, we don't ride to work in pirogues or throw beads off of balconies every weekend, but we're still a pretty unique city.  Louisiana doesn't have counties, we have parishes. And we don't bury people underground. And let's not get started on our eclectic vocabulary. We sure do love to party for any reason at all, complete with good food and drink.  Suffice to say, that New Orleans is a special, diverse place, and it is near and dear to my heart.

With that said, I have a big problem with the way New Orleans does weddings. And you're saying, "But didn't you just say that New Orleans loves to party and eat and drink? Doesn't that add up to a spectacular wedding?" Yep, I know. Some of this isn't going to make sense, so just try to follow me here.

First off, I am not a wedding veteran. I've only been to a handful of weddings, so my experience is pretty limited.  However, I did contact plenty of venues for pricing and packages and spoke with them too.  Until I started reading wedding websites - and watching Four Weddings - I had no concept of sit down dinners at weddings. Well, I knew, but I thought it was only for movies and super fancy, $100K+ affairs. Imagine my surprise that everywhere else in the country and beyond, these are the standard.  And to be honest, I felt cheated and I got a little pissed off.

Can You Picture That?

Yes, that's a reference to "The Muppet Movie" song, which is now going to be stuck in my head all day so I had to share.  Oh well, "moving right along"...

I've written plenty about our engagement pictures, I haven't yet shared who will be following us around on the wedding day capturing all of our favorite moments.  From the beginning, I figured it would be easier logistically (and cheaper) to choose a local photographer for the wedding, instead of Concept.  So we booked them for the engagement package and set our sights closer to home for someone to cover my bridal portraits and the wedding.

You know the drill: there was lots of Googling, looking up reviews, staying up late to "just look at one more page," and of course I made a spreadsheet to keep everything straight:


A line for each photographer's package - cost, hours, what was included, and how much do I like them.

I compiled my list by looking through New Orleans wedding magazines and the info that I received from a bridal show back in January.  Bonus for bridal shows - a lot of photographers handed out cards with their prices and packages which weren't listed on their website! That's a few less people to email!