Real New Orleans wedding: Caroline + Sabri

When Caroline was a freshman at Washington University in St. Louis, she met Sabri in her first architecture class.  Unfortunately, dating him was off limits since he was the class Teaching Assistant (TA) and also an accomplished Senior.
“He was the CUTEST guy around,” she said.  “I definitely had a school girl crush on him, but we became friends.”
By the end of Caroline’s sophomore year, Sabri moved to New York to pursue his Master’s in Architecture at Columbia and the two lost touch.

Three years later, Caroline and Sabri ran into each other at a mutual friend’s apartment in St. Louis and reconnected.  It was FATE!

They talked on the phone regularly and even visited each other a few times.  Feelings and secret crushes were revealed and by the Summer of 2007, the two were officially dating.   After spending a week with Caroline and her family in Cape Cod, Sabri fit right in and won over everyone’s hearts.

Sadly, Caroline was attending a 3 year grad school program in Savannah to earn her Masters of Fine Arts in Interior Design.  Both Sabri and Caroline were not willing to let distance break them up, so they stayed together and spent every break with one another.

After a year and a half of dating officially, the two were head over heels in love.

The couple spent Easter with Caroline’s entire family in Louisiana. When Caroline was out, Sabri formally asked her parents for their blessing and showed them the beautiful ring he purchased for their daughter.  They could not have been more ecstatic!
A few hours later, the couple caught a rare moment alone, sitting in the front of Caroline’s mom’s car.  Sabri mentioned having an interesting talk with Caroline’s parents about their future.  Caroline’s heart dropped.  He told her that he received both of their blessings to propose as he pulled out the ring and asked if she would be his wife.
Caroline recalled,

“Sabri got so nervous that he forgot to ask me to get out of the car. Now we always joke that my mom can never sell it. It was such a special weekend to be able to share the good news with my parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins in person on Easter.  My family is so important to me, so it meant a lot to me that Sabri made a point to propose while I was with them.”

Caroline and Sabri felt so ready to get married by the time Caroline finished school.  They planned a traditional New Orleans style wedding but added their own modern twists.

Many of their guests traveled all of the way from France, India, Malaysia, England, and all over the U.S. to attend their nuptials so the couple was determined to create a fun and unique wedding experience for everyone.  They did not disappoint….

When the day Caroline dreamed about for so long had finally arrived, she was all smiles in the bridal suite as she prepared to see her soon to be husband.

She looked insanely gorgeous!  I just adore her wedding day style and love how it reflected the entire wedding vibe (traditional with a fun/modern twist).

She wore a classic white wedding gown embellished with eye-catching accessories; including a black flower and crystal sash by Enzoani and glitzy, bold post earrings by Alexis Bittar.

Thanks to their fantastic photographer, Melissa of MQ Photography, you can experience many of their special moments and wedding details (pictured throughout this feature), like this beautiful first embrace.

For a master architect and an Interior Design professional, Latrobes on Royal was the perfect setting for both the ceremony and reception.  The historic, French Quarter venue is famous for it’s outstanding architecture and antique French decor.  The wrought iron gates, beautiful domed ceiling, indoor courtyard, rich baroque tapestries, were some of the many pieces of eye candy for their guests!

Caroline and Sabri wanted the ceremony to be special so they decided to get married in the round.  “We wrote our own vows, and had music that was particularly moving.  My dad even wrote a song for us!  It was so intimate with all of our friends and family surrounding and supporting us,” said Caroline.

After the ceremony, the couple had a traditional New Orleans “Second Line parade (one of my favorite traditions of all time)” where a fantastic brass marching band played music and led everyone around the streets in the French Quarter before the reception.

“Sabri and I held feathered parasols at the front of the line and guests followed us with a drink in one hand and a handkerchief in the other (to wave around).  We had a ball dancing through the streets of New Orleans!  All of the tourists enjoyed it too.  They lined the streets and took pictures of us as we passed by!” said Caroline.

It was the perfect, memorable way to kick off their celebration!  When guests returned to the reception they were pumped up and ready to dance the night away. “The whole wedding was an absolute blast!” said Melissa of MQ Photography.  “The bride and groom were not only a beautiful couple, they were SO MUCH FUN.  It was an honor to photograph and be a part of.”

• Ceremony & Reception: Latrobe’s On Royal (New Orleans)
• Photographer: MQ Photography
• Coordinator: Michele Adams with Unique Weddings in New Orleans
• Florist: Bella Blooms
• Rentals (linens, chairs, etc.): Latrobe’s On Royal
• Wedding dress: Enzoani
• Accessories: Enzoani (belt)
• Jewelry: Alexis Bittar
• Bridesmaid’s dresses:  Two Birds Bridesmaids
• Shoes: Martinez Valero
• Headpiece: Uptown Bridal in Chandler, AZ
• Hair/Makeup: Heather Burnam with Flawless Bride
• Desserts: Ice Cream Sandwiches – Creole Creamery,  Mrs. Fields Cookies, custom toppings by Latrobe’s On Royal
• Lighting: Michele Adams with Unique Weddings in New Orleans
• Music: John Rankin on guitar for ceremony, Herber McCarver and the Pin Stripe Band for  Second Line, and Groovy 7 for reception
• Stationery (invitations): DIY by the bride and groom
• Officiant: John Zimmer
• Hotel Accommodations:  Hotel Monteleone, Omni Royal Orleans
• Couples current location: Brooklyn, NY