Kristy & Travis’ Wedding Picture Preview: The Omni Hotel, The Bourbon Orleans Hotel,  The Riverview Room, and Pat O’Brian’s in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana by destination wedding photographer Nicole Nichols Photography

Bride & Groom celebrating at the after-party at Pat O'Brians in the New Orleans French Quarter

The bride Kristy currently lives in Denver, CO but spent her college years at LSU (Gueax Tigers!) as well as much time in the New Orleans area, so she was delighted to be able to go back to New Orleans for her wedding.   After all, New Orleans is considered one of the most romantic cities, and it is the #2 wedding destination location after Las Vegas.   I can’t tell you how many people I meet that have left part of their heart in New Orleans (me included), or got engaged in NOLA (see last blog post), so it only makes sense for them to come back to New Orleans to share the city they love, and their love of each other with the people that they love (wait, I think I said that last part in my own wedding toast, haha).

I got to document this couple’s rehearsal dinner the previous night at Tujague’s (click for that blog post) and spent the whole next day documenting their wedding celebration from the getting ready at the Omni Hotel to the after-party at Pat O’Brian’s.

The Omni is a beautiful majestic hotel right in the heart of the French Quarter.  It was a perfect spot for everyone to get ready and for the bridal portraits.   I absolutely loved Kristy’s dress, which she found in Mandeville at Southern Bridal.  We then all headed to the elegant ballroom of the Bourbon Orleans Hotel for their wedding ceremony.  New Orleans Finest Musicians and singer Carrie Helm provided the live music.  Their was a lot of emotion and tears of joy flowing in the ballroom that day.  And in traditional New Orleans style the ceremony was followed by a second line parade.  The Storyville Stompers brass band met us outside the Bourbon Orleans Hotel and led a 2nd line parade through the French Quarter.  The bride and groom had custom white handkerchiefs made for all the guest with their name & date on it (see picture below), and Kristy & Travis had beautiful parasols made decorated with fleur de lis and flair.  Once we got to the Jax Brewery the band played their last song and everyone headed up to Riverview Room at the top of the building.  At the Riverview Room the DJ kept the crowd dancing all night and there was so much food I don’t know how anyone could have even tried it all!  Also, The Royal Cakery made a beautiful and delicious white wedding cake.   Travis’ artist sister, Brooke,  who is also a caricature artist in Denver (see LOL Caricature Company), created a handmade caricature cake topper….along with a caricature drawing that all the guests signed around in place of a traditional guest book.
After the last song was played and the last drink was served, Kristy & Travis left in style with elaborate carnival masks and a horse and buggy ride.  Everyone then grabbed their custom to-go cups (filled of course, this is New Orleans after-all) and headed to the famous Pat Brian’s Patio Bar for a casual after-party.  My 2nd photographer, Ashley, and I had a wonderful time photographing this amazing wedding and were so glad to be a part of it!  Thanks again Kristy & Travis for having us there….plenty more pictures to come, but for now enjoy your “picture preview” below:

I photograph a lot of weddings, but its rare for me to actually get to document the beginning of a couple’s engagement – the actual proposal.  And this marriage proposal certainly topped the charts! Jeff and Amy are from New York and were planning a vacation in New Orleans , the future groom-to-be, came up with the perfect unique idea to propose to Amy on their trip.  Jeff hired Second Line Weddings and Events to come up with a scheme that involved having her husband, and partner in crime, pretend to be a college friend meeting the couple at Cafe du Monde, the famous cafe au lait & beignet stop in the French Quarter.  I hid behind the Cafe du Monde green draped wall until Katie, from Second Line Events, came by pretending to be doing a random 2nd line parade to help market the Baby Boyz Brass Band.  Kaite got the couple and everyone around, to join in on the parade.  So I pretended myself to be a camera happy tourist that joined the parade just for fun.  It was difficult trying to catch candid pictures of the couple dancing without my lens aimed at them raising any suspension….the last thing I wanted to do was ruin the surprise.  So I kept a safe distance and tried to make it look like I was taking pictures of everyone and everything.  The band led the crowd through the French Quarter, around Jackson Square, and then up to the Riverwalk.  Once they walked a ways down the Riverwalk the brass band slowed down their tempo and that is when Jeff got down on one knee and made his move!  The crowd circled around to watch and everyone started cheering & clapping.  It was truly magical to witness such a romantic moment, I even had to keep from tearing up myself.  We then headed back to where everything started, at Cafe du Monde, and I took a few quick portraits of the couple with their new diamond ring.  It was so romantic and a fantastic idea for a surprise proposal!  Hit play on the picture below to watch a mini-music video I put together of some of my favorite pictures (and I recommend hitting the bottom right button to view full screen).  Congratulations Jeff & Amy, I hope to see you again for a wedding in New Orleans!!

Fall Baby Pictures in Denver, Colorado

Denver Lifestyle Baby & Portrait Photographer in City Park

I am a supporter of the non-profit Boulder Valley Women’s Health Center and every year donate a photography portrait session for their big fundraiser.  Last year Blair’s sister won my boudoir session from the fundraiser and ironically Blair won it this year.  So, I recently had the pleasure of photographing the beautiful Young family in Denver’s City Park.  It was the day after Thanksgiving and the poor baby woke up with an upset stomach from too many new holiday foods. So we postponed a bit, but lucky for us it was a warm overcast day so even at 11am there was a nice lighting without any blaring sun (really not good for sensitive baby eyes). We also got a few pictures with their beloved dog and I just got so many cute shots I had to share!  If you are wanting some holiday portraits with your family, its not too late!  There is still time to do a session and get prints made for priceless Christmas gifts…..are you can always make them New Years cards too    Simply contact me for more detailed information on family and portrait photography sessions in the Denver and Boulder area.

Family Portraits in Denver, CO

Baby Pictures at City Park in Denver, CO

I am always excited when one of my brides asks me to shoot their rehearsal dinner. It’s a great chance for me to meet the family and wedding party before the wedding day, figure out who everyone is and try to learn everyone’s names. And what I really love is getting to listen in on the toast, or catching glimpses of their childhood slideshows, it really gives me a chance to get to know a different side of the bride & groom. I wasn’t expecting Kristy to announce at the end of the toast that she wanted to thank me (yes, moi!) for everything I had done and for being there to photograph her weekend, it kind of left me speechless, but thank you Kristy, I really did appreciate that! This rehearsal dinner was certainly filled with a lots of toasts, cute kids, gifts, and of course great food (thanks for that too, yummy!). Here are a few of my favorite shots from Kristy & Travis’ rehearsal dinner at Tujagues’s Restaurant located in the heart of the French Quarter in New Orleans, LA.  This wonderful couple’s wedding was held the next day at the Bourbon Orleans Hotel with a reception at the Riverview Room, keep an eye out for that picture preview to come soon!