Justin & Joseph’s Wedding Picture Preview: A Unique Candlelit Courtyard Wedding in the French Quarter
Wedding Party strike a pose in the French Quarter
On their wedding day I first met up with Justin & Joseph on the streets of downtown New Orleans. Their small wedding party came along for some fun pictures around the French Quarter.
Newlyweds at Hotel Mazarin in New Orleans French Quarter
Justin & Joseph recently legally wed in their home of New York, where gay marriage is legal and recognized. Unfortunately, its not technically legal yet in Louisiana, but plenty of couples still come to New Orleans for their gay wedding. There may not be a state certified marriage license to sign, but you can certainly still have a wedding and celebrate your marriage in New Orleans. For Justin & Joseph their hearts are in New Orleans where they have been traveling together as a couple for the past few years. So to celebrate their marriage they invited their closest friends and family from around the country to meet them in New Orleans for their destination wedding.
Wedding Party in Jackson Square
They kept things simple with a best person on each side and an officiant who was also a dear friend of theirs.
Wedding Party in French Quarter
Its always fun to take wedding pictures around the French Quarter. Lots of unique characters, amazing musicians, and interesting colors and architecture.
Wedding Party & musicians in the French Quarter
After a few quick pictures around the French Quarter it was time to head back to Hotel Mazarin for the wedding. A second line band started off the ceremony by leading the guests from the hotel bar to the courtyard where the ceremony would take place. I could tell that most people, being from out of state, had not seen or participated in a 2nd line before. They were all quite amused and pulling out their cell phones for pictures.
2nd line parade starts the wedding ceremony in the French Quarter
It was a small but intimate ceremony held in the courtyard of Hotel Mazarin, formerly Louis XIV. I was quite excited when I realized their wedding was going to be held at this hotel. My husband and I almost had our own wedding here, when it was Hotel Louis XIV five years ago, but it was a little too small for the amount of guests we were having and we had to find a new place. But in my opinion, if you are looking for a courtyard wedding this is definitely the best wedding venue in the French Quarter.
a New Orleans gay wedding at Hotel Mazarin
After their short but sweet ceremony Justin & Joseph celebrated with a toast.
A toast to marriage
We took a few more pictures around Hotel Mazarin and then joined their guests in the reception hall. The newly remodeled reception room was a perfect New Orleans fit with vintage decor, brick walls, and a steel bar.
creative picture of wedding reception at Hotel Mazarin
Their classic wedding cake was adorned with fleur de lis and created by Swiss Confectionary.
New Orleans style wedding cake
After a filling New Orleans style dinner of oyster rockefeller, shrimp stew, crabstuffed mushroom, crab claws, and more….(oh man now I’m hungry!), each of their best persons gave a heartwarming and funny toast.
documenting the candid wedding toast
If you look closely you can see Justin & Joseph’s reflection in this champagne glass below.
unique wedding pictures – reflection of the grooms in champagne glasses during toast
Their DJ, Grooves Entertainment, soon got everyone pumped up and dancing on the dance floor.
documentary wedding pictures at Hotel Mazarin
The grooms didn’t want a formal mother-son dance, so they invited everyone to dance along with them for their dances with their moms.
an informal mother & son dance at Hotel Mazarin
Joseph and his mother really knew how to tear up the dance floor.
an informal mother & son dance at Hotel Mazarin
Their simple matching wedding bands set against a few fun Mardi Gras beads.
wedding rings and Mardi Gras beads
Before I left I grabbed one more shot of the two grooms sharing a moment at the bar.
Grabbing a drink at Hotel Mazarin
Thanks so much Justin and Joseph for hiring me to photograph one of the most important days of your lives. Your New Orleans destination wedding was a blast to photograph, and I hope to see you two back in New Orleans again!
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