Photo: Charlie Juliet Photography
For Lindsay Scott and Wells Winfrey, the third time truly was the charm. After a mutual friend attempted to set them up not once but twice without any luck, it took a third meeting — at a wedding, no less! — for sparks to fly. And fly they did. Once they got engaged, this somewhat indecisive couple went back-and-forth on a few wedding day details, including where they’d host their May 9, 2015, destination celebration. These two travel lovers considered several spots, but ultimately landed on New Orleans, where the bride-to-be attended college. With the city’s world-renowned cuisine and old Southern charm, Lindsay and Wells felt confident their 92 guests would have fun on their day and beyond. “If you can’t manage to have a good time in New Orleans, then I’m not sure where you can,” Lindsay points out.
With the help of the team at Nola Bash, this bride and groom created an intimate and elegant celebration with a focus on fine food, wine, and of course, an all-night dance party. Charlie Juliet Photography was there to capture every striking deep purple and green detail, all seen below.
Wells asked Lindsay to marry him with an heirloom diamond ring that had been in his family for years. “It’s really beautiful and it’s an honor to have been entrusted with something so important,” Lindsay says.
The couple planned their celebration at Stella Plantation, where guests could enjoy the venue’s live oak trees and sprawling lawns without some of the rules imposed by other historic spaces. “That was a huge plus logistically,” she the bride says. Their invitation suite even featured a rendering of the foliage their friends and family would see on the big day.
Unlike most other brides, Lindsay says finding her dress was one of her least favorite parts of planning the wedding, noting it was difficult going into shopping without a clear idea of what she was looking for. She ultimately decided on an A-line Vera Wang wedding dress with a sweetheart neckline, draped tulle bodice, and open back. “This was the dress I liked the most, so after a week of debating, I went for it,” she says.
She also carried a mixed bouquet made of succulents, anemones, ranunculus, and eucalyptus pods. Wells went classic, wearing a custom tuxedo — an easy pick for the groom!
With a large live oak tree as the backdrop for their outdoor ceremony the pair didn’t feel they needed much in the way of decor. Instead, Lindsay and Wells opted for small purple flower arrangements that were hung from the branches of the tree and let the beauty of the plantation do the rest of the work.
Lindsey and Wells hosted their reception in a white tent on the grounds, and guests could find their seat assignments — at tables named for New Orleans streets — hung by clothespins on a line. Before moving inside the tent, everyone enjoyed a cocktail hour beside the enclosure. “Thank goodness our wedding planner remembered bug spray,” Lindsay says. “Dusk in the swamplands of Louisiana means a lot of mosquitos!”
When they moved inside the tent, guests were greeted with a striking sight: Purple fabric draped along the ceiling of the tent, completely transforming the interior. “The tent was a permanent one,” Lindsay says, “so I didn’t get a say in the size or style of it. It was larger than I wanted, and it wasn’t most attractive tent, so I had very dark purple fabric draped across the top of the tent to help bring the ceiling down and create a more intimate feeling.” Another plus? The draping hid some of the metal poles the bride wasn’t fond of.
Centerpieces varied from table to table, but most were made of a mixture of moss, succulents, and deep purples flowers with candles mixed in at varying heights and sizes. “I don’t think that was any real specific way in which we personalized the wedding. I think it was just reflected in our choices overall,” the bride says of their décor. “We really just focused on great food, great wine, and a great band, because that’s what we love in general.”
And talk about great food. As indicated on their menu cards, the couple served an amazing meal that included Southern favorites like Louisiana shrimp-stuffed flounder, beef short ribs, and banana pudding.
Photo: Charlie Juliet Photography
The feast didn’t end there: Dessert also included a white three-tier confection made from layers of almond cake and chocolate buttercream filling.
Photo: Charlie Juliet Photography
Music was also important to the bride and groom, who chose to hire two live bands for the day’s entertainment.
Thinking back on the day, Lindsay cautions other brides to keep it simple. “It’s so easy to get carried away when planning a wedding but focus on the things that people will truly remember and you can’t go wrong,” she says.
Ceremony & Reception Venue: Stella Plantation || Wedding Planner: Nola Bash || Bride’s Wedding Dress: Vera Wang || Shoes: Gianvito Rossi || Hair & Makeup: Flawless Bride || Groom’s Attire: My Suit || Groomsmen Attire: Suit Supply || Florist: Le Deux Soeurs || Invitations: Kelly Draws|| Music: The Gumbo Trio; Dwight Raby || Catering: August || Cake: Bittersweet Confections || Rentals: Luminous Events; Event Rental; Rent Distressed || Videographer: Bride Film || Photographer: Charlie Juliet Photography
Ready for more Southern wedding inspiration? Then watch another couple say “I do” in Tennessee in the video below.