Lavishly Chic Events and Design had the pleasure of having an incredible wedding featured on the cover of Southern Bride Magazine this summer. And it wasn’t just any cover – this feature was a historic first! Our gorgeous bride Nyssa and her husband Ahmad were the first black couple to grace this iconic wedding magazine’s cover!
Like all our Lavishly Chic couples, Nyssa and Ahmad had a wedding to remember when they tied the knot last November at the incredible Il Mercato during their New Orleans destination wedding. Ahmad proposed after Nyssa came home from a Women’s Day march in Oakland. She knew he was picking her up for an anniversary dinner at their favorite restaurant, Dead Fish, but she was surprised to find a trail of rose petals leading from the door to the bedroom. There she found a card inscribed with “Let’s celebrate our anniversary and engagement.” Through her tears, she asked Ahmad if he was serious, and even though he was shaking with nerves, he pulled out a ring and asked her to marry him. They spent the rest of the day celebrating with their family and friends!
Nyssa and Ahmad may call California home, but Nyssa’s family roots are firmly planted in Louisiana, with both her mother and father’s families hailing from our beautiful state. Nyssa attended graduate school at Tulane University’s School of Public Health when Hurricane Katrina struck, forcing her to relocate her studies to California’s Bay Area. The distance hasn’t stopped her from annual visits to the Essence Festival and to celebrate birthdays. When Ahmad proposed, Nyssa knew she wanted her wedding held in New Orleans because of its rich cultural traditions, delicious food, and of course great music! She couldn’t imagine her wedding without a Second Line, so she quickly connected with us to help her find the perfect New Orleans wedding venue that could host the wedding of her dreams!
We looked at a few venues, but Nyssa knew she wanted a courtyard wedding that screamed New Orleans – we wanted a venue equipped with all things NOLA – we’re talkin’ architecture, fabulous food, and of course, that iconic second line! After a few tours of spots around town, Nyssa took one look at the outside fireplace at Il Mercato, and all her wedding visions came to life!
To keep the venue’s romantic feel and let the venue’s historical romance tell their love story, we chose lush white and blush florals with rose gold lantern accents. Column candles completed the dreamy look, and warm bistro lights helped add to the decor’s ambiance. One of Nyssa’s essential guest experiences was a lounge area to relax when they needed a break from the dance floor.
Nyssa wanted her dress to be romantic, elegant, and a little bit sexy. She knew she wanted lace and scoured Pinterest for wedding dress ideas. She had found one online that she was drawn to, but the color wasn’t quite right. When the day finally arrived for her to go dress shopping, her bridesmaids joined her at Janene’s Bridal in Alameda, California. They chose ten dresses, and the first one she tried on happened to be the Maggie Sottero she kept viewing online. Fortunately for her, this gown came in different colors, and she was able to choose one with a beautiful blush undertone to enhance the rose gold color theme of her wedding. While she did try on the other nine dresses, just for fun, that dream dress was everything she was looking for with its long lace sleeves, dramatic train, and open back for that hint of sexy she was going for!
When the big day arrived, everything went just as planned! The celebration was nonstop, and our team couldn’t stop smiling, seeing all of Nyssa’s dreams come true. There was dancing, a little cake smashing, and the Second Line was the perfect way to close out the evening!
We love supporting our destination brides when they chose to host their wedding in our beautiful city. New Orleans has so much to offer by way of culture and hospitality, and throwing a party like this that shows off all the best that we have to offer is why we love doing what we do!
