The Smith Wedding

 Eleanor Cook + David Smith 

May 1, 2021

It’s been a little while since I have written a blog, but I am back! It has been a very busy few months, and now I have some awesome things to share!

I’m starting with the wedding of Eleanor + David Smith on May 1st. Eleanor reached out to me soon after Lovely Events + Planning officially launched! She was one of the first brides that decided to entrust her wedding day to me, and I will forever be grateful for that!

Eleanor + David got married at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, then continued their celebration at The John Nickerson House, Lafayette, Louisiana’s newest venue. There were a few hiccups in the weeks leading up to the wedding day since this was the first major event held at this venue. Looking back, I do not think we would change a thing. The day turned out beautiful, and everyone had a great time!

If you know Eleanor, you know that she is easygoing.. my favorite kind of bride!! She did not let the little things upset her throughout the planning process! Even when something didn’t go according to plan, she always made a light-hearted joke about it!

Brides- there’s almost always going to be something that does not go the way you pictured/ planned. We can plan all we want, but there are things that always pop up out of your control. That is where your wedding planner comes in! They will pick up the pieces and make everything right when something does go wrong. I will always admire Eleanor for being able to make jokes and laugh things off instead of letting them bring her down. Here is her advice to couples currently planning their wedding:

 “Trust the wedding planner and try to enjoy the process! It is very easy to get sucked into the minute details of wedding planning, but always remember to bring it back to your why. At the end of the day, you will still be married, and no one will really remember that you passed out Hardline Roofing koozies instead of your wedding koozies because the company swapped your order. And if they do remember, that's a fun story to tell!”

When I think back, I remember Eleanor and David truly enjoying time with their awesome friends and family. It is a true testament to their love to see how genuinely happy their guests were celebrating alongside them. When asked her favorite memory from the day, Eleanor said:

“THIS IS SO HARD! I'll give two. The first one is seeing my groom at the end of the aisle after the doors of the church swung open. I could relive this moment a thousand times and I'm not sure it would get old. The second favorite memory is when I changed into my "party dress" and spent the last hour of the reception with all of our closest friends on the dance floor. I particularly loved watching my sister show off her dance moves during the dance contest led by the band!”

Here are the people that made this lovely day a reality for Eleanor + David:

• Photography: Ami Photography

• Ceremony Venue: Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist

• Reception Venue: The John Nickerson House

• Caterer: Bon Temps Grill

• Flowers: The Sentimental Petal

• Videography: Delaney Visuals

• Coordination and Planning: Lovely Events + Planning LLC 

• Cake: Kathleen Short

• Makeup: MC Lash and Aesthetics- Madison Trahan

• Hair: The Loft- LaShaunna Antoine

• Band: 2nd Groove Showband

• Dress: A-Net’s

• Tuxedos: Mary Ellen's Tux Shop

• Live Painter: Dirk Guidry Art

• Candle Decor: Sweet Magnolia Weddings

• Groom’s Table: Caroline’s Cookies

• Favors: Y’all Biscuits

• Rentals: Element

Each and every one of these vendors was an absolute joy to work with! They all helped make everything come together to help celebrate this sweet couple. When asked her favorite vendor, this sweet bride said:

“This is a no brainer-- 100% Lovely Planning. This was the glue that made all of my other vendors work together. It would have been such a different (and probably less fun) experience if I was dealing with someone other than Annie. However, I think there are some vendors that deserve some shoutouts. I had so much fun using vendors who I hadn't heard of or who were just starting out. It felt so much more creative and like we were working together than they were working for me. Caroline's Cookies baked 5 dozen cookies for the groom's table. This was her first "big event" that she baked for. People are still raving about the cookies. One of my friends said she rationed the cookie for an entire week because she didn't want it to end. The John Nickerson House is also such a beautiful new addition to the Lafayette reception venue scene. I can't wait to see what other events take place here. Our photographer, Ami Photography, was also one of our favorites. Scott was SO MUCH FUN to work with. We are both quite awkward in front of a camera and he made it seem so much more natural. Not to mention, his pictures are beautiful! Lastly, our band, "2nd Groove Showband" was just the best. I had never heard of them before. I booked them through Music Garden after listening to about 2 clips of their band play. They were so fun and definitely kept the party going!”

It really was such an amazing day spent celebrating Eleanor + David. I will forever be grateful that Eleanor decided to give me a shot to help with her wedding day! I will always treasure the memories made at my first wedding after the official launch of Lovely Events + Planning. I learned so much, and I had so much fun along the way. These two will always have a special place in my heart and prayers.

Wishing the best of luck to these newlyweds as they begin their life together in Charleston, South Carolina!!