An incredible custom wedding dress lent itself to one of the most timeless and elegant weddings we’ve seen a while. By using the couple’s love of New Orlean’s as a jumping-off point, Miranda planned a simply beautiful and classic wedding to groom Hunter.
The Proposal
Exactly a year before our wedding, Hunter and I went to the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana to have a dinner date. Somehow, he made me think it was all my idea to do this, so I was not expecting a thing! Ever since I was a little girl, I always said I did not want to know I was about to be proposed to until my future husband was down on one knee, and that is exactly how it happened! When we got there, I wanted to walk around, not knowing Hunter had my ring in a box in his sock!
After walking around for a bit, we got back to Jackson Square and started walking towards the beautiful Cathedral, and Hunter says, “I think I have something in my shoe,” and starts to bend down. While lifting his pant leg, that is when I see this outline of a ring box in his sock!! When he was down on one knee, I am not entirely sure what he said, because I was in complete shock. I couldn’t even say yes because I was trying so hard not to ugly cry, so I just shook my head up and down!
After, I tried to Facetime our parents and siblings, but Hunter told me to call them instead (which you’ll find out why soon). The surprise was not over yet! We finally get to our reservation at Arnaud’s in the French Quarter, and I told them the reservation name and they start leading us upstairs (which is not where the restaurant seating is) and I started thinking, “Wow, Hunter got us a private room to eat in!” When the hostess opened the door, I see my mom, dad, brother, best friend and MOH Lindsay, Hunter’s mom, Hunter’s dad, his sister (my Matron of Honor), and her husband all in the room waiting to celebrate with us! I got to spend the entire weekend in the French Quarter with our entire families!
This was the most thoughtful and biggest surprise that Hunter planned with the amazing help of our families that I will forever cherish! It was the perfect weekend to kick off planning the rest of our lives together!
Finding the perfect Martina Liana wedding dress
I wanted to look “simply elegant,” not over the top, but not too simple either. I thought I had no idea what I wanted, but it turns out I got exactly what I had always described! My mom, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, best friend and maid of honor, and I planned a weekend in New Orleans to go dress shopping! One of my best friends also SURPRISED ME, coming all the way from Houston, TX! I cried happy tears for hours.
Our first appointment was at Town and Country Bridal, which was the best experience! My stylist, Tasha, was my right-hand-girl. As soon as we walked in, my sister-in-law picked up a dress off the rack and said, “Miranda, this looks like what you have been describing!” It was the first dress I tried on, little did I know it would be my dress! I was thinking, “no way it is THIS easy!” We had the entire weekend there, so we went to all of the appointments, but no dress even compared to Martina Liana’s Style #888, until I tried on, you guessed it, ANOTHER Martina Liana dress, style #753. I was torn between these two beautiful dresses. I went back to Town and Country at the end of the weekend, and my girl Tasha told me that Martina Liana would work with me to not make me choose! What I ended up with was style #888 with the lining from style #753, Martina Liana made my wedding dress dreams come true!
The wedding details
The theme was “traditional,” with a little New Orleans touch. I am from about 30 minutes outside of the city and Hunter is a HUGE New Orleans Saints fan, so we incorporated that. My bridesmaid’s dresses were “oyster” colored, and we brought that same light greyish color in other areas, such as runners and little details, and the flowers were white with hints of blush coloring. Hunter’s groom’s cake was the New Orleans Mercedes Benz Superdome, our favors were pralines and koozies that said “How sweet it is to be loved bayou,” with a crawfish on them. It was personal to our love story because New Orleans is where we got engaged and began planning our lives together!
What made my getting ready experience extra special was having two great friends who are oh so talented do my hair (Karlie Lacoste) and make-up (Robin Malone) for the most important day of my life!
The most special memory from the day was the first look with my groom! When Hunter saw me in my wedding dress, I am pretty sure his jaw hit the floor. He absolutely loved it! That moment was such a special, romantic, and calming moment on the front porch of the bed and breakfast with the rain in the background, just Hunter and I to share the moment together.
Photography by Emily Songer Photo