The logistics: Melissa and Victor got married on April 20th at Grand Bayou Noir in Houma, Louisiana. Grand Bayou Noir is a beautiful cajun country bed and breakfast that is adorned with towering oak trees, banana trees and lots of other gorgeous tropical fauna. Grand Bayou Noir is located south of New Orleans, so if you are looking to get married outside of the hustle and bustle of the city, GBN is the perfect spot! The venue is able to be transformed to whatever “feel” you are going for — it’s funky charm was the perfect canvas for Melissa’s southern boho wedding inspiration.

The guests: Melissa and Victor’s family and friends travelled from all across the globe to be a part of their celebration. Guests flew in from Oregon, California, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Washington DC, Mississippi, Tennessee, Denver, AND Taiwan! The cultural make up of their guest list was rich, which made for the most vibrant and lively celebration I’ve had the honor to photograph. In addition, both M+V are active duty US Coast Guard, so many of the guests were also active duty as well! The couple also had a sword arch at the end of their ceremony, a USCG tradition!

The guests were a main consideration for the couple when planning the flow of their day. Starting with offering drinks BEFORE the ceremony started, to having delicious food available immediately at the reception, Melissa and Victor did an excellent job of making their guests feel cared for and… well hydrated with adult beverages 😉 With that being said, their reception was hands down some of the most fun I’ve had at a wedding in a while – as a guest or photog!

Favorite things: One of my favorite parts about being involved in M+V’s wedding was being involved from the beginning. What I mean here is, I was privileged to be a part of many conversations with the couple about not only what they wanted their day to look like visually, but also how they wanted it to feel. Though I will gladly just show up on the day of your wedding and take photos, to be brought into the decision making process from things like florals, lighting, decor, timelines, etc, is a huge honor for me! It was so fun to see all of their planning come together 🙂

In addition, I was obsessed with their florals and the modern boho feel of this southern wedding. I also LOVED that M+V’s wedding was almost entirely DYI. This couple and their family put together all of their decor and florals themselves, including hundreds of oyster shells that Melissa and her “krewe” hand painted. P.S. If you are looking for some STELLAR florals on a budget, check out Bloominous!!

To summarize, I absolutely loved that this wedding was not “boxed in” to a specific theme or feel. Though the decor was modern and bohemian-inspired, the surroundings were tropical and lush. The food was downright delicious and cajun-inspired, and there were many traditional elements of their ceremony as well. In addition, though neither Vic or Melissa are from Louisiana, there was definitely cajun and southern influence on the feel of day!

Vendors:
Videography | RZ Productions
Venue | Grand Bayou Noir
Dress | Town & Country Bridal
Flowers |Bloominous & Just For You Flower & Gift Shoppe
Hair | Ananda Organic Salon And Spa, Natalie Dupre, Miranda Kaye
Makeup | Mae + staff Mac Cosmetics in Houma

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