A Retro Bohemian Bayou Wedding at Salmen-Fritchie House in Slidell, Louisiana

Inspired by their love for nature, Brooke Hesson (28 and an ecologist at Louisiana State University) and Paul Bacharach (28 and a facilities coordinator at LSU) exchanged vows along the marsh at Sticks and Stones Bayou Retreat, then celebrated with an after-party at Salmen-Fritchie House in Slidell, Louisiana. “Paul and I have always had an affinity for the outdoors,” Brooke says. “We wanted our location to be as Louisiana as it gets. Once I started imagining our wedding, I knew we had to get married under Spanish moss and cypress trees.” Friends and family members gathered along the bayou for the couple’s outdoor ceremony. The aisle was lined in Spanish moss, and the couple’s florist created an elaborate greenery backdrop out of palmetto, pampas grass, ferns and native greenery. After exchanging vows, the newlyweds spent time alone reflecting on their family’s pontoon boat. “Getting married in the swamp and using our family’s pontoon boat made for a dreamy afternoon on the water,” Brooke says. Afterwards, the newlyweds hopped in an old Volkswagen van and rode to Slidell, where dinner and dancing awaited them at Salmen-Fritchie House. “It was the perfect retro touch,” Brooke says. “A Rolls-Royce just isn’t us.” The couple decked out their vintage venue in gold accents and Louisiana’s flora—a mix of greenery, air plants, ferns and moss. “I loved that my florists used native greenery that showcased Louisiana’s beauty,” Brooke says. Friends and family feasted on a traditional Louisiana supper—drunken duck and grits, softshell crab, seafood gumbo, boiled shrimp and oyster shooters. “We ended the night with beignets and Irish coffee—our favorites,” says Brooke. —Marissa Hermanson