An Outdoor Wedding at the Race and Religious in New Orleans, Louisiana

Mckenzie Gray (34 and works in financial services) and John Coleman (31 and works in graphic sales) met at a hurricane party and became engaged when John returned from a trip to Israel. “He came back with an Israeli cross ring that he used to propose, as well as putting a diamond on my grandmother's engagement ring,” says Mckenzie. The couple spent almost six months planning their wedding New Orleans. Their color scheme and decor were inspired by their venue, the Race and Religious. “We stayed with natural colors so not to cloud the existing ambiance of our venue,” says Mckenzie. Each guest received a custom invitation designed by John that used their venue as inspiration. When each guest arrived, Mckenzie and John’s ceremony space was accented with candles in cylinder vases and a two large white floral arrangements on a rustic table at the head of the aisle. After the couple was wed, their wedding flowed directly into the cocktail hour and reception. White paper lanterns and string lighting were hung overhead as each guest chose his or her seat. The couple chose a floating reception so their 250 friends and family members were able to eat, drink and dance at their leisure. “It gave us time to roam the crowd and visit so that we could enjoy the rest of the evening,” says Mckenzie. While guests enjoyed a jazz ensemble and live band during the night, the couple also brought in another musical surprise. “ A brass band busted up in the middle just to shake it up and remind our guests they were in fact in New Orleans. This was probably one of my favorite parts,” says Mckenzie. Her and John ended the night with a ride in a classic white Rolls-Royce. However, their wedding celebration also kept the city of New Orleans in mind and extended beyond that day. The couple gave each of their guests a reusable bag filled water, granola bars, bandages, antibacterial gel, a pair of socks and a poncho. These bags were then given to any person in their guests encountered after leaving the wedding. "I am not a fan of giving homeless money, but I can't look at a hungry soul and do nothing. We wanted to share this heart with our guests," says Mckenzie.