Kristen & Scott - The Chicory

1. Did you know a lot about flowers when you started your plans? What was the vibe you were going for? When I first spoke with Herb, I was pretty clueless about flowers. I tried to educate myself a little so I wouldn't sound like a total idiot talking to him, but I knew I LOVED his work and that the Herbivore team creates this magic every day, so I wanted to provide input/a vision but ultimately trust their creativity. I was going for a swampy vibe...or a Bling Bayou if you will. :) I wanted the indoor part of our reception to look like a pretty, firefly filled swamp (no mosquitos! haha!), and then when the guests stepped outside I wanted it to be a little more chic, modern, like--oh yeah, I'm not in a bayou, I'm in the city!

2. How did working with Herbivore fit into your schedule? Did you enjoy working with the Herbivore team? Herbivore was excellent! They had the appropriate amount of communication leading up to it, and Herb seemed to understand my vision really well right off the bat!

3. What was the most memorable part of the wedding planning process? I went for a lot of runs when I was planning, and I feel like this is when I came up with my best ideas! I really liked communicating my vision and hearing suggestions or ways to make it come to life from my vendors too.

4. Why did you choose New Orleans, and specifically The Chicory, for your big day? New Orleans because I lived there for a few years after college, I LOVE the city and I wanted to show my guests, family, and friends that there was soooo much more to it than Bourbon Street and the way the media portrays Mardi Gras. Plus, we had to schedule the whole event around crawfish season, because I LOVE them and I felt like a big boil was the BEST way to welcome everyone to town! I chose the Chicory because, well, it's gorgeous, and having an indoor and outdoor space was very important to us. When I first visited the Chicory, the team was super professional and made me feel like I was in extremely good hands. That was a HUGE selling point. I almost went with the Elms or Felicity Church, but the added element of knowing Jenna was there to help and coordinate on the day played a big role--and I would not have been able to pull it off without her or some kind of day-of coordinator.

5. Do you remember what you were thinking when you saw (your bouquet, the ceremony, the completed reception space) for the first time? My first thought was, dang it--I wish Herb was delivering because after following his socials for so long, I feel like he's a celebrity (haha!)--but then I was super impressed with the vibrant yellow of the tulips and it was like the blue and yellow theme I had envisioned was really coming together. I was SOOO excited to see a little dino on my bouquet! It felt like such a cute touch and made me really proud to be a Herbivore bride! The matching pink dogwood nosegay and groom's boutonniere for the groom's deceased mother brought a tear to my eye, and are still sitting on our mantle with the photo from the wedding. The reception space took my breath away. It was absolutely flawless and we could not have been happier! It was amazing how well the space matched my vision--I wish I could communicate that well with my employees because I try to explain things but I feel like they never meet my expectations in the way our reception space did! I also really enjoyed sizing up the drop lights and Spanish moss to make sure that when we did the lift I wouldn't come down covered in moss and potentially on fire from a candle. hahaha! The only thing I am sad about is that we didn't get a photo of the chandelier covered in moss above the cake... because it looked perfect! The ceremony space was amazing as well. Herb really took the colors I wanted and brought the whole look together.

6. What is your favorite memory from your wedding day? Too. Many! The coolest I've ever felt was definitely when we did the lift and everyone cheered! I truly felt on top of the world at that moment. Dancing to Country Roads in the middle of a circle of our family and friends to end the reception before the Second Line is something I will never forget.

7. What advice would you give to other couples trying to plan their big day? Have a contingency plan for a power outage... And try to make more eye contact with the photographer and don't be afraid to ask for more photos or take goofy ones! I was so stressed to walk back to the venue I forgot to take a few goofy photos with my bridesmaids and I wish I had one! And, make sure you take time with your new spouse--the bridal suite at the Chicory where we had our private dinner before being around everyone was sooo nice. 8. What's next for the new couple?

Well, we just got back from an adventure out West visiting National Parks and backpacking. Next year we plan on doing our "actual" honeymoon in South Africa and I CAN'T WAIT!

Also, when we got married, I made Scott promise me we could have anniversary vow-renewal parties every 10 years... so, after the blast this party was, I can't help but be excited to plan the next one!

Photography: Xistence Photography | Floral Designer: Herbivore Floral Designs | Venue: The Chicory | Videography: Film Thread Video Service | Lighting: Luminous Events | DJ: Rock It Products | Second Line: Kin Folk Brass Band