MADISON TRAHAN DURKE & ROSS DURKE

June 19, 2021

Where are you from?

I’m from Milton and he’s from Loreauville. We currently live in New Iberia.

How did you meet?

We met on Bumble back in January 2018. We would always tell people we met on ‘social media’ (technically true) because we were a little embarrassed to admit it. Funny story, I actually swiped no when I first saw his profile because I thought he may have been a catfish. He popped up again the next day, so I said, ‘what the heck,’ and swiped yes – and the rest is history!

How did he propose?

Two years later we closed on our home, and we had family and friends helping us move in. Little did I know they were really there for the proposal. He proposed that night in our new home. It was special having everyone there.

Where was your wedding?

We got married at St. Mary Magdalen, and the reception was at L’Eglise in Abbeville. Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamed of getting married at St. Mary Magdalen, so that was a no-brainer, and L’Eglise is absolutely stunning with the gardens in full bloom.

What was the first thing you did as far as planning the wedding?

I asked all my bridesmaids and flower girls to be in the wedding. We got engaged right before COVID, so we didn’t start planning anything major until later.

What was one thing you knew you needed to have for your wedding?

Ross’ dad passed away about a month and a half before the wedding. It was a devastating loss for everyone. I knew he would be there in spirit, but I also wanted to make sure we honored him at the wedding. Father Aaron, who is close with both of our families, talked about Ross’ dad during the ceremony, which made it even more special.

Were there any surprises during planning?

There were constant surprises along the way – more than I can count. Every wedding will run into surprises, but at the end of the day, it’s only a minor inconvenience.

How many wedding dresses did you try on, and how did you know it was the one?

It was literally the first dress I tried on at the first bridal boutique. I tried on a few more after, but we just knew the first dress was the one!

What advice would you give other brides when planning?

Don’t stress over the little things! Stay positive and try to see the silver lining if things don’t go as planned, or else it’ll just drive you crazy. There were so many little hiccups during the planning process, but I knew all those things didn’t matter if I got to marry my best friend.

What was the one piece of advice you wish you’d had when planning?

Take the money and elope!

Where did you go on your honeymoon?

When we were planning everything, international travel was still kind of a hit or miss. We decided to do a smaller honeymoon to Gatlinburg, Tennessee at the end of July. Hopefully for our anniversary we can take our big trip.

What was your favorite part of your big day?

There were so many memorable moments, but I think my favorite was seeing Ross’ face as I walked down the aisle. He isn’t an emotional person by any means, but he did get a little choked up. It was the sweetest.

What has changed since being married?

Not much has changed, since we lived together before the wedding.

VENDOR SHOUT OUT:

• Gown: Linen Jolie Bridal

• Veil/Accessories: A-Net’s Bridal Boutique

• Tuxedo: Suit Up

• Rings: Marilyn’s Fine Jewelry

• Food: Bon Temps Grill

• Cake: Crystal Weddings

• Limo/car service: Luxury Limo of Lafayette

• Venue: L’Eglise

• Florist: Fabians for Flowers

• Décor: Knot Your Ordinary Event Rentals and Get Lit with Marquee

• Wedding Planner: Lovely Events + Planning

• Photo Booth: Clique-La

• Makeup: Boun Vang and Stephanie Hopkins

• Hair: Maisie Broussard, Ashley Jones and Ashlyn Marze

• Photography: Elle Frances Photography

• DJ: Lonnie Lopez

ANNA HO CHEN & XUE CHEN

March 21, 2021

Where do you live?

We currently live in Lafayette but are in the process of building our first home together in Broussard.

How did you meet?

Xue would ‘like’ almost every post I made on social media. I thought he was the biggest loser (laughs)! Come to find out, we had many mutual friends and, after a couple months of hanging out, he completely won me over.

How did he propose?

I always thought if he were going to propose, it would just be the two of us, because he is a very low-key person. We took a trip to California with family and friends, and I did not expect a proposal at all! It was at Sutro Baths in San Francisco, and the scenery and weather were beautiful! It was the perfect moment. I felt like I was dreaming when he got down on one knee. I was so glad my family and friends were there!

What was the first thing you did as far as planning the wedding?

After soaking in the moments of such a surreal moment, I immediately started looking at wedding dresses. I have always been obsessed with wedding dresses and was so excited that I could finally have a dream dress of my own.

What was one thing you knew you needed to have at your wedding?

An open bar – there was no question about this one.

How many wedding dresses did you try on and how did you know it was the one?

I felt like I was in heaven surrounded by so many beautiful wedding dresses, I wanted to try them all on! After trying on several dresses, I fell in love with three dresses….so I got all three! I knew my dresses were the ones when I couldn’t stop dancing and smiling at myself in the mirror. It was the “when you know, you know” type feeling.

What advice would you give other brides on their wedding day?

Stay calm. Wedding planning can be stressful, so if you find yourself getting too caught up, take a step back and remind yourself that your wedding is about marrying the love of your life! Your day will pass by in a blink of an eye, so soak in all the moments you’ve been waiting and planning so hard for.

Any other tips?

You’ll be busy all day, but make time to eat! This was a mistake I made. I felt like I was going to pass out because the nerves were kicking in and I didn’t have any food in me. And lastly, don’t sweat the small details because you won’t notice it on your big day. I rolled my eyes every time someone told me this while planning, but it is so true!

Where did you go on your honeymoon?

Cabos San Lucas Resort: Paradisus Los Cabos. I would highly recommend a travel agent. I used Krislyn Vollenweider with Escape Reality and she made the planning process a breeze!

What has changed since being married?

I have gotten asked this question multiple times, but I never really know how to explain it. It’s a feeling. Our love has changed. It feels deeper and we both feel more secure. We both strive to work harder than we did before, because our goals together have become more long-term.

VENDOR SHOUT OUT:

• Gown: Brickhouse Bridal HTX and Martina Liana

• Veil: Martina Liana

• Tuxedo: Suit Up

• Rings: Tiffany & Co

• Food: Kim Son Houston and Bon Temps Grill

• Florist: Flowers by Rodney

• Décor: CJ Events & Décor w/ Chastity Journet, Get Lit With Marquee, and Southern Silks

• Makeup: Liz Schoeffler and Nicole Boudreaux

• Hair: Olivia Guidry

• Photography: Clare Bertrand

• Videography: Tony & Lexi Pascual

• DJ/Band: Kent Sonnier

LEXI LANGLINAIS ANTHONY & KAMERON ANTHONY

June 4, 2021

How did you meet?

We met when we were twenty years old, while I was working in the service industry.

How did he propose?

He proposed in our home. He had the house decorated with roses, candles, champagne and chocolate. We were coming home from a vacation from the Pacific Northwest, and he proposed when we walked into the house. My birthday was at midnight, also.

What was the first thing you did as far as planning the wedding?

Hired a travel agent, because we knew we wanted a destination wedding. We also wanted all our friends and family there, so we planned well in advance to give our guests plenty of time to decide whether to attend or not.

Where was your wedding and why did you pick the venue?

Our wedding was in Los Cabos, Mexico at the Hard Rock Los Cabos resort. We had our ceremony and reception in a garden that faced the beach. We chose this venue because of the aesthetic and great amenities that it provided our guests.

Were there any surprises during planning?

A big surprise was having to have emergency surgery two weeks before leaving for my wedding. It was stressful, but it all worked out!

What advice would you give other brides when planning?

Breathe. Stop aiming for perfection, and focus on the meaning of the day, which is the love between you and your partner, not décor and pleasing other people.

What was the one piece of advice you wish you’d had when planning?

Do not be afraid to ask for help when you are overwhelmed. It’s okay to be stressed, but it’s not okay to do it alone!

How many wedding dresses did you try on and how did you know it was the one?

I probably tried on over twenty dresses. I ended up customizing my dress to get exactly what I wanted.

Where did you go on your honeymoon?,

We are going to St. Lucia in January 2022.

What was your favorite part of your big day?

Favorite part of my day was the first look with Kam before our ceremony. I was a stressed bride on the day of my wedding while I was getting ready, so as soon as I did my first look with Kam, all my anxiety and stress went away. Also, getting a video from Kim Kardashian wishing me well on my wedding day was a special moment!

What has changed since being married?

Kam and I have been together for over eight years and have lived together for seven of those years, so I was afraid it would not feel different, but it definitely does. We feel complete. Being married was the missing piece of us, because we’ve known since the first month of dating that we wanted to get married.

VENDOR SHOUT OUT:

• Gown: Martina Liana from Town & Country in New Orleans

• Veil: A Net’s Bridal

• Suit: Suit Up

• Rings: A Bryans and Allain’s

• Food, Décor, Music: Hard Rock Los Cabos Resort

• Venue: The Coda Garden at the Hard Rock Los Cabos Resort

• Makeup: I did my own make up with the help of my best friend, Morgan Stockstill

• Photography: Lauryn Bolgiano with Bolgiano Media

• Videography: Chase & Kylie Guidroz with Fleaux Media

CAITLIN DOMINGUES SCALISI & WAYNE SCALISI

June 12, 2021

Where are you from?

We are both from Erath, but will be moving to Shreveport.

How did you meet?

We met in middle school band.

How did he propose?

He planned a surprise proposal for a cruise that we were going on in March 2020, and then COVID happened. Our cruise was cancelled, so we decided to go to Grand Isle for the weekend. He popped the question there!

What was the first thing you did as far as planning the wedding?

I contacted St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church to look at available dates, because we knew we wanted to get married there.

Where was your reception and why did you pick the venue?

The reception was at Magdalen Place. We picked the venue because it is absolutely gorgeous, and it had everything we were looking for with an outdoor courtyard and bar and a large ballroom. It was also walking distance from our ceremony, so it was extremely convenient.

What was one thing you knew you needed to have at your wedding?

We really wanted a live band! We love live music and knew that it would be such a fun night with live entertainment.

What advice would you give other brides when planning?

Have fun! Don’t sweat the small stuff! It will be the best day of your life, so try to enjoy it because it all happens so fast!

How many wedding dresses did you try on?

I tried on about seven dresses, and the last one was the one! I was going back and forth between a few of them, and thankfully my stylist took a risk and grabbed one last dress for me to try on!

How many bridesmaids did you have and how did you choose them? How did you choose bridesmaids dresses?

We had seven bridesmaids and one junior bridesmaid. They were my closest friends, siblings, and cousins. We chose the dresses on Show Me Your Mumu online. We all picked them out together at brunch one day on my iPad.

Where did you go on your honeymoon?

Sandals Barbados.

What was your favorite part of your big day and your most special moment?

My favorite part was seeing my husband at the end of the aisle as soon as the church doors opened. It was so surreal, and I’ll never forget it. The most special moment was my dad seeing me for the first time in my dress. We both cried!

What has changed since being married?

I am moving from Erath to Shreveport and (because of school and work) we are finally living in the same city for the first time in seven years!

VENDOR SHOUT OUT:

• Gown: Martina Liana gown from Town and Country in New Orleans

• Veil: Town and Country

• Tuxedo: Men’s Wearhouse

• Rings: Steve Credeur

• Food: Sharon Gaspard

• Limo/car service: Lafayette Limo and Trolley

• Venue: Magdalen Place

• Florist/decor: Root Floral Design

• Makeup: Ahna Hebert and Jacie Legere

• Hair: Kourtnee Doucet

• Photography: Lauren Smith Weddings

• Videography: Ryan Watts

• DJ/Band: Souled Out

• Painter: Stephanie Gaffney

• Champagne Wall: Toast It

• Photo Booth: Pixci’s Photobooth

SUSIE MOUTON BREAUX & LANE BREAUX

May 1, 2021

Where are you from?

We’re from Lafayette and now live in Lake Charles.

How did you meet?

Social media.

How did he propose?

He proposed to me in front of the lake at Girard Park!

Where was your wedding and why did you pick the venue?

We had our wedding at Saint Mary Magdalene Cathedral in Abbeville,

La. We chose this venue not only because the inside was beautiful, but because the acoustics for the music was phenomenal.

What was the first thing you did as far as planning the wedding?

We found our color palette and chose the date.

What was one thing you knew you needed to have at your wedding?

Tons of flowers and great music.

What was your favorite thing to plan?

We loved tasting the food that Black’s prepared for us and they were also extremely accommodating. We also loved talking to our cake designer and tasting the cake flavors.

What advice would you give other brides when planning?

It’s never too soon to start planning! Don’t wait until the last minute and always look into reviews on your vendors.

How many wedding dresses did you try on and how did you know it was the one?

I tried on four wedding dresses and I knew it was the one because when I put it on, I could not stop staring at myself in the mirror and smiling! It didn’t hurt that it also had pockets!

Where did you go on your honeymoon?

Cozumel, Mexico, and we stayed at an amazing resort on the beach The Melia.

What was your favorite part of your big day?

Seeing my fiancé at the end of the aisle waiting for me, after not seeing him for many days. I didn’t see anyone, but him waiting for me at the altar.

What has changed since being married?

When you marry your best friend, every day is a new adventure. We are also expecting!

VENDOR SHOUT OUT:

• Gown: A-Nets Bridal Boutique

• Veil: A-Nets Bridal Boutique

• Tuxedo: Mary Ellen’s Tuxedo Shoppe

• Rings: Jared’s Galleria and My Trio

• Food: Black’s Oyster Bar and Taco Sisters

• Cocktails: The Classy Chassi Mobile Bar

• Cake: Sky’s the Limit Cakes

• Dessert Bar: The Rolling Pin LLC

• Limo/car service: Lafayette Limo and Trolley

• Venue: St. Mary Magdalene Cathedral and Black’s Banquets and Receptions

• Invitations: Bella Grace Paper

• Wedding Planner: Sara GP Meche of Southern Magnolia Events

• Florist/décor: Roxy’s Garden

• Makeup: Bleu Soileau (Lacey Reis)

• Hair: Bleu Soileau (Lacey Reis)

• Photography: Catherine Lafargue Photography

• Videography: Fleaux Media

• DJ/Band: Aaron Lane/Chris Logan

• Live Artist: Amelia Vidrine Smith