REAL WEDDING:: J’Lynn Shelby + Greg Marzilli {From Mardi Gras to Married}

February 2, 2026
Ashley Revels
Featured Couples

Bride and groom posing in front of a Café du Monde beignet truck during a New Orleans wedding celebration.

::AS SEEN IN THE WINTER 2026 DIGITAL ISSUE OF NOW WEDDINGS MAGAZINE::

Photography by: Brenner Photography & Films

j’lynn + greg’s story

J’Lynn and Greg’s love story began exactly where it was meant to: Mardi Gras in New Orleans. On February 9, 2018, fate intervened at The Columns Hotel when J’Lynn lost her group of friends and Greg stepped in to introduce himself. Both LSU students at the time, the two quickly discovered a connection that would carry them far beyond that night on St. Charles Avenue.

Custom monogram wedding sign with white floral arrangement displayed outdoors at the reception entrance.

Oversized illuminated “LOVE” marquee letters surrounded by white wedding florals at an outdoor evening reception.

Elegant black and white wedding invitation suite with florals, rings, and formal calligraphy styling.

Hand-carved ice sculpture with engraved monogram surrounded by white florals at the wedding bar.

Outdoor wedding lounge seating with white sofas, bistro lights, and greenery set for the reception.

Bride poses with her bridesmaids in matching black off-the-shoulder gowns on a classic New Orleans street.

Groom and groomsmen walking together in black tuxedos through a historic city street on the wedding day.

Five years later, on the very same date they met, Greg proposed, and on February 15, 2025, they were married in the city where it all began. “New Orleans holds a special place in our hearts because it’s where our story started,” J’Lynn shares.

Wide view of an outdoor nighttime wedding ceremony with guests seated before a grand estate and floral-covered altar.

Bride and groom share a kiss beneath a dramatic white floral ceremony arch framed by grand columns at night.

Bride walks down a candlelit garden aisle with her father, surrounded by glowing hedges and white florals at dusk.

Bride and groom sharing a romantic dip kiss during their nighttime wedding exit with string lights and floral-lined walkway.

Hosting their wedding at Southern Oaks, the couple leaned into Mardi Gras tradition, treating guests to a full New Orleans experience complete with incredible food, drinks, and festive flair. J’Lynn’s favorite moment came when her vision unfolded before her eyes. “It felt like a fairy tale,” she says, praising the extraordinary attention to detail and the team who brought it all to life. Surrounded by loved ones, J’Lynn and Greg celebrated a day as magical as the city itself.

Signature cocktail display featuring a French 75 and Manhattan menu with elegant black-and-white bar signage.