REAL WEDDING:: COURTNEY BENSON + DAVID MOORE {#forevermoore}

Written by Jessica Burke

Photos by Josh Williams Photography

HOW THEY MET:

“We were actually in the background of each other’s childhood the whole time,” says Courtney. “My best friend, Megan Hebert, who I met in early grade school is his first cousin, so we’ve seen each other from time to time as kids, but we formally met as adults at a family Christmas party at his sister Jen’s house in 2017.” After the Christmas party, Courtney and Megan decided they should hang out with David more often since they lived close to each other. The trio began meeting for drinks or dinner and one night Courtney and David finally exchanged numbers. “From that night forward we were constantly connected and talked all summer, but barely met up,” says Courtney. Finally in August, to celebrate Megan’s birthday, the trio finally got back together. “After a few drinks and talking we all decided to stroll down Frenchmen Street where we bar hopped around and made our way to The Maison where we danced the night away,” says Courtney. “And right there on the dance floor, teaching David how to dance, we had our first kiss and have been inseparable ever since!”

THE PROPOSAL

“David took me to San Antonio and proposed to me,” shares Courtney. “We were in our hotel room getting ready for dinner and drinks and of course I was taking forever and when I finally got ready he was acting so strange.” David asked Courtney to look out the hotel window to see the “beautiful window view of the night,” a request Courtney found strange but she looked anyway and when she turned around he was on one knee. “Courtney I can’t wait another minute of my life; will you marry me?!” David asked. “And I fell in his arms and said ‘Yes!'” she says. “And then I started crying my eyes out.”

Courtney posed for portraits in her wedding gown at Nottoway prior to the wedding.

Courtney looked like a princess on her wedding day, and as the co-owner of a bridal boutique with her mother, Bridals by Lulu Allyn in Slidell, fittingly wore not one, but TWO gowns for her January 4, 2020 wedding. Her first gown, pictured above, was the “Primavera Wedding Dress” from the AF Couture collection by Morilee. Be sure to read on to the end to see her reception gown!

On the wedding day, Courtney and her bridal party got ready at the Royal Sonesta hotel in the French Quarter where the wedding celebration was set to take place. Her room opened to hotel’s terrace the was the perfect location for a “first look” with her father and pre-wedding portraits.

After helping so many other brides find the perfect dress, Courtney's mother, Linda, helps her daughter into her own wedding gown.

Courtney and her bridesmaids pose together before leaving for the wedding ceremony.

David and his groomsmen took to Bourbon Street before the wedding for some casual, fun portraits.

Courtney travelled in style in a vintage Rolls Royce to the wedding ceremony.

When asked her favorite part of the wedding day, Courtney replied, "Marrying my best friend and having our ceremony at my favorite church, St. Mary's Assumption." This church in New Orleans' Lower Garden District was completed in 1860 and features beautiful, ornate architectural details.

Courtney anCourtney and David's photographer, Josh Williams, captured with beautiful moment between the couple after the wedding ceremony.d David's photographer, Josh Williams, captured with beautiful private moment between the couple after the wedding ceremony. — Courtney and David's photographer, Josh Williams, captured with beautiful moment between the couple after the wedding ceremony.

The reception featured elegant florals and mirrored signage along with ice sculptures, including a giant oyster shell engraved with “Forever Moore” and the couple’s names, on the decadent buffet created by the chefs at the Royal Sonesta.

The happy couple made a grand entrance to their reception where 350 of their family and friends had gathered to celebrate with them.

To “double” the fun at their reception, the couple had life size cutouts of themselves created. Guests were asked to take Polaroid pictures with the “bride and groom” when they arrived and add the photos to the guest book.