REAL WEDDING:: Kaelye Bradsher + Quade Nelson {Perfectly Imperfect}

February 2, 2026
Ashley Revels
Featured Couples

Bride and groom kiss during a bubble-filled exit as guests line the lawn celebrating their outdoor New Orleans wedding.

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

Photography by: Ragin’ Imaging Photography

kaelye + quade’s story

Kaelye and Quade’s story began quietly, long before romance entered the picture. They first met in middle school, growing up in the same orbit, but it wasn’t until after college that friendship evolved into something deeper. Years later, when Quade knew he was ready to propose, he also knew one thing for certain. It had to be a complete surprise.

That was easier said than done for a couple who shared locations and knew each other’s routines inside and out. With help from his mom, who gifted him his grandmother’s ring, Quade secretly redesigned the setting at a jeweler, leaving his phone behind at the office to avoid suspicion. Once complete, the ring was hidden in what felt like the safest place possible. His golf bag. For two months.

Bride portrait holding a vibrant pink and burgundy bouquet, softly lit with a dark background highlighting her textured wedding gown.

First look letters moment with the bride and groom standing back-to-back indoors, each reading handwritten notes before the ceremony.

A handwritten note reading “How lucky are we? I love you!” rests beside an engagement ring in a green velvet box.

Bride and groom stand beneath oak trees, gazing at each other while holding a vibrant pink and red bouquet during their New Orleans wedding.

The plan was simple in theory. A casual walk to the lake near their home, a photographer hidden in the trees, and a joyful “of course” followed by a surprise celebration with family and friends. But as Quade would soon learn, nothing involving Kaelye ever unfolds exactly as planned.

A photographer emergency meant Quade’s sister stepped in at the last minute, complete with a wig and fake mustache to avoid detection. Then came the challenge of hair, makeup, wardrobe, wind, and timing. Kaelye had her hair and makeup fully glammed for a “work event”, but was dressed in a bright blue sweatshirt and green leggings for the “casual walk” Quade proposed before the event – whitening strips included (with 5 more minutes left on them). Quade stalled for time. He walked slowly. He pretended to spot a bug on a leaf. There was no bug.

When they finally reached the lake, Kaelye climbed down toward the water, forcing Quade to wave his disguised sister away and call her back up. Nervous and running out of time, he asked, “Are you ready?” Kaelye replied, “Yeah, let’s go home.” Instead, Quade dropped to one knee. “What are you doing?” she asked, before realizing what was happening. “Wait, are you serious right now?”

What followed wasn’t a perfectly rehearsed speech, but something far better. Laughter, tears, a jump into his arms, and a moment that felt unmistakably them. “It was perfectly imperfect,” Quade says. And they still laugh about that outfit.

The bride and groom exchange rings during an outdoor ceremony beneath a floral-covered arbor as the officiant looks on.

A wooden wedding fan engraved with the couple’s name and date is displayed in front of a vibrant pink and purple floral bouquet.

Outdoor ceremony kiss beneath a white pergola adorned with greenery and white flowers, surrounded by guests as the couple shares their first kiss.

Wedding party group portrait on the steps of Canal Street Inn, featuring the bride and groom with bridesmaids in green dresses and groomsmen in light suits.

Their wedding carried the same thoughtfulness and heart. Kaelye honored her grandparents with pearls worn as her “something borrowed” and portraits tucked into her bouquet. One of the most meaningful moments came privately, when the couple read handwritten vows to each other before their first look, later keeping those booklets as a treasured reminder of the day.

Traveling from Oklahoma, Kaelye and Quade chose New Orleans for its energy, history, and sense of celebration. Their wedding weekend unfolded like a love letter to the city, from creating a personalized wedding playlist on the road trip in, to saying their vows at Canal Street Inn, wandering the French Quarter, sharing oysters, and even getting matching Mardi Gras mask tattoos.

More than anything, their celebration was about being together. With family, friends, legacy, and laughter. Proof that sometimes the best stories aren’t perfectly planned. They’re perfectly lived.

Bride is dipped by the groom while bridesmaids in emerald green dresses cheer and raise bouquets along a New Orleans streetcar line.