REAL WEDDING:: JEANNE SWITZER + DAN SANCHEZ {Meant To Be Loved Bayou}

Written by Jessica Burke

Photos by Dark Roux

THEIR STORY IN DAN’S WORDS:

“We met when Jeanne moved from Louisiana to St. Louis, Missouri for graduate school. We connected on Bumble less than a month later. We have an almost six-year age difference, with just 30 days when our respective five-year search preferences overlapped on the dating app. Whether you call it fate, luck, or divine intervention, it now seems that we were meant to be together. We soon met for our first date at a bar called Brennan’s, which happens to share its name with the restaurant where we hosted our rehearsal brunch. At the end of that first date, we realized that we drove identical cars – another little coincidence that signaled the stars had aligned. Since then, we have spent nearly every day together, and we continue to learn and grow as a couple, always remembering how grateful we are to have matched and met in such a short window of opportunity.”

Jeanne and Dan invited 120 of their family and friends to celebrate their wedding at Race and Religious in New Orleans. "On their trips into town we also worked closely with Scriptura to use elements such as New Orleans architecture, icons and maps to create their invitation suite and other personalized items for their wedding," shares Rena Sweeney of Alchemy Events.

Jeanne and her bridesmaids celebrated with a champagne toast (with personalized champagne flutes!) before slipping into their gowns for the wedding. Jeanne wore a lace illusion gown by Maggie Sottero and crystal-embellished Badgley Mischka shoes. Her bridesmaids wore shimmering champagne and rose gold gowns with sequin embellishment, each in a unique style.

"We each wore a special fragrance to create a sensory connection to the memory of our wedding day. We save these perfumes for special occasions, to bring us back to that day."

Jeanne and Dan met outside of Race and Religious for a first look and then posed for portraits around the eclectic property.

Jeanne and Dan did all of the lettering for their signage themselves including the cast iron, window pane, mirrors & lantern!

“In keeping with the inspiration for their wedding,” shares Sweeney, “we created a multi bulb hanging display with various shaped Edison Bulbs to go underneath the bridge at Race and Religious which was then accented by hanging greenery provided by Christina O’Malley, who also hung moss throughout the venue for additional touches of the bayou.”

“The moment we were pronounced husband and wife, and things were official, it was time to party. Rather than traditional organ music, a lone trumpet pierced the applause, catching everyone’s attention,” shares Dan. “We wanted to give our guests, especially those from outside of Louisiana, a taste of the local culture, and treated them to an authentic New Orleans second line parade. We experienced every emotion at once. Getting to see the excitement and surprise on our guests faces, coupled with the ambiance of Race and Religious lit up at night, was a memory neither of us will forget.”

“We gifted handkerchiefs to our parents for the second line parade, with a personalized, embroidered message of gratitude to each of them,” shares Dan.

Guests enjoyed specialty Second Line cocktails – French 75’s in custom cups! The children celebrating were treated to Swamp Pop Satsuma Fizz.

The ladder shelf bar back was custom created for Jeanne and Dan's wedding by True Value Rental. Abita and NOLA Blonde beers were displayed in a pirogue. Photo by Dark Roux — The ladder shelf bar back was custom created for Jeanne and Dan's wedding by True Value Rental. Abita and NOLA Blonde beers were displayed in a pirogue.

“When Ralph Brennan released his cookbook I was blessed that he sent me one that he had personalized and I thought this would be a perfect item to incorporate for their wedding,” says Sweeney. “Ralph signed one of his cookbooks and we presented it to them while they were in town for one of their tastings, as Brennan’s did both the rehearsal brunch as well as the reception food and beverage. They used this as their guestbook and it’s a great memento for them to keep & hand down to future generations (along with that cast iron!).”

Brennan’s kept with the theme by offering elevated takes on local foods such as Petite Crab Cakes with White Remoulade Sauce, Crispy Boudin Balls with Creole Mustard Sauce, Redfish Sliders with Apple Slaw on Sesame Buns, Tuna and Avocado Tartar in Sesame Cones with Wasabi Tobikko, Chargrilled Oysters grilled on site, Gumbo Ya Ya, Abita BBQ Shrimp and Grits served in cast iron pot, Jumbo Gulf shrimp with rich creole butter sauce and creamy stone ground grits, and Slow Roasted Cochon de Lait.