Married November 3, 2018
Bridal Prep: Renaissance Pere Marquette
Ceremony & Reception: Federal Ballroom
Band / DJ: Souled Out
Coordinator: Rebecca O’Meara
Florist: Crystal Vase Flowers
Bakery: Haydel Bakery
Hair: Posh Salon and Spa
Makeup: Posh Salon and Spa
Brides Gown Designer: Mia Solano

How did you meet?
We met while living on the same floor of our dorm freshman year of college at the University of South Carolina – Go Gamecocks!

How did the proposal go? 
Katie has always loved hippos (weird, we know), so Steve proposed after surprising Katie with a behind the scenes experience with Fiona the baby hippo at the Cincinnati zoo.

Where was your ceremony held and why did you pick this site?
Our ceremony and reception were both held at the Federal Ballroom, and it was perfect! The site is beautiful and in a great location that allowed our out of town guests to explore the French Quarter.

Did it really go by as quickly as everyone says?
Yes!

Who was your baker, what was the flavor of your cake? Was it delicious?!
Haydels Bakery did a great job! We had different flavors for each layer of our cake – almond with buttercream filling, almond with praline filling, chocolate, and carrot cake. All were delicious!

Did you do a first look? 
Yes, we are so glad we did a first look! It allowed us to spend more time with each other during the day and also allowed us to complete pictures before the wedding, so we could spend as much time as possible enjoying the reception with our guests.

Did you have a coordinator or did you plan everything yourself? If you didn’t have a coordinator any advice for brides planning their own wedding?
Rebecca O’Meara is the coordinator for the Federal Ballroom, and she is absolutely wonderful!! She truly went above and beyond to ensure everything was perfectly planned for the day.

Band or DJ? Did they rock it?
Band – Souled Out, and they were amazing! People are still telling us how much fun they had on the dance floor, and a few of our friends even got their business cards in hopes of booking them for their future events.

We want to hear YOUR advice for future brides.
Enjoy every second of it, and try not to worry about the small stuff! It truly goes by as quickly as everyone says, but it is magical getting to celebrate with all of your family and friends in one place!