Photographer: Bayou Rose Photography | Bella Showroom: Baton Rouge |  Designers: Jenny Yoo

It all started with a dinner date in the Big Easy....the rest is history! Alyssa & Cameron's southern soiree is a classic affair for the ages! Did we mention the bride is the sister of our Baton Rouge co-owner, Danielle? :) #BellaBR

How did you two meet?

My sister, Danielle, and a really good family friend of ours, Julie, had planned a group date for us to meet because they thought Cameron and I would be a perfect match.  Julie’s husband is actually Cameron’s boss. We all went to dinner together in New Orleans.  As my sister mentioned in her rehearsal dinner speech at, we acted as if we were the only two at dinner.We hit if off immediately!  He asked me out the following weekend, and the rest is history!

Details on the proposal!

It was beautiful, and I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect proposal for the two of us!  We attend mass at St. Theresa Catholic Church in Gonzales.  I have always gone to church there, as well as attended primary and middle school there.  On Saturday, January 24^, 2015 we went to 4:00 mass at St. Theresa like we always do.  After mass, our priest, Father Eric, stopped me as I was leaving and said he had to speak with me about one of the retreats I was organizing.  After our conversation ended he said Cameron was inside the church.  As I walked back into the church to look for Cameron he was standing on the altar.  I walked up to the altar and he proposed in the exact spot where we would exchange our vows on November 6^th.  I had no idea he would do it this way, but I could not have dreamed of a better proposal.  We were so blessed to have both of our families there to share in the special moment.

Location, location, location! How did you choose your venue? What type of venue were you looking for?

We knew that we wanted to get married at St. Theresa of Avila Church, where Cameron had proposed. The church is so beautiful and so important to the both of us! We didn’t want our guests to have to travel far from the church to the reception venue. We chose Elegant Affairs for our reception venue, which is very close to the church. The venue was able to hold our guest list, while still having a very intimate feeling. They took care of everything for us, and made the whole process extremely stress free.

Who designed your beautiful gown? Where did you get it?

My bridal gown was a gorgeous Tulle and Lace Watters gown. I absolutely loved it and felt like the designer had designed it particularly with me in mind. It was perfect!

© Bayou Rose Photography 2015

Describe the wedding. The look, theme, style, colors, etc.

The wedding was absolutely beautiful. It was simple, traditional, and elegant all at the same time. I wanted to keep everything very organic and earthy. My sister Danielle is the co-owner of Bella Bridesmaids in Baton Rouge. She and Meghan were such a big help in presenting me with various options and ideas. They love wedding planning and follow a ton of wedding blogs and wedding trends. They would always come to me with all of sorts of gorgeous pictures, that we made come to life!

Tell us about your bridesmaids dresses!

I left this in the hands of the experts... my sister, Danielle, and her business partner, Meghan! We decided on doing varied Jenny Yoo styles to accommodate all of my bridesmaids’ body types. Jenny Yoo embodied everything I had envisioned for the look of my wedding. Their muted color palettes and soft romantic gowns made it a no brainer for me!  Danielle and Meghan were so helpful in selecting the right mix of neutral tones and bold colors to create a beautiful color palette for my bridesmaids. My bridesmaids were absolutely stunning!

Any must haves, must dos, or can’t live withouts?  Anything you would do differently?

I would say everyone needs a sister as great and helpful as mine! I am not sure what I would have done without her. I had no clue where to begin!  She kept me on track and was super organized through the whole process. I have to say, one thing (besides my groom), that I couldn’t live without, was a band!  Selecting a band was one of the first items on the check list we completed. I have danced my entire life, and still teach dancing, so naturally dancing at my reception was top on the list. My bridesmaids and I even did a last minute choreographed dance to Proud Mary at the reception. We wanted everyone to dance and have a good time, and the band definitely helped in getting everyone on the dance floor. I honestly don’t think I would change anything about our wedding. The rehearsal dinner, mass, and reception were perfect!

Favorite memory from the day!

I have so many favorite memories of the day, it is hard to pick. My favorite memory would have to be when my dad met me outside to bring me into the church. I was feeling a little nervous at the time, but he helped calm me down, and always makes me laugh. The church doors opened, the music began to play, and I walked down to meet the love of my life. I know it sounds cheesy, but it truly felt like a movie and I was living out my love story.  I saw Cameron standing there looking very handsome in his is a black tux, white shirt, and bow tie. As my dad gave me away to Cameron in the exact same place he proposed to me it was the most spiritual, peaceful, and beautiful moment I have ever experienced in my life.

© Bayou Rose Photography 2015