Nicki and Jason’s New Orleans Wedding at The Chicory

Nicki and Jason planned a modern romance kind of wedding, at The Chicory, a historic warehouse loft in New Orleans. They used plenty of whimsical details set against the industrial backdrop to create the type of juxtaposition that we love! Very special thanks to Greer G for sharing her gorgeous images with us, alongside a great team including planners Sapphire Events florals by Bee’s Wedding and Event Designs and killer event design by Mrs. Vintage.

What made the wedding special and unique?

We really wanted to make it feel like we were throwing a dinner party in our home, without actually having to squeeze people in our apartment. A combination of antiques, contemporary conveniences and personal touches for the design. No particular wedding agenda/traditions or speeches, just some jazz music and the people we love gathered together to catch up and celebrate our marriage. Honestly the best part was walking into the room and being overwhelmed with how comfortable the evening felt. Working with Mrs Vintage, Bees flowers, and Greer really helped set the tone. I even went so far as making many of the signs and decorations myself or with very kind friends to ensure it felt more like home. We really looked at each wedding tradition and determined if we truly needed it, even ensuring that our friends (a guy for me and a lady for Jason) were in our personal wedding parties. Instead of wedding cakes we just did our favorite desserts and instead of a typical Jewish chuppah just some ribbon to help symbolize my Judaism but also acknowledge that homes can come in all different forms. As well our very close friend from NYC was our officiant and together we wrote the shortest ceremony I’ve ever seen. Our goal was 15 min but it ended up a beautiful 8 min with people we love having their own readings.

Tell us about your gown and where/how you found it!

I bought my dress at BHLDN. Because we had moved to Chicago after getting engaged, I had no friends or family to go shopping with. So I just went out on my own. The best advice I tried to keep to was just try on anything and don’t come with too much agenda. This dress is not something I would have considered just looking online. Everywhere I went I tried to keep my mind open, and fate brought me something i wouldn’t have even imagined.  I loved that this one was unique and comfortable. I can say there are pros and cons to buying a dress alone but, for me, I couldn’t be happier.
 

What were some touches added to make it personal?

This was the main focus of the wedding. From the beginning we wanted it in New Orleans. We are both from the south and our hearts are very close to the city. But in more detail, the boutonnieres were made from skeleton keys my mom collected and rosemary from a nearby Restaurant because Jason is a chef who trained in the area. I love old maps, and came across the EB White quote about NYC early in our wedding planning (“It can destroy an individual, or it can fulfill him, depending a good deal on luck. No one should come to New York to live unless he is willing to be lucky.” ― E.B. White, Here Is New York) and since we met there and love the city dearly I started writing out the quotes over the maps. To also ensure a more casual feel I created signs around the room to make sure my guests new they can grab a cocktail or a piece of pie whenever they were ready. Also a dear friend made all if the confetti herself with paper from antique stores as well as the pie flags. We also wanted something fun for the walk back down the aisle so I made us “yay” flags. I also made the “bar” sign for the bars to just add some more fun. I think our lounge was the biggest part that made it personal and homey. Just having a comfortable place for our family and friends to sit and catch up. I also loved the mantle because we were able to put pictures of our family members that had passed in a much more subtle way, which is exactly as we haven’t in our home.

What was the most memorable part of the day?

From the bride, Nikki: Right after our first look, Jason took me around the room to show me how everything ended up while our family was getting ready. It was so nice to see all the hard work put together, and to get to do it with just Jason and I was a nice moment. Also hearing our Ketubah read out loud for the first time was amazing.

From the groom, Jason: Our first look was very memorable,as I have never heard of that before. It was really nice to have that private moment to see Nicki before the rest got to. Also Nicki surprised me with our real song (“Murder in the City” by The Avett Brothers) when I started walking down the aisle.

Tell us how you met and became engaged.

As old school as it sounds, we met in a bar in Manhattan, on the upper east side. Although us two kept making eye contact at each other, it wasn’t until an awkward introduction, from the bartender, that we began to speak to each other. I always have to thank my wonderful friend for dragging me out that night!

Because we work opposite schedules, to make sure we never lost touch, we write in notebooks every day and exchange them every morning. So when it was time to propose, Jason bought an identical notebook, cut a small section just big enough to tie the ring in place and write a couple pages of why Nicki is so special to him. On November 2, Jason had the day off and knew he could wait it out if necessary leaving the notebook in wide open for Nicki to eventually pick up and read.

The best part of our engagement is the ring that Jason gave me. The diamond is the diamond from Nicki’s grandmother’s and mother’s first engagement ring. The gold and accent diamonds are from the jewelry from Jason’s grandmother’s jewelry including his grandmother’s wedding ring. It was hand designed by Jason and made by his father, Len Klutts. The ring is truly special and unique to us combining both of our lives.

Vendors: Photography: Greer G // Planner: Sapphire Events // Ceremony and Reception Venue: The Chicory // Hair: Kiss and Makeup // Makeup: Make Me Up Nola // Bride’s dress: BHLDN // Bride’s shoes: Kate Spade // Florals: Bee’s Wedding and Event Designs // Event Design and Vintage Rentals: Mrs. Vintage // Bride’s cake: Gambino’s // Groom’s Pies: Nola Pie Guy // Entertainment: Dr. Jazz // Transportation: Big Easy Limos // Rings: Klutts Jewelers // Ketubah: Jennifer Raichman // Save the Dates: PS Creative