January 7th was a day filled with love and will forever mark the beginning of Rachel and Ben’s new journey together! Le Pavillon in Lafayette, Louisiana provided an elegant setting and was perfect for this timeless winter wedding!
As soon as we arrived we could feel the excitement and warmth in the air from Rachel and her loved ones!
The morning was spent in hair and make up prep with giggling bridesmaids. The bridal suite at Le Pavillon was spacious for everyone to spread out and has the best natural lighting for photos! Of course we took advantage of the lighting to get a few detail shots – Shelbie never disappoints with these!
As Rachel put on her dress you could feel the anticipation starting to build – this is always when it starts to feel REAL! After some help from mom it was time for the big reveal to her bridesmaids and dad. Rachel’s dad played a big role during the wedding planning process which made their first look even more special. As he turned around you could see his eye shimmering with pride and we have no doubt this was a moment they will both cherish forever.
The guys arrived and it was time for Ben to see his bride! The arch at Parc Lafayette was the perfect location for this special moment. They stood back to back and read the letters they wrote to each other. When Ben turned around both him and Rachel busted into immediate smiles and giggles – you could truly feel the happiness and excitement radiating from the two of them. The biggest perk of this first look was the time for bride and groom portraits we were able to build into their timeline – looking at these gorgeous portraits of the two of them, it’s safe to say it was well worth it!
It’s no secret we’re big fans of the color blue here at Perfectly Meched Weddings and these bridesmaids’ dresses were no exception! The matching satin dresses fit the elegant vibe of the day flawlessly. The guys’ grey suits complemented the girls’ dresses and were the perfect shade for this January wedding. Rachel and Ben shared a few special moments with their friends and family and then it was off to St. Edmond Catholic Church to get these two married!
After the ceremony the guests made their way to Le Pavillon for the reception where they were greeted by the beautiful French architecture, statement chandeliers and gold accents that the building is best known for. The room was filled with florals from Flowers by Rodney and we loved the use of alternating tall and short centerpieces to create different dimensions in the room. We always love personal touches on a wedding day and Rachel and Ben’s custom monogram projected on to the wall was just that!
The wedding party arrived and made a truly GRAND entrance into the reception. Rouge Krewe band gathered all of them in the lobby and then lead them into the main ballroom with the most hype second line. This was such a fun surprise that the guests evidently enjoyed!
Of course no wedding is complete without one thing…. desserts! Sky’s the Limit created a cake that looked like it was hand designed just to be in this room! Our favorite part is the gold edges… the smallest details really do make the biggest difference! In place of a groom’s cake Ben opted for mini pecan pies from Acadiana Slice. Ditching the traditions that don’t feel true to you helps to create a wedding day that tells the story of who two of you are as individuals and as a couple.
Ceremony Venue: St. Edmond Catholic Church
Reception Venue: Le Pavillon
Photographer: Shelbie Louviere Photography
Videographer: Brentny Gathers Creative
Band: Rouge Krewe
Florist: Flowers by Rodney
Cake: Sky’s the Limit net
Bridal Gown: A-Net’s Bridal
Hair Stylist: Lindsey Bellelo
Make Up Artists: Courtney Fontenot & Maddie G
