Reagan and Taylor
Hotel St. Vincent Wedding

We had a great time photographing Reagan and Taylor’s intimate wedding at Hotel St. Vincent in New Orleans. The decor was beautiful, and I loved that they set aside some time for portraits after the ceremony.

The ceremony, officiated by Ranna McSwain, took place out on the second floor veranda that overlooks the pool area. At the conclusion of the ceremony, guests tossed flower petals in celebration.

Immediately after the ceremony we spent some time doing portraits of the couple. I loved the tunnel effect of the greenery that adorned the brick-paved walkway in the front of the venue. A portrait on the staircase was high up on their wish list, and the dramatic black and white image captured from a low angle was one of my favorites from this series. We also captured an interesting shot from above, which evokes a narrative of the bride and groom privately sharing a kiss in this quiet space, with the viewer observing this moment as he or she makes their way up the staircase and glances down and catches a partial glimpse of them through this open space. And we captured a fun portrait of the bridal party out on the front steps, beautifully decorated by Firefly Ambiance and Ever After NOLA.

Then it was time to head off on a second line parade around the block! Back at Hotel St. Vincent, the casual reception took place in the hotel’s Chapel Bar space, where a jazz trio entertained throughout the evening. The wedding was coordinated by Uncommon Camellia.

About Hotel St. Vincent

Established by beloved New Orleans philanthropist Margaret Haughery, The Saint Vincent’s Infant Asylum was constructed in 1861. It’s main purpose was to house young children orphaned by yellow fever and cholera epidemics. She also founded a number of other similar charitable institutions. Incidentally, the park Margaret Place is named after her. St. Vincent’s was expanded in 1890 to accommodate more residents. It continued serving the community in various charitable capacities until it shut down in the 1970s.

By 1994, the building had sat abandoned and unused for decades. It was then put back into use as St. Vincent’s Guest House, a budget-friendly place to stay in the Garden District. In 2021, the building was fully restored and renovated by new owners into a luxury boutique hotel, Hotel St. Vincent.