Katharine and Tony:
Tree of Life Elopement in New Orleans

This delightful California couple eloped to New Orleans, with their ceremony taking place at the centuries-old Tree of Life in Audubon Park, and a couple of local friends in attendance. After the emotional ceremony and some portraits in the park, we headed down to the French Quarter, where the Jaywalkers Brass Band awaited to lead the couple on a festive second line parade, ending up at Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop on world-famous Bourbon Street.

The start of the parade also served as their fabulous way of announcing their surprise marriage in New Orleans to the rest of their friends and family across the country, by way of one of their friends livecasting with Katharine’s phone, and the other with Tony’s phone, as the couple counted off the band and began the second line. In true NOLA style, the couple recruited some total strangers along the parade route to join in the celebration and march with them as they made their way through the streets of the French Quarter.

Here’s the wonderful testimonial the bride wrote after the wedding:

I can’t boast enough about Michael. He was a perfect choice for our photographer for our elopement. Our officiant was late and we were on a tight scheduled due to our second line at a different location. Michael was still able to capture the beauty of the day. One pic of me holding tears back still brings to my eye the instant I see it. He was also fantastic in recommending vendors and our chosen ceremony site. We are from California, so we did not know who to work with, but Michael’s recommendations were the best! Thank you Michael!

The bride’s comment about the emotions she felt when she saw that one particular image underscores the powerful nature of wedding photography. Few things can take you back to special and meaningful moments like a good photograph.

A Tree as Old as New Orleans Itself

The Etienne de Boré Oak is named for the city’s first mayor, who ran a sugarcane plantation on this land. More popularly known as the Tree of Life, most experts peg its age at about 300 years old (though estimates vary wildly, to as much as 500 years old). It’s a massive and impressive tree, and makes for a memorable and beautiful location for a small wedding ceremony or elopement.

It’s a popular spot for residents to relax and socialize (and occasionally climb!), but most people are accommodating when they see that a wedding is about to take place, and will be kind enough to courteously clear the area for the couple’s ceremony. Though it’s a very popular spot for elopements, traditional wedding ceremonies with seating for guests can take place here as well.