Crawfish Boil Welcome Party

Aunt Kerryn's House

Rehearsal Dinner

Rosy's Jazz Hall

Wedding Day

Ceremony

RECEPTION

Spring

wedding

ceremony & reception

live from Rosy's jazz hall

"everything in new orleans is a good idea"

- bob dylan

Our Wedding

belmont, bonnaroo & beyond

when c met c

In the fall of 2016, Charlie had no idea that she was about to meet the love of her life. She was starting her first semester of college at Belmont University, surrounded by aspiring musicians and creatives. A workaholic from McLean, Virginia, she was an avid lover of live entertainment, art, people, and chaos. At the same time, Casey had decided to take a chance and transfer to Belmont from LSU to pursue his musical dreams. A driven, passionate songwriter and trombonist from Covington, Louisiana, it was easy for him to make new friends in a place like Music City. They met in First Year Seminar, when Casey sat next to Charlie after a particularly vulnerable presentation. He wanted to make sure she was okay. She loved his kind energy and genuine nature.That next semester, they sat together in First Year Writing. They bonded over their love of The Revivalists, Chago's Cantina, music festivals, and writing. In their third semester, they took Entertainment Industry Studies together. Then Fairs &amp; Festivals. It was no coincidence that they had a class together every semester until graduation.By junior year, Casey and Charlie were best friends. They had attended several festivals together, traveled to new states, thrown parties with mutual friends, and made unforgettable memories throughout the city of Nashville. Casey was in a band, and Charlie went to every show she could. By the summer of 2018, nearly two years into their friendship, Casey was madly in love. He spent the next several months debating whether or not to risk such a cherished friendship in the pursuit of something deeper. When his birthday came and went in December 2018, he knew that he couldn't keep hiding from reality. He had run out of excuses not to make a move, and after one vulnerable night where he bared his soul, it was Charlie's turn to consider whether or not it was worth the risk to transition from a friendly relationship to a romantic one. Fortunately, she had already invited him and a few others to her hometown of McLean, Virginia over New Year's to celebrate, see family, and show our friend Nomi Washington D.C. for the first time. On this trip, as the clock struck 12:00 and Casey and Charlie shared a midnight kiss, she had decided it was worth it to give it a shot. The rest is history, as Casey and Charlie's wedding in April 2026 comes over seven years since that day. In that time, they've survived a pandemic together, worked in food service together, grew into unique and independent career lanes together, shared a home together since July 2022, traveled across the country together, raised Louie and Monty together (the two goodest bois), and have built a deeply loving, energy-filled, whimsical, accountable, ambitious, comfortable, and transformational relationship. If you're reading this story, you have laid an important brick, if not a crucial layer, in our foundation. We could not have found each other, ourselves, or the resolve and wisdom to continue building if not for at least one interaction with you. We cannot wait to share this celebration in your company.

WHEN C SURPRISED THE S#!% OUT OF C

By Charlie and Casey's 5-year anniversary on New Year's Day 2024, Casey already knew that he was going to marry Charlie. He decided that she was his person, but he wanted to make sure that the moment was as special as it deserved to be. As he was doing this, Charlie mentioned that she wanted to see Darren Criss, her favorite actor, in a Broadway production in New York City. Casey had never been to New York City, but he knew it was Charlie's favorite city in the world. As this trip started to become a reality, he remembered that she told him years ago that the Top of the Rock in New York is her favorite view anywhere. And so the proposal wrote itself: a secret photographer at her favorite view in her favorite city, right before seeing her favorite actor perform live, in the middle of a whirlwind trip through the streets of Manhattan.

WHY NEW ORLEANS?

While Casey is from the nearby town of Covington, Louisiana, he never expected to get married in his home state. Since he met Charlie in Nashville, and since they both have friends and family in Middle Tennessee, he thought the wedding would be in Tennessee. Charlie had other ideas. Charlie fell in love with New Orleans years ago, even before being in a relationship with Casey. Since he has so much family there, and since so much of her family has never seen it, she was inspired to show them the magic and charm of the Crescent City. We both recognize that this is a destination wedding for many of you, and we are aware of the sacrifices that come with inter-state travel. We thank you for your willingness to make those sacrifices, and we're excited to share this unique slice of American culture with you.

Our Story

Registry

New Orleans Marriott Metairie at Lakeway

Holiday Inn Metairie New Orleans by IHG

This New Orleans hotel is only 4 blocks from the Louisiana Superdome. It features a rooftop pool, a 24-hour fitness center, and an on-site restaurant. Free WiFi is offered throughout the property. Guest rooms at the Downtown New Orleans Holiday Inn offer a microwave, refrigerator and coffee machine. A flat-screen TV and safety deposit box are also included in each room. Holiday Inn New Orleans-Downtown Superdome offers a 24-hour reception. Guests can also use the business center with internet, copy and fax services. Holiday Streetcar Restaurant at the Holiday Inn Superdome serves regional cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The hotel also offer the Mardi Gras Lounge.

Holiday Inn New Orleans - Downtown Superdome by IHG

Offering a heated outdoor pool with sundeck and bar, Hyatt Regency New Orleans features rooms with free WiFi adjacent to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and Smoothie King Center. Rooms at this hotel are furnished with a flat-screen TV, seating area, and a compact refrigerator. A work desk and complimentary toiletries are included. Many rooms offer views of city. Select rooms offer access to the Regency Club lounge and luxury bathrobes. Guests can exercise in the on-site fitness center. The business center offers computers, printing, and fax services. Borgne, the on-site lobby-level restaurant, serves Creole and Spanish inspired seafood dishes for lunch and dinner. Vitascope Hall offers sushi, seafood, drinks and several TVs for viewing sporting events. 8 Block Kitchen &amp; Bar offers an extensive gourmet breakfast and lunch buffet as well as Sunday brunch. Fresh coffee and pastries are available at Starbucks. The New Orleans French Quarter district is less than 1.9 mi from this New Orleans Hyatt Regency.

Hyatt Regency New Orleans

TownePlace Suites by Marriott New Orleans Metairie

Travel

The French Quarter Festival is&nbsp;a free, four-day music, food, and culture festival held annually in New Orleans' historic French Quarter.&nbsp;It is billed as the largest free music festival in the South, featuring over 1,700 local musicians across dozens of stages and showcasing authentic cuisine from local restaurants and vendors.&nbsp;The event is family-friendly, with activities for children, and aims to support the local economy and culture.

French Quarter Fest

Mardi Gras World is&nbsp;a year-round tourist attraction in New Orleans where visitors can get a behind-the-scenes look at how the city's famous parade floats are made. It functions as a working warehouse, allowing guests to see the craftsmanship and artistry that go into the annual Mardi Gras celebration.&nbsp; Mardi Gras World&nbsp;was founded in 1984 by Blaine Kern Sr. after frequent requests for tours of his float-building studio,&nbsp;Kern Studios. The Kern family has been crafting floats for parades since 1932, and the company is responsible for building many of the spectacular floats used by New Orleans' "superkrewes," such as Endymion and Bacchus.

Mardi Gras World

Once a hidden gem among locals, Frenchmen Street is now recognized as one of New Orleans’ best spots for finding live music. The sounds of jazz, reggae, and blues spill out of clubs lining the corridor making for a buzzing and vibrant atmosphere. Audiences flock to Frenchmen from all over the world to get a taste of authentic New Orleans music. Make sure to check out The Spotted Cat, Cafe Negril, and d.b.a.!

Frenchmen Street

Commonly ranked as the #1 museum in New Orleans, the National WWII Museum is&nbsp;America's official museum dedicated to the American experience in World War II. Founded by historian Stephen Ambrose and designated by Congress, the Smithsonian-affiliated museum is a large complex of interconnected buildings that tells the story of the war, from home-front industry to combat, using artifacts, multimedia exhibits, and personal narratives to explain its cause and outcome and to teach about the price of freedom.&nbsp;

The National WWII Museum

The Steamboat Natchez is&nbsp;the last authentic steam-powered paddle wheeler on the Mississippi River. Operating out of New Orleans, it serves as a major tourist attraction offering a variety of river cruises, including daytime and evening jazz cruises, often with optional Creole meals.

Steamboat Natchez

New Orleans City Park is&nbsp;a large 1,300-acre urban park that is one of the largest in the United States, featuring a wide array of attractions like the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=New+Orleans+Museum+of+Art&amp;sca_esv=1e6a950761a072a4&amp;rlz=1C1GCHA_enUS1123US1123&amp;sxsrf=AE3TifNcTlkac00hNTzg9VeqtRwZqA3Z6w%3A1757345645439&amp;ei=bfe-aNzMGqnbwN4PvsKRwQ0&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjEy_35vsmPAxXa78kDHcgdDuQQgK4QegQIARAE&amp;uact=5&amp;oq=what+is+city+park+new+orleans&amp;gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiHXdoYXQgaXMgY2l0eSBwYXJrIG5ldyBvcmxlYW5zMgYQABgWGB4yBhAAGBYYHjIGEAAYFhgeMgYQABgWGB4yBhAAGBYYHjIGEAAYFhgeMgYQABgWGB4yBhAAGBYYHjIGEAAYFhgeMgYQABgWGB5I3SBQ7QNYyx9wA3gBkAEAmAHNAaABlRmqAQYyLjIwLjG4AQPIAQD4AQGYAhqgAs0awgIKEAAYsAMY1gQYR8ICCxAAGIAEGJECGIoFwgIIEAAYgAQYsQPCAgsQABiABBixAxiDAcICBRAAGIAEwgIOEAAYgAQYsQMYgwEYigXCAgcQABiABBgKwgILEC4YgAQYkQIYigXCAgsQABiABBiGAxiKBcICCBAAGIAEGKIEwgIFEAAY7wXCAggQABgIGA0YHpgDAIgGAZAGCJIHBjQuMjAuMqAHw6UBsgcGMS4yMC4yuAe9GsIHCDAuMi4yMi4yyAekAQ&amp;sclient=gws-wiz-serp&amp;mstk=AUtExfCbHqiMc4VywOE5gGB7xNdzgGssaSTMJQIpfLb7YIvZ1FsI3juZdoY63Qt-4bhutACHeT_xcCygdH7LThU1pE8zU9ifmgHpsVxi3v4hZpLRk2lT7_d4WY4Ka2d1dG7qP56f-K2uAkFiOWHgz6EArCyOrGUSk40KwlWj8yPa-q0695Is4Z6jk9AAKNKlzr7gLfY5exHBH8H8LpfBMGwlDpqJ9pLpLL1cC1enhNSOqqsqllZqd-QOhR9cvU3N-iEhej43mIN96e_uJjDTNr7GDTPRHQjprdElfiyZDeVeabt_HGUu0SpOgqmKaJiFmyF0BRWUoshiQe13t_ISTdTSxGb3cemUW8i3KVh0V0BRdK1s55TOHS9ZWeWd9-7Bnecc9SFuRmyndOFJt28Mf9aYmoqqcXEvt_ns8fmpuDrR3JMJc8x0aEtv2hrJt8Fhh52dAIfjch_vEvWjcX-IZXbsog&amp;csui=3" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">New Orleans Museum of Art</a>, a historical sculpture garden, amusement park rides, a botanical garden, and extensive natural areas with the world's largest collection of live oaks. Popular activities include boating, picnicking, and athletic pursuits, while the park also hosts cultural events, children's attractions like Storyland, and iconic food spots such as Cafe du Monde. It used to be the home of the Voodoo Music + Arts Festival that Casey and Charlie attended twice together.

New Orleans City Park

About an hour north of New Orleans, Casey's hometown of Covington, Louisiana rests on the Louisiana Northshore and has&nbsp;a nationally registered historic arts district known for its galleries, unique shops, and events. Situated on the fork of the Bogue Falaya and Tchefuncte Rivers, the area is also praised for its natural beauty and walkability.

Downtown Covington

No trip to Louisiana's Northshore is complete without a stop at the Abita Brewery. The Abita Brewing Company is Louisiana's oldest and largest craft brewery, founded in 1986 in Abita Springs. Its brews reflect the state's culture, with its flagship beers and seasonal offerings widely available across the U.S. Tours lead to the tap room, where you can sample pilot brews and classic New Orleans staples like Purple Haze and Andygator.

Abita Brewing Company

If you're visiting Covington, the neighboring town of Mandeville is home to a popular, 3.4-mile-long scenic path and park area along the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain known for its iconic oak trees with Spanish moss, paved walking and biking paths, benches, swings, and beautiful views of the lake and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Causeway+Bridge&amp;rlz=1C1GCHA_enUS1123US1123&amp;oq=what+is+the+mandeville+lakefront&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigATIHCAMQIRigATIHCAQQIRigATIHCAUQIRigATIHCAYQIRifBTIHCAcQIRifBTIHCAgQIRifBTIHCAkQIRifBdIBCDQ0OTBqMGo0qAIAsAIB&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;mstk=AUtExfBLrq8t45XdcplToVTlbVILST2jeR9M32o8k32TclGa70TuiHPPAjm4qxMdSTq9GhyckfgT8M9itp69OGWFKolguXTaT-tyNenjzz7vJ7cdxGDy16W_AwYNFffPxrQAhMqrdjr1sW3s13NQHYAUZwvYmbm_Db7ubZJcGCqHNhpsDQF39KJPQssKMJ7jZLb2nZy89ZiX-Uj1E8RPGWc9UdF6DvMjY_IfzaJVSo8vf3L9I1N72dLKkxqJ_6X_BzWMNRndMFVOXYg8KdBF-2XRZKRwfsG-myhw7z4dMv7xY4OeNtdXzb_SIQbYoREexDSJ6ffqLBpyHHglok7unCq2Mt5plc6NOVq9RpDMvFjfmBj5G98oKclK0iKlh2EW5FkeVw9axtjJBNQ1ZdzdBb_SO0mCNY4S2LUc48ZLOEE-c7jQHMO0CpUJc6YDXJT3GljBcluaQnHa4V9nYF4bCi9vew&amp;csui=3&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiNvN_XvsmPAxXG6ckDHQpnC5MQgK4QegQIARAE" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Causeway Bridge</a>. It's a beloved spot for locals and visitors to enjoy outdoor recreation, attend festivals, and experience sunsets over the lake.&nbsp;

Charlie & Casey

Charlie & Casey

Photos

THE ENGAGEMENT

March 20, 2024