Dave & Amanda’s Tree of Life Wedding in New Orleans

Dave and Amanda took it as a sign when their big traditional wedding had to be cancelled for a second time. Instead, they embraced their magical beginnings and decided to marry in their favorite city of New Orleans. Pinterest was their friend as they immediately found Simply Eloped was all over their search words, ‘New Orleans Elope’ and let us take over all the details which included an ancient tree, suspenders and a sweetheart gown. Keep reading to find out how these two had their perfect elopement day filled with love and enchantment.

How did you meet and what was your impression of each other?

Amanda: We met at work. Dave was a head bartender and he came over and shook my hand while I was filling out my application. I was smitten from the start. We spent the first two years as good friends before making it official with a kiss on NYE 2013. 

Dave: We both told friends that we were ‘in trouble’ after having met each other. 

When did you first fall in love? How did you know?

Amanda: Immediately! But not officially until NYE 2013.

How did you propose?

Dave: I took Amanda to Harry Potter World and proposed in the center of Diagonal Alley. Amanda is a fanatic about magic, witches and Harry Potter in general, so it was a no brainer.

What do you love about your partner?

Amanda: His eyes get greener when he’s happiest!

Dave: She dances every day! 

What is the greatest strength of your relationship?

Amanda: We call each other best friends every day and mean it.

 

Why did you decide to elope?

Amanda: When we had to cancel our big wedding for the second time during the 2020 pandemic we knew, after eight years of being together, that we just wanted to get married. We thought that there could be no better place than the most magical and romantic city on earth – New Orleans. We decided to make our wedding special despite everything else going on.

How did you find Simply Eloped? 

Amanda: Pinterest was full of New Orleans elopements by Simply Eloped and that is how we discovered the Tree of Life. It was the PERFECT SPOT! Simply Eloped offered exactly what we pictured.

How did you know Simply Eloped was the right fit for you?

Amanda: Everything was easy. They painted the elopement picture for us and it was just as we hoped.

What attracted you to the venue you eloped at?

Amanda: The Tree of Life is a beautiful historical natural phenomenon in Audubon Park in uptown New Orleans. The old southern oak has such a mystical feel and brough the magic we were hoping to incorporate into our special day. Magic was a big theme for us. 

What activities did you do before the wedding? How did you prepare? How did you feel leading up to the moments of your elopement?

Amanda: We took our parents to try some of the city’s favorite foods first. Charbroiled oysters and beignets for breakfast on the wedding day. The whole works! So as to stick with the magic theme, I watched The Princess and the Frog with my Mom that morning before finally getting ready and putting on my dress.

Dave: After breakfast, I went with my Mom around the French Quarter and into a local hat shop. The hatter picked out the perfect scally cap for my wedding day. This was something I was really looking to have for the wedding! Around lunch time, Amanda’s Dad and I went to the Garden District to Shaya and had a bite before heading to the Tree of Life to wait for her.

Tell us about your experience with Simply Eloped leading up to and on your big day!

Amanda: Simply Eloped was concise, responsive, helpful and made everything SO easy! All of their vendors were wonderful and after a stressful year they made everything so simply in the end.

How did you celebrate after?

Dave: After taking pictures around the French Quarter and enjoyed feeling like celebrities we followed up with an amazing dinner at Arnauds with our family. After they all turned in, we spent the night dancing in the streets, making friends and enjoying the fact that we finally did it!

What words of encouragement do you have for those considering eloping?

Amanda: Eloping helps you remember the whole point. It makes things so easy for the most important day of your lives and helps you to realize that it was always, and will always, be just about the magic of the two of you? 

 

Officiation by: Michele Zeller
Photography by: Ashley Mercer
Hair & Makeup by: Nicole Klein
Flowers by: Harkins Florist
Planning by: Simply Eloped
Venue: Audubon Park, New Orleans, Louisiana