In Love and Marriage

Kamensky-Zandbergs

Amidst the blooming azaleas and the gentle melodies of jazz faintly playing in the distance, the enchanting ambiance of a New Orleans destination springtime wedding brought to life the charm of a true Garden Party in the heart of the Crescent City as Abby Kamensky and Kalon Zandbergs exchanged their wedding vows.

Abby and Kalon’s love story began when they were new hires at Google. Although they were starting the same position, each was located across the country from the other. Thus, they would be work friends only, but that lasted for about six months. After six months of friendship, Kalon told Abby he wanted to be more than friends. Four years later, he proposed to Abby on a New Year’s trip to Sea Island.

New Orleans, a cherished destination for Abby and her family, was the natural choice for their wedding celebration. Abby wanted the weekend to resemble their family trips to the city, honing in on the food, entertainment, and essence of all that is the Crescent City. “It’s always been a bit of an unspoken agreement that that’s where this big memory would be made,” adds Abby. There was no question that New Orleans would be the perfect place to celebrate the wedding of Abby and Kalon.

Abby had a clear vision for her wedding, which she shared with wedding planner Elyse Jennings. “Aesthetically, I wanted New Orleans and coastal inspired Garden Party vibes – after I brain dumped on my wedding planner, she described it as ‘a whimsical coastal garden party in a wildflower-filled, New Orleans dreamland.’ I was like, [you] pretty much nailed it.” Elyse beautifully brought to life Abby’s desire, which served as the foundation for creating the couple’s dream wedding.

After many months of preparation, the long-awaited weekend of March 19th arrived. Abby and Kalon hosted a welcome dinner at Port Orleans Brewing Company, followed by a lively night of revelry at Tipitina’s with music from Big Sam’s Funky Nation. The best was still to come.

On her wedding day, Abby’s closest friends surrounded her, filling the morning with her favorite music and dancing at 7 AM. It set the tone for a day filled with family, friendship, dancing, and true love.

An exquisite off-the-shoulder Oscar de la Renta wedding gown with handembroidered floral appliqués was an easy choice for Abby. “...the whimsical embroidery hit me right in the feels,” recalls the bride. An accompanying tulle offthe-shoulder shawl gracefully affixed to her gown formed a truly breathtaking train.

Abby asked her bridesmaids to choose dresses in soft shades of purple, blue, and green to match the garden party theme. They did so beautifully, seamlessly complementing the overall wedding and reception theme.

The couple’s New Orleans courtyard exchange of vows at Maison Dupuy perfectly captured the charm they desired, with its vintage red bricks, lush greenery, and a prominent chuppah, providing an ideal setting for their vows in the presence of their guests and Abby’s childhood rabbi. When it came time to stomp the glass, signaling the time to celebrate, Kalon did not disappoint. He smashed the glass on the first try, and “Mazel Tov” reverberated throughout the courtyard.

Abby’s favorite part of the day was the Second Line to the reception at the Old Ursuline Convent. The coastal New Orleans garden party theme came to life in the stunning outdoor space, with a tent adorned in white and green Danika Herrick block print fabric, lush greenery, lattice backdrops, rattan lanterns, and an abundance of stunning flowers by Pistil and Stamen. The space perfectly matched Abby’s early planning vision.

The couple chose a strolling reception featuring New Orleans fare by Joel Catering, with raw and chargrilled oysters, chicken and andouille gumbo, and a gnocchi station with a Parmesan cheese wheel, encouraging guest interaction and more time on the dance floor.

Front and center the whole night on the dance floor to the tunes of the Pure Party Band, the newlyweds only left the dance floor to cut their Chasing Wang wedding cake.

As the reception came to a close, the couple made their way through a sea of bubbles and well-wishes as they all headed out to the Gold Mine Saloon for more celebrating.