Brooke Rafidi + Beau Mothe

from NOW Weddings Magazine December 2020

Maia Jones + Don Tremayne Aikens

“A WHO DAT I DO”

JANUARY 10, 2020

WRITTEN BY: Jessica Burke | PHOTOGRAPHER: Kacie Fayard, Studio Tran

IT WAS DECEMBER 7TH AND HIGHSCHOOL SWEETHEARTS BROOKE and Beau were out to dinner with friends. Since it was the holiday season, they just had to take their annual Christmas picture in The Roosevelt Hotel’s lobby. As Brooke posed for the photo, Beau got down on one knee. He “took my hand, and asked me for FOREVER,” shares Brooke. “I said ‘Yes, yes, yes!’ and hugged him tight for this was just the beginning of our fairytale love story come true!”

“One of the most memorable parts of our wedding day was when I put my wedding dress on.” Brooke shares. “Time stopped. It was the split second when all of the memories of Beau and I rushed through my mind. I was holding back tears of gratitude. That first love. That unconditional love because even at a young age, that is what we always had and what we always will have. All of the heartbreak, the struggle, the pain and all of it came to this moment. God had blessed me with his greatest blessing of all. All of my hopes and dreams were coming true with my sister, my Matron Of Honor, Laura, right by my side through it all. Even though, so many of my family and friends were at the house and my incredible photographer, Kacie, was right in front of me, in that moment, everything and everyone disappeared… it was just me and God.” is absolutely breathtaking…I wanted every single bridesmaid to look and feel incredible.”

Brooke and Beau chose January 10, 2020, the anniversary of their first date and Brooke’s parents 30th wedding anniversary, as their wedding date and tied the knot in a breathtaking ceremony at St. Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter with a reception following at The Orpheum Theater. The happy couple surprised her parents with a special anniversary song “You’re The Inspiration” by Chicago at the reception.

“Beau and I did our first dance to the song, ‘I’ll Be’ by Edwin McCain,” shares Brooke. “This song has left us with so many memories over the years from our time together, it was always ‘our’ song. We chose this song as kids and finding out the story behind the lyrics of the song as adults, gave it a whole new meaning to us. Our wedding night was when it all came full circle as husband and wife.”

Brooke and her father did a unique father-daughter dance ending with Gumbo, the New Orleans Saints Mascot, joining them on the dance floor to get the party started!