NOW Real Wedding: Rachel Simoneaux & Emily Tran

HELPLESSLY IN LOVE

APRIL 24, 2021 | NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN JARREAU PHOTOGRAPHY

THEIR STORY

“We met through mutual friends in college and started out as friends,” says Emily. “Our first time hanging out together was going to see the Broadway musical Book of Mormon. We quickly became best friends, eating every meal together, hugging for unusually long amounts of time, listening to musicals together, and sending each other long, heartfelt good night messages every night. Looking back, we fell in love without even knowing it.”

“We had a very dramatic start to our dating relationship,” shares Emily. Emily went on a trip and the two realized that they both had feelings for each other beyond friendship.

“We wrote each other letters for every day Emily would be gone, as she would not be able to use her phone,” they share. “When she came back, we could not keep our feelings in anymore.”

Two years later Emily proposed on stage after the last song of Rachel’s acapella concert. That last song, “Grows Old” by Thirdstory would be the first song they danced to at their wedding.

A WALK TO REMEMBER Rachel and Emily chose to walk down the aisle together for their wedding ceremony on the Mercier Terrace of the Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans.

THEIR FAVORITE PART “We love musicals,” Emily and Rachel share, “and one of our favorite moments from the wedding is when the DJ played “Helpless” from Hamilton. Everyone sang and danced, and we could really feel the joy and love filling the room.”

VENDOR CREDITS: VENUE, WEDDING CAKE + CATERING: The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans | OFFICIANT: Rhonda Anders, Magnolia Ceremonies | BRIDES’ GOWNS: DB Studio and Oleg Cassini, David’s Bridal | BRIDESMAIDS’ GOWNS: DB Studio, David’s Bridal | PHOTOGRAPHER: Brian Jarreau Photography | VIDEO: Bower Productions | FLORALS: Herbivore Floral Designs | CEREMONY MUSIC + RECEPTION ENTERTAINMENT: DJ Keral D, Geaux Live | HAIR + MAKEUP: Lyndsay Lund and Lauren Rodas for Up’Sa Daisy Hair and Beauty Studio | HONEYMOON: Kapolei, Hawaii | DAY OF COORDINATOR: Kelly Sherlock | JEWELER: Diamonds Direct | INVITATIONS: Kelly Schmidt

See more from Emily & Rachel’s wedding at: NOWWeddingMagazine.com