GABI + NIC

Both born and raised in Mandeville, Gabi Cerise and Nic Yeager met at Fontainebleau Junior High School in 2010. The friendship that they formed there was one that naturally—almost unwittingly—turned into love over time. “Nic and I were always in the same friend group, and all of our friends would joke and tell us that we were literally like the same person,” Gabi explains of how their relationship began. “People would say, ‘Gabi is the girl version of Nic, and Nic is the guy version of Gabi.’ We’ve been best friends for as long as I can remember, but it wasn’t until senior year at LSU that we actually started dating.”

After Nic formally asked her to be his girlfriend, the two became inseparable and deepened their relationship even further. After graduation in 2019, they moved to Corpus Christi, Texas, and began their adult lives and careers, sure that they wanted to forge into the future together. Two years later, Nic asked Gabi another question that would change their relationship forever when he asked her to marry him during a family trip to Miramar Beach, Florida, in June of 2021.

“Gabi and I took a walk on the beach at sunset, and there were two weddings going on that we had to walk around,” says Nic, describing how the carefully planned and meticulously orchestrated day played out. “At that point, we were facing towards the hotels where both sets of our parents were all hiding until I got down on one knee. Once we passed all of the weddings, I was finally able to ask Gabi to marry me. With all of the emotions going on inside of my head, I literally forgot to put the ring on her finger!”

Fortunately, Nic remembered to put the ring on her finger sixteen months later on October 15, 2022, as she stood before him wearing a satin strapless fit-and-flare wedding gown. Having shared a first look and reading their personal vows together in an intimate pre-ceremony moment, the couple exchanged vows publicly satin fitto-at the outdoor altar of Milicevic Farm & Vineyard Venue in Abita Springs, Louisiana. “It was such an intimate moment, and we were so happy that we took time to be with just one another before the ceremony,” Gabi says. “It helped calm our nerves, and we got beautiful pictures, too.”

After being pronounced married, the newlyweds joined their guests for a reception with delicious food served on-site—but not before they shared another special moment alone. “We did a champagne tower pour at sunset and shared our first dinner together as Mr. and Mrs. Yeager privately in the bridal suite before the start of the reception while the guests enjoyed a cocktail half hour,” Gabi says.

After a celebration that included a late-night snack of beignets catered by Café Du Monde, plenty of dancing and high spirits because the LSU Tigers beat the Florida Gators, the happy couple was sent off to start their honeymoon in St. Lucia. “We hiked waterfalls, ziplined through the jungle, enjoyed a couples massage, went on a sunset cruise, toured Hotel Chocolat, and went on a jeep safari tour,” Gabi says. “It was a beautiful and relaxing week.” Now back home in Baton Rouge, the Yeagers are looking forward to the next phase of their relationship: as best friends, lovers, and husband and wife.

PHOTOGRAPHER/ VIDEOGRAPHER: The Crawfords Photography and Film

VENUE: Milicevic Farm & Vineyard Venue

FLORALS: Crystal Vase Flowers & Gifts

RINGS: Anne Dale Jewelers

DJ & PHOTOBOOTH: Rock-It Productions

LIGHTING & SPARKS: Rock-It Productions

CAKES: Maple Street Bakery

LATE SNACK: Cafe Du Monde

HAIR & MAKEUP: Glam on Location, LLC

BRIDE H&M: @glambynicolechantelle

CEREMONY HARPIST: Wesley Daniels

INVITATION

CALLIGRAPHY: @ew_designs

DRESS & VEIL: Olivier Couture Bridal Boutique

BRIDESMAID DRESSES: Bella Bridesmaids

ALTERATIONS: Sew Custom, LLC

TRANSPORTATION: RedLine Limousine/Angel Classics/ My Royal Coach

Covid Vaccines

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STORY BY LIESEL SCHMIDT // PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEN MEADOWS

Growing up with a physician for a father, Lizette Alvarado had her path towards a career in some kind of medical field laid out early. “My dad was my idol,” Lizette says. While her dad, Dr. Luis Alvarado, may have a more traditional career in internal medicine, Lizette shares his desire to improve the lives of others.

Through her work as the owner of Syn Skin Aesthetics and Wellness, Lizette offers medical weight loss programs, holistic weight loss, medical and aesthetic Botox, fillers, microneedling, PRP, vampire facials, PCP, BHRT, sexual health therapies, VI peels, skincare, and Skinmedica. “Aesthetic medicine and wellness is a holistic approach to medicine that allows a patient to focus on their inner and outer wellness,” she explains. “We specialize in beauty and wellness, and we love making people smile, making them beautiful, and helping them achieve their health goals.”

As father and daughter both share the desire to help people, they became business partners in March of 2022. The pair bring their respective accomplishments and various associations to the table: Dr. Alvarado was LSMS president, served as AMA president delegate and currently sits on the Louisiana compensation board. Lizette is a board member of ACCESS and is active in End ALZ, Mi Esperanza, NAMI and You Night.

As a team, they also share some very important character strengths of caring, humility and going the extra mile in patient care. Their work has seen great support from the community, and that support has meant success in their business. “The Northshore is like a family, and we appreciate how supportive and kind the community has been,” says Lizette.