My Big Fat Cajun Wedding

Well last week I had the opportunity to work with one of the most colorful families I've ever met. Cara Courtney, one of 3 beautiful daughters was marrying the man of her dreams and she asked me to make her pretty for her big day! When I arrived, the first thing I saw was Cara running around the driveway smiling while scolding her Dad about turning the sprinklers off for the 3rd time that morning. Apparently before I arrived he was so concerned with making sure the lawn was watered that he soaked a majority of the linens that the crew was there to put up so when he turned them on again he sent Cara and her mother Mary into a tizzy! The rest of the house was buzzing with teams of workers getting everything ready and it took me awhile to corral my first group upstairs to get started with hair and makeup.



Blanch Torres of Bella Ella Salon in Winter Park styled all the girls hair while I painted all their pretty faces. It was a big group and they literally kept me laughing the entire day with their mixture of Louisiana humor and a huge dose of southern charm. Blanch and I were working back to back and kept joking about our noses being stuck together from the 5 bottles of aresol hairspray she went through that day.

At many points I felt like I was in a scene from Steel Magnolias because every person in the room, mind you, it was a huge, gorgeous bathroom but we had at least 20 people with big personalities in it, plus food and champagne at any given time!

Cara was getting married at a church in Leesburg and then the reception was being held at her parents home which was stunning with an incredible view of the lake. Even when the sky grew dark and it started to rain, my little optimistic power packed bride didn't bat an eyelash about the possible hurricane brewing outside the window... that takes grace, let me tell you!

So I wanted to share a few snapshots from the day until the photographers photos are ready.





I also got a little note from the Mother of the Bride after the wedding that I'd like to also share with you...

Dear Kara,
Thanks so much for making us beautiful for this special day. We all had one of our prettiest days thanks to you. Your patience with my family was much appreciated. It felt like my big fat cajun wedding. You are just incredible. I'm trying to learn how to use that flat brush on my eye lids. Not too successful yet. What a talent you have. Thanks again for sharing it with us. Mary Courtney