When Patty and John shared their vision for their wedding, I knew I wanted to document the artistic details and loving moments with magazine-worthy photos. For their Hotel Peter and Paul wedding, I took a different approach to editorial wedding photography. These images are both elevated and grounded in the deep emotions of their tender wedding day.

An Intimate Approach to Editorial Wedding Photography

Editorial wedding photography is a style that’s influenced by fashion and art. Usually, there’s a lot of very deliberate posing. Think those photos of big wedding parties arranged in chairs or standing in power poses around a couple. Some people are really drawn to this style of photography while others find it a little impersonal.

For Patty and John’s wedding, I wanted to take a different approach to editorial wedding photography. I believe that a photo can look magazine-worthy and still feel approachable and inviting. Patty incorporated so many artistic details into her attire and decor. I loved taking the opportunity to highlight those creative choices with these photos. We ended up with photos that are artistic, intimate, and deeply personal.

An Elegant New Orleans Wedding Venue

I wanted to take a softer approach to Patty and John’s editorial wedding photography partly because they are the definition of “Midwest nice. So many of their friends and family members knew who I was before I even introduced myself. Patty and John had spoken so highly of me after their engagement session that everyone remembered. It was such a treat to be welcomed into this wedding like family.

Hotel Peter and Paul is a perfect New Orleans wedding venue for editorial wedding photography. It’s so stunning with its rich colors and towering domes ceiling. When hoteliers renovated this former church and school, they kept all the most beautiful historical details. It’s one of the city’s most elegant wedding venues. The guest rooms are equally stunning. Each is distinct from the next in its decor. They’re ideal for getting ready before a wedding.

Somehow every Peter and Paul wedding manages to feel so unique. Whenever I photograph here, I go into it open-minded. Since Patty and John’s wedding day was really rainy, we photographed almost exclusively inside. I used artificial light to balance the soft indoor light. It felt so warm and intimate. That’s exactly what I feel when I look at Patty and John’s wedding photos.

Patty and John’s Unique Reception

Like I mentioned before, Patty and John’s wedding wasn’t the first time I got to photograph them in Hotel Peter and Paul. When they traveled to New Orleans previously, we did their engagement session in their hotel room upstairs from the venue. The natural light and warm neutrals of the hotel room create the same sense of intimacy that you see in their more editorial wedding photos. Check out those New Orleans engagement photos here.

After a ceremony full of emotional moments, Patty and John’s Hotel Peter and Paul wedding reception featured the best of New Orleans for their guests. Big Fun Brass Band led a windswept second line. The guests danced through the streets and right into cocktail hour. 

Later in the evening, DJ Matt Uhman spun vinyl. This was such a treat for the older and younger guests. The old school music got everyone dancing. At one point, DJ Matt paused a song and said, “Sorry, have to flip the record over.” Older guests immediately got nostalgic while younger folks were amazed at this part of the experience.

This wedding really proved that you can have editorial wedding photography and gorgeous details without sacrificing fun. Patty and John treated guests to an entire table of king cakes from Bywater Bakery. The cheesecake-stuffed cake was my personal favorite!

Would you like to see more elegant Hotel Peter and Paul wedding photos? Check out this winter wedding!

Thank you to the vendors who made Patty and John’s wedding so beautiful:

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Hotel Peter & Paul

Wedding Planner: Down Annie Lane/MS Events 

Photographer: Olivia Yuen 

Officiant: Ben Taxman

Music for ceremony, second line, and cocktail hour: Big Fun Brass Band

Reception DJ: Matt Ulhman 

Florist: Moonbeam Fleurs 

Bakery: Bywater Bakery

Catering & Bar: Bacchanal

Drapery Rentals: Luminous Events

Furniture Rental: Lovegood Wedding and Event Rentals

Hair & Makeup: Flawless Bride