Mardi Gras Wedding Inspiration

What’s a Mardi Gras celebration without punches of purple, gold, and green? A star team of Nebraska vendors including Nikki Moore Photography, Ally B Designs, and I Bloom assembled this shoot for the holiday with a heavy New Orleans influence. True to the heart of Mardi Gras (which is tomorrow), this wedding inspiration shoot is full of opulence and elegance for traditional and whimsical brides alike.

From the event designer, Alicia of Ally B Designs: Lassiez les bon temps rouler! When I began putting ideas together I tried to pull from the traditional New Orleans Mardi Gras, now never having been there I really had to use my imagination but I love how everything came together. I wanted to portray the dark and mysterious side of NOLA, the classic French influence, and how they throw the best party of the year: Mardi Gras! We started by choosing a location that would fit our darkly celebratory atmosphere: the historic Rococo Theatre in downtown Lincoln, Nebraska. Once we decided on that locale, the whole shoot came together in our minds.

The bride and groom’s sweetheart table had to make a statement! Adorned with a modern black and white striped linen, this table lets the beautiful floral garland stand on its own as a simple centerpiece. To really be outrageous, a floral mask of paved carnations and status in purple tones backed the chairs of the bride and groom. The table was simply set, adding the finishing touch of bright paper goods and the perfectly tied golden flatware. The second table is the guest table – and it is full of drama! The grand centerpiece towers over a table set for a party. The sequin linens, sparkling accessories and confetti favors add to the glamour. You can’t have a party without decadent desserts. This dessert table features decorated sugar cookies, a simple wedding cake, colorful mini-cupcakes and a bottle of champagne. How does that saying go… “Let’s pop the champagne and dance on the tables!” I think that is the perfect way to get this party started.

The whole idea for this shoot came from the mask. The mask is the #1 symbol of Mardi Gras, of course! I wanted to bring it in the shoot in a floral way that I had never seen before. In a composite technique we were able to achieve a fantastic mask using Gladiola petals. From there we used the traditional Mardi Gras colors of purple and green, but designed with “party” in mind. The bride needed a bouquet with BIG style and pizzazz, and the flowers lent themselves beautifully to a wild looking bouquet and centerpiece. Once we had the overall vision for our shoot, we turned to a photographer whose style and skill could be counted on to capture the details and the feel of the event we were imagining! Nikki’s work beautifully highlights all the elements of our shoot.

View all images from this shoot in the gallery

Shoot Location: Lincoln, Nebraska / Photographer: Nikki Moore Photography / Event Design: Ally B Designs / Floral Design: I Bloom / Venue: Rococo Theater / Wedding Dress: Modern Trousseau “Pandora” via Ready or Knot / Hair: Nora at Iasan & Sebastian / Makeup: Amanda Matczyszyn / Wedding Cake and Cupcakes: Le Cupcake / Cookies: Sweet Details / Rentals: Nostalgia Rentals / Model: Andrea Maack