Chase and Ellen met while performing together in a production of The Addams Family Musical at Theatre Memphis, so it’s no surprise that their wedding had a dark and moody theme! “Our mutual love of theatre meets a gothic horror aesthetic inspired our October wedding day,” the bride told us. “Think Interview With a Vampire meets American Horror Story: Coven and you’re halfway there!”
From encouraging guests to dress in their best ‘funeral attire’ to Ellen wearing a black lace Maggie Sottero gown, almost everything about their wedding was included a unique, personalised touch. Their day was held at one of the most haunted locations in New Orleans – Beauregard Keyes House. The couple and their guests travelled from Memphis for their day, so their focus was on making sure everyone had a great time – “we were asking people to travel a significant distance to celebrate with us, so we wanted to make sure the celebration was worth it!”
Their biggest expense, apart from the venue, was catering and entertainment. Their put on a free bar, supplying ample wine and beer for the guests, and took extra care to bring their own musician from Memphis to be the live entertainment. “It seemed like sacrilege to use a Memphis artist in the jazz capital of the world, but Nick Black had that soul quality we craved, and as we were very familiar with his work, it made it even the more special to have him involved in our day!”
In terms of decor, the couple employed Lonney Jane Productions to design their day. They adorned every surface with candles for a spooky feel. From floating candles in a fountain to a candlelight cobblestone pathway for an aisle, every surface was adorned. For foliage, they went heavy on the ivy, and dressed up their reception with spooky paraphernalia like voodoo dolls, ouija board candles and an apothecary table that housed photographs of loved ones no longer with them. The rest of the decor was left to the ornate and antique surroundings of the venue.
Their ceremony was held in the garden courtyard of the property, next to the fountain. Surrounded by floating candles, it had an atmosphere of magic and mystery.. Like most Rock n Roll Brides, the couple wanted a brief ceremony in favour of a longer after party, so they exchanged vows longingly borrowed from The Corpse Bride, some friends read beautiful poems, and they were married.
“If you plan on getting married in anything other than white, start your search as soon as you make the decision,” Ellen concluded. “Finding a black gown was one of the hardest things to track down for the whole wedding. Also, less is more, and as Coco Chanel said – in terms of accessorising, always take one thing off.”
