Sophie Moreaux and John Harvey celebrated the start of their forever with a series of curated experiences at the Country Club of Louisiana
Sophie Moreaux selected the Country Club of Louisiana as her wedding venue long before she met John Harvey. “I remember being six years old and going to the swim team banquet in the big ballroom where we had our reception. We go to every Mother’s Day brunch there, and we eat lunch there as a family twice a week,” she explains. “So I always knew that I wanted to get married there for sentimental reasons, and because it’s right next door.”
Her heart was set on a venue, and together, she and John imagined a specific itinerary for the day. A cocktail hour was a must, during which she and John would share a private dinner, though they still wanted to see their guests and the party. Other must-haves included a private communion with their families ahead of the wedding ceremony and an after-party following the reception.
Above all, Sophie and John wanted to slow down the day as much as possible to enjoy each moment. They set wedding planner Amy Hazel Shrader of Amy Hazel Events to the task of bringing all the elements together cohesively. “I’m a really big dreamer, and Amy didn’t scoff at my dreams,” Sophie says.
The celebration unfolded as a progression of distinct, curated experiences. Before guests arrived, Sophie and John enjoyed an extended first look on the golf course, followed by a private spiritual moment with their families.
“Sophie and I wanted to be able to redirect our focus on why we were getting married in the first place,” John explains. “We wanted to have that time that was centered on Christ, for both of our families to come together and enjoy a special, private moment before the bustle of the wedding would commence.”
From there, each phase of the celebration unfolded with its own mood, setting and purpose. The cocktail hour was an elevated garden party on the wrap-around balcony featuring a muted spring take on jewel tones, modern, stemmy florals, and bistro lights with a string quartet playing pop instrumentals.
While guests mingled, Sophie and John slipped into a separate space just out of sight. “I knew that I was going to be anxious if we had a private dining moment where we couldn’t see everybody,” Sophie explains. “We put so much effort into planning our wedding day, we wanted to see it all and be a part of it all. It was cool to have that sweet, private dining moment, but we didn’t feel like we were missing anything.”
As the sun set over the golf course, guests made their way to the ballroom. “They had already caught up with each other during the cocktail hour, and everyone was ready to dance and celebrate,” Amy says.
The ballroom featured a full-on version of the color palette, drenched in florals and flickering candlelight, while four colorful soft-seating vignettes carried the elevated garden-party feel throughout. The custom crest Sophie’s sister designed adorned the dance floor, making it both beautiful and deeply personal. Fun, interactive touches, including a live painter, photo booth, roaring jazz band and a surprise T‑shirt toss, turned the reception into an unforgettable celebration without diluting Sophie and John’s vision.
The night shifted again into a high-energy, late-night after-party when guests second-lined with the band from the ballroom, down the grand hallway, around the balcony and into the Nicholas Room. There, guests were greeted by a club-like atmosphere complete with neon lights and a DJ. “We love to cut up on the dance floor, and I wanted that in the after party, because I wanted the reception to be more romantic. But there’s a side of us that also wanted to cut up,” Sophie says with a laugh. Guests indulged with pizza, a coffee bar and karaoke for the three-hour affair.
“We worked hard to make every element of this wedding different and separated,” Amy says. But the real achievement wasn’t in the logistics; it was seeing two lives and one long-awaited vision come together in a grand celebration of love.
CEREMONY & RECEPTION Country Club of Louisiana / COORDINATOR Amy Hazel Events / CAKE The Ambrosia Bakery / FLORIST Forage Floral Design / INVITATIONS Aline Print & Design / BRIDAL GOWN Allure Bridals / BRIDESMAID DRESSES Azazie / HAIR EGGIE Salon Studio / MAKEUP Whitney McMahon/Sasha Ahart / VIDEOGRAPHER Nate Bustamante Films / ENTERTAINMENT John Gray/The Michael Foster Project/Geaux Big DJ / RENTALS Louisiana Event Rentals/Inspired Vignettes, Spot On Dance Floor & Wraps / OTHER VENDORS Truly Haute/Sonnier Fine Art/Harvest Coffees/Flashback Photo Booth
