Kelsey and Brendan, both surgeons based in New Orleans, first met during residency—Brendan was Kelsey’s intern. “It really was love at first sight,” she says. Just two weeks after meeting, they spontaneously booked a New Year’s trip to Tulum. With hotels fully booked, they ended up in a bare-bones glamping tent on the beach. It was there, by the ocean and under the stars, that they said “I love you” for the first time. Three years later, Brendan proposed at sunrise on Iceland’s breathtaking Diamond Beach.
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
Style: 18th century, whimsical garden party
Number of guests: 115
Time of planning: 1 year
Setting: Beach & Palace
Season: Summer
Their wedding took place in vibrant Lisbon, Portugal—a setting as full of personality as the couple themselves. As a design lover, Kelsey arrived at planning meetings with a full mood board before they’d even met their planners. “I’m very much a hands-on, DIY enthusiast,” she shares, which made planning a wedding abroad both exciting and a little daunting. But their planning team at The Wedding Wonderland quickly put them at ease. “They didn’t just understand our vision—they brought it to life in ways we couldn’t have even imagined.”
Welcome Dinner
The weekend of celebrations kicked off with a dreamy Welcome Dinner at the picturesque Praia Princesa in Costa da Caparica, Portugal—an effortlessly chic beachside setting that set the perfect tone for the days ahead. The evening was pure magic: ocean views, thoughtful decor, great food, and even better dancing. It wasn’t just a dinner—it was a celebration in its own right, setting the stage beautifully for the wedding to come.
Kelsey made a serious fashion statement in a look that was both nostalgic and striking: “For our Welcome Party/Dinner, I wore a vintage SS 1994 Vivienne Westwood cream-colored corset. My skirt was custom-made in silk taffeta by Ferrah and felt both incredibly glamorous and effortlessly whimsical at the same time.” Brendan wore a Jacquemus shirt, Todd Snyder linen pants, and Morjas espadrilles—an effortlessly refined look that perfectly matched the laid-back elegance of the evening.
Bride's Morning & Fashion
The wedding morning felt like a dream for Kelsey and her bridesmaids—joyful, intimate, and full of meaning. Tom Perdigrao and his team created effortlessly romantic beauty looks, adorning bride’s and bridesmaids’ hair with fresh florals, bows, and delicate ribbons. For Kelsey, the look was soft and whimsical: loose, messy waves accented with “mini bouquets” of gypsophila tied with tiny ivory bows.
As for the dress—“the choice was obvious.” Her wedding dress was custom-designed by one of her closest friends and bridesmaids, Lela Orr, the designer behind Ferrah, whose work has long inspired her. Together, they selected the fabrics and handcrafted trims, even adding a last-minute detail: “long bows at the waistline, which ended up blowing so beautifully in the wind on our wedding day.”
The emotional weight of the design hit the moment she slipped into the finished dress. “I never thought I would cry when I tried on my wedding dress, but when I put it on, tears immediately began streaming down my face. I could tell that love was woven into every stitch.” Kelsey completed the look with a vintage beaded Judith Leiber purse borrowed from her mother’s collection—a sentimental finishing touch for a gown that was already rich in meaning.
Groom's Fashion
Brendan wore a hand-sewn ivory dinner jacket, tailored pants, and a classic bow tie—all from Ralph Lauren’s Purple Label. He had a “wonderful experience with the team at the Ralph Lauren Men’s Flagship store in NYC” and felt “very pampered.” To finish the look, he paired the ensemble with black velvet slippers from Del Toro, striking the perfect balance between timeless elegance and personal style.
Special Touches
Kelsey wanted her bridesmaids to feel their best, so she let them choose their own dresses—guided only by a mood board of “shades of pink, lots of tulle, and dramatic silhouettes.” The outcome was pure magic: “They definitely understood the assignment.” Just before the ceremony, she surprised each of them with a hand-picked antique fan, which she had spent over a year collecting—silk, hand-painted, and many dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries—chosen to match their look and flowers.
"I'd grown so attached to the fans over time that giving them to the most special women in my life—those standing beside me on such a meaningful day—was incredibly emotional and a moment I'll never forget."
Equally unforgettable was the moment Brendan and Kelsey gifted their mothers hand-painted baby portrait fans. Inspired by Kelsey’s design obsession—Vivienne Westwood’s Frans Hals Baby corset—the fans were brought to life by the incredibly talented Clara Nebrera of Rapinzel Berries. Each one featured a hand-painted portrait that perfectly resembled their baby photos, and the result brought everyone to tears.
Ceremony
The ceremony unfolded in the romantic, French-style gardens of the National Palace of Queluz—a setting straight out of a fairytale. Beneath a flower-draped chuppah by Decoflorália, Kelsey and Brendan had a traditional Jewish ceremony that felt both timeless and deeply personal. As the string quartet began playing “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis—a nod to Kelsey’s Memphis roots—she made her way down the aisle, the moment as cinematic as it was heartfelt.
The vows were heartfelt and emotional, setting the perfect tone for the day. The moment Brendan broke the glass, a 9-piece brass band kicked off the celebration, instantly filling the gardens with music and joy. The atmosphere was electric—an unforgettable start to the party.
"Then we grabbed our umbrellas and led our guests in a New Orleans-style second line, dancing through the palace gardens. This had to have been one of our favorite moments, if not our favorite, of the entire wedding!"
Cocktail Hour
“The energy was euphoric,” Kelsey shared, and that high didn’t fade; it carried guests straight through to sunrise. For cocktail hour, the couple wanted more than just drinks and snacks—they wanted an experience. Think: caviar bumps, espresso, dirty martinis, and a charming Ginjinha stand inspired by their favorite bar in Lisbon, serving up shots of the classic Portuguese cherry liqueur. It was vibrant, playful, and totally unforgettable.
The entire cocktail hour—and really, the whole celebration—felt like stepping into an 18th-century garden party. From the music to the setting in the picturesque gardens, every detail echoed that romantic, old-world charm. The vibe was elegant and whimsical—just as Kelsey and Brendan envisioned.
Planning & Decor
After cocktail hour, guests were greeted with a surprise that was both thoughtful and artistic—a hand-drawn portrait of each guest, serving as their seating assignment. These delicate sketches were displayed on a beautifully draped fabric backdrop, custom-designed by the couple’s talented planners, adding a personal and elevated touch to the evening.
When it came to the tablescape, Kelsey described what exactly set the tone: “While doing some soul searching on Pinterest, I spotted (and fell in love with) Ginori’s Oriente Italiano collection.” Inspired by its whimsical elegance, they chose a vibrant mix of pink, blue, green, and yellow plates, which served as the visual anchor for the entire design. The florals and DIY stationery were thoughtfully curated to complement the colorful china, creating an atmosphere that was “whimsical, romantic, and vibrant.”
Dinner & Party
Dinner took place at a single, grand table stretched before the magnificent façade of the palace—a truly cinematic setting. As guests sipped Portuguese wine and shared stories over two leisurely hours, the sun dipped behind the gardens, casting a golden glow. “Under the moonlight, the table and sheer fabric draped over the palace balcony seemed almost ethereal,” Kelsey shared.
The energy shifted as the couple opened the dance floor with their first dance to “La Vie en Rose” by Louis Armstrong. The magic escalated instantly with the Horah—laughter echoed as they and their families were lifted into the air. “To look around and see all your loved ones in Portugal together, on a gorgeous summer night, smiling and dancing in revelry, was a moment so magical that it felt like a dream.”
Even after the official 2 AM end, the party didn’t stop. An impromptu limbo competition broke out, followed by a surprise performance from one of their talented friends. The final moment? Everyone arm-in-arm belting out “You’re Still The One” by Shania Twain—a perfect, unforgettable finale, with the Atmosphere Fotografia capturing every special moment of the day.
"There were so many unforgettable moments, but truthfully, leaving our wedding after experiencing the most incredible adventure of our lives with our closest family and friends in Portugal, knowing that this was just the beginning, was the most meaningful feeling of all."
Advice from the couple:
• Despite spending over a year planning the wedding, we ran out of time in the final days and never actually read the detailed itinerary our wedding planners had sent us. Because of that, the day itself felt like a whirlwind adventure full of surprises, even for us! We skipped the formal family portraits, allowing ourselves to get lost in the joy of the moment instead. And I think that, in a way, that made the photos even more beautiful—each frame capturing the raw, unfiltered happiness that defined the day.
PLANNING The Wedding Wonderland | PHOTOGRAPHY Atmosphere Fotografia & Julia Accetta (Several Film Photos) | VIDEOGRAPHY FULLCUT | VENUES Praia Princesa (Welcome Party), Palácio Nacional de Queluz (Wedding Day) | FLORALS Decoflorália | CUSTOM MOTHERS’ FANS Rapinzel Handmade | HAIR & MAKEUP Tom Perdigão | BRIDE (WELCOME PARTY) Corset: Vintage Vivienne Westwood via Vestiaire Collective | Skirt: Ferrah | Shoes: Vivienne Westwood | Bag: Dior | BRIDE (WEDDING DAY) Dress: Ferrah | Heels: Mach & Mach | Flats: Loeffler Randall | Bag: Judith Leiber | GROOM (WELCOME PARTY) Shirt: Jacquemus | GROOM (WEDDING) Suit & Bow Tie: Ralph Lauren | Shoes: Del Toro | CATERING Casa do Marquês | STATIONERY Handmade by the couple | MUSIC Funk You Brass Band, String Quartet Solutions, Rituais
