An Intimate Woodland Chapel Wedding in Natchez

Beautifully captured by LEXIE VACCARO, Emily and Chase’s spring wedding in historic Natchez, Mississippi began at a tiny private chapel hidden deep within the woods before moving to DUNLEITH HISTORIC INN for a romantic garden-inspired reception. With UNCOMMON CAMELLIA planning the celebration and JOHN GRADY BURNS creating the abundant spring florals, the entire weekend felt intimate and thoughtful, with every element designed to complement rather than compete with its beautiful Southern surroundings.

Emily and Chase first met through a mutual friend at their local college bar in Baton Rouge. Years later, Chase proposed at Christmastime in Central Park, surprising Emily when she thought they were heading out to go ice skating. Champagne and a Broadway show followed before they returned to the Chelsea Hotel for room service. The surprises continued when they arrived home in New Orleans for New Year’s Eve, where Chase had secretly gathered their friends and family for an engagement party.

For their ceremony, Emily and Chase chose St. Mary’s Episcopal Chapel, a tiny chapel tucked away amongst the woods outside Natchez. Owned by a family friend of Chase’s, it offered exactly the sense of intimacy they wanted. Guests travelled down a long dirt road to reach it, following ribbons tied along the way by Emily’s brother-in-law and his younger brother. The wedding party arrived by trolley, and although the chapel was designed to accommodate around 75 people, they managed to squeeze in almost 100 of their closest family and friends. The ceremony carried another meaningful connection. Father Mark Holland, the father of one of Emily’s childhood best friends, travelled from Tennessee to officiate. Having also baptised Emily years earlier, his presence made an already personal setting even more significant.

Emily found her MONIQUE LHUILLIER wedding gown at the designer’s Los Angeles flagship, and remarkably, the strapless lace ballgown was the very first dress she tried on. Romantic and traditional, its dramatic silhouette felt perfectly at home against the chapel and historic architecture of Natchez.

Her bridal bouquet was equally classic, composed of white tulips and delicate lily of the valley, while her bridesmaids carried white peonies. At the chapel, JOHN GRADY BURNS kept the floral palette entirely white, including an organic floral arch surrounding the entrance that appeared almost as though it had grown naturally into place.

Later in the evening, Emily changed into the Roj gown by Australian designer KATE WILLA. The second look felt playful and fresh while its lace detailing maintained a subtle connection to her ceremony gown.

With the bridal party and family staying together at DUNLEITH, Emily was able to spend the wedding morning surrounded by the people closest to her. She and her maid of honour began with coffee and a walk through the grounds, bringing a welcome moment of calm before preparations began.

Not everything went entirely according to plan. One bridesmaid’s dress split completely down the back, requiring an emergency sewing session, while Emily herself almost entirely lost her voice just two hours before the ceremony. Before leaving for the chapel, Emily and Chase separately read letters they had written to one another, exchanging their most personal vows privately before meeting at the ceremony.

For the reception, the celebration returned to DUNLEITH, where Emily had envisioned a soft spring garden filled with pink and white flowers. The courtyard’s central fountain became a natural focal point, dressed in an abundant floral installation by JOHN GRADY BURNS, while another floral arch welcomed guests into the tent. The design was romantic without becoming overly elaborate, allowing the historic property and its established gardens to remain very much part of the atmosphere.

Stationery by PAPERWHITE STATIONERY BOUTIQUE introduced soft pale blue alongside a custom floral monogram. The couple’s save-the-date featured an illustration of the chapel hand-drawn by Emily’s brother-in-law, with the original artwork now framed in their home.

Cocktail hour unfolded in the Dunleith courtyard to the sound of electric violinist Carlos Suárez, giving guests time to mingle while the newlyweds finished their photographs. Behind the scenes, things were slightly less serene, with Emily’s sister, bridesmaids, coordinator and brother-in-law engaged in a determined group effort to bustle her MONIQUE LHUILLIER gown.

The reception that followed was designed above all else to feel like a party. New Orleans-based KARMA ENTERTAINMENT kept the dance floor full with a mix of classics and contemporary favourites, following the softer sounds of Vermillion Strings at the ceremony and electric violin during cocktails.

A tented reception proved particularly fortuitous when the spring weather finally turned later in the evening. After worrying about rain in the days leading up to the wedding, Emily and Chase were grateful that it held off through the ceremony and much of the reception. By the time it arrived, the party was well underway and few seemed to mind. Guests continued dancing beneath the tent before the celebration moved to Louie Louie’s in Natchez for the after-party.

From ribbons marking the path to a hidden woodland chapel to flowers spilling around DUNLEITH’S historic fountain, there was a wonderfully personal quality to Emily and Chase’s wedding. Rather than following a particular trend, the couple created a celebration that felt sweet, inviting and connected to the people and places they love. And Chase had one final surprise planned. Emily arrived at the airport for their honeymoon without knowing their destination, only to discover they were heading to Bora Bora for a week together.