NOPSI Hotel New Orleans

Wedding Day

Ceremony

Cocktail Hour / 2nd Line parade

Reception

Winter

Our Wedding

Jenga.&nbsp;It’s&nbsp;a&nbsp;game&nbsp;that&nbsp;most&nbsp;of&nbsp;us&nbsp;have&nbsp;played&nbsp;or&nbsp;are&nbsp;familiar&nbsp;with,&nbsp;despite&nbsp;not&nbsp;necessarily&nbsp;knowing&nbsp;how&nbsp;the&nbsp;game&nbsp;earned&nbsp;its&nbsp;name.&nbsp;&nbsp;The&nbsp;name&nbsp;“Jenga”&nbsp;is&nbsp;derived&nbsp;from&nbsp;the&nbsp;Swahili&nbsp;word&nbsp;“kujenga”&nbsp;which&nbsp;means&nbsp;‘to&nbsp;build&nbsp;or&nbsp;construct’.&nbsp;In&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;simplest&nbsp;form,&nbsp;the&nbsp;game&nbsp;requires&nbsp;participants,&nbsp;one&nbsp;at&nbsp;a&nbsp;time,&nbsp;to&nbsp;pull&nbsp;a&nbsp;block&nbsp;from&nbsp;an&nbsp;otherwise&nbsp;sturdy&nbsp;structure,&nbsp;and&nbsp;to&nbsp;place&nbsp;that&nbsp;same&nbsp;block&nbsp;on&nbsp;top&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;structure,&nbsp;slowly&nbsp;building&nbsp;it&nbsp;higher&nbsp;as&nbsp;they&nbsp;go. Amid&nbsp;the&nbsp;craziness&nbsp;of&nbsp;Covid-19&nbsp;and&nbsp;a&nbsp;nationwide&nbsp;quarantine,&nbsp;La’Toya&nbsp;Lane&nbsp;and&nbsp;Chazz&nbsp;Woodson&nbsp;each&nbsp;made&nbsp;personal&nbsp;and&nbsp;professional&nbsp;decisions&nbsp;to&nbsp;uproot&nbsp;themselves&nbsp;from&nbsp;California&nbsp;and&nbsp;Florida,&nbsp;respectively,&nbsp;and&nbsp;move&nbsp;back&nbsp;to&nbsp;Hampton&nbsp;Roads,&nbsp;Virginia&nbsp;where&nbsp;they&nbsp;both&nbsp;grew&nbsp;up.&nbsp;It&nbsp;was&nbsp;here&nbsp;that&nbsp;fate&nbsp;would&nbsp;have&nbsp;them&nbsp;swiping&nbsp;away&nbsp;on&nbsp;what&nbsp;happened&nbsp;to&nbsp;be&nbsp;the&nbsp;same&nbsp;dating&nbsp;app&nbsp;at&nbsp;the&nbsp;same&nbsp;time,&nbsp;casting&nbsp;countless&nbsp;others&nbsp;to&nbsp;the&nbsp;left&nbsp;before&nbsp;finally&nbsp;swiping&nbsp;right&nbsp;with&nbsp;one&nbsp;another.&nbsp;After&nbsp;a&nbsp;couple&nbsp;of&nbsp;weeks&nbsp;of&nbsp;exchanging&nbsp;messages,&nbsp;they&nbsp;agreed&nbsp;to&nbsp;mask&nbsp;up&nbsp;and&nbsp;brave&nbsp;the&nbsp;toxic&nbsp;outside&nbsp;air&nbsp;to&nbsp;meet&nbsp;for&nbsp;dinner&nbsp;at&nbsp;Harpoon&nbsp;Larry’s.&nbsp;A&nbsp;few&nbsp;weeks&nbsp;later,&nbsp;they&nbsp;decided&nbsp;to&nbsp;attend&nbsp;a&nbsp;Halloween&nbsp;party&nbsp;together&nbsp;–&nbsp;La’Toya&nbsp;Dressed&nbsp;as&nbsp;a&nbsp;unicorn&nbsp;-&nbsp;and&nbsp;Chazz&nbsp;a&nbsp;Panda.&nbsp;The&nbsp;DJs&nbsp;were&nbsp;on&nbsp;point&nbsp;that&nbsp;night,&nbsp;playing&nbsp;all&nbsp;the&nbsp;New&nbsp;Jack&nbsp;Swing&nbsp;hits,&nbsp;their&nbsp;favorite&nbsp;hip-hop&nbsp;and&nbsp;R&amp;B&nbsp;hits&nbsp;from&nbsp;the&nbsp;90s&nbsp;and&nbsp;the&nbsp;early&nbsp;2000s,&nbsp;and&nbsp;more.&nbsp;They&nbsp;danced,&nbsp;they&nbsp;laughed,&nbsp;and&nbsp;had&nbsp;there&nbsp;been&nbsp;a&nbsp;costume&nbsp;contest&nbsp;that&nbsp;night,&nbsp;they&nbsp;certainly&nbsp;would&nbsp;have&nbsp;won&nbsp;first&nbsp;and&nbsp;second&nbsp;place…&nbsp;primarily&nbsp;because&nbsp;they&nbsp;were&nbsp;quite&nbsp;literally&nbsp;the&nbsp;only&nbsp;two&nbsp;at&nbsp;the&nbsp;party.&nbsp;That&nbsp;was&nbsp;the&nbsp;first&nbsp;of&nbsp;many&nbsp;laughs&nbsp;shared&nbsp;between&nbsp;them&nbsp;and&nbsp;the&nbsp;point&nbsp;at&nbsp;which&nbsp;they&nbsp;could&nbsp;be&nbsp;fully&nbsp;and&nbsp;completely&nbsp;immersed&nbsp;in&nbsp;simply&nbsp;being&nbsp;around&nbsp;one&nbsp;another. The&nbsp;ability&nbsp;to&nbsp;find&nbsp;peace&nbsp;in&nbsp;one&nbsp;another&nbsp;would&nbsp;prove&nbsp;to&nbsp;be&nbsp;important&nbsp;as&nbsp;the&nbsp;couple&nbsp;moved&nbsp;forward.&nbsp;Tough&nbsp;times&nbsp;challenge&nbsp;everyone,&nbsp;and&nbsp;it&nbsp;was&nbsp;no&nbsp;different&nbsp;for&nbsp;Chazz&nbsp;and&nbsp;La’Toya.&nbsp;But&nbsp;they&nbsp;quickly&nbsp;found&nbsp;out&nbsp;that&nbsp;they&nbsp;could&nbsp;rely&nbsp;on&nbsp;support&nbsp;from&nbsp;one&nbsp;another.&nbsp;They&nbsp;each&nbsp;chose&nbsp;professional&nbsp;careers&nbsp;centered&nbsp;around&nbsp;serving&nbsp;others,&nbsp;so&nbsp;it&nbsp;should&nbsp;be&nbsp;no&nbsp;surprise&nbsp;that&nbsp;selflessness&nbsp;and&nbsp;care&nbsp;for&nbsp;others&nbsp;would&nbsp;be&nbsp;at&nbsp;the&nbsp;root&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;relationship&nbsp;between&nbsp;the&nbsp;veterinarian&nbsp;and&nbsp;educator/coach.&nbsp;This&nbsp;was&nbsp;particularly&nbsp;apparent&nbsp;when,&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;span&nbsp;of&nbsp;one&nbsp;month,&nbsp;La’Toya&nbsp;lost&nbsp;both&nbsp;a&nbsp;grandmother&nbsp;and&nbsp;aunt&nbsp;and,&nbsp;only&nbsp;months&nbsp;later,&nbsp;Chazz&nbsp;also&nbsp;lost&nbsp;a&nbsp;grandmother.&nbsp;It&nbsp;was&nbsp;in&nbsp;these&nbsp;moments&nbsp;that&nbsp;they&nbsp;began&nbsp;to&nbsp;solidify&nbsp;a&nbsp;foundational&nbsp;relationship,&nbsp;upon&nbsp;which&nbsp;they&nbsp;could&nbsp;build&nbsp;a&nbsp;life&nbsp;together,&nbsp;piece&nbsp;by&nbsp;piece. And&nbsp;over&nbsp;the&nbsp;course&nbsp;of&nbsp;a&nbsp;few&nbsp;years,&nbsp;Chazz&nbsp;and&nbsp;La’Toya&nbsp;let&nbsp;music,&nbsp;smiles,&nbsp;laughter,&nbsp;and&nbsp;mutual&nbsp;respect&nbsp;carry&nbsp;them&nbsp;from&nbsp;one&nbsp;good&nbsp;time&nbsp;to&nbsp;the&nbsp;next,&nbsp;regardless&nbsp;of&nbsp;what&nbsp;their&nbsp;individual&nbsp;personal&nbsp;and&nbsp;professional&nbsp;lives&nbsp;threw&nbsp;them.&nbsp;Like&nbsp;pulling&nbsp;Jenga&nbsp;blocks&nbsp;one&nbsp;at&nbsp;a&nbsp;time,&nbsp;they&nbsp;each&nbsp;made&nbsp;continuous&nbsp;decisions&nbsp;to&nbsp;take&nbsp;chances&nbsp;on&nbsp;each&nbsp;other,&nbsp;in&nbsp;an&nbsp;effort&nbsp;to&nbsp;build&nbsp;one&nbsp;another&nbsp;higher,&nbsp;and&nbsp;to&nbsp;build&nbsp;something&nbsp;greater&nbsp;together.

Love is the ultimate game where the goal isn't  to win but to grow together

Our Story

Photos

Wedding Party

Bride's Parents: Michelle Lane, Edward "Eddie" Lane, Sr.Groom's Parents: Coretta Woodson, Ed "Woody" Woodson

Bridesmaids: Treasure Conyers (Matron of Honor), Amber Wilkins (Matron of Honor), Imani Lane, Ummil-Kheer Ahmad, Laureece Woodson-HymesGroomsmen:Bryce Woodson (Best Man), Krys Rivers, Joe Sargent, Rick Burton, Eddie Lane, Jr.

Officiant: Kristian Thomas

Q + A

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) is the closest airport to fly into.

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport

The NOPSI Hotel is the location of the wedding ceremony and reception. Standard King bed accommodations are spacious dwellings of up to 374 square feet. These bright, elegant guestrooms bring together luxurious details, refined furnishings and accessories, and accents that hark back to the building’s industrial history. Rooms have desks and reading chairs, while bathrooms have large subway-tiled showers and sleek vanities with enhanced makeup mirrors. Please keep in mind that the wedding is the same day as Halloween. We advise you to reserve your room as soon as possible to lock in the rate. If you're staying longer than the two nights, you may contact the hotel directly.

NOPSI Hotel 

This room rate is available until September 30th, 2025. Please keep in mind that the wedding is the same day as Halloween. We advise you to reserve your room as soon as possible to lock in the rate. If you're staying longer than the two nights, you may contact the hotel directly.

Holiday Inn Express New Orleans

This studio suite efficiency features one king bed, flat-screen television in the living area. A kitchen features a refrigerator, stovetop, microwave oven, dishwasher, pots and pans, utensils, plates and glasses. Other features include complimentary Wi-Fi and premium movie channels. Sleeps up to 3. If you prefer to reserve your room via phone, you may do so by calling the toll-free reservations department at 1-800-SONESTA. You will need to give the Hotel Name and this code when doing so: 103025LAWO The special room rate is available until September 25th, 2025. Please keep in mind that the wedding is the same day as Halloween. We advise you to reserve your room as soon as possible to lock in the rate.

Sonesta ES Suites New Orleans Downtown

Travel

Le Musée de f.p.c., a historic house museum, is one of the country’s few attractions dedicated exclusively to preserving the material culture of and telling the story of free people of color.

LE MUSÉE DE F.P.C.

In 2016, New Orleans Artist Brandan BMike Odums established StudioBE, a 36,000- square foot gallery and final part of the “BE Trilogy.” Over the last 7 years, StudioBE has developed itself as a landmark and cultural destination in New Orleans. A product of alchemy, a space for artists and the things they create. A space for the local community and the culture that comes from it.

Studio BE

With integrity and honesty (and singing) we offer The Black Heritage & Jazz Tour of New Orleans 5 days a week twice a day. To inspire heal motivate educate and entertain all our visitors with the opportunity to learn the importance of resistance resilience and a spiritual life, honoring the past understanding the present, so we can shape the future.

All Bout Dat Tours

The Whitney Institute educates the public about the history and legacies of slavery in the United States.

Whitney Plantation 