Voodoo and Vows: This New Orleans liquor store also doubles as a Wedding Chapel

NEW ORLEANS, La. (InvestigateTV) — In a city known for its unique traditions and spirited celebrations, one New Orleans couple has raised the bar for unconventional weddings.

Forget the church pews and banquet halls, Tara Edmond and Ken Neff chose to say “I do” in the aisle of a famous liquor store.

Their venue of choice was Chuck’s on the Avenue, a New Orleans institution that proudly bills itself as the only liquor store in the world with its own wedding chapel. Here, among shelves stocked with everything from tequila to champagne, Tara and Ken tied the knot in a ceremony that was as unique and vibrant as the city they call home.

How did a liquor store become famous for weddings?

The mastermind behind this spirited union is Chuck Loesher, a former police officer turned liquor store owner.

The idea for a wedding chapel came to him in a dream.

After a near-death experience involving a brain bleed and emergency surgery, Chuck had a recurring vision.

“The whole time I was on the anesthesia, I kept dreaming about brides walking up the aisle in a liquor store,” he recalls.

That dream is now a reality.

For Tara and Ken, it was the perfect setting for their voodoo-themed wedding.

As a voodoo priestess offered blessings, the bride, in a flowing white gown, and the groom, in a sharp velvet coat, exchanged vows, their smiles as bright as the colorful bottles surrounding them.

“When you’re a New Orleanian, you’ve got to go for New Orleanian,” the happy couple declared.

Customized Weddings for Each Couple

At Chuck’s, couples can customize their ceremony to fit their personal style.

Whether it’s a voodoo blessing, an Elvis impersonator, or Chuck himself officiating, the goal is to create a memorable and meaningful experience.

The alcohol isn’t just for sale. It’s part of the ambiance, and a symbol of the city’s celebratory spirit.

Following their vows, Tara and Ken embraced another cherished tradition: jumping the broom to seal their union.

With a kiss, they were officially married, and the celebration kicked off with a traditional second-line parade, complete with a brass band leading them on a joyful stroll into their new life together.

“It’s fantastic, amazing,” they said of their special day. “Everything you envision and more.”

For their friends and family, the unconventional setting was a perfect reflection of the couple.

“She has a wonderful spirit, and Ken, you know, he completes her,” one guest remarked. “The perfect mix of strong and sweet.”

This is exactly the kind of lasting love that Chuck hopes to foster. “We want people to be married, be married for life, like I was for 31 years and still happy,” he says. “And hopefully, that’s what we do with people.”

As the celebration wound down, the newlyweds made their final stop in the champagne aisle for a wedding toast, a fitting end to a ceremony that was anything but ordinary.

In a world where the average wedding can cost upwards of $36,000, Chuck’s on the Avenue offers a refreshing alternative.

For just $1,000, couples get a complete package, including the officiant, a photographer, and a venue that is quintessentially New Orleans.