Historic spring garden wedding at Fourth Ward Park in Atlanta, Georgia

On April 25, 2017, Ivette and Kelcy got engaged on the Passerelle Debilly, a beautiful footbridge over the Seine River in Paris. Each had secretly planned to propose to the other on the trip, but Kelcy’s nerves kicked in first and she popped the question as soon as the Eiffel Tower was in view. The happy couple purchased some Swarovski ‘temporary’ rings to make it more official, and after a week of champagne, cheese and soufflés, they returned to their homes in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood to plan a wedding and a life together.

When they met, Ivette and Kelcy lived blocks away from each other on either side of the Historic Fourth Ward Park. Dates between the two often started and ended with a giddy—mariposas en el estómago feeling—walk down the Atlanta BeltLine and through the park for one or both of them. They also spent time walking and playing in the park with Jojo Pepper, the most adorable schnauzer-Shih Tzu mix. Six months after the bridge in Paris, it was Ivette’s turn to surprise Kelcy. She planned a Halloween picnic in the park’s theater, but it was all treat and no trick when she pulled Kelcy’s ‘official’ engagement ring out of the basket. The wedding planning continued.

Days, weeks and months passed as the couple shared weekends on Lake Lanier, Bulldawg games in Athens, galas across the region and half marathons around the country. Time spent in Atlanta continued to revolve around the BeltLine and “their” special park while the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood flourished around them. The two found their perfect home a little further down the BeltLine and purchased a condo in the not-yet-built Airline development. Kelcy sold her condo and moved into an apartment with Ivette, her sister and Jojo.

At long last, Kelcy and Ivette are elated to return to the Historic Fourth Ward Park with family and friends to exchange vows and to invite their loved ones to join them for another giddy walk on the BeltLine.

Historic Fourth Ward Park is perhaps the most visible sign for most Atlantans of the transformative nature of the Atlanta BeltLine, offering 17 acres of green space and a spectacular park packed with amenities for all to enjoy. Stormwater runoff and damaging flooding once plagued the area where Historic Fourth Ward Park now stands.

If you ask Ivette and Kelcy to describe a perfect day, the words “champagne,” “tacos” and “rooftop” are guaranteed to appear in their response. Imagine the couple’s delight when they found Estrella, an open-air champagne bar that overlooks the BeltLine and serves dishes inspired by the Yucatecan region in Mexico in a setting that evokes the classic style of 1950’s Art Deco Miami.