Dearly Beloved: A Queer Mass Wedding & Dance Party in New Orleans
Because love is love, and weddings shouldn’t cost a fortune.
LGBTQ+ rights are under fire right now. Between legislative attacks and the rising costs of everything, it can feel harder than ever for queer folks to access joy, let alone a wedding that feels true, beautiful, and affordable.
That’s why we’re throwing Dearly Beloved, a queer mass wedding and dance party designed to reimagine what weddings can look like. We’re bringing together some of New Orleans’ best local vendors to create a beautiful, love-filled night, one that celebrates community, creativity, and queer existence.
With sponsors like Soulet Muse, Pair of Violets, Warm Advice, Twelve Mile Limit, Original Nite Cap, Hype Haus, and more, this event is shaping up to be something truly special.
How It All Started
This idea was born — like many of my favorites — when my dear friend and ex-work wife Kristin casually said, “Wouldn’t it be fun if…”
Whenever Kristin starts a sentence with “wouldn’t it be fun if…,” my ears perk up. Kristin’s ideas always delight me, and this one ended with, “…there was, like, a mass wedding? Get all the best vendors and have everyone say ‘I do’ on stage?”
As with many of her brilliant brainwaves (or brain babies, as I like to call them), I wrote this one down. and now, a decade after the we started working together, Dearly Beloved is finally coming to life.
About the Creators
Kristin and I met in January 2016 while working together at Acuity Scheduling. Our first day together ended at a karaoke bar — a perfect foreshadowing of the music, laughter, and late nights that would define our friendship.
Kristin Barber (second from right), co-creator of Dearly Beloved, officiating a wedding in Antarctica
Over the years, we’ve road-tripped across the country, swapped creative ideas at 2AM, and supported each other through countless life pivots, from tech careers to entrepreneurship.
Kristin has been officiating weddings since 2016 (including one in Antarctica, with a penguin in the limited audience — yes, really). She’s also the creative genius behind many of Kendall’s ideas — including the name Now That’s What I Call Queer.
Kendall (aka Warm Advice) is a New Orleans–based DJ, community organizer, and the founder of Now That’s What I Call Queer. After over a decade in the tech world, Kendall left to build a life centered around joy, music, and queer connection. Recently voted #3 Local DJ in The Gambit’s Best of 2025 and #2 in 2024, Kendall’s sets are all about creating inclusive, love-soaked spaces where everyone belongs.
Kendall Burke, AKA DJ Warm Advice
Why We’re Doing This
We’re doing this Because weddings don’t have to be exclusive or expensive. We’re doing this Because queer love deserves to be celebrated loudly, publicly, and unapologetically.
Because queer joy is an act of resistance. We’re doing this because we can, while we can.
Dearly Beloved is about making beautiful weddings accessible to all tax brackets, about reclaiming space in an industry that often leaves queer couples out, and about creating a night that celebrates everything marriage should be: love, laughter, and community.
We can’t wait to celebrate with you.
xoxo,
Kendall + Kristin
Co-Creators, Dearly Beloved Dance PArty
