Il Mercato | The Market
Family First.
As you may or may not be aware, Charles’s family on his Mom’s side (Maria) hails from New Orleans. Charles and his sisters grew up visiting family in New Orleans over holiday and summer breaks, and the occasional Mardi Gras vacation. When Charles was in college, he interned with the Public Defenders office in New Orleans, recognizing he wanted to pursue a legal career upon graduation. Charles experienced a memorable summer that year — living with grandfather David McComb, a long-time respected labor law attorney in the City. While Maria’s parents have passed, New Orleans remains very much in the hearts of the Calkins’ family and is a special place. Today, his family still visits New Orleans and their family home in the Uptown area as often as they can.
Ella was introduced to New Orleans early-on in her romance with Charles — and as a couple they have had many lovely adventures there.
The location of the wedding and reception is Il Mercato, translated to “The Market.” Il Mercato was originally constructed in 1931 as a neighborhood market in the Lower Garden District of NOLA. Architect Sam Stone, Jr., designed the Spanish colonial-style structure, which was supported by federal Works Project Administration (WPS) funding.
Until the early 1960s, the market offered fresh seafood, fruits and vegetables and was later converted into a print shop. Ultimately, the building fell into disrepair until the space was purchased by its current owners in 2012.
A Personal Connection to History.
The history of the building as a community market was influential for Ella and Charles in selection for the wedding festivities. As an ethnobotanist, Ella spends a good deal of her time in Caribbean communities throughout NYC acquiring medicinal plants and engaging in community outreach. Often referred to as botánicas, these herbal and spiritual stores allow Ella to research the use of plants, herbs and other offerings to support public health among immigrant communities. Ella’s current focus is the use of plants by Haitian women immigrants to treat women’s health conditions.
The roots of Il Mercato as a neighborhood market in a city of diverse origins made it the perfect NOLA wedding spot for Charles and Ella.
For its current purpose, Il Mercato was painstakingly restored — with its original arches, stucco and terra cotta roof tiles, the building required only a few changes. Preservationists rebuilt the original plaster walls with layers of beeswax, plaster and paint. Many original iron pieces were salvaged. The iron crest, which hung over the original front door (depicting a goose surrounded by fruit), has became Il Mercato’s official signature logo.
We hope you are as excited as we are to share this grand location in the City held so close in our hearts. www.ilmercatoevents.com