Russell + Courtney Reynolds
It took guts for Russell Reynolds to talk to Courtney Brondum after seeing some of his buddies get turned down by her; but when he did, he found that the girl he thought was so beautiful was more than just a pretty face. After three years of dating, Russell knew that the colorful butterfly who had winged her way into his heart had forever changed his life, and he wanted to share that life with her.
Interestingly enough, when it came time to pop the question, Russell took Courtney’s plans for a surprise and turned the tables. “I’d organized this huge surprise party for Russell in the private room at Pat Gallagher’s 527 in Mandeville and invited both of our immediate families and a bunch of our friends, with an after-party at my parents’ home. Russell looked only slightly surprised, but it didn’t bother me because he’s never been a fan of surprises—I just wanted him to have fun,” says Courtney, who owns Southern Luxe Interiors and is the founder of Butterfly Blessings, while former LSU baseball player Russell is now a private pitching instructor and baseball coach. “Halfway into our dinner, Russell toasts everyone and stands up in the front of the room to give a speech. His speech turned out to be a confession of his love for me and ended with him down on one knee with a ring in his hand.”
