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LULING — Now open at 737 Paul Maillard Road in Luling, Legacy Venue is poised to become the jewel of the community.

The large, luxurious space is intricately decorated to elevate the atmosphere of any large-scale event. In-house catering, bar service, an in-house bridal and groom suite and fresh florals arranged by owner Andrell Lockett bring the elegance of big-name New Orleans venues to the heart of the River Parishes.

“When I think of Legacy, I think of a place where family and friends gather for fun. I see it as being the jewel of the community because there’s nothing else like it in St. Charles Parish,” Lockett said. “There have been so many times where I would decorate for weddings and parties, and when the people wanted something really elaborate, we would have to go out of the parish for it. I didn’t just want a hall. I wanted something the people of St. Charles Parish could be proud to have in their own backyard.”

Lockett, a lifelong St. Charles Parish resident, has been a designer for 37 years. She took an interest in the field when she was getting married and realized she could arrange her own wedding bouquet. Soon after, she went to school to become a licensed florist and balloon artist. Lockett later attended event design school, where she learned a lot about design, scale and harmony.

Lockett designed for events through the years while working in medical coding. After falling ill in 2015, she realized she wanted to pursue event design full-time. Through her business Elegant Events and Design, located in the same strip mall on Paul Maillard as Legacy Venue, Lockett has provided florist services and event rentals to the St. Charles Parish community and beyond.

She was inspired to open Legacy Venue after a vision from God came to her through a dream. Lockett recalls it was 3:45 a.m. the morning of September 13 when she woke up and wrote the name “Legacy” on the notebook she keeps beside her bed. That same day, the word “Legacy” appeared to her on three occasions: once at a function at her grandchildren’s school, the second time at a consultation for shower decorations for baby “Legacy,” and third, when she stumbled upon a book titled “Legacy” lying on the floor of Hobby Lobby.

Lockett acquired the location 737 Paul Maillard Road in Luling in 2019, but bringing her dream to life was anything but smooth sailing. The COVID-19 pandemic struck during the process of bringing the building up to code. Live events came to a halt, and ensuing labor and supply shortages turned the renovation into a two-year process.

Renovations were finally completed in late August 2021…the same week Hurricane Ida tore through Southeast Louisiana.

Lockett found herself back at square one after the storm. The walls and ceiling were falling down, the roof had been peeled back like a sardine can, and more than 450 gallons of water had to be removed from the soaked event space.

“Everything was destroyed. Devastating is an understatement. It was like someone was sitting on my chest and I couldn’t breathe,” Lockett said. “Sitting in my prayer garden one day, God told me, ‘My delay is not your denial.’ That’s what gave me the courage to start over again.”

Legacy was finally able to host its first event, the Teacup Auction for the St. Charles Women’s Club, in May 2022.

Today, the venue is ready to host corporate events, weddings, birthday parties, baby showers, bridal showers, meetings, luncheons and other celebrations. Legacy Venue can accommodate between 100 and 325 guests.

Lockett was joined by her family for a ribbon cutting ceremony with the River Region Chamber of Commerce and St. Charles Parish Economic Development on Thursday morning.

While Lockett was emotional that her parents and grandparents weren’t around to see the grand opening, she found solace in the fact that the ribbon cutting was scheduled for July 28 – the day her mother and her husband’s father were born.

The ribbon cutting of Legacy Venue doubled as a celebration of family and included a balloon release in honor of Kentrell and Andrell Lockett’s parents.

The public can find more information on the website for Legacy Venue, scheduled to go live soon.

Lockett can be reached at 504-382-1405 to schedule tours of the venue.