When E Mourot started planning to propose to her girlfriend last fall, she knew two things –– she wanted it to be in New Orleans and to connect the moment to her partner, Taylor Alberes’, love for books.
The couple lives in Gonzales, but when they met in early 2021, Mourot was living in New Orleans, and the pair would often spend time together in the city. For their first date, the two went walking through the Garden District, admiring the house floats and mansions. One building, in particular, caught their attention.
“We were walking down St. Charles Avenue and we saw this gorgeous old house, and we were both immediately drawn to it,” Alberes said.
They were even more struck when they realized what the building was: Milton H. Latter Memorial Library.
“I was like, ‘Oh my god, that’s a Library,” Alberes recalled. “I was so excited. I’ve loved libraries for as long as I can remember. I just knew that I had to check it out.”
Unfortunately, their date was on a Sunday and the Library was closed. But that didn’t stop Alberes and Mourot from exploring it as best they could.
“We probably looked super sketchy, but we just needed to see what it looked like inside. So, we were looking in the windows we could reach, and talking about how beautiful every room is,” Mourot said.
While they were peeking inside, the two started to talk about libraries and books, which is how Mourot learned how much both meant to her future partner.
“It was our first date, we’d just met,” Alberes said. “We barely knew each other, so E didn’t know how much I love libraries or how much I love reading. So, as I’m peeping into this beautiful building like a crazy person, I was pouring my heart out, telling her about how important books are to me.”
The two made a pact to return to the Library to explore it fully. But then, Mourot got a job in Hawaii, and the couple relocated there for a few months. Afterwards, the two moved to Gonzales, into Alberes’ recently purchased home.
“Life happened, so we never made it back,” Mourot said.
Until last November, when Mourot and Alberes returned to the site of their first date. But this time, Mourot had something extra up her sleeve.