New Orleans is a city where dreams come true. This storied city on the mouth of the Mississippi has a blend of architectural styles, culinary influences, and diverse traditions that make for one of America’s vibrant cultural capitals. What place could be better for a pair of newlyweds to begin their new life together? However, you’ll want to be prepared to make sure you can have the perfect wedding you deserve. If you don’t do your research, you might find yourself suffering under the hot, Louisiana summer sun! That’s why we’ve done the research to provide this guide to planning a wonderful New Orleans wedding and make things easy for you and your beloved.
First of all, you need to pick the date. You should ideally do this six months or a year in advance, just to make sure that you’ll have ample time to plan everything. New Orleans is a busy city; you don’t want to set a date and find out everything is booked!
Best Time of Year for a New Orleans Wedding
We’ve mentioned that New Orleans summers are brutal, but that’s not all: they’re also extremely wet. Unless you were raised in Dixie and love that kind of heat and humidity, plan for a different time of year!
A Spring Wedding
Spring is always lovely in New Orleans, and it’s not too hot. While April showers are quite common, overall precipitation is lower than the summer. The only downside to a spring wedding in New Orleans is that prices tend to be quite high thanks to Jazz Fest and French Quarter Festival. However, getting married during one of these incredible festivals could be worth every penny!
Wonderful Autumn Weather
Autumn is the mildest, driest season in Louisiana. However, this is a peak season for New Orleans tourism, so prices will be up. The wonderful weather is worth it, though, not to mention the option of joining in Halloween and Day of the Dead festivities.
What About Winter?
Winter is generally the kindest season for your wallet. Not only is tourism lighter than autumn, but it’s traditional that hotels offer discounted Papa Noel rates. Countless couples compete to plan a wedding for Mardi Gras, and there are only so many vendors. Mardi Gras weddings are amazing experiences, but you’ll have to be prepared for pricey flights and accommodations and book them as soon as possible if you want to enjoy your pick of venue.
Choose a Theme
Choosing the style of your wedding is one of the first steps toward making your dream of a New Orleans wedding a reality. New Orleans is well-suited for a traditional wedding, but there’s so much inspiration to take from the locale. What could be more romantic than a classic New Orleans masquerade wedding?
If you’re planning your wedding to correspond to one of the many annual celebrations in New Orleans, you can let that inspire you. Colorful Mardi Gras themed weddings are quite popular in New Orleans, and they always prove an unforgettable experience. Once you choose a theme, so many other things fall into place around it.
Make Your Reservations
The next step is to secure any bookings you need. Book accommodations, rental equipment, an officiant, caterer, florist, and any other service you’ll need. If you’d like to have your wedding during a busy season, it’s essential that you do this well in advance. To be more specific, strive to book all your reservations three to six months in advance. The sooner, the better!
Best Wedding Venues in New Orleans
There are dozens of wedding venues in New Orleans vying to be the one where you plan your special day. Your choice depends on what you’re looking for: Rosy’s Jazz Hall is a phenomenal venue that exudes New Orleans charm. Interior design features like red brick walls and hardwood floors help produce the feeling of being in New Orleans during the city’s heyday.
If you’d enjoy a garden wedding ceremony, Elm’s Mansion has a breathtaking outdoor area. The structure is around 150 years old and was built in 1869 as an Italianate-style mansion. If the weather turns poor, you can move the ceremony indoors to the incredible ballroom. While these two venues are wonderful, it’s just the tip of the iceberg when there are dozens and dozens of world-class wedding venues in New Orleans.
New Orleans Wedding Rentals
If you’re not interested in buying guest tables, dozens of champagne glasses, and a cotton candy machine, wedding rentals are your friend. Lovegood Wedding and Event Rentals is one of the most popular rental services in New Orleans; other great choices include Pret a Fete and Partyzone Event Rentals.
Find a Wedding Caterer
With an unbeatable collection of cultural and international foods, you’re robbing yourself if you don’t taste the best the New Orleans wedding community has to offer. Ralph Brennan Catering offers a menu full of authentic New Orleans cuisine and international tastes, such as sushi.
Where to Spend the Night
There’s no shortage of luxurious hotels for a pair of lovebirds to light in. The Windsor Court Hotel and Ritz-Carlton are modern, first-class hotels, but they come with a first-class price tag. The historic Hotel Monteleone has more of a local, New Orleans feel, as well as a much more accessible price point.
Hire a Wedding Photographer Who Cares
With the date set and bookings reserved, you’re ready to have the time of your life. The final consideration is to make sure you and your spouse can remember the wonderful memories of this day for the rest of your lives. This is where Seas Mtns Co. comes into play: we’re a team of wedding photographers that have traveled to 15 different states to help people immortalize their special day in photos. We pride ourselves on capturing big events like your vows as well as all the little moments that will always remind you how happy you were on this day.
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