As a New Orleanian, it doesn’t surprise me that so many people want to elope in New Orleans! While I’ve photographed weddings for a decade now, in recent years there has been more and more interest in ceremonies for two and intimate celebrations.
There are so many reasons people choose to elope – little to no lead time, it is much more affordable compared to an average wedding, the ability to have a small guest list and therefore more location possibilities, and it cuts down on all the work of planning so you can focus on your marriage more than your wedding. Sounds pretty nice, doesn’t it?
So now that you want to elope – why elope in New Orleans?!
The Most European City In America
If you can’t bring your closest family and friends on a European vacation, New Orleans is pretty close! Our rich history and culture is evident no matter what neighborhood you stay in. From the lush homes in the Garden District, taking the streetcar across the city, street musicians and artists throughout the French Quarter, to every delicious meal you’ll eat – New Orleans has been perfecting its uniqueness from the day it was founded.
Your Guests Won’t Be Bored
I recently photographed a couple who chose to get married in New Orleans after debating between it and… the Bahamas! When I asked how they landed on New Orleans, they said that as beautiful as the Bahamas were, there was a lot less to do (especially if you’re not a beach person!) and they felt more pressure to put on multiple events for their twenty family members flying in for their destination elopement.
New Orleans, however, required no planning whatsoever – their cousins went bar hopping, their nieces and nephews went to the zoo with their parents, the father went to the WWII museum! New Orleans has a vast array of activities for any age group which means guests can fend for themselves during their off time – no planning needed on your end!
Do I Need To Mention The Food?
From oyster happy hour at Superior Seafood (I’ll have a frozen French 75 as well, thank you), the surf and turf poboy at Parkway, and beignets at Cafe Beignet to drinks at the Carousel Bar, candlelit dinner at Sylvain, and dessert at Brennan’s, there are too many incredible food experiences to count. No matter where you’re staying while you’re here, I can give you a full list of recommendations and you’ll be tempted to eat six meals a day!
Incredible Photo Locations
New Orleans may be small when you count its acreage, but it has a huge amount of photo locations – from the classic Jackson Square, bright homes of the Bywater, colorful and eclectic streets of the Marigny to the stately mansions in the Garden District, the gorgeous Tree of Life at Audubon Park, and to the lush fields of City Park! No matter your style, we’ll find something absolutely perfect for you in New Orleans.
Temperate Weather + Easy Flights
The weather in New Orleans is moderate most of the year, meaning there’s literally more time in the year to throw an outdoor wedding and explore the city throughout the week! New Orleans is also centrally located and for many cities is a quick nonstop flight away. The majority of my couples are from the north (Chicago, New York) or the west coast – where planning a wedding is typically 2-3x the cost of a New Orleans wedding! Choose to have an adventurous wedding here without making any budget sacrifices, and put that extra money toward a killer honeymoon (or a house down payment!).
Wondering how to elope in New Orleans during COVID-19?
Read my post all about what’s changed – and how you can absolutely still get married!
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