I'm an OOT bride that used to live in NOLA. Planning for Aug 2011, ceremony will be at St. Louis Cathedral at 7pm, we'll secondline to a reception venue, still TBD (ugh!). Maybe you guys can help suggest a place I havent yet looked at, or talk some sense into me!
Details: August 20, 125 people, 4 hours preferred, seated served dinner preferred, must be in French Q, prefer a minimum less than 10k (want to spend 10-12k after tax and grat)
Here's what I looked at, hopefully my notes might help some of you!
Riverview Room at Jax Brewery: They have a minimum guest count of 200 or 225 for a Saturday night. Also, I didn't like the low cielings--it felt like a hotel conference room, not very charming. Great views though.
Pat O's on the River: I really want to do our rehearsal dinner at Pat O's on Bourbon, so I didn't give this one much thought.
Galvez: great view, but I was uncomfortable trusting the owners. The dining room and bathroom were a little tacky
Antoines: amazing food, but pricey (and no fixed price bar), and for 125 guests, they would give you the Japanese room, which is just not NOLA
Broussards: the catering manager is a bit nuts, but I loved the courtyard...wouldnt work for August though.
Arnauds: Also pricey and no fixed price bar option. I thought the big ballroom was ugly with green walls and either a linolyum or tile floor.I liked the other rooms but they max out at about 80 people.
Muriels: LOVED the place, but the minimum is 12k before tax and grat, and thats if you forgo the tiny side room. If you want the whole upstairs, the min is 18k. Also concerned about people staying spread out--the rooms are each very separate.
Bourbon Orleans: great space for cocktails and the ballroom area is gorgeous and pretty free of stranger traffic. 10k min before tax and grat.
Cabildo: amazing space. $3k fee and an extra $1,200 "service" charge. Would need a lot of decorating and managing many many vendors but the look would be highly customized. To decorate and rent and do catering and open bar, we were looking at a total of $17k
St. Louis Hotel: This is currently my front runner. The courtyard is gorgeous and they have a 4 hr seated dinner and open bar package at $65-75 per person. 6k minimum. BUT for a group of 125 for a seated dinner, you would also need the dining room which adds 4k to the minimum.
Wax Museum: No minimum. They provide bar (around 15-20$ person) and you bring in your own catering. Highly customizable but the lobby is very tacky. I was also underwhelmed by the shopfront and the actual wax museum part.
Napoleon House: Considered for rehearsal dinner. $48 for standing reception and open bar for 3 hrs. A bit shabby, but great location and great history.
My top choices: Cabildo (around 17k), Bourbon Orleans (13k) and St. Louis Hotel (13k). I'm leaning toward St. Louis Hotel.
Should I just let go of the seated dinner? Most guests are from out of town, I want to spend a "moment" with them over dinner. I had this vision of doing a few very long tables and really being able to slow down and savor the day, if only for a minute. I'm afraid guests won't get the standing reception, and that the night will go by too fast.
Or, do I have to bite the bullet and do a 10k min? It just seems a bit high for 125 guests.
We have guests coming from all over the world and we want a fun, classy but not stuffy NOLA place--I couldn't do a traditional hotel like Marriot.