I'm still recovering from our wedding this past Saturday...it was a perfect day. To have my friends and family come together was priceless. It was made all the better by my vendors and I want to share them with anyone looking for services. FYI I did all the planning myself and was on a fairly small budget.
Ceremony: NO Pharmacy Museum: Beautiful!
The courtyard looks a little small but easily fit the 120 or so people we had for the ceremony. I did not add any deco, just used the greenery they have growing there. Its more than I wanted to pay for an hour of use but Liz was great and offered to let us in Friday too for a walk-through. My guests loved seeing the museum and it makes for some very unique photos.
Second Line Band: The Jaywalkers: Wonderful!
Recommended by my venue, this band was great! They were there early, ready to go on time. They were able to entertain my guests on the street for the 10 minutes of confusion when our police detail did not show up and we had to find another real quick! Very easy to work with, quick response and one of the most affordable bands I found. For anyone hesitating to do a second line because of the cost: if at all possible, DO IT! This is one of those once in a lifetime experiences you will never forget! So many of my guests have told us this is the best wedding they have ever been to, and the second line was key!
Venue: The Wax Museum: Absolutely Perfect!
I am not a traditional wedding person, and I definitely like to get the most for my $$. The wax blew me away. What an awesome venue, upstairs to the museum and nothing but New Orleans character. Again, I did not add much decor (no flowers even) and the room looked beautiful. Beth was so great to work with, from the first day I toured the room to the day before the wedding she was there to help and I found a lot of my vendors through her. The day of the wedding I had Alex and Gretchen the whole time, and they made sure I had nothing to worry about. I was able to save some money by bringing in my own caterer, an option I did not find at too many places. GREAT VENUE, I highly recommend!!
Catering: Cottage Catering: Delicious!
My cousin, a chef from Toronto, told me the best meal he had the whole trip was at our wedding. He was not the only one to rave about the food. This place was not easy to find, I went with them after trying a few different options (including Capdebosqe) and I am SO GLAD I did! I was able to give Lesley my budget and she came up with a menu I could afford, with plenty of food to feed all my guests! They provided all the food, staff to maintain the buffet and keep things clean, cut our cake, even packaged the left overs for me. This place far exceeded my expectations, an awesome find!
Videography: Look Again Video: So far...A+
Once again, I searched around to fit my budget after deciding I was going to do a video (taking the advice from the girls on this site) and they were right. I found Lawrence and Look Again and his prices were very reasonable. He answered all my questions and was available any time during the planning process. I can't wait to see my video!! He and his wife were there shooting and were never in the way but captured all the important moments. Definitely check them out!!
DJ: Crescent City DJ: So Much Fun!
Other than the few songs I had picked out, I left it up to Harold and he did not disappoint! He kept the party going to the last song and took requests from my guests as well. Great price, he even had some fun lights that the little kids loved.
Weather: The Powers that Be: A+++
Awesome. I see why so many people do weddings in NO in October!
I am lucky enough to have 3 photogs in the family so I did not have to hire one. If they did live here I would recommend them all! I did a lot of the extras myself (hankies, second line umbrellas, favors...and was able to save a lot this way. If any one would like suggestions or tips please feel free to message me. Thanks to all of you on these boards...I got so many ideas and helpful suggestions!!
