OOT bride needs advice for Nola wedding, Fall 2013

[Deleted User]

Hi All,

I'm a Northeast girl getting married to a Nola boy. I know relatively nothing about the New Orleans wedding scene and would love some advice. Reading up on the message boards I gather that utilizing a wedding planner may be quite beneficial. Can anyone send me suggestions of planners/organizers. As far as venues go: we are looking at a guest count of about 200. Any suggestions on places in the quarter/nearby?

Thanks much in advance

KiaSoulmates2010

My wedding planner is Lu. She's amazing! She's very friendly and knowledgable. She offers different packages based on what your needs are! I'm all the way in CA and I have always felt like she has everything handled. She quick to respond in answering my questions and has helped me navigate paperwork and permits. I would recommend her for sure! www.weddingsbylulu.com

MD+RP

Traci Howerton Consulting @ tdhowerton@bellsouth.net

Traci has made my wedding planning experience soo stress free!  My wedding is this upcoming spring and she has made choosing a venue very easy. She also has helped me with making sure my out of town guest are well taken care of by getting me several rates for Hotel Blocks downtown and even getting rates on charter buses to bring my guest to and from wedding reception so everyone can have a blast and have no worries about driving or getting lost.  Basically she gathers up all the info, and I say yes or no.  Then she will get contracts signed and send copies to me.  I havent had to speak with anyone directly except for her. She knows what I want and she makes it happen! 

I highly recommend her!!!

ChrissyBeachBride

I'm a northeast brde too and Lu is also our planner and I can't say enough good things about her! She is extremely organized and knowledgeable about so many things I never would have thought about. She remembers all my details like they are her own. She's also just a really nice person to deal with. And from a practical point of view she is an economical choice. Her prices are the most reasonable I found for full service and she's saving us more money rhan we paid her just through her suggestions and because she has her own decor business as well. She has planned our Rehearsal dinner, designed our website, arranged all our hotel blocks, pretty mich designed all our paper, and stored everything we've shipped to new Orleans. I call her so much it's embarrassing but she always has time for me. She's made this process so easy and fun for me even with my crazy grad school schedule.

[Deleted User]

My wedding planner is also, LU! I can cosign everything the above brides have already said about her. She is amazingly detail oriented and really listens to you and your wants.

silverspark7

I'll say this if you're looking for October 2013, as an October 2012 bride who started looking 18 months out -- things book up very very quickly here in that month.  I would start calling potential venues ASAP and be flexible about your date.

I'm having a 250-275 wedding at the Audubon Tea Room (but avoid last two weekend in Oct for their Halloween events).  ALso look at the Pavillion of the Two Sisters, New Orleans Museum of Art -- but none of these are in the quarter.

If you are set on the Quarter, I would look at the Riverview Room, Pat O'Briens on the River, Royal Sonesta Hotel (and really, any of the larger hotels would have a ballroom that would probably work).

Good luck!!

NO2012

Ditto to silverspark...if you are wanting a fall date (especially in October) you need to get on that asap. Last summer by mid-July most of October was already booked up most everywhere.  That's how I ended up with Sept. 29.  And with your high guest count your options will be more limited as well.  As far as coordinators go, I am using Kelly Sherlock (kellysherlock@hotmail.com)- love her and totally with the money spent on this.  For venues, ballrooms (Bourbon Orleans was one of my faves that I looked at), Riverview Room, and the Wax Museum are the ones that come to mind to hold that many people. 

prettyfacegal

Where is the Riverview Room? Is it at a hotel?

coolcatclaire

NOMA, is amazing! And in the FQ Ditto the Wax Museum, Bourbon Orleans, Riverview Room, and I'll add Montegut House and my favorite Latrobes. Riverview Room is just a wedding venue not a hotel or anything. PS I'm also using Lu from Weddings by lulu and she's fantastic.