Hi all,
This board gave me tons of great ideas and suggestions for planning my wedding this past year and I wanted to pay it forward. I planned our wedding from my hometown of Philadelphia, PA. However, my husband was born and raised in New Orleans and we met while we were students at Tulane, so the city is near and dear to me. That being said, the wedding was a smash and here are the people/vendors who made it all possible:
Hotels: Our guests stayed at the
Ritz Carlton ($169/night) and the
Iberville Suites ($99/night). While getting the welcome bags to each guest was quite a chore, I must say that the rest of the stay was a dream. It's not always that you are treated like a queen, so I really tried to soak it in
Hair and Makeup: The Ritz Carlton Spa. I loved my hair and makeup as every bride should. I was so fortunate to have been able to go downstairs, knock those out, and head back upstairs to my room!
Rehearsal Dinner: Tony Angelo's. Delicious. Classic. And my new grandfather's favorite restaurant in the city.
Photographer: Corine Tran from Studio Tran. Corine was amazing, talented, cool, helpful, all of the above and a real A+. I felt that way before I even saw the photos. Now that I have seen them, I'm totally blown away. Seriously stunning work. It's really no surprise that she and Beebe are the best in New Orleans. You don't just get that reputation. You earn it!
Videographer: Kelly from Chad Dyle Films. I have not seen the video yet, but I was happy to have her as a guest at the wedding and I can't even tell you how much footage she must have taken!
Cake: Flour Power in Chalmette. These cakes were crazy good. To the point where I was eating the leftover cake for three days after the wedding. The grooms cake was a big Crown Royal bottle and it was the coolest thing I've ever seen. The main wedding cake was gorgeous! I still can't believe they were our cakes!
Ceremony: St Louis Cathedral. This place will make you jump through hoops and its tough, frustrating, and disheartening. That being said, when they open those doors and you see the beautiful church inside, all the frustrations melt away. Plus Kevin was lovely and helpful at the rehearsal. BIG shoutout to my man, Kevin!
Trumpeter:
Kathy Kvet. I must admit that the idea of having an additional musician didn't even cross my mind. But, my mom really wanted a trumpet and its always good to say yes when your mom feels strongly about something for the wedding. Avoid stress! Kathy's playing was beautiful and the perfect highlight to the ceremony
Flowers: Diane at Fat Cat Flowers. I knew the colors I wanted (brown and green for fall) and had a few pictures to show Diane. After that, she ran with it and I'm so happy she did. I trusted her completely. Not only did she do an amazing job, but she had the idea of having a cocktail hour in one location and second-lining to the reception! She also introduced me to my day-of wedding coordinator...
Day-of Wedding Coordinator: Julie Thomas at Fusion Events. If there is one thing that out of town brides take from this, let it be that you should have a day-of coordinator. I planned this wedding to the ends and back. I'm a project manager by profession so I knew what I needed to do. But, when it comes down to the big day, you do not want to stress about anything. That's where Julie came in. She made sure that I had zero stress on the wedding day. And what a job she did! When the police were 20 minutes late for the second line parade down Royal Street, I just danced in the street. Julie handled it. That's just one example of her mastery. Even now, guests are telling me about how she avoided disaster at various points throughout the day. And I had no clue! Get her now before she is so expensive and booked for years in advance.
Cocktail Hour: Muriel's. How cool is this place? I mean, from the Red Seance Room to the balconies overlooking Jackson Square, I don't think it gets much better as far as locations go - especially if you're getting married at the cathedral.
Photograph location: Jackson Square. If your close and you want photos in front of the cathedral, make sure to get a permit for the square. I got mine about 9 months in advance. People get married in the square so you want to make sure you reserve the appropriate time.
Brass Band:
Algiers Brass Band. Oh my GOD were they amazing. If you want the quintessential brass band who knows what they are doing, and will bring the house down, then Algiers Brass Band is the band for you. My guests are still talking about it! After they played at Muriels, they led the guests out onto the street so we could second line in front of the square, through the quarter, and to the reception! If you have the ability to do this, I highly recommend it! It was the absolute highlight of the day and the guests were able to loosen up with some drinks beforehand,which really helps the party
Reception: Latrobes on Royal. What can I say that hasn't already been said? There is a reason why this place is booked years in advance. Latrobes is, without exaggerating, the coolest wedding location in the French Quarter. I'm sorry, but it just is. I found Latrobes on the Knot before I was even engaged (in my defense, my husband and I dated for 7 years before getting engaged so its wasn't the biggest surprise of my life!) and I knew from the pictures that it was the perfect place. We put a hold on the wedding date 13 months before the actual wedding! It has history, character, nooks and crannies...quite simply - the building is alive with New Orleans. Jessica, the manager there, will help you throughout the entire planning process, will offer suggestions, give advise, and truly become your friend throughout the time that you're planning the wedding. It's amazing, really!
Reception Musician: Groovy 7. I always said that as long as you have alcohol and good music, you've got a good party. Well, Groovy 7 does not disappoint. In fact, they go above and beyond. I'm trying to figure out what other parties I could have them play. I mean - dancing ALL NIGHT, non stop, party, party, party fun! They know the room, they know their music, and they know what's cool! Plus, they will learn one song for you. What more can you ask for??
Favors and hankies: We were fortunate that relatives gave these to us!
Second Line Umbrellas: Sherri at Wedding Lagniappes. These were sooo cool! How can I incorporate them into my daily life in Philadelphia? The jury is still out on that one.
I apologize for the length of this post but I hope it offers some help, especially to out of town brides like myself. If anyone has any questions, I'd be happy to go more in depth with answers. All I have to say is that if my marriage is as good as this wedding turned out, then I'm in for a winner!
And the credit is due to the hard work from the vendors I have listed above. I planned and planned and planned some more. But its because they were reliable, responsible, professional, and the best in their business that my guests are still talking about this wedding a month later!