5 Historic, New Orleans Venues Perfect for Intimate Weddings & Elopements
One of my favorite parts of being a wedding photographer in New Orleans is having access to the most beautiful and historic buildings in the city. I have always had an affinity for old things - antiques, nostalgia, family lineage and tradition - naturally, historic buildings fall into that category. I’m also lucky enough to live just outside of New Orleans, a city steeped in so much history(including my own family’s) that every time I step into the French Quarter , Garden District or Audubon Park I feel like a student of antiquity, ready and eager to learn from the landscape around me.
Many of my clients feel the same way and want their wedding or elopement venue to have a story and history all it’s own.
So, without further ado, here are 5 of my personal favorite New Orleans venues perfect for an intimate wedding or elopement.
Race and Religious
A beautiful property comprised of a Greek revival row house built in the 1830’s and adjacent home that has been merged via the iconic brick courtyard and pool, Race + Religious is a passion project 30 years in the making by owner Granville Semmes. Known for its eclectic decor of artwork, antiques and kitsch, this immensely popular wedding hotspot is a photographer’s playground never without inspiration.
For more Race and Religious inspiration, head over to the following blogs:
2. New Orleans Pharmacy Museum
Housed in an 1823 Creole townhouse, this apothecary located in the French Quarter on Chartres St. was the business place of America’s first licensed pharmacist, Louis J. Dufihlo Jr. Containing two floors of exhibits ranging from herbal medicine, bloodletting to questionable medical practices, this museum is beautiful, fascinating and a little creepy. The courtyard is the hidden gem of the Pharmacy Museum; a focal point as the perfect backdrop for an intimate wedding ceremony and celebration.
3. Napoleon House
Right down the street from the Pharmacy Museum is the infamous Napoleon House. A 200 year old legendary landmark owned by Nicholas Girod, the mayor of New Orleans from 1812 to 1815, this home was to be used as Napoleon Bonaparte’s refuge after his escape from his exile on St. Helena.
Napoleon never made it, but the name stuck, and since then, the Napoleon House has become one of the most famous bars in America, a haunt for artists and writers throughout most of the 20th century.
It’s especially popular as a wedding venue. Couples love the upstairs rooms that would have been Napoleon’s apartment(had he made it to America) as well as the spacious balconies that wrap around the building and give an unparalleled look upon the French Quarter streets below.
4. Tree of Life and Audubon Park
Not technically a “venue”, this majestic oak tree located off of Magazine St and sharing space with the Audubon Zoo, the Tree of Life is a fan favorite among couples eloping in New Orleans.
Originally named the Etienne de Boré Oak after the city’s first mayor, Jean Etienne de Boré, many believe the Tree of Life was planted around 1740 as a wedding present to the bride of a plantation owner. Whatever the origin of the tree may be, it is definitely one of my favorite places for an intimate ceremony in the city. Simply thinking about all of the nuptials that have taken place under its branches, one can’t help but feel a sense of romance.
5. Marigny Opera House
Also known as the Church of the Arts, this beautiful performing arts center in the Faubourg Marigny was originally a Catholic Church built in 1853 and served the German immigrants who lived in the neighborhood. Now operating as the home of the Marigny Opera Ballet, Marigny Opera House seems to be teeming with beauty in all forms, a perfect destination for couples looking to incorporate art, music and an editorial flair to their nuptials.
