3 Things to Think About Before You Elope in New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHER // LOUISIANA ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHER // NEW ORLEANS WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER
Eloping in New Orleans? If you rush into this without any thought there is a good chance you will end up in NOLA at a ridiculously busy or sweltering hot time, which if that is what you want then more power to you! There are three things to think about when planning your New Orleans elopement: time of year, where to stay and how you want to spend your day.
When to Elope in New Orleans
One of the busiest times of the year in NOLA is during Mardi Gras season, which starts January 6 and goes through Fat Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday). The New Orleans Mardi Gras season is filled with music, parades, floats and costumes. The city’s population also doubles the five days leading up to Mardi Gras putting the average attendance at 1.4 million (😧). Weather is delightful February to May, but Mardi Gras is in full swing and in order to get a place to stay during this time, you would most likely need to book at least a year in advance. June through November is hurricane season and therefore there is potential for a big storm to make landfall and the weather in general will be warmer. The cooler months of December and January would be a great time to visit New Orleans with minimal tourists in the area, giving you more access to freely enjoy the streets of New Orleans.
One of the busiest times of the year in NOLA is during Mardi Gras season, which starts January 6 and goes through Fat Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday). The New Orleans Mardi Gras season is filled with music, parades, floats and costumes. The city’s population also doubles the five days leading up to Mardi Gras putting the average attendance at 1.4 million (😧). Weather is delightful February to May, but Mardi Gras is in full swing and in order to get a place to stay during this time, you would most likely need to book at least a year in advance. June through November is hurricane season and therefore there is potential for a big storm to make landfall and the weather in general will be warmer. The cooler months of December and January would be a great time to visit New Orleans with minimal tourists in the area, giving you more access to freely enjoy the streets of New Orleans.
Where to Stay During your New Orleans Elopement
Figuring out where you will stay during your New Orleans elopement is also very important as there are several districts that offer different atmospheres and access to a variety of unique locations. My top two districts to stay in are the French Quarter and the Uptown/Garden District.
The French Quarter
It has an amazing nightlife and an abundance of colorful buildings with balconies sporting Mardi Gras beads. Staying the Quarter would give you direct access to Bourbon Street jazz clubs, Cajun restaurants and many bars. On the quieter side it also will lead you directly to the French Market with all of its food and local crafts and to Jackson Square where you can watch street performers and view artists at work.
The Uptown/Garden District
It is a mixture of small little neighborhoods and soaring mansions and is close enough to walk through the campuses of Loyola University New Orleans and Tulane University. Both campuses boast gorgeous architecture. This area is more low key than the Quarter, but still has much to offer. Magazine Street is in this district as well and has an abundance of stores, restaurants, bars and historic homes. One of my favorite stores to stop in every time I am there is Funky Monkey! They have the coolest collections of vintage sunglasses, clothes and so much more!
What to do During your New Orleans Elopement
How you choose to spend your urban elopement is also worth giving some thought to – it’s so important! The options are different from what you would have if you had chosen to have an adventurous elopement in a national park out west, but nonetheless there are epic adventures that can happen right in the city of New Orleans. From food and drink to architecture and history, it is very easy to spend an entire day filling your time together in ways you just can’t anywhere else in the world! I even created an entire blog with 9 things you can do during your New Orleans elopement that would make it a day to remember. You can check it out HERE!
