Welcome to Ibay Photography, a female-led elopement team specializing exclusively in New Orleans elopements and intimate weddings. Since 2014, our founder, Marcia Ibay, has personally planned and photographed over 375 elopements across the French Quarter, City Park and beyond. We are known for our all-inclusive planning assistance (handling timelines, logistics and vendor coordination) and delivering timeless, cinematic photography for couples who want a deeply personal stress-free and fun celebration.
Thinking about eloping in New Orleans is exciting, but trying to tally up the separate costs for permits, officiants, flowers and experienced photography can quickly feel overwhelming. Many couples find that building an elopement piece-by-piece—while initially seeming cheaper—often leads to stress and hidden fees as well as unexpected scheduling disasters.
This guide is designed to help you understand the true financial costs of eloping in the French Quarter or City Park. We will break down the realistic market rates for necessary services, allowing you to clearly see the time, effort and coordination required to pull off a seamless day. By knowing the typical cost ranges, you can decide whether you want to manage every vendor yourself (the DIY route) or trade the stress for the convenience, expertise and guaranteed timeline of an all-inclusive package.
The Mandatory Logistics: Licenses, Permits and Professional Fees
Every couple must pay the legal fee for the Louisiana marriage license (currently around $45–$55). Additionally, coveted locations like Jackson Square or certain areas of City Park require separate city permits or site fees, which can run into the hundreds of dollars. The real cost here is not the fee itself, but the time and expertise required to file the paperwork correctly and secure the permit with the right city office weeks in advance.
Professional Ceremony Officiant: You are paying an officiant not just for 15 minutes of work, but for their personalized scriptwriting, legal filing expertise and time spent traveling to the location. Professional officiants in New Orleans typically charge in the range of $350 to $900.
Expert Photography & Planning: The photographer is the most important investment, as they handle the majority of your timeline and memory-making. Standard photography coverage for a NOLA elopement runs from $1,500 to upwards of $4,500 depending on the hours and the photographer’s experience. When comparing rates, ensure you ask if their service includes full planning assistance—the knowledge of exactly when the light hits, how to manage crowds and comprehensive vendor coordination—as this level of expertise is invaluable.
The Vendor Vexation: Managing Logistics and Market Rates
Beyond the officiant and the photographer, every element you add—from flowers to getting ready services—requires time and coordination. If you choose the DIY path, the biggest cost isn’t the vendor fee itself, but the hidden tax of time and stress spent managing multiple, uncoordinated schedules across an unfamiliar city.
| Service & Realistic Market Range | The DIY Coordination Headache |
|---|---|
| Florals (Bouquet & Boutonnière): $250 to $1,000+ | The Delivery Run: You must research a florist with a minimum order requirement, coordinate a specific delivery window or face the stress of driving across the city yourself to pick up delicate items hours before your ceremony. |
| Professional Hair & Makeup (HMU): $200 to $600+ | The Travel Tax: Many highly sought-after HMU artists charge vendor travel fees for on-site service. If you opt for an in-salon visit to save money, you lose crucial time driving and navigating an unfamiliar area on your wedding morning. |
| Transportation Needs: (Varies widely) | Minimum Hours: If you need a driver or specific transport, you will encounter minimum hour requirements (often 3–4 hours) and additional fees for wait time or multiple stops—a common hidden cost in a DIY timeline. |
Choosing an all-inclusive specialist means you don’t research these separate fees; you are simply guaranteed that a high-quality, pre-vetted vendor will arrive on time with no added delivery charges exactly where you need them.
Location & Permit Pitfalls: The High Cost of Doing It Wrong
New Orleans offers magical backdrops, but securing the perfect, legal spot without a professional guide is where most DIY elopements run into trouble.
| Location Type & Cost | The Planning Nightmare You Avoid |
|---|---|
| Small Private Venue/Courtyard: $500 to $1,500+ (for 1-2 hour rental) | The Research Loop: You must spend hours calling venues to check for minimum rental hour requirements and confirm their availability for small ceremonies while negotiating terms of use and vendor access—a significant time investment. |
| Boutique Hotel Buyouts: (Varies widely, often higher minimums) | The Venue Conflict: Hotels often have strict rules about using their lobby or courtyard for non-guest/non-client ceremonies. You must ensure your photographer and officiant are approved vendors and can access the space, which is a major point of confusion for DIY planners. |
| Jackson Square/City Park Permits: (Fee Varies) | The Paperwork Paradox: Beyond the fee itself, handling the permit process means multiple calls/emails to city offices to check status, confirm filing location and ensure you haven’t used the wrong form. Most importantly, you risk not knowing the optimal time of day for your ceremony, leading to harsh midday sun and poor photos—a common, expensive mistake you only realize after the fact. |
When you book an experienced NOLA elopement specialist, the cost of the permit and location is bundled with the guarantee of correct filing the ideal photo light and seamless vendor access. You are paying for certainty in a city known for its logistical complexities.
Beyond “I Do”: Real Costs of Your New Orleans Celebration Add-Ons
For many couples, an elopement doesn’t end when the ceremony does; it’s just the start of the celebration. New Orleans offers incredible ways to celebrate, but adding these elements—a parade, a private dinner, or a custom cake—requires significant planning that moves well beyond the basic officiant and photographer logistics.
| Add-On Experience & Cost | The Logistical Burden of DIY |
|---|---|
| Second Line Parade: $1,500 – $6,000+ | The Permit & Protection Trap: A parade requires a city permit, police escort, and brass band coordination. If you fail to secure the specific parade permit, you risk being shut down. You also need an established, reliable band—a task that requires local knowledge. |
| Private Dinner/Buyout: $4,000 – $20,000+ (Food & Beverage Minimum) | The Venue Negotiation: Most quality restaurants require a private dining room rental fee or a steep food and beverage minimum spend. You must spend time calling, comparing menus, and negotiating contracts—a process your planner manages instantly. |
| Custom Cake/Dessert: $150 – $500+ | The Delivery and Storage: You need to find a specialized baker, coordinate a specific delivery time to your hotel, and arrange for proper cold storage to prevent the cake from melting in the NOLA heat before your celebration—a small detail that can become a major headache. |
When you book a full-service elopement specialist, these experiences are not added tasks for you. They are seamless, pre-vetted additions to your existing timeline, booked with trusted vendors who are already cleared for access and delivery.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About New Orleans Elopement Costs
Q: What is the average total cost for an all-inclusive New Orleans elopement package?
A: While costs can vary widely, our all-inclusive New Orleans elopement packages for two typically fall between $2,900 and $5,500. This range covers your legal officiant, photography, flowers, full timeline planning and location securing. The price difference depends mainly on the number of hours of photography coverage you choose.
Q: How much does the marriage license cost in New Orleans?
A: The actual fee for the Louisiana marriage license is low, currently around $45–$55. However, the true cost is the required coordination. You must apply for the license at least 24 hours before the ceremony, and the license must be filed correctly in person or by the officiant shortly after the ceremony.
Q: Do I need a permit to take pictures in the French Quarter?
A: You absolutely need a permit for a wedding ceremony in public spaces like Jackson Square, but the rules for simply taking photos can be confusing. To be safe and avoid fines or disruption, we recommend always securing a non-commercial still photography permit if you plan to shoot for more than 15 minutes, or booking a package that includes the necessary location permits.
Q: Is it cheaper to elope in City Park or the French Quarter?
A: City Park often has lower initial permit costs and fewer logistical challenges related to crowds, which can make it *seem* cheaper. However, the French Quarter is highly sought-after. When you factor in the value of an experienced planner navigating the crowds, traffic and assisting with permits, the difference in the final price is minimal compared to the guaranteed quality of the experience.
Trading Risk for a Reliable Investment
You now have a clear understanding of the financial landscape for an elopement in New Orleans. The difference between a $2,000 DIY wedding and a $4,000 all-inclusive investment is not found in the price of the flowers or the officiant fee. It is found in the value of certainty.
As New Orleans elopement specialists with over 375 intimate weddings planned, we have earned our expertise by managing every timeline challenge, coordinating dozens of top local vendors and perfecting the French Quarter, City Park or general New Orleans lighting for over a decade.
When you book with us, you are not just purchasing photography; you are investing in a seamless, stress-free guarantee. You avoid the risk of permit errors, vendor no-shows and logistical chaos—the true hidden costs of a DIY day.
For couples seeking a truly effortless experience, our specialized New Orleans elopement packages for two are specifically designed for intimate celebrations.
Ready to skip the spreadsheets and start your stress-free adventure?
If your goal is a deeply personal, fun and expertly managed celebration, our New Orleans elopement packages are designed to deliver a premium experience without the headache. We manage every single detail—from the location to the logistics—so you can focus on the moment you say, “I do.”
