Elope

There’s certainly no shortage of amazing places to hold your destination wedding, but there are several reasons why New Orleans destination weddings should be on the top of your list. It’s no secret that over the past few years, New Orleans has become something of a Mecca for couples looking to elope and get married, and it’s no wonder. The art, the culture, the cuisine, the classic luxury, and the climate all combine to form one of the best destination spots for romantic getaways and beautiful ceremonies. So what does the city have to offer? You’re in for a treat… Let us show you why New Orleans has quickly become one of the hottest spots in the country for couples looking to tie the knot! 4 Reasons Why New Orleans Destination Weddings are a Great Choice Magnificent Accommodation Options When it comes to New Orleans, you’re looking at some of the finest hotels you could possibly ask for. Many of them have renovated and crafted their space specifically for wedding ceremonies, so on top of luxury accommodations, you have ballrooms, dining rooms, courtyards, and more right there in one location. Often hotels in New Orleans come equipped with romantic balconies that overlook the city or the bay, aesthetic gardens perfect for ceremonies or photo shoots, great proximity to parks, restaurants, and other crucial wedding services, and knowledgeable staff who will work hard to ensure that your stay is a memorable one. World Class Restaurants and Catering New Orleans has come to be synonymous with great food. The unique mixture of cultures, traditional customs, foreign influences, and long history has made the city a veritable hotbed of delicacies and comfort food. Not only this, because of the influx of couples looking to wed, many of these restaurants do in fact accommodate large gatherings like weddings and even provide amazing catering options with impeccable service. We’ve highlighted some of our favorite New Orleans restaurants before. Places like the Muriel’s, Brennan’s, and the Commander’s Palace have become nationally sought-after tourist destinations based on their reputation and food alone. If that doesn’t speak for how wonderful the food in New Orleans is, nothing will. One of the best parts about the dining in New Orleans is that there is something for everyone. Looking for an extremely high class experience with French delicacies? Good down south comfort food? The freshest seafood money can buy? Decadent desserts that will have you coming back for more? New Orleans has all of this in spades. So one of the big reasons so many couples love New Orleans as a place for their destination wedding is, you can always count on the food. Whether you are looking for 5-star wedding catering or a romantic restaurant to have a quiet date, or a fun bar with great nightlife and food, you can find it here. Scenic Natural Beauty and Climate New Orleans has the benefit of being situated on the Gulf Coast, which enjoys magnificent weather at just about all times a year. It can be occasionally humid at the height of summer, so that’s something you might want to take into consideration, but if you’re looking for a paradisiacal getaway in the dead of winter, New Orleans might be calling. Add to this the lush and attractive gardens, a majestic river and lakes that are all around the area, and you have the perfect setting for marriage magic. It’s a sightseer and photographer’s dream, as well as an amazing choice for anyone looking for a warm, relatively stable climate at just about any time of the year. Between sailing on Lake Pontchartrain, ferry rides across the Mississippi, and touring the famous Garden District, you can’t do much better than the natural beauty and warm climate of New Orleans. A destination wedding dream! City Rich in Romanticism and Culture The food and the weather tie into our final point: New Orleans just simply has that “magic” something that makes it a “romantic” city. Wherever you turn, beautiful architecture meets quaint cafes and elaborate gardens. Music playing in the streets, festivals and parties year-round, world class dining and fine arts to keep any couple occupied, and possibly some of the most robust nightlife this side of Vegas. At any time of the year, you’re guaranteed to find fun events to attend and themes to fit your wedding around. It’s not all about Mardi Gras either. New Orleans enjoys a rich mix of different cultures from all over, including German and Creole. There are many cultural festivals, holiday festivals, art shows, theater showings, and live music to enjoy at all times of the year. What better way to celebrate your wedding or elopement than to live it up in the heart of New Orleans? There’s truly something for everyone in this city of romance, and that’s perhaps the number one reason why it has become such a huge hotspot for destination weddings. There’s simply no other place like it. For more info on marrying in New Orleans, connect with us! We would be honored to help you navigate the many options! Grab our 5 secrets to a successful (and stress-free) elopement and receive a FREE checklist!

French Quarter Event Photography For Your Elopement You decided against the big wedding and instead opted for a more fun, intimate adventure at a beautiful elopement destination like the New Orleans French Quarter. You’re not worried about family drama, planning for a hundred people, expensive decorations, or any of that other typical wedding stuff. But wait, you still need someone to capture those special moments! This is a situation many couples find themselves in. They make the choice to get eloped, forgo many of the typical trappings of planning for a big wedding ceremony, but forget that they still need a professional to man the cameras. Believe me, you don’t want to leave this task up to a local hobbyist or your niece who bought a GoPro last year and who suddenly thinks she’s a star on Instagram. Elopement photography is almost an art unto itself: often it’s about capturing more candid moments than in a normal wedding. It’s about grabbing those magic moments, the intimate setting, the romantic day trips, the quaint aura of the ceremony, and all the little memories in between Historic French Quarter Imagine a place where gorgeous ambiance meets historical class: that’s the New Orleans French Quarter summed up. There’s a reason why this area sees thousands of couples every year for their special destination events, because it offers everything you could want in a romantic getaway. Active nightlife, exquisite restaurants, fancy boutiques, art, entertainment, and photogenic vistas, all with traditional New Orleans style. What’s not to love? Capturing these moments is so important, especially for an elopement. If the French Quarter is your dream destination, you don’t want to leave the job of capturing those memories to any second-rate photographer. This is one of the greatest issues couples face when planning for a big wedding. Booking a reliable “camera guy” is perhaps one of the biggest headaches outside of the catering. There’s many amateurs out there, and still others just don’t have the eye for the romance and fun of an elopement. You’re looking for a “set it and forget it” kind of service, someone who knows what they’re doing and will transform ordinary pictures into memories that will last a lifetime. Your elopement photography should be something you can cherish forever. That’s what we at IBAY Photography believe. Our goal is to do all the work so you don’t have to: we provide the tools, we put ourselves in the right places at the right time, we capture all the golden moments (and the silly ones!) and ultimately take the burden of having to worry about your photography completely out of the picture. Your elopement should be about you, no stress, no hassle. That’s why we’re here. New Orleans Photographers who Specialize in Elopements and Micro Weddings There are a lot of photographers out there, and many who do weddings as a side gig. We however have perfected the art of attention-grabbing, romantic elopement shots, it’s our specialty!. We live to capture all of your best moments on film so you can have them forever, without forcing you to break the bank or have to rely on outsiders. We’re located right in New Orleans, minutes from the historic French Quarter itself. We know the area and pride ourselves in delivering top quality service to couples from around the country. Here’s just a taste of some of our recent elopement shoots. We work intimately alongside couples to help them plan their day, arrange shoots, and even provide elopement package plans that take care of everything you could possibly want in a romantic destination elopement. Stunning photography is one of the cornerstones of an amazing wedding or elopement, this is not an area you want to leave to chance. Contact us for more information on how you can have us capture the magic moments in your elopement! Grab our 5 secrets to a successful (and stress-free) elopement and receive a FREE checklist!

Whenever we travel we always want to experience the best out of every place we visit. Aside from the tourist spots, we look forward to meeting new people, discovering different cuisines, immersing ourselves in the rich culture and making amazing memories. It’s no wonder that New Orleans is one of the most perfect destinations for you to experience all of that and more.  As a lifelong New Orleanian, I have composed a list of the very best must see places in New Orleans, Louisiana. The French Quarter This is the oldest and most famous area in the city of New Orleans. Visiting the French Quarter is like stepping into a new realm where the classic and modern blend well together. Despite various colonial influences each street is filled with harmonious and captivating ambiance which simply makes it unique. Fall in love with its architecture and witness the beauty of 18th century French homes and historic buildings.  What to do  Walk around Bourbon Street and party 24/7 or be entertained by the impressive jazz music around the area. Be captivated by the art galleries, antique shops, fine dining and boutiques at Royal Street and listen to a wide variety of music at Frenchman Street. Last but not the least, don’t forget to drop by Jackson Square, the historic park of French Quarter. Check out the artworks of local artists and see the beauty St. Louis Cathedral which is also a perfect sight for weddings.   Don’t Miss  Jazz shows, Hurricane’s from Pat OBriens, Daiquiris in go cups and Beignets Uptown/Garden District  If you’re a fan of grandeur and elegant Victorian houses, then a trip to Uptown NOLA is something you shouldn’t miss. The mansions in the Garden District look like something that came out of a Hollywood movie or something that you have probably pictured while reading a classic novel. Uptown is a scene for romantically built mansions, so captivating you cannot help but fall in-love with it.   ​What to do  The best way to explore the most brilliant part of uptown is riding the oldest operating streetcar line in the world, the St. Charles Streetcar. Riding the streetcar is like hitting two birds with one stone plus it is really affordable. St. Charles Streetcar is the longest line in the city that will not only take you to the best part of the Garden District but you will also pass through some notable spots like Central Business District, Lee Circle and a glimpse of the National World War II Museum. Then, take a long walk into the streets covered by old oaks and pass by those elegant 19th century houses in the Garden District or uncover the beauty of Lafayette Cemetery, which is also one of the must see places in the area.  Don’t Miss  Shop at Magazine or Oak Street.  For overnight stays, the Grand Victorian Bed & Breakfast is certainly “Grandeur” and right on the streetcar line for a quick ride into the French Quarter Natchez Steamboat  Sailing on the historic Natchez Steamboat as it traverses the Mississippi river is a-must when you are in NOLA. You can learn more about the history of the city while looking at its breath-taking view along the river. Make beautiful memories while on board, dine, listen to good music and enjoy the ride. What to do  Take a cruise either morning, lunch time or afternoon. If you check online, you will already see a lot of options to book a boat tour. You might probably want to take the tour during the afternoon because of the breath-taking sunset, though the steamboat experience itself can be quite satisfying. Imagine being serenaded by a live band while surrounded by the beautiful view of the city along the water. It is one of the best places to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and even intimate weddings.  Swamp Tour  Get closer to nature by visiting the famous swamps of Louisiana. Be transported to a whole new world of water, wildlife and wilderness. Swamps are a habitat to different kinds of animals and are rich in biodiversity, from alligators to fleeting birds. It is majestic in its own way with abundant trees reflecting in the calm water and the slight thrill of encountering alligators and other wildlife.  What to do  Get out of the city and take the Cajun Encounters Tour to discover the most beautiful swamp you could ever see. It is nearly 70,000 acres of protected wildlife area and finely laid cypress trees. Taking a swamp tour is a unique and memorable experience that you should definitely try.  Algiers point The second oldest neighborhood in New Orleans and a modest counterpart of the French Quarter. It is dubbed as New Orleans’ Best Kept secret since it is quite an isolated and less travelled place in the city but certainly worthy of your time. Out of all the places you will visit in NOLA, Algiers point will be the closest place that feels like home away from home.  What to do  Take a ferry ride from Canal Street to Algiers point. Walk through the path along the river and rest in front of the river bank with the best view of the city. Walk along the streets of colorful Creole houses and historical structures. Visit a glass studio and art galleries then dine at the local restaurant of your choice. This place is called NOLA’s best kept secret for a reason and it is better for you to find out why.   Known as a melting pot of diverse cultures, New Orleans has a lot to offer from food, history, art and architecture. This place is filled with romantic venues perfect for weddings too, no wonder it’s also a top destination for couples who wish to tie the knot. Without a doubt, anyone who visits will never get enough of this truly unique destination. For more information on getting married in New Orleans, visit ElopeToNola.com  

You’ve decided to forgo all the stress of wedding planning and run off just the two of you to say I Do. But just because this plan is much easier to pull off, that doesn’t mean you don’t have to put in some effort. Check out this “How to Elope” guide for tips for the five things you might forget to do before eloping. How to Elope Guide – 5 Things not to Forget Make sure all of your paperwork is ready, completed, and out of the way. That way, your getaway will be headache free and your union will be official.   An elopement should be stress free and full of romantic events planned out – treating it otherwise will only give you headaches. Why would you want to risk not having a reservation at the restaurant you had your heart set on, or not being able to find a certain venue because you don’t know the area that well yet? Elopement and wedding planning services take all the hassle away, save you time, money, and best of all, they are experts at maximizing your enjoyment.   One of the easiest ways to get tangled in your own wedding plans is to dive in without an idea of what you really want to do. Once you decide on a theme, that will set the pace for everything else, including catering, flowers, decorations, cake, dresses, and more. You might even want to base your elopement destination on what your theme is.   One of the most important aspects of planning an elopement is deciding early on how big of an event are you planning and who’s invited. The sooner you hash those details out the better, that way you can get the word out to the right people when it’s time. Knowing what NOT to do on your elopement is just as important as knowing what TO do. With these tips, you’ll be better prepared and you will be less likely to make any mistakes along the way.  For more information on eloping and best locations, visit our partner site HERE!