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A fountain topped by flowers and lit by many white candles is the center of a wedding setup with a flower-lined aisle and bamboo chairs in a French Quarter courtyard.
Hotel Mazarin’s courtyard accommodates up to 130 seated guests.

The most beautiful places to get married in New Orleans

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Hotel Mazarin’s courtyard accommodates up to 130 seated guests.

“Laissez les bons temps rouler” (or, “let the good times roll”) is New Orleans’ unofficial motto—so it’s no surprise that the Crescent City is the ultimate place to throw a party. Couple our freewheeling culture with historic architecture, amazing culinary traditions, and a music scene like no other, and you have the recipe for a memorable “I do” destination. Whether you’re planning a 300-person blowout or a stylish elopement, this list covers just a fraction of beautiful spots in New Orleans to get hitched.

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Popp Fountain and Arbor Room

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This 60-foot-wide fountain is a gem of City Park. The late sculptor Enrique Alferez created the fountain’s centerpiece: a bronze sculpture of leaping dolphins that releases a 30-foot spray that makes a dramatic backdrop for any wedding photo. And of course, since you’re in the park you have the benefit of being surrounded by a landscape of oaks, magnolias, crepe myrtles, and more. If you want to take things inside, the adjacent Arbor Room has a chic, modern design by Waggonner and Ball Architects.

New Orleans Botanical Garden, City Park

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Created as a project of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in 1936, the New Orleans Botanical Garden contains more than 2,000 plants from all over the world, guaranteeing that no matter what time of year you choose to hold your wedding, you’ll be surrounded by bursts of color. The Helis Foundation Enrique Alférez Sculpture Garden features 14 works of art by the New Orleans sculptor. The Botanical Garden’s 12 acres offer both indoor and outdoor event space, too.

The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden

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Opened in 2003, the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden contains more than 60 sculptures by internationally acclaimed modern and contemporary artists including Henry Moore, Anish Kapoor, and Louise Bourgeois. The garden, designed by project architect Lee Ledbetter and landscape architect Brian Sawyer, spans more than 11 acres of City Park around an existing landscape consisting of a lagoon, pine trees, and centuries-old live oaks. It recently doubled its footprint, when a 6.5-acre expansion opened last spring.

New Orleans Museum of Art

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The oldest fine arts institution in New Orleans, the New Orleans Museum of Art was designed by architect Samuel A. Marx and opened its doors in 1911. Originally named the Isaac Delgado Museum of Art, it was founded by wealthy sugar cane plantation owner Isaac Delgado. The original Beaux Arts building features towering white columns, hand-laid marble floors, and a grand staircase, as well as—obviously—stunning works of art spanning 5,000 years of art history, from antiquities to the contemporary.

Women's Opera Guild Home

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Built in 1865, this Greek Revival and Italianate mansion’s double parlor is appointed so lavishly with antiques, ceiling medallions, and crystal chandeliers that you may decide to skip the flowers. Its Garden District location is a block from St. Charles (where the streetcar provides a very New Orleans photo opp), and the fenced yard is expansive enough for an outdoor ceremony. Ralph Brennan Catering & Events handles the food, and up to 200 guests can be accommodated.

A large house with a white facade and black shutters. There are columns in the front of the house near the entrance.

Degas House

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French Impressionist Edgar Degas had many homes, but this Esplanade Avenue manse is the only one that is open to the public. Now a museum, a wedding venue and a bed-and-breakfast, its courtyards and Victorian parlors offer a glimpse not only of Degas’ artistic inspiration, but also of New Orleans’ graceful Creole world—what could be more romantic?

Felicity Church

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The Gothic Revival structure of Felicity Church was built in 1888, but sat dormant and deteriorated for some time after Hurricane Katrina. In 2011, Chris Jones and Jessica Walker purchased the church and renovated it, maintaining much of the building’s historical beauty. Today, the church is nondenominational, and its two floors, loft, and courtyard make this space accommodating for a variety of receptions and ceremonies.

The interior of the Felicity Church in New Orleans. The walls are exposed brick and there are pink lights illuminating the interior. There are rows of benches and an altar.

Benachi House & Gardens

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Built in 1858 by Nicholas Benachi in the Esplanade Ridge district of New Orleans, the Benachi House exhibits 14-foot ceilings, black marble, and granite mantels. Restored by James G. Derbes, who has owned the property since 1982, the Benachi House is furnished with mid-19th century styles such as Victorian, Gothic Revival, and Rococo Revival. The property can accommodate up to 175 guests for a wedding.

A large white house with columns. There are trees surrounding the house.

Il Mercato

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Originally designed as a marketplace in 1931, this stunning Spanish colonial style opened in 2014 as a special events venue after a renovation by restaurateur Joel Dondis. With 5,000 square feet of indoor space and an additional 3,500 square feet of exterior space, il Mercato’s herringbone wood floors, furnished library, and spacious courtyard make it a romantic spot to exchange your vows.

The exterior of Il Mercato in New Orleans. The facade is white and there is a brown roof.

Hotel Mazarin

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Although the French Quarter has no dearth of beautiful courtyards, very few of them are rain-proof. However, the brick courtyard at Hotel Mazarin is a safe rain-or-shine destination, thanks to a retractable canopy that tops the fifth-floor tree canopies and admits so much light that guests won’t even know it has been deployed, according to catering director Rachel Olavarrieta. The venue accommodates up to 150 guests, and either the fountain or the arched windows can serve as photogenic ceremony backdrops. Couples seeking a simpler experience can opt for a balcony elopement package, which includes a two-tiered cake, Champagne, a bouquet and boutonnière, and an officiant.

Tables covered with white cloths and floral arrangement are centered around a large fountain in a brick courtyard with many trees.
The Hotel Mazarin offers a courtyard ceremony space, reception hall, and balcony suites, all under one roof.
Photo by Stephen Young

The New Orleans Board of Trade

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The New Orleans Board of Trade building is a unique venue for weddings, which was founded in 1880 and renovated in 1993. Trading continued on the building’s floor until the mid-1960s, and there are clocks on the eastern wall that mark the time in New Orleans, New York, and Rio de Janeiro, the three major locales of coffee trading at the time. Local artist Alvin Sharpe completed several ceiling dome murals in 1932. (Fun fact: Sharpe is also credited as the inventor of the Mardi Gras doubloon.)

The interior of the New Orleans Board of Trade. There are chairs, tables, and high ceilings illuminated with colorful lights.

Latrobe's On Royal

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Formerly the Louisiana State Bank, this circa-1820 French Quarter building takes its name from its architect, Benjamin Henry Latrobe. His other noteworthy projects include the U.S. Capital and the White House porticos, and this venue’s features are equally grand. A curving, circular room with domed ceilings is the main space, and it is flanked by smaller vaulted rooms. When illuminated by candlelight, everything inside feels exceptionally precious and rare—just like the gems once housed within the former bank’s stucco walls.

Race & Religious

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Positioned in the Lower Garden District at the corners of Race and Religious streets, this venue consists of three properties renovated by owner Granville Semmes, all connected by a brick courtyard: a two-story Creole cottage, a three-story Greek Revival rowhouse, and a historical slave quarter. Two kitchens, five bathrooms, and four bedrooms are at your disposal, and European furnishings, exposed brick, and preserved moldings give this space that classic charm that old New Orleans does so well.

A swimming pool with a lounge area and palm trees. Xistence Photography

St. Louis Cathedral

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The three steeples of St. Louis Cathedral are an instantly recognizable landmark of New Orleans. Built in 1727, and then rebuilt in 1794 after a fire destroyed the original, the current completed structure dates to the 1850s. The oldest active Roman Catholic Cathedral in the United States, St. Louis Cathedral appeals to design and architecture lovers of all faiths

The interior of St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans. The ceiling is high and arched. There are various flags lining the walls above the pews.

Jackson Square

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There are certain restrictions here—Jackson Square is a public park and must remain open to the public, even during a ceremony—but no one can deny that with the backdrop of St. Louis Cathedral and Andrew Jackson himself, the square makes for an unforgettable place to get hitched. Plus, if that monument ever gets removed, you can sell your wedding photos as historical artifacts.

Venusian Gardens

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Contemporary art gallery by day and event space by night, Venusian Gardens offers a luminous, memorable space for nuptials. Neon and glass sculptures—including owner Eric Ehlenberge’s signature jellyfish— hang from the walls and ceilings. The Marigny venue sits in former church built in 1854 as a church and accommodates 200 people. Anyone up for an “Under the Sea”-themed wedding?

Marigny Opera House

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If it’s good enough for Solange and Lake Bell, who both had their nuptials here, it’s probably good enough for you. Founded as the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in 1847 and constructed in 1853, this church was designed by architect Theodore Giraud and later purchased in 2011 by Dave Hurlbert and Scott King, when it was renamed the Marigny Opera House. The space is currently classified as a 501(c)3 nonprofit, non-denominational “church of the arts.” The Marigny Opera House hosts arts-related events and performances, as well as private events.

The exterior of the Marigny Opera House. The facade is white and there are multiple arched doors and windows. There are two towers.

Press Street Gardens

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This urban farm on—you guessed it—Press Street is a project of The NOCCA Institute, which supports the arts training New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts. Fresh herbs, fruits, and vegetables grown at the gardens are used by NOCCA’s culinary arts students, the nearby Press Street Station restaurant and The Boxcar food truck, and sold to the general public. Rent this lush green space for your wedding and know that you’re supporting a great community initiative.

A bride in a wedding dress and a groom in a suit stand on a grassy path between two rows of plants at Press Street Gardens in New Orleans. Chad Bower

Capulet

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The rooftop deck of this 19th-century cotton pickery boasts skyline views and catches every river breeze—but that’s just one reason to tie the knot in Bywater’s newest wedding venue. There’s also the meticulously restored warehouse itself, which features 30-foot ceilings, original overhead beams, polished concrete floors, and enough room for a seated dinner for 200 guests. Speaking of dinner, Capulet partners with My House Social’s network of more than 40 local chefs to craft a meal tailored to your wedding, and couples also have the option to bring in outside vendors.

A large room with high ceilings that have exposed wooden beams. There are many chairs and tables. There are plants in planters situated at points around the room. The room has a glossy white floor. Bryan Tarnowski

Lakefront Airport

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Built in the 1930s, the Art Deco dreaminess of this airport was sadly covered up at one point in its history, when Cold War tensions called for it to be encased in concrete and transformed into a nuclear fallout shelter. The airport suffered damage from Hurricane Katrina and the federal levee failures, which eventually led to its 2013 restoration headed by architect Alton Ochsner Davis. Today, it’s been restored to its original Art Deco glory—don’t miss the murals by renowned Spanish-American artist Xavier Gonzalez.

The exterior of Lakefront Airport. The facade is illuminated with colorful lights.

Popp Fountain and Arbor Room

This 60-foot-wide fountain is a gem of City Park. The late sculptor Enrique Alferez created the fountain’s centerpiece: a bronze sculpture of leaping dolphins that releases a 30-foot spray that makes a dramatic backdrop for any wedding photo. And of course, since you’re in the park you have the benefit of being surrounded by a landscape of oaks, magnolias, crepe myrtles, and more. If you want to take things inside, the adjacent Arbor Room has a chic, modern design by Waggonner and Ball Architects.

New Orleans Botanical Garden, City Park

Created as a project of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in 1936, the New Orleans Botanical Garden contains more than 2,000 plants from all over the world, guaranteeing that no matter what time of year you choose to hold your wedding, you’ll be surrounded by bursts of color. The Helis Foundation Enrique Alférez Sculpture Garden features 14 works of art by the New Orleans sculptor. The Botanical Garden’s 12 acres offer both indoor and outdoor event space, too.

The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden

Opened in 2003, the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden contains more than 60 sculptures by internationally acclaimed modern and contemporary artists including Henry Moore, Anish Kapoor, and Louise Bourgeois. The garden, designed by project architect Lee Ledbetter and landscape architect Brian Sawyer, spans more than 11 acres of City Park around an existing landscape consisting of a lagoon, pine trees, and centuries-old live oaks. It recently doubled its footprint, when a 6.5-acre expansion opened last spring.

New Orleans Museum of Art

The oldest fine arts institution in New Orleans, the New Orleans Museum of Art was designed by architect Samuel A. Marx and opened its doors in 1911. Originally named the Isaac Delgado Museum of Art, it was founded by wealthy sugar cane plantation owner Isaac Delgado. The original Beaux Arts building features towering white columns, hand-laid marble floors, and a grand staircase, as well as—obviously—stunning works of art spanning 5,000 years of art history, from antiquities to the contemporary.

Women's Opera Guild Home

Built in 1865, this Greek Revival and Italianate mansion’s double parlor is appointed so lavishly with antiques, ceiling medallions, and crystal chandeliers that you may decide to skip the flowers. Its Garden District location is a block from St. Charles (where the streetcar provides a very New Orleans photo opp), and the fenced yard is expansive enough for an outdoor ceremony. Ralph Brennan Catering & Events handles the food, and up to 200 guests can be accommodated.

A large house with a white facade and black shutters. There are columns in the front of the house near the entrance.

Degas House

French Impressionist Edgar Degas had many homes, but this Esplanade Avenue manse is the only one that is open to the public. Now a museum, a wedding venue and a bed-and-breakfast, its courtyards and Victorian parlors offer a glimpse not only of Degas’ artistic inspiration, but also of New Orleans’ graceful Creole world—what could be more romantic?

Felicity Church

The Gothic Revival structure of Felicity Church was built in 1888, but sat dormant and deteriorated for some time after Hurricane Katrina. In 2011, Chris Jones and Jessica Walker purchased the church and renovated it, maintaining much of the building’s historical beauty. Today, the church is nondenominational, and its two floors, loft, and courtyard make this space accommodating for a variety of receptions and ceremonies.

The interior of the Felicity Church in New Orleans. The walls are exposed brick and there are pink lights illuminating the interior. There are rows of benches and an altar.

Benachi House & Gardens

Built in 1858 by Nicholas Benachi in the Esplanade Ridge district of New Orleans, the Benachi House exhibits 14-foot ceilings, black marble, and granite mantels. Restored by James G. Derbes, who has owned the property since 1982, the Benachi House is furnished with mid-19th century styles such as Victorian, Gothic Revival, and Rococo Revival. The property can accommodate up to 175 guests for a wedding.

A large white house with columns. There are trees surrounding the house.

Il Mercato

Originally designed as a marketplace in 1931, this stunning Spanish colonial style opened in 2014 as a special events venue after a renovation by restaurateur Joel Dondis. With 5,000 square feet of indoor space and an additional 3,500 square feet of exterior space, il Mercato’s herringbone wood floors, furnished library, and spacious courtyard make it a romantic spot to exchange your vows.

The exterior of Il Mercato in New Orleans. The facade is white and there is a brown roof.

Hotel Mazarin

Although the French Quarter has no dearth of beautiful courtyards, very few of them are rain-proof. However, the brick courtyard at Hotel Mazarin is a safe rain-or-shine destination, thanks to a retractable canopy that tops the fifth-floor tree canopies and admits so much light that guests won’t even know it has been deployed, according to catering director Rachel Olavarrieta. The venue accommodates up to 150 guests, and either the fountain or the arched windows can serve as photogenic ceremony backdrops. Couples seeking a simpler experience can opt for a balcony elopement package, which includes a two-tiered cake, Champagne, a bouquet and boutonnière, and an officiant.

Tables covered with white cloths and floral arrangement are centered around a large fountain in a brick courtyard with many trees.
The Hotel Mazarin offers a courtyard ceremony space, reception hall, and balcony suites, all under one roof.
Photo by Stephen Young

The New Orleans Board of Trade

The New Orleans Board of Trade building is a unique venue for weddings, which was founded in 1880 and renovated in 1993. Trading continued on the building’s floor until the mid-1960s, and there are clocks on the eastern wall that mark the time in New Orleans, New York, and Rio de Janeiro, the three major locales of coffee trading at the time. Local artist Alvin Sharpe completed several ceiling dome murals in 1932. (Fun fact: Sharpe is also credited as the inventor of the Mardi Gras doubloon.)

The interior of the New Orleans Board of Trade. There are chairs, tables, and high ceilings illuminated with colorful lights.

Latrobe's On Royal

Formerly the Louisiana State Bank, this circa-1820 French Quarter building takes its name from its architect, Benjamin Henry Latrobe. His other noteworthy projects include the U.S. Capital and the White House porticos, and this venue’s features are equally grand. A curving, circular room with domed ceilings is the main space, and it is flanked by smaller vaulted rooms. When illuminated by candlelight, everything inside feels exceptionally precious and rare—just like the gems once housed within the former bank’s stucco walls.

Race & Religious

Positioned in the Lower Garden District at the corners of Race and Religious streets, this venue consists of three properties renovated by owner Granville Semmes, all connected by a brick courtyard: a two-story Creole cottage, a three-story Greek Revival rowhouse, and a historical slave quarter. Two kitchens, five bathrooms, and four bedrooms are at your disposal, and European furnishings, exposed brick, and preserved moldings give this space that classic charm that old New Orleans does so well.

A swimming pool with a lounge area and palm trees. Xistence Photography

St. Louis Cathedral

The three steeples of St. Louis Cathedral are an instantly recognizable landmark of New Orleans. Built in 1727, and then rebuilt in 1794 after a fire destroyed the original, the current completed structure dates to the 1850s. The oldest active Roman Catholic Cathedral in the United States, St. Louis Cathedral appeals to design and architecture lovers of all faiths

The interior of St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans. The ceiling is high and arched. There are various flags lining the walls above the pews.

Jackson Square

There are certain restrictions here—Jackson Square is a public park and must remain open to the public, even during a ceremony—but no one can deny that with the backdrop of St. Louis Cathedral and Andrew Jackson himself, the square makes for an unforgettable place to get hitched. Plus, if that monument ever gets removed, you can sell your wedding photos as historical artifacts.

Venusian Gardens

Contemporary art gallery by day and event space by night, Venusian Gardens offers a luminous, memorable space for nuptials. Neon and glass sculptures—including owner Eric Ehlenberge’s signature jellyfish— hang from the walls and ceilings. The Marigny venue sits in former church built in 1854 as a church and accommodates 200 people. Anyone up for an “Under the Sea”-themed wedding?

Marigny Opera House

If it’s good enough for Solange and Lake Bell, who both had their nuptials here, it’s probably good enough for you. Founded as the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in 1847 and constructed in 1853, this church was designed by architect Theodore Giraud and later purchased in 2011 by Dave Hurlbert and Scott King, when it was renamed the Marigny Opera House. The space is currently classified as a 501(c)3 nonprofit, non-denominational “church of the arts.” The Marigny Opera House hosts arts-related events and performances, as well as private events.

The exterior of the Marigny Opera House. The facade is white and there are multiple arched doors and windows. There are two towers.

Press Street Gardens

This urban farm on—you guessed it—Press Street is a project of The NOCCA Institute, which supports the arts training New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts. Fresh herbs, fruits, and vegetables grown at the gardens are used by NOCCA’s culinary arts students, the nearby Press Street Station restaurant and The Boxcar food truck, and sold to the general public. Rent this lush green space for your wedding and know that you’re supporting a great community initiative.

A bride in a wedding dress and a groom in a suit stand on a grassy path between two rows of plants at Press Street Gardens in New Orleans. Chad Bower

Capulet

The rooftop deck of this 19th-century cotton pickery boasts skyline views and catches every river breeze—but that’s just one reason to tie the knot in Bywater’s newest wedding venue. There’s also the meticulously restored warehouse itself, which features 30-foot ceilings, original overhead beams, polished concrete floors, and enough room for a seated dinner for 200 guests. Speaking of dinner, Capulet partners with My House Social’s network of more than 40 local chefs to craft a meal tailored to your wedding, and couples also have the option to bring in outside vendors.

A large room with high ceilings that have exposed wooden beams. There are many chairs and tables. There are plants in planters situated at points around the room. The room has a glossy white floor. Bryan Tarnowski

Lakefront Airport

Built in the 1930s, the Art Deco dreaminess of this airport was sadly covered up at one point in its history, when Cold War tensions called for it to be encased in concrete and transformed into a nuclear fallout shelter. The airport suffered damage from Hurricane Katrina and the federal levee failures, which eventually led to its 2013 restoration headed by architect Alton Ochsner Davis. Today, it’s been restored to its original Art Deco glory—don’t miss the murals by renowned Spanish-American artist Xavier Gonzalez.

The exterior of Lakefront Airport. The facade is illuminated with colorful lights.