A New Orleans wedding is rarely quiet. Between the second line, the brass band and the French Quarter streets, the city turns a ceremony into a parade. Those moments move fast, so it helps to think ahead about how to capture and keep them.
The second line
The second line is the best-known New Orleans wedding tradition. After the ceremony or at the reception, the couple leads guests in a parade, usually with a brass band and often with handkerchiefs or decorated umbrellas waved overhead.
It is joyful, loud and colorful, and it happens quickly. Tell your photographer what time it will start and where it will go, so they can be ahead of the crowd for the best frames.
Ask the band how long they will play and agree the route in advance, then make sure your photographer has both. There is a real difference between a ten-minute burst outside the venue and a parade of several blocks, and no one can plan position or lenses without knowing which it is.
Cake pulls and other local touches
Another Southern custom that is common in New Orleans is the cake pull, in which charms attached to ribbons are tucked inside a wedding cake and guests pull them out for a token of luck. Some couples also add a groom's cake or a king cake twist.
These are small and easy to miss, so list them for your photographer on a simple sheet. A close-up of the ribbons, the charms and the faces around the table makes a wonderful page.
Streets, courtyards and elopements
New Orleans is a favorite for destination weddings and elopements. Couples choose courtyards, historic homes, churches and the narrow streets of the French Quarter, often with a small group of guests and a long dinner afterward.
Permits, noise and crowds vary by location, so confirm the details with your venue or officiant. For a short, small celebration, a magazine is a lovely way to hold the whole story in 20 pages.
Weather matters in this city. Summers are hot and humid and rain can come any time of year, so build in an umbrella plan and expect the light to change. Ask your officiant or planner whether a second line is allowed at your location and whether a permit is needed, since rules vary between the French Quarter, the Garden District and private venues.
Making the book feel like the city
Think about including texture: iron balconies, brass instruments, painted doors, the sign on a corner. These make the book feel specific to New Orleans, and they work well beside portraits as supporting images.
Lay-flat binding is a good choice for the parade. The pages open completely flat so a crowd, a band and a couple in the middle can run across two pages without a seam. Keep the images that show motion, such as a twirling umbrella or a blur of white handkerchiefs, because they carry the energy of the evening better than a frozen pose.
A portrait of the couple in the middle of a crowd, with the band behind them, makes a strong opening spread, followed by quieter pages of the details that explain it.
Ordering and shipping
The Folio Forever designer builds every spread with Smart Auto-Layout, and you approve every page before printing. Classic albums start at $240, lay-flat at $275, and the 20-page wedding magazine is $70.
We are a Florida-based online studio and ship to New Orleans, as well as to guests across the country, with tracking. Printing takes 5 to 7 business days after approval. If you are ordering for out-of-town guests, Standard delivery is $32 for 7 to 10 days and Economy is $12 for 15 to 18 days, which suits gifts that do not need to arrive before a particular date.
Extra copies of the magazine make nice thank-you gifts for vendors and for the musicians who made the day, and at $70 each they are accessible.
Questions
What is a second line at a wedding?
It is a parade, usually led by a brass band, in which the couple and their guests dance through the venue or streets waving handkerchiefs or umbrellas.
Is a magazine good for a New Orleans elopement?
Yes. At 20 pages and $70, it fits a small gallery well and is easy to share with family who could not travel.
Planning an album from your New Orleans photos? Design it online; you approve every page before it prints. See wedding album sizes and prices or the 20-page wedding magazine.