After the extremely busy day 2 of wedding planning for Yelena and airport misadventures for Justin, we were exhausted, but day 3 had a lot in store. Not only did we have to see new venues, but we also had to go back to some of the venues from day 2, complete a tasting, and meet with our potential florist. Woah!
At about 9 am, we took an Uber to the Board of Trade (the first venue of the day) where Belinda (our fantastic wedding planner, @bluegardeniaevents) met us with much needed coffees.
The Board of Trade
Built in 1880, the Board of Trade is a unique venue with both a courtyard and a large indoor space. One of my good friends had a fantastic reception there a few years ago, so I knew I had to check it out for our wedding. It could work as both a ceremony and a reception location.
After the Board of Trade, we headed to our wedding planner's office for some wonderful pastries, champagne (it was only 9ish am, but wedding planning requires champagne), and a meeting with our potential florist - Kim Starr Wise. She was absolutely fabulous and we are so excited to work with her. She has done some of the most beautiful flower set ups that I have ever seen. Check our her Instagram account (@kimstarrwise).
Audubon Tea Room
After the meeting, we headed about 15 minutes by car to the Audubon Tea Room located in the Audubon Nature Institute, next to the zoo. It's a luxurious large inside space, but also provides beautiful options for outdoor ceremonies or receptions. There are oak trees, gardens, fountains, and other structures on the property that would please any taste.
Newman Bandstand
Almost right across the street from the Tea Room, adjacent to the Audubon Clubhouse, and right inside Audubon Park, near a beautiful path of oak trees, is the Newman Bandstand which is a great option for a ceremony. The combination of the water views, the covered bandstand, and the oak trees will leave a lasting impression.
The Tasting
After a few venue searches, it was time to do our food tasting with one of the potential venues -- the Capital. The tasting took place inside its sister, but smaller, venue, The Burgundy House, right by the famous Frenchman Street. We got to enjoy lots of wine and champagne, several pasta dishes, brisket, a very tasty fish dish, and a few appetizers. My favorite dish was the brie bite (of course). Sadly, Justin was on non-stop calls and had to eat his food in the car.
A Few Quick Pit Stops
After the tasting, we had to make some quick stops to show Justin some of the venues he missed the day before. We saw the Capital, the Orpheum, and then made a pit stop at the Roosevelt to take a photo with the beautiful Christmas decorations and to show Justin the rooftop and the ballrooms.
At this point, Belinda had another event to run to, so we took an Uber to NOMA, so I could get Justin's opinion on the venue. Of course, we also had to get a couples photo in the beautiful location.
Dinner
After our eventful day, we decided to go to dinner at Marjie's Grill, which was recommended by a trusted NOLA friend. The food is unlike anything I've eaten before. We tried the Crispy Pig Knuckles, the Coal Roasted Sheepshead, the Market Pickles, the Fried Rabbit Wings, and the Cornbread. Justin was a huge fan of the wings, while my favorite dish was the sheepshead. After dinner, we headed back to our home for the weekend (with our amazing friends Jess and Chris) to pass out to prepare for the next two days.
Stay tuned for Part 4...
As always, remember to see the world and eat the food.