Margaret Place New Orleans LGBTQ+ Wedding – Jamie + Sarah

I’m so excited to share Jamie and Sarah’s gorgeous Margaret Place Hotel in New Orleans LGBTQ+ wedding. This destination wedding embraced the NOLA vibe by incorporating Southern and New Orleans traditions and rituals throughout.

Margaret Place Weddings

The Margaret Place Hotel was truly the perfect backdrop for Jamie and Sarah’s day. Margaret Place is a chic, luxurious, and intimate wedding venue right in the heart of New Orleans. The venue features modern rooms and a bridal suite that spare no detail. The large brick courtyard has plenty of space for dancing the night away at your wedding reception. Margaret Place fuses New Orleans’s charm and minimalism in such a refreshing way. An absolutely stunning location for any wedding. It’s no wonder couples choose this venue for their wedding days, big or small.

About Jamie + Sarah’s Margaret Place in New Orleans LGBTQ+ Wedding

Jamie and Sarah both live here in St. Louis, but Sarah hails from Baton Rouge – just one hour from New Orleans, so naturally, a NOLA wedding was perfect for the two of them. Sarah was able to reunite with friends and family, and Jamie’s family was able to make her wedding into a January New Orleans getaway.

They started their wedding day getting ready separately to build up anticipated. Sarah got ready at an Airbnb on iconic Magazine Street, while Jamie occupied the bridal suite at the Margaret Place Hotel. They chose to do a first look (see why couples choose to do a first look here) in the spacious foyer of Margaret Place, then took photos with all of their favorite people, including each other. They had a surprise ceremony on the balcony in the courtyard. The guests were shocked to see them walking out on separate ends of the balcony.

After the vows, it was time to party! They made a grand entrance together and danced the night away to songs covered by Dat Band. They ended their amazing wedding with an iconic Second Line parade from Margaret Place to a favorite bar, Barrel Proof.

How It All Began

How did this love story begin? Jamie and Sarah met while working at the Angad Arts Hotel in STL. Many long, busy nights turned into conversations many drinks and sandwiches at Gramophone in the Grove. Sarah proposed to Jamie on one of her visits to STL. Jamie surprised Sarah with a catered dinner from Stone Soup Cottage and Sarah surprised Jamie with a ring while they were decorating the Christmas tree. Jamie was mad that she couldn’t find old decorations from a previous home and Sarah turned around with the ring on a hook. Seriously so sweet!

Key things to think about when having a New Orleans wedding

• All of New Orleans is gorgeous, but by far two of the most popular neighborhoods for weddings are the French Quarter and the Garden District. Both offer the iconic New Orleans vibe you’re searching for, but the Garden District tends to be quieter, while the French Quarter offers more hustle and bustle.
• New Orleans hotels and other accommodations book up quickly. You will want somewhere for your guests to stay after celebrating you all night, so be sure to get a hotel block early! And of course, keep Mardi Gras in mind too. The city is bustling for weeks leading up to Mardi Gras.
• New Orleans is very hot in the summer. If you’re one to be prone to heat exhaustion, opt for getting married in another season. Jamie and Sarah’s wedding was in January and it was about a 50-degree day, so winter is definitely not out of the question.
• If you do opt for one of New Orleans’ hotter months, have your ceremony later in the day to escape some of the heat. Consider a little before sunset to make your reception more bearable.
• If you are planning on having a Second Line parade like Jamie and Sarah, be sure to get the proper permit, including a police escort. To keep from adding one more thing to your wedding planning list, find one of many Second Line bands that include necessary permitting in their price.
• If you’re getting married in New Orleans, you must apply for your license in person, provide a photo ID, and have two witnesses present. You also must allow at least 72 hours between the time the license is issued and the wedding ceremony. The license expires after 30 days. Alternatively, if you’re planning a destination wedding, you could take care of the legality in your home state and perform the ceremony on your wedding date.

The kindest review from Jamie and Sarah:

“Choosing a photographer can make or break your memories of one of the most important days of your life. Not only did Tawny document our day to perfection but she made us feel so comfortable and at ease. We started following her Instagram months before we contacted her. Her connection to the LGBTQIA community was so important to us. Her awareness of our need to feel like every couple should feel was the most important and achieved on all levels. We had a connection with her which transcended into our Perfect Day. Her blog and Instagram gave us way more than wedding photography help, many things in fact….what to pack, music inspo, first look or not, what not to worry about….She literally covered it ALL. It was like having a wedding liaison/photographer. She will always be a person in our lives that started our FOREVER!”

Thank you, Jamie and Sarah for having me for your Margaret Place New Orleans LGBTQ+ Wedding. Working with you was such a blast. I am so lucky to have the best clients in the world.

This Margaret Place wedding day is all thanks to these incredible vendors:

Venue: Margaret Place Hotel / Coordination: Becca Kelly & Company / Hair and makeup: Glam to Geaux NOLA / Florist: Flowers to the People / Band: Dat Band / Rentals: Love Good Rentals / Cake: Jenny’s Cake Creations / Jamie’s dress: Ultimate Bride St. Louis / Sarah’s dress: Blush Bridal Baton Rouge / Jamie’s shoes: Betsey Johnson / Sarah’s shoes: Nina Shoes / Invitations: Zola / Sarah’s getting ready location: The King of Magazine Airbnb / Second photographer: Shelby Jane Photography

Need an LGBTQ+ inclusive photographer for your New Orleans destination wedding?

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