Elms Mansion Wedding
Getting married at The Elms Mansion means saying “I do” in one of New Orleans’ most storied settings. The Elms Mansion sits right on St. Charles Avenue, streetcar rumbling by every few minutes, and it’s one of the most versatile venues we shoot in New Orleans. Courtyard ceremonies, a house full of distinct rooms, and a reception that can go anywhere from there.
Inside an Elms Mansion Wedding
The Elms Mansion isn’t a one-note backdrop. Between the ironwork out front, the greenery framing the courtyard, and the string of rooms inside, there’s rarely a wedding here that looks like the one before it.
What makes it great is the flexibility. The ceremony happens outside either in the courtyard with the gazebo as the altar or in the secret garden, so we’re working with natural light and greenery from the start. Then the reception takes over both inside and out, guests moving freely between the ballroom and the courtyard depending on the moment. We’ve shot Elms Mansion weddings in spring sunlight, under string lights in the fall, or even tented with gorgeous chandeliers hanging from above, and the venue delivers no matter the season.
THE GAZEBO
The gazebo is the heart of an Elms wedding ceremony. Most couples exchange vows underneath it with guests seated in the courtyard, greenery all around, and every so often the streetcar rumbling by in the background. We love that detail. It’s a small thing, but it grounds the whole ceremony in New Orleans in a way that’s hard to manufacture anywhere else.
Every ceremony here looks a little different depending on the couple’s florals and the season, but the bones are always the same: natural canopy and warm light throughout the courtyard. We like that you can dress up the gazebo to fit your own style, from florals to drapery (as seen above) to a chandelier or even a disco ball. Every couple makes it their own.
THE HOUSE
Step inside and the mansion takes over. The spiral staircase is the showstopper, dark sweeping wood curving up through the center of the house, and we’ve photographed couples and brides on nearly every landing of it.
Past the staircase, the rooms keep giving us more. Gold-framed mirrors, marble mantels, tufted velvet sofas, and a piano room lit by stained glass panels in deep amber and green. It’s rare to have this much variety under one roof. Most venues give us one or two standout interior spots. The Elms Mansion gives us five or six, and every one of them ends up in the final gallery.
THE RECEPTION
This is where the Elms Mansion really shows its range. The party spreads across both the courtyard and the ballroom, guests moving between string lights outside and wood-paneled elegance inside depending on the moment. We’ve shot receptions that use every inch of the property, courtyard tables under the trees, dancing outside beneath the festoon lights, mingling inside the historic home, and everything in between.
THE SECOND LINE
Some couples choose to second line in between the ceremony and reception, while the courtyard gets flipped from one setup to the other. Others wait and do it at the very end, staying right there in the courtyard for it. We’ve even had couples take their second line down St. Charles Ave to the Ponchartrain Hotel for the after party. Not every wedding here includes one, but when it does, it’s one of the liveliest parts of the day to photograph.
Favorite Weddings We’ve Photographed at The Elms
LAURA & AARON
A spring courtyard wedding with a Jewish ceremony under the gazebo, a giant disco ball, and a dance floor the Bucktown Allstars never let go quiet. See their wedding →
VINNIE & DANIEL
A colorful, joy-filled celebration with a gazebo ceremony in the courtyard, sparkles and fascinators encouraged, and a surprise stilt-walker performance to close out the night. See their wedding →
KIND WORDS FROM ONE OF OUR ELMS’ COUPLES
“Y’all were so fun to work with and made us feel so comfortable from the start (saying a lot coming from two people who usually shy away from a ton of photos). I cannot say thank you enough!!!”
-Laura and Aaron
Are You Getting Married at The Elms Mansion?
Every Elms Mansion wedding we’ve photographed has looked a little different, gazebo weddings in spring sun, second lines through the courtyard, receptions that spill from the ballroom out under the lights. If that kind of day sounds like yours, let’s talk.
Want to see a full gallery from an Elms Mansion wedding? Reach out and we’ll send one your way.
Not ready to reach out yet? Learn more about what it’s like to work with us and see how we approach every wedding day.
Elms is located in the Garden District at 3029 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70115. Visit www.elmsmansion.com
