(aka Family trip to New Orleans, part 2)

If you’ve read my previous posts, you may recall that my parents and I traveled to New Orleans a few weekends ago. While we were there, I was taking note of all the possibilities New Orleans offers a bride and groom.

Yes, we’re having a Nashville wedding, but since Philip and I have been engaged and I’ve been out of town the past three weekends, my mind has been racing with ideas and I’ve been gleaning inspiration from everywhere I traveled in that short amount of time. I wanted to share my findings here for those of you who may be looking for a great place to have a wedding celebration.

We took the Amtrak passenger train from Carbondale, IL to New Orleans, which took about 14 hours. Whew! The great thing about a train, however, is you don’t have to worry about directions, restrooms or food stops. Everything is on board! I really enjoyed the ride.

You have a variety of options for getting to New Orleans from Nashville. If you’re interested in taking the train, drive three hours down to Memphis and then board at the Memphis Amtrak station for an easy 8-hour train ride. According to Google Maps, it’s about an 8-hour car ride from here or if you prefer to save some time, Southwest Airlines can get you from Nashille to Nawlins on a 1.5 hour nonstop flight.

New Orleans offers all the amenities a wedding party needs to throw a perfect, fun celebration. The city offers a multitude of outdoor activities, historical sites, boutiques, antiques, music, food and more!

A location I can specifically recommend for a wedding party is the Bienville House – a beautiful boutique hotel located in the French Quarter.

The Bienville House is a Three Diamond hotel that was voted the Best Boutique Hotel by City Search in 2007. It occupies two 18th century warehouse buildings and is located in the heart of the French Quarter, only three blocks from Bourbon Street and 20 minutes from Louis Armstrong International Airport.

I felt like royalty during our entire stay at the Bienville House. From my experience, their staff is amazingly attentive and keenly focused on serving your every need, expectation and desire. Looking for a good coffee shop? They can help you get to the closest one. Need your clothing pressed? They’ll get it taken care of. They offer a complimentary continental breakfast with Starbucks coffee every morning, but if you want a delicious, hot breakfast, they’ll make a reservation for you down the street.

Not to mention, my room was beautiful, spacious and very comfortable. With its high-ceilings and comfy, complimentary robes (Free to use, not to take, of course.), I can only imagine how luxurious their suites are! Here are some pictures of one of their suites:

If we were having a New Orleans wedding, you bet I would call on their Director of Sales and Marketing, Erin Boreros, to help with the planning. I have no doubt that Erin and her team at the Bienville House would make my rehearsal dinner, honeymoon accommodations or reception a huge success.

Erin, thanks for making us all feel very welcome and comfortable. You certainly have my business on our next trip to your beautiful city.

Have questions about my experience in New Orleans or at the Bienville House? Leave a comment here or email me – becomingmrsdial | at | gmail | dot | com.

Want to get in touch with the fine folks at the Bienville House? Call their front desk at 1-800-535-9603 or get more info by visiting their website here.

I’m definitely looking forward to visiting The Crescent City again soon.