Marly and Jake
Wedding at the Elms Mansion

Marly and Jake started out with some getting ready shots at the Hotel Monteleone, followed by a first look and some portraits in nearby Exchange Place.  We then headed over to the beautiful Elms Mansion for group shots, and the ceremony and reception.

I’ve photographed numerous weddings at The Elms Mansion over the years. But this was actually the first time one of my weddings had the ceremony take place on the venue’s spacious grass lawn rather than in their iconic gazebo. With this event being a Jewish wedding, it was a good choice, as the lawn provided ample space for the chuppah (the traditional structure that the couple stands under as they are married), in this case beautifully decorated by New Orleans florist Kim Starr Wise. The gazebo is probably large enough to have accommodated the chuppah, but it would not have been as visible there, as the columns of the gazebo would have partially obscured it.

Having the ceremony in this area also allowed staff to have the reception space fully set up before the event began, as opposed to having to quickly flip this space if the ceremony were held here as well. Of course, if they do have to flip the space, a second line parade is the perfect way to move all the guests out of this area in order for the staff to be able to do this quickly, but in this case, the couple’s second line was going to be at the end of the night, as opposed to in between the ceremony and reception, so it was more important to have the space already set up in advance.

For the reception, the outdoor space was gorgeously decorated by Kim Starr Wise and New Orleans Candlelight Weddings. Though it was an evening reception, I was glad that the first dance took place near sunset, with the perfect amount of ambient light. Though I can, of course, utilize flash and off-camera lighting for outdoor nighttime events, I always prefer to shoot with natural light when it is of good quality, as it was here. This groom loved to lift his bride, and did so quite a few times during the course of their wedding reception at the Elms Mansion, including a wonderful photograph captured near the end of the night with the crowd of guests cheering in the background.

Being a Jewish wedding, of course the couple and their guests had a Hora, a traditional dance in which the band or DJ plays the song Hava Nagilia, while the crowd dances energetically in a circle and then lifts certain people (the bride and groom, naturally, as well as usually the parents, and occasionally others) up in the air as they are seated on chairs.

Due to noise ordinances (the venue is in a residential area), outdoor receptions at The Elms have to end at 10pm. However, in many cases this just means that the celebration moves indoors, to the venue’s ballroom, in the form of an after-party.

This particular couple, however, at the end of the night wanted to head to the French Quarter for a Second Line parade. They took advantage of Elms Mansion’s location right on the St. Charles Ave. streetcar line by having a couple of chartered streetcars transport everyone to the edge of the French Quarter where the parade was to commence. While you can, of course, have a second line in the vicinity of The Elms, as many couples do, or anywhere in the city for that matter, there’s nothing quite like the utterly chaotic and raucous environment of the French Quarter, plus in case of this couple, the wanted their destination to be the Hotel Monteleone’s Carousel Bar.

The streetcar ride itself was a wild party, with musicians from the brass band performing, and people dancing!

Once we arrived at our stop on Canal Street, the second line commenced, led by the fabulous Kinfolk Brass Band, through the streets of the French Quarter and ending up where we started the day that morning, the Hotel Monteleone.

 

 

Coordinator: Unique Weddings in New Orleans
Hair/Make: Flawless Bride
Flowers: Kim Starr Wise
Candles: New Orleans Candlelight Weddings
Video: Bella Productions
Cake: Frosted Fantasies by Nikki
Entertainment: The Mixed Nuts

 

Here’s what the bride had to say about me after the wedding:

Michael did an amazing job capturing our rehearsal dinner and wedding day. He is very professional, got a ton of great shots, and edited our photos very well.

 

More about The Elms Mansion

Located on St. Charles Avenue, the Elms is a romantic and beautiful wedding venue that truly captures the unique character of Uptown New Orleans. The beautifully manicured grounds, spacious garden and patio area, the ambiance of the streetcars rumbling by, and the pure elegance of the mansion’s interior all make for a memorable ceremony and reception.

The historic marker plaque in front of the home reads:

Van Benthusen-Elms Mansion

(Attributed to Lewis E. Reynolds, Architect)

Built 1869 for “Yankee in Grey,” Capt. Watson Van Benthuysen, II, CSA.

Relative by marriage of Jefferson Davis & Q’master of Presidential convoy that fled Richmond in April, 1865, Van B. became merchant & industrialist with interests in St. Charles streetcar line, telephone company & firm that bridged Hudson at Poughkeepsie. Born NY 1833, Van B. died here 1901. House served as German Consulate General 1931-41. From here, Adolf Karl Georg Edgar Baron Spiegel von und zu Peckelsheim, novelist & U-boat kapitan, informed Axis submarines ship departures. Became John Elms family residence 1951.