Latrobe's on Royal
Featured Venue
New Orleans, Louisiana
This city is blessed with many unique and historical venues for weddings. Latrobe's on Royal is at the very top of that list, a fantastic New Orleans wedding venue in the heart of the French Quarter that has lots of character and is just oozing with historic ambiance. I've photographed well over 30 weddings at this venue over the years, so I am very familiar with it.
This popular New Orleans wedding venue is a historic building constructed in 1820 which originally housed the Louisiana State Bank. It was designed by famous architect Benjamin Latrobe, who was better known for his work in designing the United States Capitol Building in Washington, DC. In portions of the interior, fascinating architectural detail drawings are framed along the walls, highlighting various aspects of the building's design.
A calligraphed poster inside the venue shares some details about the building and its architect:
Benjamin Henry Boneval Latrobe (May 1, 1764 - September 3, 1820) was a British-born American architect best known for his design of the United States Capitol. Also known as the “Father of American Architecture” other notable projects include the White House Porticos, the first Catholic Cathedral built in the United States, the Baltimore Basilica, The Bank of Philadelphia, the Waterworks Systems for both Philadelphia and New Orleans, as well as the central column of The St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans.
The Louisiana State Bank was the first bank chartered in Louisiana after reconstruction. The architectural plans were completed on August 10, 1820 and the construction completed in 1822. The Louisiana State Bank retained ownership of the structure until it lost its charter in 1870.
Latrobe’s on Royal was Benjamin Henry Latrobe’s final design. Yellow fever, a wide-spread disease prevalent in New Orleans in the nineteenth century took Latrobe on September 3, 1820 before he could witness his last design achievement come to life in 1822, as the Louisiana State Bank. Benjamin Henry Latrobe was buried in New Orleans where his son Henry was buried three years earlier after also dying from yellow fever.
Historic Wedding Venue in New Orleans
Details
Latrobe's on Royal is a fantastic canvas just waiting for your wedding design to be painted onto it. It's definitely not a blank slate; it has its own distinct character and ambiance, but also provides plenty of opportunities for you to add your own vision in the form of flowers, candles, lanterns, and other decor.
The main ballroom has an elegant look, featuring massive front entry doors, a high domed ceiling, numerous arches, and plenty of space. The courtyard (which is now a fully enclosed and conditioned indoor space) has is beautifully grittier, with lots of exposed wood beams, bricks, gas lanterns, and shutters, while the adjacent carriageway is used as the main entry point for guests for most weddings, and will typically be where the guestbook table is located.
Location
If you look at a map of the French Quarter with Latrobe's location pinned, you'll see that its location is ideal for a wedding venue. Several major hotels are nearby, such as the Omni Royal Orleans, the Royal Sonesta, and the Monteleone, and numerous smaller hotels are also in the area.
And although Latrobe's is well-suited to accommodate wedding ceremonies (about 3/4 of my past Latrobe's couples have had the ceremony there as well), its location provides several other ceremony options. St. Louis Cathedral, St. Mary's, and Immaculate Conception, as well as Jackson Square, are all within walking distance, so under most circumstances, arranging transportation for all of your guests is not necessary.
But even better, the distances are perfect for a second line parade, which is the perfect way to celebrate your marriage while moving your guests from the ceremony site to Latrobe's in a way that gives them an unforgettable taste of New Orleans culture.
Ceremony
Wedding ceremonies at Latrobe's typically take place in the courtyard. As mentioned above, this is a fully enclosed indoor space, not an outdoor courtyard as the name would suggest, so no worries about weather. As you can see in the photos below, there are two spots in this space where ceremonies are held. One is in front of the large dark green doors that are along the Conti Street side of the building, while the other is in front of the tall white door that leads to the cake room and main ballroom, toward the front of the building.
Both options feature a background of a pair of gas lanterns and gorgeously weathered walls.
Portraits and Group Shots
Another benefit of Latrobe's location is its proximity to Exchange Place. Only a half block away, Exchange Place is a relatively quiet pedestrian alley that photographs exceptionally well. it's a great spot for a first look (seeing each other before the ceremony), portraits of the couple, and formal group photographs. Another option for large group formals in some cases is the front steps of the Supreme Court building across the street from the venue, though this spot can be tricky at certain times of day in terms of direct sun exposure.
And, of course, the venue itself provides numerous opportunities for portraits of the couple. The main stairway is probably the most well-known spot, and photographs ranging from straightforward portraits of the couple to more visually complex shots using the shape of the stairway can be done here. There are other nooks and crannies as well.
Group shots can sometimes be done inside Latrobe's as well (most often in the courtyard space), but this is something that needs to be discussed with your venue coordinator to confirm.
Reception
For most Latrobe's weddings, the reception action takes place primarily in the main ballroom (the large room with the domed ceiling and muted yellow walls, at the front of the building). This is where the dance floor will be, along with the band / DJ, and most or all of the food.
The courtyard space will also sometimes have some food stations set up, as well as some tables (with this space being flipped for this use after the ceremony, if it took place there). This is a very nice arrangement, as it provides some additional seating space, as well as serving as a "refuge" for guests who want a somewhat quieter environment to talk or take a break for a bit.
There are exceptions, however. I did have a wedding several years ago that utilized the main ballroom for a seated dinner, with the dancing and other reception activities taking place in the courtyard.
Either way, the Latrobe's staff definitely knows how to throw a memorable party!
The Send-Off
More often than not, at the end of the night a Latrobe's wedding reception will end with a second line parade through the French Quarter. That is, of course, assuming you didn't already have a second line from a separate ceremony location to Latrobe's (though I did once have a wedding that also did another second line at the end of the night!). That doesn't necessarily mean the party is over, it often means it's just moving to a different location! Again, Latrobe's ideal location is notable, as it's a perfect second line distance to popular destinations such as Pat O'Brien's or the Hotel Monteleone's Carousel Bar
Typically, Latrobe's staff will arrange for the brass band to make an entrance into the ballroom and begin playing, and then after a few moments to give guests time to gather their belongings, will lead everyone out.
