Top Five Money Saving Tips For Baton Rouge Weddings

Did you ever wonder how some people have the most gorgeous Baton Rouge weddings without a huge price tag? There are ways to save money on all parts of your wedding day without breaking the budget.

1. The first thing you can save money on is the music. You do not need an orchestra playing during dinner hour. To save money, hire some musicians from a well respected music school in your area. If you are having a band for your wedding reception, ask if they will play during dinner hour, too. However, if you want to save money in this area, forget the band and hire a DJ. You will save hundreds this way. If you must have a band, choose a smaller band with five or so pieces and a talented bandleader. You don’t need a large band with a bongo player and three saxophones.

2. The second thing to save money on your Baton Rouge wedding is the paper costs. Stick to basic invitations. You do not need upgrades that will make your bill skyrocket such as colored ink or foil stamping. Do you need printed menus on every table? You certainly don’t need them. There are venues that will add simple menus into the cost of your bill. Another way to save is to make your own invitations. All you need is a computer, printer, and a little imagination. Instead of hiring a calligrapher to do your invitations, hand write them yourself.

 

3. Decorations take up a huge part of your budget, but there are ways to save here as well. First, gather some friends so you can all decorate your own wedding venues Louisiana rather than paying someone big bucks to do it for you. Use plants and decorations and people can take them home afterwards. Buying your flowers wholesale will save you a ton of money and then hire a florist to make up arrangements for you.

 

4. Wedding transportation can quickly become costly. If you are set on being picked up and arriving in a limo, hire a regular limo instead of a stretch limo or a fancy Hummer limo. These are usually double the cost of a regular limo. If you can’t afford a limo or want to save even more, have a friend drive you and the rest of the wedding party where you need to go. You can also hire a private driver to drive your car so the entire wedding party can enjoy themselves instead of having to drive everyone around.

 

5. Food is another huge chunk of a wedding budget. Champagne is expensive so do without it. Your Baton Rouge wedding can cost you less if you have a buffet style wedding instead of paying per plate. The cake is something you really don’t want to skimp on so shop around for the cheapest prices. Just be sure to choose a butter cream or cream cheese frosting since it is cheaper than fondant. You can also do a simple cheesecake instead of a traditional cake. And lastly, never have an open bar.

A Few Ways To Save On New Orleans Wedding Venues

Here in Louisiana, weddings are a little less expensive than the national  average, where the cost of a wedding is over $25,000, but some brides are  able to capture their dream wedding on a tight budget. When brides realize they have to trim their budget, they often sacrifice their dream wedding look for something a little more lackluster. New Orleans wedding venues  make your dream day a reality on your realistic budget. Here are some  ways you can create an affordable, yet picture perfect day for your  wedding.

 Find A New Orleans Packaged Deal

New Orleans wedding venues offer great package deals for wedding parties. The best place to save on your budget is at Louisiana plantations, where they include the cost of you and your bridal party’s stay. Many hotels will do the same and almost all venues will include the cost of set vendors to use at your wedding ceremony and reception. Also, if you book your wedding at a plantation or hotel, catering is available in house. In-house catering reduces your worry about food on your wedding day and fits within your budget. By choosing vendors who are connected with Albany Plantation will ensure a discounted rate.

 Priorities!

Make a list of your must haves on your wedding day and start there. Sometimes you have to sacrifice, but you don’t have to sacrifice the things you have dreamed about since you were a child. Decorations may be a big deal for your big day, but choosing a New Orleans location could give you the best of both worlds, offering a gorgeous location, while trimming the need for décor. Focus on what is truly important on your wedding day.

 

Size Matters  The number of guests at your New Orleans wedding and the number of people in your bridal party can make all the difference in your budget. Yes, hotels and plantations will give discounted rates on rooms for your wedding party and guest, but you don’t want to eat up your budget in accommodations. You could even consider cut guests from either ceremony or reception to include all your guests, while sticking to your budget. Remember your wedding day is special and should be shared with those you love.

New Orleans Weddings Are All About Location

The debate about location always comes up during budget discussions for your wedding. The best way to save money when planning your wedding is having your ceremony and reception in the same location. Albany Plantation, one of the nicest New Orleans wedding places, offers you a variety of spaces to give you different locations for your ceremony and reception. Whether your party is small at 50 guests or large at 250, we have different space options, consider using the same space for both your ceremony and reception. Discuss all the options with our manager to ensure you are getting the best bang for your buck and the wedding you have dreamed about.

There are plenty of things to take into consideration when trying to fit your wedding into your budget. We promise to make your wedding day the day you have always dreamed about by helping you stay within your budget.  So give us a call and arrange a visit today 225.567.6545or email us at [email protected]  Also visit our photo gallery for more pictures of the plantation and grounds.

Louisiana Plantations, How to Choose the Right One

Every bride dreams of the perfect location for her wedding; where the beauty of her surroundings enhances her natural beauty. Whether it is inside a little country church, an ethereal walk down a tree lined aisle, or in an extravagant ballroom, brides want that perfect location. To capture the fairytale location for a fairytale wedding, brides like to choose plantations. Louisiana plantationsoffer all the splendor of an indoor wedding and the charm of any backyard wedding. But there are some things to consider when choosing the right Louisiana plantation for your big day.

 Budget Buster: The first thing to keep in mind when selecting a Louisiana plantation is your purse. There’s no reason to select a plantation that is out of your price range only to cause more stress for your big day. Louisiana has plenty of plantations to choose from, so you are guaranteed to get the look you want for a price you can afford.

Accommodations: Accommodations go hand in hand with budget, especially if you are an out-of-town bride. It’s true, brides choose Louisiana plantations because these are the best and most beautiful wedding venues Louisiana has to offer, but when there’s a wedding, all your friends and family want to be there. That’s what makes plantations so great; there’s plenty of room for everyone. Many plantations offer package deals when booking a wedding to accommodate your wedding party and family members. These packages usually include discounted rates for the rooms, catering services for the bridal party the day of the wedding, and access to in-house salons or boutiques to help everyone look their best on your special day.

Louisiana Plantations Are Packed With Fun !!!

Planning for the Big Day: Plantations are staffed with great people with genuine southern hospitality to help you plan your big day, along with event planners to meet with you and your wedding planner to help create your special day. Some plantations may even provide their own décor to use that can stand alone, or supplement your decorations.  Albany Plantation staff will be there to help set up your big day and also clean up after your celebration.

 Vendors: Plantations want to help you have the most beautiful wedding possible and enjoy your experience at the plantation. They also understand that brides want a reception that guests will remember for a lifetime and that involves hiring vendors. Plantations will usually offer a list of local vendors that they have worked with in the past, and who are familiar with their setup. Plantation vendor lists usually are an array of choices from DJs to bands, and event decorators to photographers. Having a small selection of vendors makes it less stressful on the bride, but also ensures your wedding day is as perfect as you pictured.

Louisiana plantations want to give you the best experience they have to offer. With their southern hospitality, they give you the help you need in accommodating your wedding party, friends, and family before the big day. Plus, they want to help make your wedding day perfect, and will set up and ensure every detail is in place to give you the wedding of your dreams.

Louisiana Cajun Wedding Traditions

When it comes to tradition, weddings take the cake. The style of dress, the order of the ceremony, the venue, even the reception, is largely steeped in tradition. These traditions are usually passed down from our parents, grandparents, culture, and even the book of etiquette. If there is any culture that emphasizes tradition it has to be Cajuns, who thrive in a traditional environment, which makes family and a good time the center of any event. Nevertheless, when it comes to weddings, Cajuns have their unique traditions, and Louisiana wedding venues are perfect for engaging in those traditions. Cajuns understand the sanctity of a marriage ceremony as an official ceremony happening before a priest that came every few months. Before the oil boom of the 1930s, couples would have to travel to a large city or wait for a traveling priest to come to a nearby town to have an official ceremony. Many brides and grooms became impatient, so to substitute for an official ceremony, the families of the bride and groom would hold a broom for the couple to jump over to authorize their marriage. Even though couples jumped the broom and celebrated their marriage, they always made their marriage official before a priest.

  Louisiana Weddings

After the ceremony is complete, it is time for the real Cajun spirit to come alive in the reception. When the bride and groom enter, they have the wedding march, or “La Bal de Noce,” where the bride and groom march around the dance floor until everyone has joined, and then the couple shares in their first dance. If guests want a dance with the bride and groom, they must pin money to the bride’s veil or the groom’s suit, which is great way to ensure the couple will have the finances to start their new life together. Many Louisiana wedding venues are very conducive to this tradition. Guests are encouraged to toast the couple and sing French songs. Many of these songs address weddings, marriage troubles and the overall bitter-sweetness of marriage. The wedding dinner has traditional Cajun food, gumbo, catfish, and home-style cooking. One Cajun tradition that has become popular is a groom’s cake. The original tradition holds that the groom’s cake is chocolate and the groom’s grandfather or godfather must cut the cake.

Cajuns understand the value of tradition, which is bringing families together and having a good time. If you are a Louisiana native or a bride that has fallen in love with Louisiana wedding venues, you will be impressed with the hospitality and traditions of the Cajun people.

Wedding Dress Styles For Louisiana Plantation Weddings

 

The first things brides do after they are engaged is go wedding dress shopping. The most important thing to keep in mind when selecting a dress is your venue. You do not want to select a wedding dress that is too formal and upstages your venue. Fortunately, with many of the wedding venues Louisiana has, particularly plantations, you cannot be too formal for your wedding. Here are the five best wedding dress styles for Louisiana plantations.

 

Simple but Elegant: Nothing beats the simple, elegant look of a sheath dress for the beauty of a plantation’s grounds. A simple dress will enhance your beauty and the beauty of your surroundings. The simple elegance will offer a serene sense of beauty to your big day, giving guests a peaceful, yet joyful, experience.

 

Strictly Ball Gown: There is the all time favorite style of dress, the princess-style ball gown, which will suit the grandeur of Louisiana plantations. You can walk down the aisle to your Prince Charming, with all the grace and beauty of a princess. There should be no fear that your dress will upstage the setting, as it will simply transform any Louisiana plantation into a kingdom in need of a princess.

 

Fit, Flare, and Flirty: A stunning fit and flare dress can set the stage for a wedding of dramatic proportions. Fit and flare gowns give you a sultry look without looking out of place at a plantation. These gowns look romantic against the garden backdrop of a traditional Louisiana plantation.

 

The Short of It: A short wedding dress seems to be as non-traditional as a southern bride can get; however, short wedding dresses can enhance the down-home country feel of your Louisiana plantation wedding, in spite of the plantation’s own extravagance. This style of dress will help guests to feel as if they are right at home in their own backyard, while still maintaining a beautiful wedding.

 

Going Old School: With a vintage style gown, you can have all the lace and appliqué possible, or be a Grace Kelly lookalike, all in order to transport your guests to a different decade. The best part about having your wedding at a Louisiana plantation is that you are never out of style, no matter which era you choose.

 

Louisiana plantations make great wedding venues, not only because of their options for ceremony and reception, but also for the style that makes any bride feel beautiful on her wedding day. No matter which dress you choose for your big day, a plantation as a venue will only enhance your style.

 

Louisiana Homes and Louisiana Home Plans

Five Mistakes New Brides Make When Booking a Wedding Venue

 

Your wedding day  is a special occasion filled with family and friends to celebrate the union of the most beautiful couple in the world. Louisiana plantations offer the best wedding venues with different looks to suit your wedding theme. Albany Plantation gives you one of the best wedding venues Louisiana has to offer and can meet all your specifications in a venue. In planning a wedding, there are five common mistakes new brides make when booking their venue. The first mistake brides make when planning their wedding at a Louisiana plantations venue is booking a venue outside their budget. Renting a Louisiana plantation can be an expensive way to create your magical day with the splendor and charm a plantation offers. Budget is extremely important for any bride as it can cause unneeded stress in a busy time. Louisiana plantations offer a charm all their own and can provide an atmosphere to suit any budget.

 Booking Your Louisiana Wedding Venue

When booking a venue it is important to keep in mind the backdrop for your wedding, whether it is indoors or outdoors. Many venues offer one option and do not accommodate for last minute changes or disasters. If your wedding is outdoors, you will need a back-up space inside that offers the same charm and elegance for your ceremony. Unfortunately, not many venues offer versatility in location. Albany Plantations, which has 33 acres of land, can accommodate any type of outdoor wedding, and also has large indoor spaces, in case of bad weather, or for receptions. Make sure when booking a venue that the venue offers versatility to suit last minute changes to your perfect day. Another tip is discussing with your venue personnel what vendors they allow. If you plan to have a band, open bar, dance floor, and a DJ, you will want to check with your venue to make sure they accommodate your entertaining style. Most venues have an approved vendors list to choose from to give you options when entertaining your guests.

 The Cost of Your Wedding Facility

When choosing your wedding venue you will want to consider the catering options each venue provides. Some venues will not provide their own catering, allow only certain catering companies, or they will only allow you to use their catering with no exceptions. In addition, it is important to check the cost of catering to see if it is part of your venue package in order to stay within budget.The last tip when choosing a venue is to be considerate of your guests. We know the day is all about the bride and groom, but if you want the magical wedding that becomes the social event of the year, you will want your guests to be happy. Make sure the outdoor space is easily accessible or that the indoor space is spacious enough for you guest list.Your wedding should be a stress free, memorable event, and your venue is the key factor in creating the perfect environment. Louisiana plantations can offer the charm and family atmosphere you want in your wedding. Remember, some of the best wedding locations are available at Albany Plantation.

 

 

Three New Vintage Ideas for Your Upcoming Wedding

Vintage is in! Whether dealing with clothes, furniture, or jewelry, or, for the bibliophile, books, “vintage” implies a time-tested value and comfort in knowing there is a tradition of which you are now a part. In today’s world of temporary, disposable and immediate, desiring something that is vintage is a statement of exceptional value and wisdom that only comes with time. Weddings that express a vintage quality may also imply that a marriage ceremony itself has value connected to an extended heritage, and where better to find such a depth of history than with wedding venues Louisiana and the rich, established Cajun heritage.

Cajun traditions offer an opportunity to express value, romance and mystery that is hard to beat. Beginning in the middle of the 18^th century, Acadian exiles from Nova Scotia and other maritime provinces refused to bow down to external pressure and as such, not only displayed unique courage, but also a tenacity that eventually landed them in Louisiana between 1754 and 1763. Since that time, their cultural identities have woven a rich tradition that is unmatched into the fabric of Louisiana life. Cultural expressions of Les Acadiens, alongside the desire for a vintage wedding of value, wisdom and depth are a perfect match.

One great idea is to move away from the stereotyped “order of ceremony” and build into the occasion a more open and free-flowing service interspersed with unique characteristics. Punctuality is not universally admired, and perhaps a wonderful vintage idea is to enjoy the wedding and reception spread out over an afternoon and evening in one location where the beginning, middle and ending are not so carefully choreographed. Encourage guests to relax and simply let things happen as they may. Chaos is part of the Creole world that matches the wonders of creation, a world to which they are intimately attached.

Another wonderful vintage expression is the music selection. Put away the string quartet and pipe organ and bring on the accordion and the fiddle. As the music plays, let the bride and groom march around the wedding hall slowly, perhaps in a creolized waltz rhythm, and slowly invite family then guests to join them. When the music finds a resting place, begin the ceremony in a casual and joyful atmosphere. Traditionally, the couples would have to wait a while for the circuit priest to show up anyway, so there’s time! In the early days, couples would perhaps jump over a broom held by their families to legalize the union and to get the festivities and dancing started long before clergy arrived.

A third idea revolves around the cuisine, traditionally simple yet flavorful, and rather than waiting to eat at a reception following a stylized ceremony, have the traditional three pots of delicacies available for whenever someone is ready to eat. In a world of ever-burgeoning complexity, Creole cuisine is uncomplicated with rice/cornmeal, seasoned vegetable gumbo (don’t forget the cayenne), and then a main dish such as crawfish or shrimp. Many Louisiana wedding venues show that it’s not about the presentation; it’s about participation and the joie de vivre that every Cajun seems to understand down to their very core!

Ponchatoula Wedding Venues

Ponchatoula Louisiana is a small town known for strawberries and antiques. Each year thousands of on lookers, guests and festival goers show up for the Ponchatoula strawberry festival. There are a few wonderful places to married in Ponchatoula and a few miles right outside. You have a few choices for your Ponchatoula Wedding Venue, but we encourage you to take a short drive to Albany Louisiana where you will find Albany Plantation. The plantation offers options, like huge french quarter style balconies, 33 rural acres of countryside, an arbor that can be placed where ever you choose for y0ur ceremony. The options for your ceremony are endless and our staff sits down with you one on one to address any questions. When you factor in the price and options we are able to offer we are head and  shoulders above the rest.

Located right outside Ponchatoula Louisiana, this wedding site is great for brides wanting a Plantation or just an outdoor wedding Ceremony. Get out of the city where noise and high prices are some of customers main concerns.

Albany Plantation is Perfect for your Ponchatoula Wedding or Event

The overall feel of the Plantation was taken from Natchez Ms architecture along with the Plantations along the Mississippi river. We offer a big Plantation atmosphere, come visit Albany Plantation where we will work with you and treat you like family

Don’t Take My Word For It !!   Check our Google Places Page and look at some of the pictures below and send me an email and tell me what you think.

DIY Tips for your Louisiana Plantation Wedding

 

Whether you are a bride on a budget or a bride looking to enjoy bonding activities with your bridesmaids, consider a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) project for your Louisiana plantations wedding. There are so many DIY projects for you to enjoy, from small projects to extensive ones. Involve your family and friends in your DIY projects and they’ll feel honored that you trust then to help with your special day. The best way to keep down costs at a wedding is to add DIY elements to your most costly wedding expenses. Here are some DIY tips to help keep those expenses down at wedding venues Louisiana, and have fun with your bridal party and family in the process.

    

Wedding invitations are costly with the invitations themselves, the invitation envelopes, and RSVP cards and envelopes. A bride can take on a DIY project for invitations that will keep costs down without sacrificing quality. Plan a DIY day with your bridesmaids, mother, and future mother-in-law. Go to a craft-supply or stationery store and purchase the blank elements of your invitations, including the paper, envelopes, and any decorations that you want. Print the body of the invitations on that paper at home, and then put them together with ribbons and strategically-placed adhesive in an assembly-line style at your party. You can also enlist your friends to help make gorgeous centerpieces for your Louisiana plantations wedding. Purchase tall glass vases, glass pebbles or beautiful stones, and floating candles. Put the glass pebbles or stones at the bottom of the vase, fill the vase halfway with water, and light the floating candles inside of the vase, for captivating, romantic centerpieces without the cost of live flowers for each table.

 The more you involve your family and friends in your wedding preparations and your Louisiana plantations wedding day, the more they will feel that it is a celebration of newly joined family. Borrow tables, chairs, linen, lace tablecloths, silver, and place settings for your reception from your friends and family. Do as much DIY wedding preparation as you can before your wedding day. Place trusted family and friends in charge of decorations the day of your wedding. You can make handmade boutonnieres for your groom, and each of your bridesmaids can make matching ones for his groomsmen. Use borrowed silk, lace, and ribbons to decorate your wedding aisle instead of costly flowers, and ask a professional to show you how to do your own hair and makeup, for a DIY wedding that does not sacrifice beauty for cost. One thing that sets us apart from some other venues is the fact that just a short drive to the center of Albany is the best Hammond Restaurants  for Mexican food .  You can also visit our sister site Albany Plantation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Louisiana Honeymoon Locations

Your  wedding is as unique as your love, and your Louisiana honeymoon should be, too. Brides who plan Baton Rouge or New Orleans weddings can spend their honeymoons enjoying the best of Louisiana culture. Couples have long found romance in Louisiana’s vibrant cities and lush natural settings, especially on the river and in the excitement of the Louisiana bayous. Whether you are looking to escape it all with the love of your life, indulge in art and experience the heartbeat of a city, or go on an adventure as newlyweds, there is something for everyone in a Louisiana honeymoon.

You do not have to go to France to enjoy fine art and acclaimed cuisine – go to New Orleans, which might be more aptly called the Paris of America. New Orleans is dripping with culture and attractions, and it will be easy for you to plan a honeymoon here from Baton Rouge weddings. No matter whether you prefer modern art or classic treasures from the master painters of old, New Orleans has an art museum for you to explore. First, there is the 100-year-old New Orleans Museum of Art, with an art collection valued at $200 million, including Latin, American, European, Asian, and African art. If you enjoy modern pieces, visit the Contemporary Arts Center and the Besthoff Sculpture Garden. Don’t forget the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, home to the world’s greatest collection of southern art. Relax afterwards by enjoying fine cuisine at Herb saint or Restaurant August, consistently included in the Times-Picayune’s Dining Guide to the Top 10 New Orleans restaurants.

 

 Louisiana Has it all, Great sites, friendly people and Great eats!!

If you want a vintage-style honeymoon after Baton Rouge weddings, take a Mississippi River cruise with your sweetheart. The most famous riverboat was the Delta Queen, which churned up and down the Mississippi for almost 100 years, showing lovebirds famous sites, Victorian architecture, and wonderful jazz music. There are infinite varieties of riverboats to choose from, depending on how long you want to escape it all on the Mississippi River together. Slow things down on the Paddlewheeler Creole Queen, for a private charter or romantic creole cuisine and live music. Try the Casino Magic for riverboat gambling if you are in search of a floating casino, or you can take a short cruise on the New Orleans Creole Queen, exploring the old swamps and Louisiana bayous. Or, you can take a cruise on the Chalmette Battlefield River Cruise, seeing sites such as the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, and the site of the 1815 Battle of New Orleans. After your special day at wedding venues Louisiana, celebrate Louisiana culture during your honeymoon.