Plenty of couples fall for Louisiana from far away. Maybe it is family roots, a favorite trip or the food. Then comes the practical problem: you cannot drop by for a tour, sit down with a coordinator or check on the vendors. A wedding planned from another state, or another country, can feel like a wedding planned blind.
It does not have to. Here is how remote planning works at Fleur de Lis Event Center in Mandeville, and what to ask any venue if you will be planning from a distance.
You can book without visiting first
Couples can reserve a date without first visiting in person. Virtual guided tours and virtual meetings are available for out-of-state and international couples, and you can review a sample contract before you commit to anything.
Payments do not require a trip to the office either. Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, cash and checks are all accepted with no added fee. If family in more than one state is helping pay, multiple people can make payments as long as each payment is clearly identified with your name and event date. For how the rest of the pricing works, see Wedding Pricing: How It Works.
What to ask for on a virtual tour
A virtual tour is only useful if it shows you what you will actually use. Ask to see:
- The ballroom you are considering, including the dance floor, bars and where guests will sit.
- The private courtyard, which doubles as the ceremony space. Each ballroom’s courtyard has a permanent wrought-iron dome with a chandelier.
- The indoor ceremony setting. If weather changes the plan, the ceremony moves inside your own ballroom with no additional ceremony charge, so a rain plan is part of the picture from day one.
- The getting-ready suites.
Also ask for a floor plan or layout diagram. Those are available by request, and they let you plan seating and the flow of the room from home.
If you are planning one trip, ask when the next bridal show is. Fleur de Lis normally holds approximately three per year, and couples can visit a ballroom staged like a reception, with the bars open and a selection of wedding food. The bride and groom attend free with registration, and other guests are generally $10 each.
Your coordinator is the one constant
Every wedding has a designated lead bridal coordinator. It is the same person who works with you during planning and who runs your wedding day, so you are not handed to a stranger at the end. You will complete a planning questionnaire and timeline, and a décor meeting is part of the normal process. You can meet as reasonably needed during office hours.
One practical note: the office is normally staffed Monday through Friday, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, which is Central time. Keep that in mind when you are scheduling from the East or West Coast.
It also helps to know what the service is. Fleur de Lis provides comprehensive on-site wedding coordination. The team is not an off-site wedding planner, so you will still choose and hire your outside vendors yourself.
Vendors: the part that worries couples most
Outside photographers, videographers, florists, cake bakers, decorators and live bands are generally allowed, and outside DJs need prior approval and must provide their own equipment. Vendors are expected to be licensed and insured. If you do not know anyone in the area, there is no fixed preferred-vendor list, but the team can help you identify vendors as part of planning.
The part that takes the weight off a long-distance couple is what happens next. As part of the planning process, you give the team each vendor’s name, phone and email. During the week before the wedding, Fleur de Lis contacts your vendors directly to confirm arrival, unloading, setup location, electrical needs and cake delivery. On the wedding day, staff receive and direct vendors, so nobody needs to find you or your family for basic instructions. You are not the middleman.
If you want to send favors, signage or other items ahead of time, coordinate with the team before anything ships. Items can be delivered to the venue before the event, and staff can help with unloading and setup within the practical limits of the day.
Think about your guests, too
- Getting here. Fleur de Lis is in Mandeville, on the Northshore, not in New Orleans itself. The venue is approximately 35 minutes from New Orleans under normal conditions, so guests flying in should plan for that drive when booking hotels.
- Parking. Free on-site parking for 175+ vehicles, with adjoining overflow parking available, and overnight parking is allowed. The building is easy to spot from the main road.
- Accessibility. Our primary event spaces are accessible without requiring second-floor access. Second-floor areas are accessible by stairs only and there is no elevator. Contact us about specific needs for older relatives.
- Guest count. Out-of-town RSVPs tend to come in late. Ask for the exact guest-count deadlines in writing, and for how increases and decreases are handled.
A simple order of operations
- Take a virtual tour and review the sample contract.
- Reserve your date.
- Hire your outside vendors, and send the planning team their contact details.
- Complete the planning questionnaire and timeline, and hold your décor meeting.
- If you will be in town, booked couples can schedule complimentary engagement or bridal portraits at the venue. These are subject to coordination and availability, and are usually arranged on weekdays during office hours.
- If your ceremony is at the venue, ask about scheduling a ceremony rehearsal while your wedding party is in town. A rehearsal practice is available through Fleur de Lis as an optional add-on, and our staff direct it.
- In the week before the wedding, expect the team to contact your vendors. Then arrive, and enjoy it.
Questions to ask any venue when you are planning from afar
- Can I tour virtually, and can I see a floor plan?
- Can I review the contract before I pay?
- How do I make payments from another state?
- Who is my point of contact, and will it be the same person on the wedding day?
- Who contacts my vendors, and when?
- Can I ship items to the venue ahead of time?
- What is the backup plan if it rains?
- What are the guest-count deadlines?
Start with a virtual tour
If you are planning a Louisiana wedding from out of state, we would be glad to walk you through the rooms by video and answer your questions. Contact the Fleur de Lis office to schedule a virtual tour and talk through your date and guest count.
Related: What’s Included in a Fleur de Lis Wedding | Included On-Site Wedding Coordination
