An Unforgettable Wedding at NOMA

New Orleans Museum of Art is an exquisite place to display your love. Saying your nuptials at the oldest fine art museum in the big easy, among 5000 years of work, is a tasteful and creative way to say I do. Especially, if you have an interest in culturally rich experiences and having an unforgettable wedding at NOMA.

Established in the early nineteen-hundreds under its prior name, the Isaac Delgado Museum of Art, this iconic landmark draws people in from all over the world for its stunning historic architecture and vast collection of 40,000 objects, that range from Italian Renaissance to modern era pieces.

It’s also nicely situated within a scenic city park, only a short distance from Esplanade Avenue and the end of Canal Street. And the cherry on top of it all— The Sydney & Wanda Besthoff Sculpture Garden—an outdoor display of more than 90 works on a picturesque landscape. In other words: the perfect wedding backdrop.

An Unforgettable Wedding at NOMA

For Sarah and George, choosing the NOMA Sculpture Garden as their wedding venue was a no brainer. With eleven acres of pines, magnolias, and live oaks surrounding two lagoons, we were able to stretch their special day across multiple viewing spaces. The celebration flowed with the layout:

Ceremony at Love Garden

Cocktail Hour at The Amphitheater

Seated Dinner at Oak Grove

Dessert & Dance Party at Pine Grove

Design Inspiration

When creating the initial design, I really allowed NOMA to become my muse. One of the most important things about hosting an event in an art space is not to compete with it. We leaned into the greens of the space and the color palette was completely inspired by its surroundings with additional greens, white and natural wood.

For decor, trees were used as the focal point to create an organic and lush feel. All details were sophisticated and refined. Even the paper was simple and elegant. With any outdoor wedding, the main objective should be to make the space intuitive and inviting. Utilizing a minimalist approach, the arrangement of the furniture was important to make guests feel welcomed and considered.

Flow of Events

Upon entering, everyone knew exactly where to go and what to do. And where it wasn’t completely obvious, transition entertainment showed them the way. Not just one, but two, second lines moved attendees through the gardens as the evening progressed, making it an unforgettable wedding at NOMA.

Bites were equally as thoughtful. The newly reopened Café NOMA by Ralph Brennan served a delicious array of cocktails. Black Pearl Catering created artful mouthwatering dishes that left all satisfied yet wanting more after the night concluded. See how it all went down: