New Orleans City Park Peristyle

When we were shopping around for a wedding location in New Orleans, there were definitely a lot of choices.  Front runners included Audubon park, plantation outside the city, and City Park.  We eventually decided on City Park for several reasons:  you could bring in your own caterer (and finding a vegan friendly caterer at the other locations was a bit of a challenge), it was close to the french quarter where our guests would be staying, dogs were allowed on the grounds and we couldn’t miss the fact that the Peristyle was pretty much the perfect place for an outdoor wedding ceremony.

Here’s a little info about the Peristyle, because it’s a historic part of the city (and not just for weddings).

The Peristyle is a magnificent Neo-Classical structure with majestic Ionic columns and is one of City Park’s oldest structures. Built in 1907, the Peristyle was originally designed as a dancing pavilion. Four concrete lions, some of the most recognizable denizens of City Park, guard the Peristyle where stairs lead down to the edge of Bayou Metairie. Ducks, geese, swans swim merrily by during the day and the Peristyle is dramatically reflected into the Bayou by night.

And although the Peristyle itself is magnificent enough on its own, the park surrounding it isn’t too shabby either!

City Park holds the world’s largest collection of mature live oak trees, some older than 600 years in age. Its founding in 1853 also makes it one of the oldest parks in the country.

Just to the right of the Peristyle is a little swampy area with lots of spanish moss, live oaks, and ducks swimming about.  It makes for a beautiful backdrop for the ceremony – and a huge distraction for Eliot.  I have a small army assigned to keeping him out of the swamp until the ceremony is over, photos are taken, and my white dress is safely tucked away in the reception building!