New Orleans · Spring 2027 · 200 guests
Purpose of this document: Complete handoff of the venue comparison analysis. Contains all decisions, assumptions, cost models, research findings, open questions, and known errors/corrections. Companion file:Wedding_Venue_Comparison.xlsx.
Analysis date: July 11, 2026. Pricing sourced from vendor packets (Hotel Peter & Paul / Bacchanal, The Josephine / Dickie Brennan, NOPSI) plus market research current as of this date.
These are decided. Do not re-litigate them.
| Parameter | Decision |
|---|---|
| Guest count | 200 |
| Ceremony | Fully seated (200 chairs) |
| Reception format | Cocktail / buffet — NO seated plated dinner |
| Reception seating | Only 30–40% of guests (~60–80 seats); focus is the dance floor |
| Food | Substantial. Guests eat a full evening's worth. Nobody leaves to eat elsewhere. |
| Bar | Full bar, mid-premium tier. Not well liquor, not top-shelf. |
| Music | Live band, at every venue, no exceptions |
| Second line | IN. (Couple is lukewarm on it; large out-of-town contingent cares a lot.) |
| Planner | Full-service (not just the minimum required coordinator) |
| Reception length | 3 hours base; 4th hour priced as an option |
| Venue | Target date | Day | Festival conflict? |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Josephine (Dickie Brennan) | March 12, 2027 | Friday | Clear |
| Hotel Peter & Paul (Bacchanal) | April 16, 2027 | Friday | Clear |
| NOPSI Hotel | April 17, 2027 | Saturday | Clear |
2027 festival dates (verified): French Quarter Fest Apr 8–11 · Jazz Fest Apr 22–25 & Apr 29–May 2.
All three target dates avoid both festivals. No surge pricing. Date selection is good.
| Venue | Cost | Per guest |
|---|---|---|
| Josephine (Fri) | ~$35k | ~$177 |
| NOPSI (Sat, Krauss $182 pkg) | ~$65k | ~$324 |
| Peter & Paul (Fri) | ~$67k | ~$334 |
| Peter & Paul (Sat) | ~$68k | ~$339 |
| NOPSI (Sat, Maison Blanche $225 pkg) | ~$78k | ~$389 |
| Venue | Grand total |
|---|---|
| Josephine (Fri) | ~$107k |
| NOPSI (Sat, Krauss) | ~$137k |
| Peter & Paul (Fri) | ~$139k |
| Peter & Paul (Sat) | ~$140k |
| NOPSI (Sat, Maison Blanche) | ~$149k |
Optional 4th reception hour: ~$4.5k (P&P) · ~$2.5k (Josephine) · ~$4.75k (NOPSI)
Headline: Josephine is ~$30k cheaper than the other two, which land within a few thousand dollars of each other. Once P&P and NOPSI are effectively tied on cost, the decision between them is qualitative, not financial.
Faubourg Marigny · restored 1861 church · 4,950 sqft, 75 ft ceilings
Model: ~$67k (Fri) / ~$68k (Sat) — venue + catering, 3 hr
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Site fee (Sat $14,000 / Fri $13,000) | $13–14k |
| F&B ($139/pp: apps $22 + stations $43 + 2nd entrée $14 + grazing $15 + bar Tier 2 $45) | ~$27.8k |
| Rentals (glass/china $14pp, kitchen pop-up $1,000, 105 extra ceremony chairs, cake cutting) | ~$5.0k |
| Labor (~20 staff, ~6hr call; $220/staff first 3hr + $40/hr after) | ~$7.5k |
| Tent contingency | ~$3.0k |
| Bridal prep room | ~$0.7k |
| Admin 7.5% + sales tax 10.75% + optional 8% gratuity | ~$11.0k |
Structure: Most à-la-carte, most assembly. Bacchanal itemizes labor separately (low 7.5% admin charge looks cheap until you add labor + rentals back).
Capacity note (IMPORTANT): Bacchanal caps plated/family-style at 150 guests; church seats 200 buffet/stations, 250 standing. This was a dealbreaker under the original plated-dinner assumption — it is NOT a problem for the cocktail/buffet format. The church is arguably ideal for it.
Included: 95 Chiavari chairs, 10× 60" rounds, 12× 30" tables, baby grand piano, mic/speakers, architectural lighting, Circus Bar.
Pros
Cons / risks
Uptown, 2400 Napoleon · former Our Lady of Lourdes · Main Hall 5,200 sqft, projection-mapped dome
Model: ~$35k (Fri) — venue + catering, 3 hr
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Friday venue rental (Oct–June rate) | $5,000 |
| F&B ($111/pp: Evening Reception 2 $59 + Premium Bar $40 + dessert stations $12) | ~$22.2k |
| Rentals | $0 (furniture, linens, AV, projection, event mgr, security all included) |
| Service charge (~24% ASSUMED) + tax (~10.25% ASSUMED) | ~$8.1k |
Capacity: Cocktail reception 400 inside / 600 with courtyards. Seated dinner 300. No constraint at 200.
Venue rental card (spring = Oct–June): Mon–Thu $2,500 · Fri $5,000 · Sat $9,000 · Sun $5,000
Pros
Cons / risks
317 Baronne St, CBD · 216-room hotel · Dryades Ballroom
Model: ~$65k (Sat, Krauss) — venue + catering, 3 hr
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Ceremony — Henry's Gin Yard Courtyard (up to 200) | $4,000 |
| Reception — Dryades Ballroom (up to 250, must flip; includes stage + dance floor) | $1,500 |
| Package: Krauss $182/pp + premium spirit upgrade $9/pp | ~$38.2k |
| Service 24% + Event fee 10% + tax 10.75% + $500 cleanup | ~$21.4k |
Package options (per guest, bar + food bundled, 3-hr open bar):
⚠️ Recommendation: Given the "no one leaves to eat" requirement, Maison Blanche (~$78k venue+catering, ~$149k grand total) is the honest fit. Krauss saves ~$12k but is a lighter spread.
Included in all packages: Comp guestroom for couple (Edison Suite upgrade), 2 comp parent suite upgrades, discounted guest room block w/ personalized link, house tables/chairs/dance floor/stage, colored linens, cake cutting, coffee, tray-passed sparkling wine, bridal attendant, onsite event specialist, entree tasting, discounted valet.
Pros
Cons / risks
| Item | Estimate | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Reception band | $9,000 | 7–10pc NOLA horn/dance band. Aggregators quote $2–4k but those are small combos; a band that holds a 200-person floor is $6–15k+ |
| Second line (LOCKED IN) | $3,200 | Permit ~$200 + NOPD escort ~$400–700 + walking brass band $1.5–3k + parasols/hankies. Separate band from the reception band. |
| Ceremony musicians | $1,200 | Pianist/strings/soloist — separate from both above |
| Florals & decor | $10,000 | Fat Cat has a $5k minimum ($7.5k Sat) — that sets the market floor. Fewer centerpieces (only 30–40% seated) → shift budget to ceremony aisle + cocktail installs |
| Photography + videography | $8,500 | Note: venues' "complimentary photography" only means permission to shoot on property — it is NOT a photographer. You hire this everywhere. |
| Full-service planner (LOCKED IN) | $12,000 | Full-service NOLA runs $8–15k. Required minimum at P&P and Josephine is a 90-day coordinator ($2.5–4k) — you cannot zero this out at those venues. Luxury firms start commissions at $50k. |
| Wedding cake | $1,200 | Venue cutting fees already in venue models |
| Stationery / invitations | $1,800 | Save-dates, invites, RSVP, thank-you, signage |
| Hair & makeup | $2,500 | Bride + ~6–8 party + trial |
| Attire (both, + alterations) | $6,000 | Highly personal — set yourselves |
| Officiant | $600 | |
| Transport / shuttle / valet | $1,500 | |
| Rehearsal dinner (~50) | $5,000 | Near-certain given heavy out-of-town crowd. NOPSI can host in-house. |
| Welcome gathering | $3,000 | Common for travel-heavy weddings; scalable/optional |
| Vendor meals (~18) | $700 | Bacchanal $20/pp · NOPSI $49/pp |
| Event liability insurance | $250 | Commonly required; all vendors must be licensed/insured |
| Gratuities (beyond catering service chg) | $3,500 | Band, photo/video, HMU, transport, catering staff |
| Misc buffer | $2,000 | Favors, welcome bags, day rentals |
Assumes ~130 out-of-town guests ≈ 65 rooms, double occupancy. Includes ~16.2% hotel tax + $1/night occupancy fee.
| Josephine (Mar 12) | Peter & Paul (Apr 16) | NOPSI (Apr 17) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where guests stay | Off-site (CBD/FQ) | On-site (71 rooms) | On-site (216 rooms) |
| Rate/night | ~$225 | ~$315 | ~$325 |
| Per guest, 3-night | ~$420 | ~$554 | ~$571 |
| Per guest, 5-night | ~$686 | ~$923 | ~$952 |
| Walk home from reception? | ❌ Rideshare to Uptown | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Aggregate guest spend (core) | ~$55k | ~$72k | ~$74k |
| Parking | Limited | Self $15/night | Valet $47/night |
Key findings:
Open idea not yet modeled: couple funds a guest shuttle (~$1,500–3,000) at Josephine to solve its off-site/scattered problem while preserving its ~$30k venue savings + cheaper guest rooms. This is arguably what makes Josephine competitive on experience, not just price. Worth modeling next.
| # | Question | Venue | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | What is the actual service charge + tax? | Josephine | Not stated in their packet. Softest number in the whole model, on the cheapest option. Could move the total materially. |
| 2 | "We're having a live band with a dance floor — how do bands handle the 85 dB cap here?" | Peter & Paul | Potentially gating. Band + dance floor is a locked priority; 85 dB is low. |
| 3 | Does the 4.5-hr access window + 10 PM hard stop actually fit ceremony + flip + cocktail hour + reception + second line? | Peter & Paul | Timeline may be genuinely too tight for the full plan. |
| 4 | Krauss vs. Maison Blanche? | NOPSI | ~$12k swing. Maison fits "nobody leaves hungry" better (2 stations + charcuterie + late-nite). |
| 5 | Is the Josephine Suite available for Amanda's prep? | Josephine | Bridal prep confirmed at P&P and NOPSI; assumed but unconfirmed here. |
| 6 | Does the party need to run past 10 PM? | All | P&P and Josephine both hard-stop at 10 PM (residential noise ordinances). NOPSI (CBD hotel) is more flexible. This quietly narrows the field regardless of cost. |
| 7 | Second line feasibility from Uptown | Josephine | Flows naturally from Marigny (P&P) and CBD (NOPSI); awkward from Uptown residential. |
Wedding_Venue_Comparison.xlsx)| Tab | Contents |
|---|---|
| Summary | Side-by-side venue+catering comparison, all four day/venue combos |
| Peter & Paul | Full line-item build, Fri + Sat, 4th-hour option, 85 dB flag |
| Josephine | Full line-item build; assumed fees highlighted yellow |
| NOPSI | Krauss build + Maison Blanche alternate |
| Other Vendors | Market research, lean vs. elevated ranges, grand totals |
| Recommended Build | Single best-estimate numbers w/ locked decisions (planner + second line) |
| Guest Hotel Cost | Per-guest / per-room / aggregate lodging by venue & date |
Conventions: Blue = hardcoded input (adjustable). Black/green = formula. Yellow = assumption needing confirmation. Guest count is a single driver cell (Summary!B4) — change it and everything recalculates.