Derbes Mansion is a charming New Orleans wedding venue. It gives you the best of New Orleans with plenty of space to party in style. Jordan and Connor’s destination wedding incorporated some New Orleans traditions and lots of fun-filled moments with their friends and family.

A groom kisses a bride in a garden outside Derbes Mansion New Orleans.

The Derbes Mansion: A Historic New Orleans Wedding Venue

The Derbes Mansion is a private home that has been converted into a New Orleans wedding venue. The decor preserves the historic charm with gilded mirror and gorgeous wood furniture. The main rooms, including the Dining Room, Library, Parlor, and Rose Room have a modern sense of color weaved into the charming aesthetic.

White wedding flowers decorate a fountain in the courtyard of Derbes Mansion New Orleans.

A custom neon wedding sign hangs in a gazebo beside a pool at a Derbes Mansion wedding.

White flowers and candles decorate round tables for a wedding reception in the garden at Derbes Mansion.

A green and white crystal chandelier hangs from a ceiling in a New Orleans wedding venue.

With a Derbes Mansion wedding, you get to do everything in one location. You can get ready, hold your wedding, stay overnight, and even swim here. The stately porch makes the perfect setting for your ceremony. Meanwhile the gardens are ideal for an outdoor cocktail hour and reception.

A bridesmaid in a black sequin bridesmaid dress fastens a wedding gown while a bride stands beside a window in Derbes Mansion.

A bride and groom embrace on a porch during their first look.

A bride laughs as she hugs a groom in a black and white wedding photo.

If you’re looking for New Orleans charm without feeling cramped in the French Quarter, Derbes Mansion is a great option. It’s just under a mile outside the French Quarter on Esplanade Avenue. Plenty of bed and breakfasts and restaurants dot the streets around it. It’s ideal for a destination wedding or hosting a lot of guests who have never seen the city before.

A bride and groom kiss on the porch of Derbes Mansion while bridesmaids cheer from the balcony.

A groom spins a bride in front of Derbes Mansion while bridesmaids in black dresses watch from a balcony.

A groom kisses a bride for a kiss in front of a fountain at a New Orleans wedding venue.

A New Orleans-Style Celebration

By the time Jordan and Connor held their Derbes Mansion wedding, they’d been together for nine years. They’d been best friends long before they started dating. You can feel that depth to their relationship when you’re around them. I had so much fun photographing them!

A New Orleans wedding photographer photographs a bride and groom posing in a doorway inside Derbes Mansion.

A bride and groom walk down a sunlit staircase inside a historic wedding venue.

A bride and groom sit at the foot of a wooden staircase inside Derbes Mansion.

When I asked them about their aesthetic vision for their wedding, they said they wanted lots of “black, white, and neutral tones of champagne and dark green. We’re going for elegant and timeless.” Jordan and Connor knocked it out of the park with their classic attire and decor.

A bride and groom pose for an editorial wedding photo with their wedding party on the steps of Derbes Mansion.

In a courtyard, a bride and bridesmaids walk towards a New Orleans wedding photographer.

A welcome sign announces Jordan and Connor's wedding beside an iron gate.

Even though Jordan and Connor went for a timeless wedding aesthetic, their celebration felt anything but cookie cutter! Most of their guests traveled with them from the Metro Detroit area, and it was their first time in New Orleans. Jordan and Connor included some fun traditions so that everyone could enjoy the best of New Orleans.

A groom tears up as a bride's parents walk her up the aisle.

A bride and groom laugh during their outdoor ceremony at their Derbes Mansion wedding.

After their ceremony at Derbes Mansion, Jordan and Connor led everyone in the second line with Kinfolk Brass Band. Their guests really got into it! This second line was sentimental for me personally as we went right through my neighborhood. You could see neighbors on their porches joining in and celebrating with them.

A bride and groom share their first kiss at their Derbes Mansion wedding ceremony.

Wedding guests stand and cheer for a bride and groom standing on the front porch of Derbes Mansion New Orleans.

A bride and groom carry New Orleans wedding umbrellas as they lead guests onto a sidewalk outside a wedding venue.

If you’re considering holding a second line at your New Orleans wedding, I highly recommend it! I’ve rounded up some of my favorite tips for a wedding parade in this blog post.

A bride and groom kiss as they lead a New Orleans second line down Esplanade.

Kinfolk Brass Band plays as they lead a wedding party down a New Orleans street.

A bride and groom wave their wedding umbrellas at the head of a second line parade.

Bridesmaids in black dresses carry beers and bouquets down a New Orleans street during a second line.

At their reception, Jordan and Connor did a dollar dance to raise money for a local nonprofit called NOLA Mission. They explained to their guests that they didn’t just want to have a party in New Orleans; they wanted to make sure they were giving back to the community. They raised $1,000 in total!

A bride high fives wedding guests as she enters her wedding reception.

A bride spins a groom on the dance floor at a Derbes Mansion wedding.

A bride and groom kiss during their first dance.

Jordan and Connor’s Joyful Wedding

Jordan and Connor’s friends played a huge role in their wedding day. Their mutual best friend officiated their wedding. During their first look, Jordan’s wedding party and their bestie officiant snuck onto the balcony of Derbes Mansion. After the couple saw each other, everyone started cheering. I loved photographing the moment Jordan and Connor realized their friends were there.

A father spins a bride during a father-daughter dance.

A bride laughs while she dances with her father.

A mother and son dance close while guests watch from the side of the dance floor.

Throughout Jordan and Connor’s relationship, their parents have all become great friends. They secretly choreographed a dance as a surprise for the couple at the reception! It was pretty epic, and it even included Connor’s signature bunny hop move.

A bridesmaid laughs at a groomsman during a wedding speech.

A bride and groom hold beers and listen to a best man speech.

A bride and groom's parents do a choreographed dance at an outdoor reception.

As soon as the parents’ choreographed dance was over, everyone joined them on the dance floor! Jordan, Connor, and their guests got down. They even got the staff to dance with them. It felt like a showdown of Detroit vs New Orleans on the dance floor. I had the best time photographing it all!

A bride and groom dance with guests at their Derbes Mansion wedding.

A groom smiles as he talks with friends at a wedding reception.

A bride and groom kiss beneath a neon sign at their Derbes Mansion wedding reception.

Are you interested in having me photograph your New Orleans wedding? I’d love to document your day with photos as vibrant and joyful as your wedding! Inquire with me here.

Thank you to the vendors who made this wedding so amazing!

Photographer: Ashley Biltz Photography

Wedding Planner: Lisa Carbonari with Hallowed Ground Productions

Venue: The Derbes Mansion

Caterer: Fleur de Lis Catering

Florist: Beth’s Florals

Make Up and Hair Artist: Virgo Beauty Studio

Dress Boutique: White Arbor Bridal

DJ: Omega Sound

Band: Kinfolk Brass Band

Bar: TAP Truck NOLA

Rentals: YUR Event Rentals