Joyful Wedding at the New Orleans Athletic Club
The New Orleans Athletic Club is a charming wedding venue on the edge of the French Quarter. It combines elegant nineteenth-century architecture with the flexibility to make your wedding unique to you. Sydni-Dee and Armad held their floral-filled wedding reception in the Bienville Courtyard. Laughter, bold colors, and personalized details made their celebration unforgettable.
A Wedding at the New Orleans Athletic Club
The New Orleans Athletic Club has a long history in the city’s social life. Way before it became a favorite wedding venue, it started as a gym back in 1872. Now located on the edge of the French Quarter, it still operates as a gym and coworking space. The historic building with its tall windows and courtyard bring lots of classic New Orleans charm to events.
You have three different options for event spaces within the New Orleans Athletic Club.
The NOAC Ballroom is the largest indoor space with capacity for 120 people seated or 200 people cocktail style. The towering stained glass windows are beautiful.
Vaughan’s Pub is exactly what it sounds like – a bar! It includes a historic wood and brass bar. It’s the smallest space with capacity for 125 people.
Sydni-Dee and Armad had their wedding reception in the Bienville Courtyard. It’s a minimalist brick patio. With its capacity for over 300 people seated, it gives you a lot of flexibility in terms of event design.
The New Orleans Athletic Club is pretty transparent about its site fees for wedding rentals. The Bienville Courtyard costs between $3000 and $8000 to rent depending on the time of day and day of the week that you want to rent it. The NOAC Ballroom is available for $5000 on weekends. Vaughan’s Pub costs $3000 to rent on Saturday evenings.
A Bold Floral Aesthetic
To say that Sydni-Dee and Armad are plant people would be an understatement. Together they run a small business called A&S Plants. The online shop sells shirts, totes, and stickers for plant lovers. After the wedding, Sydni-Dee and Armad gifted me with their merch. Now I proudly flaunt my “Plant Whore” sweatshirt everywhere! Needless to say, their wedding was very flower-focused.
Sydni-Dee and Armad worked with Julia Parish of Spanish Oak Events to bring their vision to life. I want to give Julia a major shoutout. She gave her all to this wedding. Throughout the process, she stayed both organized and so much fun to work with. The New Orleans Athletic Club transformed under her care.
When Sydni-Dee and Armad first described their wedding to me, they said that they were aiming for “very floral and springtime colors! Pink, yellow, orange, green… Our aesthetic is airy, organic, and fun!”
That all translated perfectly in every detail of their wedding day. Sydni-Dee brought her creative talents to the reception details. She hand painted the candles and other decor.’
Sydni-Dee’s bouquet also included a leaf from her own Anthurium crystallinum. Cry Baby Florals did an amazing job of incorporating it into the creamy white and yellow blooms of her bouquet. The flowers brought so much vibrance and energy to the New Orleans Athletic Club.
I’m excited to share that Sydni-Dee and Armad’s wedding was featured in Wedding Chicks as well! That post includes even more detail photos from their gorgeous reception in the courtyard of the New Orleans Athletic Club. Check out the article here.
Sydni-Dee and Armad’s Fun Celebration
I had such a blast photographing Sydni-Dee and Armad’s wedding and reception. This couple is SO special. They’re emotive, fun, and silly. You could feel how much fun they had with each other. It was so contagious that everyone around them had a great time, too. Their humor and uninhibited silly faces resonated so much with me as a photographer and human.
Throughout their wedding day, Sydni-Dee and Armad sprinkled in private moments. Before their Pharmacy Museum ceremony and New Orleans Athletic Club reception, they got ready at the Audubon Cottages. They booked out the whole pool courtyard so that they would have different areas to themselves. Even though they got ready in separate rooms, they both had rooms adjoining the courtyard. We got to use the pool as a perfect photo backdrop without worrying about strangers being in the background.
Sydni-Dee and Armad also opted for a private cake cutting. I feel like this is one of the places you can really see their personalities shine. They carved their initials in the icing with their forks before digging in.
Would you like me to photograph your New Orleans wedding? I’ll document your day with colorful, genuine photos. Inquire with me here!
Thank you to the vendors who made Sydni-Dee and Armad’s wedding unforgettable!
Photography: Ashley Biltz Photography
Event Planning & Design: Julia Parish of Spanish Oak Events
Flowers: Cry Baby Floral
Cakes and Desserts: 10 Cent Baking and Bittersweet Confections
Catering: Buddies Bar and Grill Hammond
Bar: Tap Truck NOLA
Ceremony Venue: Pharmacy Museum
Reception Venue: New Orleans Athletic Club
Getting ready Venue: Audubon Cottages
Videography: WallFlower Films
Rentals: Element and Bella Umbrella
Wedding DJ: Everything Forever
Brass Band: Kinfolk Brass Band
Hair, Makeup & Beauty: Victory Artistry