There are lots of options. Get married in Audubon park under one of the largest oak trees in the world. Or, how about a ceremony on the levee, with the mighty Mississippi rolling along in the background? Some couples choose to use some of the many wedding packages that quaint Bed and Breakfast Inns offer.

The Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast has such a package. It includes two nights in the Grand King with its romantic four poster bed and sitting area. You get continental breakfast each morning, complimentary snacks at night, free parking, WIFI and even local calls waived.

The wedding includes the Minister, a Photographer, a Celebration Cake, Bouquet, Boutonniere, and of course, the wedding march played as the bride comes down the grand stair case. Couples may invite up to 10 attendees to witness the proceedings at no additional charge. If you have as many as 35 to invite, then the Inn also offers a more formal presentation in the the parlor, which is transformed into a chapel like setting complete with “Gone with the Wind” draperies that the bride will enter the room thru to the delight of her guests.

The Inn specializes in last minute decisions to get married, so if the mood strikes you,give them a call to check availability.

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Have you been married in New Orleans? Or, would you like to get married there? Share your comments below with our readers.

If you’ve been before, you know! If you have not, consider yourself clueless and that lack of expertise in this case can make or break your Mardi Gras experience. So read on, and think seriously about coming to Mardi Gras at least once in your lifetime. It (your life) won’t be complete without it. Trust me! 

Q&A-Some basics: 

Is Mardi Gras connected to religion and how are the dates selected?

Yes, The Catholic Church licensed “Carnival”, which means “farewell to flesh” as a period of feasting before the fasting of Lent. The Church also established the set date for the start of the Carnival season-January 6, the Feast of the Epiphany-and the fluctuating date of Mardi Gras. The date of Mardi Gras Day is connected to the movable date of Easter, which can fall on any Sunday from March 23 to April 25. Mardi Gras is scheduled 47 days before Easter and therefore can occur on any Tuesday from February 3 through march 9.  Carnival refers to the season of merriment which always begins on January 6 and Mardi Gras (French for Fat Tuesday) is the single culminating day of Carnival, which is always the day before Ash Wednesday. Fat Tuesday is a reference to the fatted bull or ox, the last day meat can be eaten before Lent begins. 

What is a Krewe and what is the origin of the first Mardi Gras Balls and Parades held in New Orleans?

 On February 24, 1857 the Mistick Krewe of Comus, Carnival’s first secret society, coined the work “krewe” to give its club an Old English flavor and choose a mythological namesake for the purpose of presenting a themed parade with floats followed by a tableaux ball.  Twelfth Night, the feast of Epiphany, was celebrated by Creole society from the early days of colonial Louisiana. These Bals de Roi (the King’s Ball) were given at plantations and homes for family and friends; the highlight was the cutting of the King Cake (Gateau des Rois). Subsequently, the finder of the bean—la feve—in his or her slice of cake became Le Roi or La Reine de la feve, and they would reign over the next ball, which they were to host. Thus a series of balls began each season and continued until the final great ball of Mardi Gras evening. These traditions were formalized with the organization and first appearance of the Twelfth Night Revelers on January 6, 1870.  During the first six years, the ball of Twelfth Night Revelers was preceded by a pageant through the streets of New Orleans, with small floats, brass bands, torches, and a host of Revelers marching inside large paper-mâché forms. These small parades and balls eventually developed into the mega parades and formal Carnival Balls that exist today. Carnival Balls are private formal affairs by invitation only. More than 115 balls are presented in the major hotels of New Orleans today. 

What do the Carnival colors mean?

There are three colors of Mardi Gras: purple, green and gold. Purple represents justice, green stands for faith and gold signifies power. Rex, the King of Carnival, selected them in 1872 for his first parade. They were probably chosen because they looked appealing, but in 1892 they were assigned a meaning. 

Do’s and Don’t of Mardi Gras 

Don’t assume that it’s all decadent and wild. Mardi Gras is mostly a family experience and lots of locals bring the kids for a day of parading. 

Don’t look for a hotel or bed and breakfast accommodation based on room rate.  Keep in mind that you will be at the parades most of the day. There are no public facilities provided by the city. If you bathroom is blocks away, you will be at a distinct disadvantage. Parking is another concern. And a place to take a “break.” Find the location first and then check the rate. Be willing to pay much more than normal for a room with a view of the parades because it will be worth it.  

Don’t expect restaurants to be open all weekend long and on Mardi Gras. Like Christmas, everything is closed. You will need to pack a lunch in a cooler or eat at street vendor joints. There are a few restaurants that sell parade seating and all day buffet access. 

Don’t allow kids and adults acting like kids to climb trees or utility poles to see the parades. Barricades are erected by the city to protect the public, be sure to stand behind them and avoid injury.  

Do plan ahead. Most of the best rooms book up six months in advance.  

Do not rent a car unless you have to do so. You really can’t go anywhere during the parades. 

Do bring a costume for Mardi Gras day. The more lavish, the better.  

Do have clothes for both cold and warm weather,  rain or shine. The parades roll in all kinds of circumstances and are rarely canceled. 

Do consider purchasing a parade ladder from the local hardware store. This will allow smaller children to see the parades and catch plenty of beads. There are safety and city ordnance rules associated with these ladders. Be sure to check them out to be safe and smart. 

Do check online for tickets to a Krewe Ball. Some of the super Krewe’s open their formal function to the public. Its like no other party you have ever attended.  Dress to impress- attire is always formal. 

Do leave valuables at home. This is not a time to break out the bling. 

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Have you been to Mardi Gras? We would love to hear about your experiences and what you recommend for others considering a visit to the biggest party in the country. Make your comments below.

Take the Cocktail History Tour and visit the bars and restaurants that made New Orleans famous. Better yet, enjoy one beverage at each venue (not required). It will be the best tour you ever took, its just that you may not remember much about it!  

Visit the Mardi Gras and Easter costume museum inside Arnaud’s Restaurant. Flamboyant and eccentric Germaine Cazenave Wells reigned as queen of more than 20 Mardi Gras balls. As heiress to renowned Arnaud’s Restaurant in the historic French Quarter, Wells also served as the unofficial queen of the neighborhood. Her annual Easter Parade brought out the glitziest, showiest hats in town, followed by an extravagant brunch at Arnaud’s. 

Drive the 26 mile bridge across Lake Pontchartrain to visit the Abita brewery on the North Shore and enjoy a Turbo Dog dark lager. 

Ride the Carousel at City Park  Built in 1906, City Park’s pride and joy is one of only a handful of authentic antique carousels left in the U.S. (City Park pictured left.) 

Devour a chocolate chirp cookie at the Insectarium, Audubon Institute’s new bug and butterfly museum. Talk with the termites, reminisce with the roaches, and warm-up to the worms. Thousands of species, all friendly, including the live butterflies in the Japanese garden. 

Visit the Backstreet Cultural Museum and see the incredible collection of Mardi Gras Indian costumes. The museum, located in a Creole cottage in Tremé, houses three main exhibits: “Mardi Gras Indians,” “Jazz Funerals” and “Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs.”

Spend some time in the beautiful Pitot House, an 18th century Creole home of New Orleans first mayor, James Pitot

Tour the African art collection at Dooky Chase southern cooking restaurant.

View one of the country’s most unique interactive movies on a 100+ foot wide screen and count the Purple Hearts at the National World War II Museum 

Ride the Steamboat Natchez christened in 1975, and sing along with the Steam Calliope which is an exact copy of the original instruments built 100 years ago.

Learn how floats are made at Mardi Gras World and visit a actual size replica of a Plantation home inside the parade works.

Take a swamp tour and learn about the ecology of the wetlands. Watch as Cajun guides lure alligators boat side for photo opts using marshmallows as bait!

Ride the historic Streetcar from one end of the city to the other for $1.25; best and cheapest tour in town.

See the rare white tiger at Audubon Zoo. (Zoo entrance pictured to left.)

Hear Kermit Ruffins and the BarbeQue Swingers play at Vaughn’s lounge in Bywater.

Sample beignets and café au lait at Café du Monde. Mimic the local custom of blowing powdered sugar on your sweetheart for good luck. 

Tour the Kemper Williams home at the Historic New Orleans Collection.

Gaze under the stars at Louis J. Roussel Jr. Planetarium in Kenner’s Rivertown.

See the exquisite Mardi Gras jewels at The Presbytere. Designed in 1791 by architect Guilberto Guillemard, it was originally named “Casa Curial” or “Ecclesiastical House.” Though never actually a residence for clergy, it housed the Louisiana Supreme Court and became part of the Louisiana State Museum in 1911.

Enjoy live stage productions at Le Petit Theatre, the oldest community theater in the U.S.

Relish hip cabaret and comedy at Le Chat Noir on St. Charles.

Eat one of the outrageous hamburgers at Port O Call, then walk down to Frenchman Street for some great jazz at Snug Harbor club. Someone from the talented Marsalis family is usually on stage. 

Snuggle up with your honey at the Hotel Monteleone’s Carousel Bar.

Vow to do all your Christmas, holiday or gift shopping on famous Magazine Street.

Make friends with the penguins at the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas.

Take the free Algiers Ferry across the Mississippi River, visit the Old Algiers Courthouse. and then cruise back across. Have your camera ready for an awesome view of the city skyline.

Picnic at the Fly. “The Fly” is a stretch of grass, picnic areas and sports fields located at the back of Audubon Park along the Mississippi River. In good weather,The Fly is bombarded with college students and locals looking to catch some sun.  There’s something about watching the barges gently float across the water that gives the illusion of being at a beach, even though The Fly is anything but. 

Hear Dixieland jazz at its finest at Preservation Hall in the Quarter.

Listen to great music by the Crescent City’s most beloved artists who developed and continue to grace the stage at Tipitina’s,  including Dr. John, the Neville Brothers, the Meters, Cowboy Mouth, the Radiators, Galactic, and Better Than Ezra.

Take a tour of primitive art at the House of Blues.

Gaze a while at Lulu King Saxon’s “Uptown Street” at the Ogden Museum of Art.

Find the “secret door” at M.S. Rau Antiques on Royal Street.

Experience pop art and culture at the Contemporary Arts Center.

Sample an omelet, fried pecan pie and a mocha freeze at Camellia Grill.

See the Mardi Gras Fountain change colors at the Lakefront.

Stroll down St. Charles Avenue in Uptown and admire the mansions. Guess how many are still single family homes.

Take a walking tour of the Garden District after a classic creole lunch at Commanders Palace (restaurant pictured to left.) 

Take a carriage ride through the the French Quarter. Learn what a Romeo catcher was used for back in the day.

Walk/jog the 1.8 mile track at Audubon Park. Run past the aviary island inhabited by thousands of Egrets.

Purchase a funky bauble at the Flea Market or a shrunken skeleton at Reverend Zombie’s Voo Doo shop in the French Quarter.

Eat Oysters Rockefeller at Antoine’s, where the now famous dish was created.

Delight in the showmanship and presentation of Bananas Foster at Brennan’s restaurant, where the dessert was created.

Window shop for an antique on Royal Street. Expect some pricy but authentic items from the 1700′s & 1800′s.

Explore African American history at the Amistad Center at Tulane University.

Ride the mini train through City Park’s 600-year-old oak trees.

Watch potters at work at Hands in Clay on Magazine Street.  

Visit Voodoo queen Marie Laveau’s tomb in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1. Learn the real reason New Orleanians bury dead above the ground.

Visit the Voodoo Museum and purchase some gris-gris.

Have your tarot cards read, buy a piece of art or have a ink sketch drawn by the street artists at Jackson Square. 

Learn how to make a Creole delicacy at the New Orleans School of Cooking.

Admire Newcomb Pottery and Tiffany windows at Newcomb Art Gallery.

Meander through the Besthoff Sculpture Garden in city park and see works by Auguste Rodin, Henry Moore, Fernando Botero and more.

See religious artifacts, a hand-carved staircase and manicured gardens at the Old Ursuline Convent, the oldest building in the Mississippi River Valley.

Experience Victoriana at its best at the Gallier House.

Learn about native Louisiana Plants at the Botanical Garden of City Park. 

Walk through the Louisiana Swamps at the Audubon Zoo.

Visit the Beauregard-Keyes House, home of both General PGT Beauregard and “Dinner at Antoine’s” author Frances Parkinson Keyes. The author moved into the (home now known as) Beauregard-Keyes House in the 1940s and wrote 29 of her books there.

Research jazz and Louisiana history at Tulane’s Special Collections. 

Tour Longue Vue House and Gardens, one of the most elegant city estates in America.

Learn about New Orleans’ amazing architecture at the museum of the Preservation Resource Center.

Learn about the birth of jazz at the New Orleans Jazz Historical Park.

Visit the Pharmacy Museum and learn about primitive medicine. It was also here that the term “cocktail” was coined. Find out how and why in a pharmacy.

Tour The Old U.S. Mint, the only building to serve as both the U.S. and Confederate Mint.

Camp out in Jean Lafitte National Historic Park.

Find out why locals have driven 40 miles outside of the city for the last 75 years to gorge on thinly sliced, crispy fried catfish and hush puppies at Middendorf”s restaurant in the middle of nowhere. 

Take a late night ghost tour of the French Quarter.

See the 1865 Columbiad Cannon at the Civil War Museum.

Explore Louisiana Artworks where local artists display their inspirations.

Pray for a miracle at the National Shrine of Blessed Seelos.

Walk hand-in-hand with your honey on the Moonwalk. Named for former mayor Maurice “Moon” Landrieu the man who led the transformation of the riverfront area from run-down shipping hub to a scenic promenade. 

Eat a snowball stuffed with ice cream at Hansen’s or Plum Street Snowballs.

Learn about the “mystery” of the Mystery Room at Antoine’s.

Try to hug the McDonogh Oak in City Park. This tree has a circumference of just over 24 feet; the tree was named in honor of city benefactor John McDonogh and is a member of The Live Oak Society, founded in Louisiana in 1934.

Visit Bayou Segnette and get close to Louisiana nature-snakes, turtles, gators, and nutria.

Taste “Godzilla meets Fried Green Tomatoes or Crawfish and Alligator cheesecake at Jacques-Immo restaurant in Riverbend on Oak Street.

Stay at the 11,000 square foot 17 room Grand Mansion, the Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast. Ask for the Nanny’s Quarters and don’t be surprised if she stops by for a visit.

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Are you coming to New Orleans, or have you stayed in New Orleans in the past? Do you have an unusual favorite in New Orleans?  Please share your tips and feel free to ask questions in the comments section below.  
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Last year, New Orleans was named “Top Christmas Town” by Home & Garden Television (HGTV), a list that has included such legendary towns as North Pole, Alaska and Kennebunkport, Maine. “Our special Papa Noël lodging rates offer attractive prices at 50 hotels and bed & breakfasts,” said Sandra S. Shilstone, President/CEO of the New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation. “It’s a way to encourage people to come out and play longer while enjoying our food, music, and authentic culture found only in New Orleans.” Visitors will revel in a month-long celebration of events, including:

•Reveillon Feasts (offered by more than 30 restaurants) ?•Christmas Caroling by Candlelight in Jackson Square?•13 Free Concerts (including performances by Grammy nominated Irvin Mayfield and renowned jazz pianist Ellis Marsalis)?•Weekly Concerts at St. Louis Cathedral?•Riverboat Cruises?•French Quarter Shopping?•Carriage Rides through the French Quarter?•The Magical Lights of City Park’s “Celebration in the Oaks”?•Holiday Cooking Demonstrations at Le Petit Theatre?• Entertaining Historical Characters from the “Louisiana Living History Project” strolling through the French Quarter

To learn more about Christmas New Orleans Style, visit New Orleans’ official tourism site, www.NewOrleansOnline.com/christmas, where you can order by mail a free brochure detailing Christmas New Orleans Style events, menus and lodging hotel rates. Reservations, including these special citywide rates, can also be booked via the tourism website. For a schedule of events or more information on Christmas New Orleans Style, call (504) 522-5730 or visit www.NewOrleansOnline.com/Christmas. The Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast also has rates as low as $79 per night plus tax for many days in December. Call now for more details, 800-490-8542.