How to Plan a New Orleans Wedding Second Line Parade
Half the fun of planning your wedding in New Orleans is that if you want your own wedding parade, you can have one! But planning a second line may seem daunting. What am I supposed to do with these forms? How many blocks is a wedding second line parade supposed to be? What supplies do I need? How much is this going to cost? Fortunately, we’ve got some tips for you.
Hire your band, Kinfolk and Knockaz are two of my favorites. If your guests are very unfamiliar with second lines, and might not know what to, consider hiring a Grand Marshall as well. This person can act as the “hype-man” to ensure your guests enjoy your wedding parade. You may also want to ask the band what they typically wear for their wedding second lines, as some do dress more casually than others.
Print out the Master Event Application and Supplement C from the One Stop Website.
Plan a parade route that is roughly six blocks (if in the French Quarter). One or two blocks more or less is also fine. You need to go with the flow of traffic on one-way streets (they sometimes make exceptions and allow you to go against traffic for a half block). You will want to set your formation time as 15 minutes before your start time, and your dispersal time an hour after that.
Bring the forms to the One Stop office on the 7th floor of City Hall (1300 Perdido St.). Also bring a blank check. My most recent filings were $100.25, but that may change depending on your parade and the whims of the city. Also note that parking in this area is somewhat scarce.
Gather your supplies. Traditionally, guests wave handkerchiefs and the bride and groom have special parasols that they decorate themselves or rent locally.
The city will send you an email to pay for your police escort (required) 1-2 weeks from the event. This is usually around $400.
Hand these details off to your coordinator to confirm the schedule with all parties and ensure your wedding second line parade go off without a hitch!
Have you had any other questions come up about your wedding parade? Drop us a line or leave a comment below to let us know how we can help!
Happy Planning,
3LW