Designing New Orleans wedding flowers as a Texas-based florist was equal parts logistics, flexibility, trust, and a whole lot of prep. When Dani and Nick asked us to create their New Orleans wedding flowers, there truly was no question in my mind – it was a YES! But designing florals out of state isn’t as simple as hopping on a plane with a bouquet. There are systems, strategy, and serious coordination happening behind the scenes.
In this post, I’m sharing:
- How this New Orleans wedding came to be
- The biggest logistical challenges of destination wedding flowers
- How we sourced blooms and supplies out of state
- What surprised us most once we were on-site
- The bride’s honest perspective on hiring a non-local florist
- And whether destination wedding flowers are actually worth it
How This New Orleans Wedding Came to Be
Dani and I met in college here in Texas and have been friends ever since. She grew up in the Hill Country, was an Ag kid like me, and we’ve always had a lot of mutual friends and shared interests.
She and Nick – both Texans – were living and working in New Orleans when they started planning their wedding. It had always been Dani’s dream to have a true NOLA wedding and bring their Texas friends and family into the city they love so dearly.
But she was having a hard time finding the right fit for her big day.
She originally thought having Reiley & Rose travel to New Orleans was completely out of the question. It only came up casually in conversation one day between friends. And for me? There was no question – the answer was YES!
Dani is truly an absolute ray of sunshine. Her personality, the way she loves people – everything about her just shines. When it comes to working with brides, I knew she would be a dream client. No matter where her wedding was happening, I wanted to help be a part of her big day!
The Logistics Behind New Orleans Wedding Flowers
If you’re curious what designing New Orleans wedding flowers from Texas actually involves, I would say the biggest logistics were figuring out supplies and materials – and planning far earlier and more intentionally than we would for a local wedding.
With local weddings, the logistics of delivery and set up feel natural at this point. We’ve worked at certain venues so many times that we know exactly what to expect. We know where to park. We know load-in rules. We know how long it takes to get from point A to point B.
But with a new venue – especially one out of state – most of my planning was centered entirely around logistics.
Most of our communication was via email between Dani, Alexis (the planner), and myself – and Alexis was wonderful. I also flew to New Orleans about six weeks before the wedding to meet her in person, walk the venues and spaces, and even see the house we would be staying and designing in.
That trip was a game changer!
Being able to physically see the church, Brennan’s, and the surrounding French Quarter allowed me to pre-plan the entire week – parking, load-in flow, timing between locations, and what the timeline would realistically allow. By the time crunch time hit, I wasn’t guessing. I was prepared.
How long will it take to get from the church to the reception?
What are the parking rules?
What are the load-in restrictions?
What does the timeline actually allow?
We ended up flying to NOLA rather than driving, which meant constantly asking ourselves,
“Will we fly with this… or not?”
Luckily, we were able to pack two full suitcases of tools and supplies. Everything else we either purchased locally or had shipped directly to New Orleans ahead of time.
But truly, the hardest part of the entire process was set up and delivery on the day of.
Both the church and Brennan’s were in the French Quarter – on a Saturday. And working with restaurants like Brennan’s meant we couldn’t even step into the venue until after 12pm. There were tons of other vendors coordinating timelines, and we were also working alongside regular business operations and tourists.
Traffic was CRAZY. It could take up to 30 minutes just to go two miles. Our team was hauling and lugging flowers through people and traffic, walking miles to get from place to place – which was definitely a new experience for us.
Think downtown Austin or San Antonio wedding… times ten. 🤣
That was honestly the only truly difficult part. It required flexibility, endurance, and a team willing to just run with it!
Sourcing Flowers Without Our Normal Setup
For this wedding, travel, sourcing, rentals, and timing all required a little extra intention.
We sourced a ton of rentals and supplies ahead of time and had them shipped directly to the bride’s house. We typically work with Mayesh Wholesale in Houston, but since they have multiple locations worldwide, we coordinated with their New Orleans branch for this wedding.
Because we didn’t have access to our normal cooler situation, we ended up picking up flowers later in the week than we typically would. I wanted everything to stay as fresh as possible!
I am always a “worst case scenario” person.
So we made sure to fly in a full day before any major flower tasks needed to happen. We were there the day before picking up flowers and the day before we started designing. That gave us time to get settled, drive around, pick up last-minute supplies, and be fresh and ready to go the following day.
It also gave me peace knowing that if we missed a flight or something had been delayed, we still had plenty of time.
Prep. Prep. Prep!
What Surprised Me Most On-Site
Honestly? How tight of a timeframe everyone could still get the job done in!
Here in Texas, most “venues” we work at are specifically wedding venues – not restaurants or hotels. So many of the venues we typically work with allow us to load in whenever, and you’re primarily dealing with people associated with the wedding.
In New Orleans, it was completely different. We were working around regular business operations and tourists in the area. Brennan’s wouldn’t allow us in until after 12pm.
I think I was most nervous about the short amount of time.
But everyone worked so quickly and so well together. The planner, Alexis, was wonderful. Our team moved like a well-oiled machine. And in the end, it all came together beautifully and seamlessly.
The Flexibility Required for Destination Wedding Flowers
If I had to name the part of this wedding that required the most flexibility or problem-solving, it would again be delivery and set up at the venue.
Luckily, we’ve had lots of practice working with hotel and restaurant venues in San Antonio and Austin – so we knew what to expect. But even with experience, you can’t control traffic. You can’t control tourists.
And you can’t always control delayed floral product.
Being able to stay flexible and just run with things was essential.
With florals, I knew we wouldn’t have time to deal with loss of product, or product that isn’t exactly what you planned for. Some of our flowers were delayed, but Mayesh was amazing! They ended up delivering to our house the next day so we didn’t have to return to the warehouse – which was SO helpful.
With destination wedding flowers, there’s no time to panic. You adjust. You solve. You execute.
This is something we stress weekly in our studio – for both our biggest and smallest weddings. We have systems in place to make sure every i is dotted and every t is crossed.
We make detailed supply lists.
We make tool lists.
We check and double check when we pack.
We always bring extra tools and materials “just in case.”
It was no different here.
Seeing the spaces ahead of time and planning accordingly is what made the week go as successfully as it did.
That preparation is what makes destination wedding flowers work.
From the Bride’s Perspective: Why Hire a Non-Local Florist for New Orleans Wedding Flowers?
I asked Dani to share her honest thoughts about hiring a Texas florist for her New Orleans wedding flowers. Our team sent her a few thoughtful questions to reflect on the process, and her answers meant so much!
Why didn’t you hire a local New Orleans florist?
“It’s funny, every single one of my vendors except florals were New Orleans based. But to me, it was all about the people who could pull off the vision I wanted. I spoke with local florists and couldn’t find anyone who could quite nail the funky yet classic texture I was going for that also met my desires for communication and an overall planning process the way Megan and Reiley & Rose did.”
Were you nervous about hiring an out-of-state florist?
“This feels silly to say, but I don’t think I realized that it was even an option! Photography or videography…something with far less ‘things’ made sense in my head. But not something that requires so many tools and pieces of hardware. I don’t think I knew it was possible. So maybe not nervousness…but possibility?!”
How did communication feel throughout the planning process?
“Incredible. Megan was so accommodating to me in a multitude of ways – working with my schedule and timelines and catching up when we could. Our communication was multi-modal, which my little squirrel brain appreciated. Video calls, several phone calls, a lively text thread for quick questions and photos for ideas, and one oyster and Frozen French 75–induced in-person visit…”
How did Megan and her team support you leading up to the wedding?
“In every way possible! The florals influenced so many other decisions because I wanted them to shine – and Megan and her team made me feel so confident in my decisions to do just that. Having Megan make the trip down to New Orleans, share a meal with us, and walk the event space made ALL the difference in the world.”
“I wanted to share New Orleans with Megan before the wedding so she could get a feel for the city we love so much. I think that allowed her to create florals that matched the vibe and eccentricity of the city. She also got to meet our day-of coordinator and the event manager, which made me feel so much better knowing she had direct connections instead of me feeling like I needed to be the conduit.”
What would you tell another bride who is considering hiring a florist that isn’t local to their wedding location?
“Find someone that you A) love their work and B) trust. They will find a way to make it work – and then some!”
Looking back, what mattered most about the florist you chose?
“Style, communication, experience – and location, last. I’m now a firm believer that if there’s a will, there’s a way. Reiley and Rose showed me just that.”
What I’m Most Proud Of From This Wedding
Execution-wise, as a whole, I am so proud.
When you have an event with so many new and different systems, you worry. There are so many moving parts that feel unfamiliar. But my team and I truly nailed it. I’m incredibly proud of how well everything came together!
Design-wise, I’m especially proud of the fountain in the reception space.
Brennan’s is known for its fountain – complete with the turtles and even their famous turtle soup – so being able to design florals in that fountain felt truly iconic and special to me.
It was one of those moments where the design felt deeply tied to the location, and that made it even more meaningful.
Is Designing Destination Wedding Flowers Worth It? An Honest Answer for Florists
Absolutely!
I loved being able to take my team to NOLA, do what we do best, and also have fun experiencing a new city together. It was a lot of work, but also some play! And I was genuinely excited for my team to get to experience that.
That said, it only works if you price it correctly.
There are so many small things you don’t think about at first. Feeding your team for several days (three meals a day). Rental cars. Parking fees. Airbnbs or hotels. Shipping. Travel time. Labor for extra days onsite. And your time and labor just to be there.
Every wedding situation will be different. In this case, our clients provided a house for us to stay in, so we didn’t have to factor in an Airbnb – but if we had, that would absolutely have been included in the proposal.
You must account for every expense.
At the end of the day, if you aren’t making money – it’s not worth it. If you are bidding on a contract – make sure you think about any and all possible expenses. When you plan well, prep well, and charge appropriately, destination wedding flowers can be incredibly fulfilling and successful!
Planning Your Own Destination Wedding?
Whether your wedding is in Texas, New Orleans, or somewhere completely new, the heart behind our work is the same: thoughtful design, intentional prep, and florals that feel like you.
If you value style, communication, and a team who will show up fully – wherever your celebration takes place – we would be honored to create your wedding flowers!
Because at the end of the day, it isn’t about location. It’s about trust, vision, and bringing it to life beautifully.
Inquire with Reiley + Rose here.
Let’s make something unforgettable – wherever you’re getting married.
About Us
Reiley + Rose is a Central Texas wedding floral design studio that believes flowers are more than décor – they are nature’s way of telling your love story. We take pride in getting to know our couples and designing floral moments that feel personal, intentional, and unforgettable.
While we’re rooted in Central Texas, we love traveling for weddings and bringing our thoughtful, detail-driven approach wherever your celebration takes us. Whether we’re designing close to home or coordinating florals in a new city, our team is known for intentional planning, seamless execution, and making the process feel calm and collaborative from start to finish.
When you choose Reiley + Rose, you don’t just get gorgeous wedding day flowers – you become part of a family that’s here to love, support, and hype you up every step of the way.
The Vendor Team Who Made This Beautiful Day Happen:
Planning: The Uncommon Camellia
Ceremony Venue: St. Louis Cathedral
Cocktail Hour Venue: Five’s Bar
Reception Venue + Bar + Catering: Brennan’s
Bakery: La Boulangerie
Second Line Brass Band: Frenchmen Street Productions
Content Creation: Soiree Social
DJ – BE Collective
Floral Design: Reiley + Rose
Hair & Makeup: Faces of Virtue
Officiant: Rev. Pat Williams
Photo Booth: Boogie Booth
Photography: Peony Photography
February 23, 2026
