HELP! Need a rehearsal dinner suggestion!

[kelleya]

Hi to all the New Orleans chowhounders out there! I need your help!

I'm getting married in New Orleans in early November and need a good suggestion for a rehearsal dinner spot Friday evening before our Saturday wedding. Our guests will be staying in and around the quarter so the thought was to stay close to the area unless there's a knock your socks off kind of place else where. We are expecting around 60 dinner guests and are trying to keep the cost more middle of the road - nothing too expensive. Festive and fun with a solid NOLA feel and flavor. Most of our guests will be coming in from Texas - where everything might be bigger, just not better than N.O. and I want to reinforce that :) (I'm the one with the Louisiana roots.) Perhaps a balcony or something with a decent view would be a nice touch for the out of towners?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks so much!

[TaTee]

"We are expecting around 60 dinner guests and are trying to keep the cost more middle of the road - nothing too expensive." What do you want to spend per person? That information will
help us ferret out a spot.

[Bill Hunt]

I agree. What might be "break-the-bank-expensive" to me, might be considered a "pittance," to most others.

Without that info, it is but a guessing game, and one that we might not win.

Good luck,

Hunt

[kelleya]

We wanted to spend under $100pp. Maybe a total of 3k-4k?

[Bill Hunt]

Thank you for the numbers. Those will likely be helpful to others, when making recommendations.

Hunt

[mcegielski]

60 guest under a 100 per person is how much? 3-4K? that's 60 guests at 50 per head. here a suggestion. we did it and it went off with flying colors. casamento's on magazine (near Magazine and Napoleon) let us book out the whole place. abita beers, oyster bar, gumbo, crab claws, fried seafood or fried seafood sandwiches. it was awesome and it was a total New Orleans feel. you have to talk them into it though! they usually do not do this. i sold them on the idea. told them to have custoerms til 7:30pm. we get there at 7:30 sharp and we spend 3000 minimum. it worked! it was also a memorable experience that our guests loved. betyter yet, we cabed to the columns hotel before dinner and after dinner for drinks then we high tailed it to tipitina's and lebon temp roule for dancing the night away at both! might be nice for your guests to see more than the french quarter! check it out. it rocked, it was different and it was new orleans through and through. drop a few hundred more and you can get a brass band to come do a walk through and bust out a 15 minute set at the end of the meal! talk about a party!

[TaTee]

Great plan. Sounds like a lot of fun...would suggest that they rent a bus for
the evening. Much easier than herding cats into various cabs...looking for the strays... after a few drinks ;-) Oak Street would also be a possibility for after dinner dancing and music venues, as would the Marigny.

-----
Casamento's Restaurant
4330 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

[hgil]

Did you condider Dizzy's? (not the Treme location) but the one in the Wyndham Whitney Hotel. I've been to the latter as well and it looks likfe it could be a great fit for a rehersal dinner.

[kelleya]

I've run across Dizzys but couldn't find much info on it. I'll dig a little deeper though!

[CharlieH]

If Tujague's can handle 60, that's a great suggestion. Might be the second oldest establishment in the Quarter. I was thinking K-Pauls might fit the bill. Balcony, one large room, and likely within most people's budgets. That's my pick, if anyone is still listening.

[kelleya]

I'll check out K-Pauls. My brother has had hit and miss experiences there. Last one was a miss.

[BayouTeche]

Napoleon House and Tujague's. Both have solid NOLA feel. Cost would be middle of the road. And both offer balconies.

[kelleya]

I've passed on these suggestions. Thank you!

[CharlieH]

If you find something, let us know. Be aware, most everything in the quarter is expensive. Also, its never too early to book. We are expensive, and popular. I would do so some homework and try to figure out just what your price point is. 60 is a big group as well. Off hand, the Napolean House is probably somewhat less expensive than other locales. Perhaps Cafe Amelie, although others have reported difficulties dealing with them. This gets covered pretty often, do a search and you should get some other suggestions. Also, you might consider some Bywater venues, should be more affordable.

[kelleya]

Any bywater suggestions?

[Littleman]

I second Muriel's.

Muriel's @ 801 Chartres St., New Orleans, LA. 504 - 568 - 1885. * SUNDAY BRUNCH.

http://www.muriels.com/html/home.html

[kelleya]

I was under the impression m's had a $4k minimum? Seems a lot to start with to only go up from there. I've personally never been even being from the area, but if it's worth the ticket price I'm all for suggesting it to my fiancé.

[roro1831]

Muriel's?