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Based in vivid New Orleans, I am a wedding and couples photographer capturing the honest, intimate, and unforgettable moments. I hope you enjoy some of my most recent adventures and stories worth sharing!

I’m Olivia.

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Unforgettable Engagement Photos at the Columns Hotel in New Orleans

February 2, 2024

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If I had to pick two words to describe the Columns Hotel in New Orleans, they would be funky and artsy. This hotel and bar features the most decadent, artistic interiors. Morgan and Garvey’s engagement session is perfect inspiration for anyone looking for a unique wedding venue in New Orleans.

A bride and groom pose by a window in the Columns Hotel in New Orleans

The Columns Hotel in New Orleans

The Columns Hotel in New Orleans is named for the columns on its over-the-top neoclassical exterior. It was built to be a private family home in 1883. (Can you imagine??) Now it’s a stunning hotel impeccably decorated with vintage furniture. 

A bride and groom sit side by side on a bed in the Columns Hotel.
A man wraps his arms around a woman's waist on a bed.

If you’re looking for a spacious wedding venue, the Columns Hotel in New Orleans is it. It has capacity for up to 300 guests. With a variety of spaces, though, you can easily host a more intimate celebration. They have an amazing bar and restaurant in house, too, so they take care of all catering. 

A man and woman pose for Polaroid engagement photos.
A man kisses a woman's cheek in a film engagement photo.
A man places his hands on a bride's knees at a New Orleans wedding.

Creative Engagement Photos on Film

Morgan and Garvey are a very unconventional couple. They’re the type of people who love images that are creative and different. Morgan even got a tintype photo of Garvey and her. It’s super cool! 

A bride laughs at a groom beside a window in the Columns Hotel in New Orleans.
A man and woman pose for film engagement photos.

When we started planning this session, Morgan and Garvey let me know that they really wanted a lot of film photos. They appreciate the medium’s imperfection and see it as stampings that are unique to their images only. This is exactly what I love about film, too. It creates warm, tangible images full of emotion. 

A groom puts on a bride's sunglasses in a Polaroid wedding photo.
A man and woman snuggle on a couch in the Columns hotel in New Orleans.

Typically, I prefer natural light for film photography. The weather had other plans, though. If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a New Orleans photographer, it’s that you can’t control the weather. We originally expected a gorgeous day. Unfortunately, after a summer-long drought, the clouds opened up and literally flooded the streets the day of Morgan and Garvey’s session. 

A man and woman pose for rainy engagement photos in New Orleans.
A man and woman pose in a red booth in the Columns Hotel in New Orleans.
A groom kisses a bride's cheek at the Columns Hotel bar.

Given the circumstances, I asked Morgan and Garvey if they wanted to reschedule for better weather. They had such an amazing mindset about it all. Instead of rescheduling, they said they were up for things looking and feeling a little different due to the weather. They were even open to a lot of artificial light and flash. Thank goodness for all the artsy interiors at the Columns Hotel in New Orleans!

A bride and groom stand on a vintage rug in a film wedding photo.
A bride and groom pose on a vintage couch in the hall of a New Orleans hotel.

Throughout this session, I reflected on how lucky I felt to work with a couple that trusted my vision as much as Morgan and Garvey did. They were so willing to let me get creative. From a technical standpoint, these images definitely pushed me to the edge of my comfort zone, but I’m thrilled with the results.

A bride and groom pose in a New Orleans hotel for black and white wedding photos.
A bride and groom pose for Polaroid wedding photos in New Orleans.
A man pushes a woman's hair away from her face in a film engagement photo.

Rainy Day Romance

With so much rain, we took advantage of all the cool spaces in the Columns Hotel in New Orleans. We started in Morgan and Garvey’s hotel room. This gave them a chance to relax into the session and get used to being in front of the camera. It’s also a chance for them to snuggle and be themselves without worrying about anyone else being around. That’s always a nice way to start a photo session.

A man and woman walk across the porch of the columns hotel in new orleans.
A man puts his arm around a woman for New Orleans engagement photos at night.

Then we explored the funky bar and patio. The bar is full of rich reds, greens, and blues. The bold botanical and animal print carpets make the most amazing backdrops for photos. There also seem to be fun vintage couches around every corner.

A woman takes a picture of a man on a disposable film camera.
A man smiles in a black and white photo.
A woman holds up her engagement ring in a black and white engagement photo.

Even though the rain kept us inside for a lot of the session, we ventured onto the patio and porch for a while. The rain makes the foliage look so lush around the patio. I love that we were the only people out there. It gave the feeling that Morgan and Garvey were in their own world together.

A man and woman hold hands on the porch of the columns hotel in new orleans.
A bride and groom hold a cocktail on a vintage couch at a New Orleans wedding.

These images capture all the playfulness in Morgan and Garvey’s relationship, too. They laugh so much when they’re together. It’s absolutely infectious. The photos they took of themselves are some of my favorite images. (You can see Morgan holding a disposable film camera in one of the digital portraits.) Those images show you how they see each other – so full of tenderness and joy.

A man and woman nuzzle noses in a New Orleans engagement photo on film.
A bride leans on a groom on a red couch in the columns hotel in new orleans.
A bride runs through the rain at a New Orleans wedding venue.

Would you like to see more New Orleans engagement photos? I’m a wedding photographer documenting honest, intimate moments on digital and film. If you liked these photos at the Columns Hotel in New Orleans, you might love these blog posts:

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