This week Jessica and Jeff discuss some of the unexpected visitors that might grace your wedding. We’re not talking about wedding crashers… but tourists, well wishers, the unexplained, and some of the environmental noises that can happen while you’re saying “I do.”

We also discuss making alternate plans for inclimate weather.

And for those curious to what has been caught and posted to the Internet for posterity the people at Photobomb and  Wedinator have seen it all.

Update: Somehow the link to the MP3 was not posted. It has been corrected.

We received a video of a bridal party being approached by a New Orleans Parks and Parkways employee for using Jackson Square without a permit. Click this post’s title to see the video.

New Orleans Weddings magazine has also posted a new article offering tips for brides or grooms who want to change their name after the wedding. We have some additional tips to make the change go easier:

Order multiple copies of the marriage certificate. Also, call ahead or check out the websites of agencies like the Department of Motor Vehicles to make sure you have any additional paperwork needed.

• Louisiana DMV Website
• Louisiana DMV Frequently Asked Questions

When changing your bills, credit cards, and other accounts you can order your annual credit report to use as a checklist. Visit www.annualcreditreport.com to order your yearly report.

Finally if you are leaving the country for the honeymoon wait until you return to change your information. It’s important your passport name matches you itinerary and tickets. While the TSA at Louis Armstrong International Airport are some of the nicest people I’ve met in the security business, your mileage may vary.

This week Amanda, Jeff and Rachael discus the Jackson Square Photography Policy for bridal parties requiring a $50.00 permit to have pictures taken in the park.

New Orleans Weddings Magazine received an e-mail about this policy on Tuesday, October 20 from Jeniece Black, Section Manager of the Department of Parks and Parkways. Publisher Jessica Caradona then contacted Black for clarification on the policy since no details about the policy related to photography permits can be found on the City of New Orleans’ website.

As always, we’d love to hear your experience or opinions on these developments. You can call and leave us a voice mail by calling 504-383-4NOW, send us a tweet on Twitter @NOLAWeddingsMag or making a comment at our Facebook Page facebook.com/NOLAWedding.

There are a lot of variables that are taken into consideration when putting together your wedding. When 100% rain is forecasted for the day of your bridal, session schedules can be changed . Flowers can be put in on ice, hair and makeup artists can move your appointment. On the other hand when planning an outdoor wedding, there is no rescheduling.

What’s your plan in case of rain?

When Jessica and I were married in January 2008, we had planned for an outdoor ceremony on the grass at Cedar Grove Tchoupitoulas Plantation. We knew we were taking a gamble as January in New Orleans could be pleasant or dreary and as we got closer to the 19th, things were shaping up for a nice day with a cold front coming through late that evening.

Saturday arrived and the cold front came through a day early saturating the ground and bringing wind gusts which made for a blustery day. Waking to the sound of a thunderstorm was the last thing we wanted to hear.

We called Jill Mercer that morning to check on the condition of the grounds. When we found out Waggaman also received the deluge we talked about moving the wedding inside.  Both Jill and our florist Dee from Bella Blooms Floral transformed our reception area into a wedding area and guests arrived to our relocated wedding.

When holding your wedding outside at a reception venue, these locations usually have a pretty easy time moving things inside in case of inclement weather assuming they have the space to do so and are given enough notice to make the switch. If you are having your event outside or the venue does not have room inside for the ceremony setup you need the “rain plan.”

One solution especially if using a park location without a reception venue is to rent a tent to house the reception. Tents come in a variety of types, with larger “clear-span” tents that are bigger than some reception rooms.  Companies like Event Rentals have plenty of options in tent styles and sizes including the ability to “wall” the tent.

While tents make locations more versatile, permits and setup mean they might not be a good last minute solution. A tip is to watch the weather and use an Almanac along with forecasts to get a  better idea of the day’s weather.

The condition of the ground when its been raining is another factor. Make a visit to the site after a rainstorm and look at the path your guests will take to the area. If the path is soft or muddy the additional foot traffic may make for a messy processional. A walkway helps guests avoid bad patches of ground and keeps them clean.

With a little forethought you can have an outdoor wedding location with a built in backup in case rain forces you to move inside.

Photocredit: iStockPhoto.com/shironosov

There are all sorts of important items that, during the chaos of a wedding day, need to be tracked: wallets, checks and cash for vendors, the rings. Well meaning parents may pick-up that envelope with $200.00 cash for the carriage ride and leave for the ceremony. Not knowing this the groom and best man tear the hotel room apart looking for the missing envelope, putting them behind schedule and adding to the stress.

Don’t Forget Your Room Key will be a regular feature of the online New Orleans Weddings Magazine podcast This Week in Weddings, offering tips and advice to couples planning their wedding, exposing those little things that may fall through the cracks or were simply not thought of.

The inspiration comes from my wife Jessica who while shooting getting ready pictures with one of her brides was asked “What did I forget?” Because the couple would be staying in that room in the evening Jessica responded, “Don’t forget your room key!”