Planning

NOLA Group Travel Vendor Directory

Curated categories of New Orleans vendors that work with large groups: charter transport, private chefs, photographers, brass bands, florists, and event rentals.

Last updated: May 2026

Most vendors in New Orleans are set up for small parties. A table of 6. A couple. An anniversary dinner for two.

Then your group of 22 calls, and suddenly nobody knows what to do.

This directory is built for groups of 10-30. For each vendor category, we cover what to look for, how to book, lead times, and the questions that separate good vendors from bad ones. We don’t list specific companies—that information goes stale fast—but we tell you exactly how to vet whoever you find.

Quick Planning Checklist

Lock in dates and finalize headcount before contacting any vendor
Book charter transport first—it has the worst availability crunch
Hire a private chef at least 6-8 weeks out for large groups
Contact photographers 4-6 weeks out minimum
Brass bands for a private second line need 6-8 weeks lead time
Florists and event rentals can often be arranged within 2-3 weeks for simple setups
Get contracts and deposits in writing for every vendor you hire

Charter & Group Transportation

Getting 15-30 people around New Orleans is harder than it looks. Ubers don’t scale. Splitting into 4 separate cars is a coordination nightmare. Charter is the move.

What You Need

Sprinter vans fit 12-15 people with luggage, or 15-20 without. Ideal for airport pickups and restaurant runs.

Charter buses fit 20-55 people. Use these for any activity where the whole group moves together—a plantation tour, a stadium run, a day trip to Cajun Country.

Party buses fit 15-40 and have built-in sound systems, lighting, and often a bar setup. Good for a big night out or a bachelorette crawl.

Golf carts are popular in the French Quarter and Bywater for short hops. Fit 4-6 per cart. Less useful for large groups unless you’re booking a fleet.

What to Look For

Factor	What to Verify
Capacity	Confirm legal passenger limit, not just seats
Commercial license	Not Uber. Licensed operator with DOT or LA state permit
Insurance	Ask for certificate of insurance
Deposit terms	Typical is 25-50% upfront, remainder on day of
Cancellation policy	What you lose if dates change

Lead Times

Airport pickups: 2-4 weeks
Full-day charter (game day, plantation tour): 4-8 weeks
Party bus for weekend nights (Mardi Gras season, Jazz Fest, NFL games): 3-6 months

Questions to Ask

“Do you have experience with [your group size]?”
“What’s included—driver, fuel, tolls, waiting time?”
“What’s the overtime rate if we run long?”
“Do you have a backup vehicle if ours breaks down?”
“Can I see your DOT or operating license?”

Pro Move

For multi-day trips, negotiate a day-rate rather than hourly. If the driver has to sit and wait during your restaurant dinner, you want that baked into a flat fee—not watching the meter run.

Private Chefs

Hiring a private chef is one of the best decisions a large group can make. You eat better than any restaurant, you stay together, and the prep and cleanup are someone else’s problem.

In New Orleans, the caliber of available private chefs is exceptionally high. The city trains chefs relentlessly, and many work private events between restaurant gigs.

What Private Chef Service Covers

At minimum: shopping, prep, cooking, plating, and cleanup.

Some chefs also offer:

Menu design consultation beforehand
Cocktail/beverage pairings
A cooking demonstration or class format (everyone participates)
Multi-course tasting menus
Cajun/Creole cooking classes where guests cook with the chef

Price Ranges (General)

Format	What to Expect
Casual family-style dinner	$60-100/person
Multi-course plated dinner	$100-175/person
Cooking class format	$100-150/person
Full-day (meals + cooking class)	$150-250/person

Ranges vary significantly based on menu, headcount, and chef experience. Always get an itemized quote.

Questions to Ask

“What’s your experience cooking for groups of [your size]?”
“Do you handle grocery shopping, or do we coordinate separately?”
“Can you accommodate dietary restrictions? How many, and what types?”
“Is cleanup included?”
“Do you have liability insurance?”
“Can we see a sample menu for a group our size?”

Lead Times

10-15 person group: 3-4 weeks
15-30 person group: 6-8 weeks
Holiday weekends or festival times: 3-4 months

Where to Find Them

Search for “private chef New Orleans” + your group size. The New Orleans area has multiple culinary staffing agencies that place private chefs for events. Airbnb Experiences also lists vetted cooking class hosts. Personal referrals from your rental host are often the best path—Castleday and The Syd guests frequently ask their hosts for vetted chef recommendations.

Group Photographers

Your group will take hundreds of phone photos. Most of them will be bad. A professional photographer spends 2-3 hours with your group and captures the actual thing—the people, the place, the energy.

In New Orleans, there’s no shortage of photographers. The challenge is finding one who knows how to move a large group efficiently through city locations without burning an hour per shot.

What to Look For

Experience with large groups specifically. A photographer who does couples and families is not the same as one who regularly directs 20 people.

Knowledge of NOLA locations. They should be able to rattle off 5-7 group-friendly locations without prompting. If they’re googling, move on.

Quick turnaround. For a trip that’s ending Sunday, you want photos back before people scatter. Ask specifically: “How long until we get edited photos?”

Session Types

Type	Duration	Best For
Mini session	1 hour	1-2 locations, candid shots
Standard session	2-3 hours	3-5 locations, full coverage
Full event coverage	4+ hours	Big events, second lines, dinners
Documentary day	6+ hours	Milestone trips, wedding weekends

Prime Photo Locations for Large Groups

Frenchmen Street – Street art, bars, energy. Best at golden hour before the crowds arrive.
Garden District mansions – Iconic painted ladies. Good light, beautiful backdrops.
French Quarter balconies – Classic. Several hotels and rentals have photogenic second-floor balconies.
Mississippi River levee (Bywater) – City skyline background, more space than the Quarter.
City Park – Massive live oaks draped in Spanish moss. One of the most beautiful spots in the city.
St. Charles Streetcar – Moving streetcar, historic line, authentic NOLA.
Second line parade route – If you hire a brass band, photograph the parade in motion.

Price Ranges (General)

Session	Range
1 hour	$200-400
2-3 hours	$400-800
Full day	$800-2,000+

Prices vary by photographer experience. Ask what’s included: how many edited photos, delivery timeline, usage rights.

Brass Bands

This is the most uniquely New Orleans thing you can do. A brass band for a private second line parade turns any group trip into something nobody will ever forget.

The tradition is real and alive. The bands are professional. And doing it privately—with your group as the only participants—is completely different from watching a second line from the sidewalk.

What a Private Second Line Involves

A licensed brass band (typically 6-10 musicians)
A parade route through a neighborhood (Bywater, Marigny, and Tremé are most common)
A “Social Aid & Pleasure Club” style permit for the route (the vendor handles this)
45-90 minutes of parading, dancing, and general chaos
Optional: a grand marshal to lead the line, decorated umbrellas, second-line handkerchiefs

What to Clarify Before Booking

“Is the parade permit included or separate?”
“How long is the standard route? Can we extend it?”
“Do you provide parasols/umbrellas and handkerchiefs for guests?”
“How many musicians? Can we upgrade to a larger band?”
“What happens in case of rain?” (Most bands play through light rain. Torrential downpours are a different story.)

Lead Times

Private second lines require more logistics than people expect—permits, route planning, band availability.

Standard: 6-8 weeks
Festival weekends or Mardi Gras season: 3-4 months
Same week: Possible but expensive and not guaranteed

Price Ranges (General)

Band Size	Duration	Range
6-piece	45 minutes	$800-1,200
8-10 piece	60-90 minutes	$1,200-2,000
Full 12+ piece	90 minutes	$2,000-3,500+

Permit fees typically run $200-400 extra and should be included in your total.

Where to Find Bands

Search “New Orleans brass band for hire” or “private second line New Orleans.” Multiple well-established booking agencies specialize specifically in this. Your rental host at Castleday or The Syd can often refer you to bands they’ve seen perform well for past guests.

Florists & Event Decorators

For bachelorettes, milestone birthdays, weddings, and corporate events, flowers and decor can transform a rental house into a venue.

New Orleans has a strong florist scene—the city’s culture of celebration means demand is consistently high and local talent is genuinely good.

What Groups Typically Order

Welcome arrangements: One large statement piece per room, usually delivered day of arrival
Tablescapes: Centerpieces for a dinner party setup
Bachelorette decor: Balloon arches, personalized signage, specialty arrangements
Bar setups: Tropical arrangements, citrus bowls, bud vases scattered across surfaces
Photo-ready installations: Dried flower arrangements, greenery backdrops for photo ops

What to Clarify

“Do you deliver directly to the rental property? When?”
“Is setup and takedown included?”
“What’s your minimum order for deliveries?”
“Can you work with a specific color palette or theme?”
“Do you coordinate with other vendors (photographers, planners)?”

Lead Times

Simple delivery arrangements: 1-2 weeks
Custom tablescapes or large installs: 3-4 weeks
Wedding-scale floral: 2-3 months

Event Rental Companies

Renting furniture, linens, tableware, or lighting can significantly upgrade an outdoor dinner or a large gathering at your rental property.

What Groups Rent

Item	Why
Folding tables + chairs	Villa kitchens seat 8-12. Add tables for 20+
Linens	Elevate an outdoor dinner from picnic to event
Tableware (plates, glasses, cutlery)	Rental kitchens don’t stock 25 place settings
Cocktail tables + bar setup	Reception-style setup for welcome parties
String lights + outdoor lighting	Transform a pool deck for evening events
Tents or shade structures	Critical for outdoor summer events
Small stage or riser	For live music, speeches, or presentations

What to Verify

“Do you deliver and pick up directly, or do we handle returns?”
“Is setup included or self-setup?”
“What’s the damage policy?”
“What’s your minimum order?”
“Do you require a venue walk-through for outdoor setups?”

Lead Times

Simple table/chair rental: 1-2 weeks
Full tableware and linen setup: 2-3 weeks
Tent with lighting and furniture: 3-4 weeks

Pro Tips for Working With Vendors

Get everything in writing. Verbal confirmations don’t hold. Contract, deposit receipt, and day-of schedule all need to be documented.
Confirm 48 hours before. Call or email every vendor 2 days before your event. People forget. This surfaces problems while you still have time to fix them.
Name one point of contact from your group. Vendors don’t do well with 5 different people texting conflicting instructions. One person coordinates, everyone else stays off the vendor’s phone.
Plan for arrival windows. Vendors often give 1-2 hour delivery windows. Build buffer into your schedule so an 11 AM delivery doesn’t blow up your noon event.
Tip in cash. Photographers, chefs, and musicians all appreciate cash gratuities. 15-20% is standard for exceptional service.
Ask your rental host first. Both Castleday Retreats and The Syd work with large groups constantly. Their hosts have seen what works—and what vendors have delivered well for past guests. That referral network is part of what you’re paying for when you book a dedicated large-group property.
Stack vendors strategically. A photographer + brass band + catered dinner on the same night is amazing. It’s also three vendor arrivals, three timelines, and three coordination tasks running simultaneously. One big vendor day per trip is plenty.

Where to Stay for Large-Group Events

Hosting vendors at your rental—chef dinners, second line departures, welcome arrangements—requires a property that can actually handle it.

Castleday Retreats — Three private villas in Bywater, up to 30 guests each. Full kitchens large enough for a chef to work in. Private pools for outdoor event setup. Completely private so vendors can load in without disturbing other guests. The Bywater location is a short walk from second line parade routes in Marigny and Tremé.

The Syd — Multiple villas in the Lower Garden District, up to 22 guests each. Shared outdoor kitchen, heated pool, hot tub, and sauna. One block from St. Charles Streetcar. The outdoor kitchen setup is purpose-built for catered events. Shared grounds mean vendors service the whole group from one location.

Both properties work with large groups regularly. When you book, mention the vendors you’re planning to bring—they can tell you load-in times, parking logistics, and any house rules that affect your event planning.

Book Your Base First

Every vendor interaction is easier when you already have your rental locked in. Address for deliveries. Access times for setup. Space for chefs to work.

Castleday Retreats — Bywater, up to 30 guests per villa
The Syd — Lower Garden District, up to 22 guests per villa