New Orleans' reputation as America's City of Light, with its stellar jazz, exquisite food, gracious hospitality, old world beauty, and well-developed sense of celebration made it an unparalleled wedding destination. When I included Louisiana in my book of wedding destinations, Destination Bride, the locations I described were all in New Orleans.

There are, of course, other wonderful locations in Louisiana, and in the South, but the point is: There is only one New Orleans; it is singular, and extraordinary. Since Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans with devastating force, the city has been transformed. But it has not been broken.

It is recovering, and rebuilding with the help of an incredible outpouring of aid and compassion. While we don't know when New Orleans will be fully rebuilt, it seems clear that at some point within the next several years, New Orleans will again be a cherished destination for travelers, and home for many. It will no doubt be a popular wedding destination again, not only for its beauty and charms, but also as a symbol of strength, a symbol of things that - like love - bend, but do not break.

Map of the Southeast United States

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