Ask Us Anything

Yes — tours are private and by appointment, so you have the estate's full attention. You are welcome to bring your parents, your maid of honor, or whoever helps you decide. We will walk the gardens, the pavilion, the dining room, and the rooms upstairs together, with time for every question you carry.

Because no photograph carries the whole of it. Standing in the gardens is how you know the estate fits your vision, your guest count, and the day you picture — and it is the easiest place to ask everything at once.

Of course. We are glad to arrange a virtual walk-through by video call, and to save your questions for a visit whenever your travels bring you to Louisiana.

Most couples reserve their date twelve to eighteen months ahead, and spring and fall fill first. The Caldwell hosts a limited number of weddings each season, so dates are genuinely limited — if you have a month in mind, it is worth asking sooner rather than later.

Yes — we can hold your date for 72 hours after your tour, so you have time to talk it over. A 72-hour hold retainer is $250, and if you decide to book, it's applied to your date-hold retainer.

A signed agreement and a retainer hold your date. We will go over the retainer and the payment schedule with you, and everything is put in writing before you sign.

Yes. We offer monthly or milestone payment plans, so you can spread the cost in a way that works for you.

We accept check, cash, credit cards (a 3.99% processing fee applies), and Venmo (a 1.99% + $0.10 fee applies).

All three collections are all-inclusive: exclusive use of the estate — the East Garden, the West Garden Patio, the pavilion, and the dining room — cuisine by The Southern Spread, our in-house kitchen, the wedding cake, beverage and bar service, tables, chairs and fine linens, a coordinator for your day, and all of the setup and cleanup on either side of it.

The Signature also includes curated florals, a DJ, and an officiant; on the Elopement and the Micro, those can be added. Prefer to bring your own florist? You're welcome to bring in an outside florist at your own expense. And every couple receives a complimentary weekday bridal portrait session at the estate.

We are one of Louisiana's only venues that is all-inclusive and fully customizable, with everything in one place — ceremony, reception, an overnight suite, and a planning team. Couples come back to the same things: our transparency, the personal service, and a team that keeps every moment calm and seamless.

Yes, warmly. Every collection is a starting point, not a mold — the menu, the florals, the flow of the day, all of it is shaped to you. We tailor the details together at your private showing, walking the gardens themselves.

Yes, warmly. If the guest list grows, your collection can grow with it — we will simply move you to the one that fits.

Yes. The price you are quoted already includes tax.

No. Each collection is one price. Any enhancements you choose are discussed and put in writing before you sign — so the number you agree to is the number you pay.

Each collection is built for a guest range — up to 20, 50, or 100 — and your collection and final count are confirmed together. Starting prices are on the Weddings page; complete pricing is shared at your private showing.

Yes, gladly. The Elopement is built for up to 20 guests and the Micro for up to 50 — each with the whole estate and the same care as the largest celebration.

Our wedding collections are built around seated-ceremony capacity — up to 20, 50, or 100 guests. For a standing reception or an event without a seated ceremony, the estate and gardens can host as many as 200. Tell us about your day and we'll confirm the right fit for it.

About $26,000 on average across Louisiana, and often past $30,000 in and around New Orleans — with flowers, catering, rentals, bar, and coordination all booked and managed separately. Our collections fold nearly all of that into one all-inclusive price, so you spend the season enjoying it instead of chasing a dozen vendors.

Yes — Sunday through Thursday weddings include automatic savings. Ask us about dates outside the peak season, too.

Yes. Every couple receives a complimentary weekday bridal portrait session at the estate — a quiet afternoon in your gown with your photographer, before the day itself arrives.

The entire day, in every collection — from the morning of getting ready through the evening. The estate is yours.

Yes. Day-of coordination is included in every collection — one of our own keeps the timeline, the vendors' questions, and the small surprises, so no one in your family works your wedding.

Music winds down by 11:00 PM, out of courtesy to our downtown neighbors.

On site — a dedicated bridal suite and a separate groom's room, so both sides of the aisle dress in comfort without a morning drive across town.

You'll have the suites in plenty of time on the morning of your wedding. We set the exact hour with you once your timeline comes together.

Yes. A rehearsal time is arranged before your wedding day, so everyone walks it through in advance and the day itself begins already familiar.

Vendors and photographers usually arrive two to four hours before your start time, unless you and your planner arrange something different.

Yes. Say your vows outdoors in the gardens or on the patio, or indoors in a gracious room — with the covered pavilion standing ready besides. Every setting is yours to choose.

Yes. Most days move through the estate as the evening does — the gardens and the patio for the ceremony and cocktails, the pavilion and the dining room for dinner and dancing. All of it is included.

No problem. Your reception becomes a four-hour celebration, and everything else stays the same — planning, décor, catering, and bar — plus the option to do hair and makeup and get dressed at the house before heading to the church. You still get the full support of our team.

The estate is ready for any weather. A covered pavilion and gracious indoor rooms mean your day is beautiful rain or shine.

We do — all of it, in every collection. The estate is set before you arrive and cleared after you have gone; nothing is left to your family.

The Southern Spread — our own in-house kitchen, and the hospitality behind the estate. There is no outside caterer to find, interview, or manage; the people who cook for your wedding are the same people who keep the house.

Yes, you can bring in your own outside caterer for an additional fee. Because our kitchen is a warming kitchen rather than a commercial one, your caterer brings finished food, and they will provide us with proof of insurance naming us as an additional insured.

Yes. You will build your menu with our kitchen, and we are glad to begin that conversation as early as your first visit.

Yes. Beverage and bar service is included in every collection and handled entirely by our team.

No. Due to licensing and liability, bar and beverage service is ours to run and included in every collection, so we handle the alcohol. If there's a special bottle or a family tradition you'd like, mention it to your planner.

We talk menus in detail as your day gets closer. Tastings are not part of every collection, so ask your planner and we will let you know what we can arrange.

Yes. Tables, chairs, fine linens, and place settings are included in every collection — laid by our hands before you arrive.

Yes — absolutely. Our signature white and green florals create a timeless base, and your planner helps you customize everything so it truly reflects your style. If you are dreaming of a full custom or themed look, we can recommend talented decorators to bring your vision to life.

Our collections are priced as a whole, so the package stays the same whether or not you use every included service. You are welcome to bring your own florist, photographer, or DJ at your own expense. An outside caterer is the one exception, with its own terms noted just above.

Only a few, and all of them are about protecting a house that has stood since 1907. Your planner will go through the short list when you book.

Usually — it depends on what is on the calendar around your date. We will set your setup window once your date is reserved.

Yes. The inn holds five guest rooms in the main house — so the wedding party and out-of-town family can stay right where the wedding is.

Yes. Many couples spend their wedding night right here at the inn, upstairs in the main house, and wake to a quiet morning on the grounds.

Yes. The entire inn can be blocked off for your wedding party or held for guest reservations. Reserve the whole house, and the estate is yours alone for the weekend.

A continental breakfast is set out each morning for overnight guests. A full, made-to-order Southern breakfast is available as an add-on for those who'd like to wake to the real thing.

105 East Vermilion Street, in the heart of downtown Abbeville, Louisiana — where the house has stood since 1907.

Yes — on-site parking, just steps from the gardens.

At the inn itself, first — five rooms right on the grounds. Beyond the estate, downtown Abbeville is walkable, with more close at hand.

Candlelight is welcome, kept safely enclosed. We will go over the particulars when you plan your décor.

Send-offs are part of the fun. A few take a little planning for safety and for our downtown neighbors, so bring your idea to your planner.

Yes — a good dog down the aisle is always welcome. Tell us your plan and we will help it go smoothly.

Warmly, yes. This is a house built for family — little ones included.

Yes. Every couple, and every love story, is celebrated here.

Yes, gladly. We welcome the traditions of your family and your faith, and we will help you weave them into the day.

Some events call for a simple day-of event policy. Your planner will tell you whether yours does when you book.

Yes. The house is ADA accessible, with accessible entrances, ceremony options, and restrooms. If a guest needs a specific accommodation, tell your planner and we will help you plan their day.

Yes, gladly — rehearsal dinners, bridal and baby showers, tea parties, and private and corporate events all find a home here. See our Events page for the occasions the house holds; each one is tailored to you on inquiry.