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Don’t Do It Yourself. DDIY. Not that you can’t – but maybe you don’t have the time. Or energy. Or the skillset. Whatever reason it is, you don’t have to do it yourself. You can hire someone.
If you hate doing the dirty work, then you’ve come to the right place. Let Be New Orleans tell you about our favorite people and businesses who can handle things for you!
Right now, everyone in New Orleans is getting prepped for Mardi Gras and everything that comes along with that. Beads, ladders, cooking, cleaning – EVERYTHING. How do you even get all this done? We’ve got your back!
NOTE THE UPDATED ORLEANS PARISH RULES FOR PARADES
Mardi Gras Ladders/Seats
The ladders that line St. Charles might be the bane of many people’s existence. But, for you, it’s the only way to keep your little ones contained. We all know between parades that everyone’s kids roam free and play football in the street. Once the parades start rolling though, you need to make sure they are close by.
Gris Gris Art sells wooden parade seats that come with or without wheels. You can also choose to have them painted or get the raw wood to paint yourself. Save yourself the shipping costs and pick up in River Ridge!
The Mardi Gras Step has everything from the full ladder contraption to just the seat. They even sell bonus accessories like cup holders, seat belts, and adjustable footrests.
Mardi Gras Catering
There are so many places you can order catering from! We couldn’t even list all the places in the city that offer fantastic food. Here are a couple of suggestions, though:
Bill Laderer Catering will cater ON the parade route for you!
GG to-Go-Go: The Lower Garden restaurant Gris Gris offers lots of party platters that can be customized and sells their frozen drinks by the gallon, too. And, if you live in “the box”, it’s not a problem for you to pick up!
Gracious Bakery on St. Charles is a great spot to grab party catering! From breakfast to sweets, you can have it all. They are on the parade route, too, so plan to pick it up before the roads are blocked off.
Mardi Gras Costumes
If you find yourself running out of time to assemble a Mardi Gras costume, we’ve got some people who can whip something up for you!
Keep in mind, though, that if you’ve waited this long, you’re unlikely to get a massive costume creation. You may have to settle for a headpiece and you can throw something on from your costume closet.
Crafty Lil Devil, aka Elizabeth Zibilich, can provide you with a consult for your costume or help assemble something on the fly.
Uptown Costume and Dancewear has been a go-to for years for last-second costumes!
Miss Claudia’s Vintage Clothing and Costumes is also a staple for New Orleans costumes.
Need a wig? Look no further than Fifi Mahoney’s!
Loading your Throws on a Float
TJ’s Carnival & Mardi Gras Supplies has multiple packages for float loading.
Plush Appeal is another awesome option for getting your throws onto your float.
While traditionally known to help organize your home, the Occasional Wife also offers float loading and organizing!
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Photo Credit: Glitter Buzz NOLA Facebook
Glittering Your Throws
Time is running up, and you don’t have the patience to get all your throws decorated and glittered. Great news for you! Someone else is willing to do it for a price.
Glitter Buzz NOLA creates beautiful, quality pieces that you will be proud to hand off this Mardi Gras season. Be sure to check out her Instagram to see every amazing piece: @glitterbuzznola
Sparklynn NOLA creates lots of custom pieces for Cleopatra and Thoth riders! she can do ALL things with glitter!
Lesley Nash of Fly Right Galaxy will decorate your ladders, shoes, goblets, purses – whatever!
Pet Care
Whether you’re marching or riding this Mardi Gras season, making sure our pets are taken care of is very important! These awesome businesses can still make it to your house and take care of Fluffy – even if you live “in the box.” (For the noobs, “the box” is a section of Uptown that is extremely difficult to get or out of once parades start.)
Pet Super Krewe Services have been trusted with my own pets. Reliable and reasonably priced – they don’t disappoint. If you have friends traveling from out of town, they also provide hotel pet sitting and walking.
Sarah’s Pet Care Revolution is highly regarded by many of our past clients – even those with very particular needs.
Cats, dogs, and even tarantulas are all a part of a typical day for the folks at NOLA Critter Sitters. They are used to unconventional pets. Which, let’s be honest, your snake still needs to eat even if you’re riding in Tucks!
Have a safe and happy Mardi Gras season y’all!
Check out our to-do list task force for other ways to make your Mardi Gras easier!