The British Celebrant who loves love!
$495 starting price
New Orleans, St Tammany Parish, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana
Service area
Ranna Zahra McSwain
OWNER
AWARD WINNER (6X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
Award winning British Marriage Celebrant, Ranna Zahra McSwain creates custom heartfelt ceremonies; and officiates with love and authenticity. She welcomes couples from all religious backgrounds, gender expressions, and ethnicities.
Ranna will be honored to share a timeless moment in your beautiful marital journey. She is here to create and facilitate your ceremony with kindness, dedication, and love. She excels in creating a meaningful wedding ceremony that represents a couple’s inspiring and loving narrative. Ranna has appeared in Season 11 of Married at First Sight; and been featured in Green Wedding Shoes, Junebug Weddings, The New York Times, New Orleans Weddings, and Adore Bridal amongst others! Her reputation amongst weddings pros, and devotion to her couples, is what makes Let’s Elope New Orleans an officiant service like no other!
Ranna also recently opened “The Chapel”, a beautiful Wedding Chapel, set in a historic 18th century former grocery store, in Uptown New Orleans. The Chapel is perfect for couples who want an intimate, affordable ceremony (for up to 20 guests). The Chapel offers luxury, convenience, magic, and a one stop location for photography, wedding decor, and more.
The Chapel sits in a tranquil neighborhood, and a short walk (one block) away, from the exclusive Oak Tree lined St. Charles Avenue. Couples can hop on the famous Streetcar from the French Quarter to get to and from the Chapel in under 20 minutes. The ride is rich in New Orleans history and architecture, filled with views of stately mansions, and the glorious Audubon Park, which is home to the magnificent Tree of Life.
Whatever you choose for your special day, be it a simple exchange of vows; an elaborate New Orleans fantasy, or a time honored traditional ceremony, Let's Elope New Orleans will make it happen! Ranna can also organize an elopement complete, with a superb wedding photographer! It’s the most special day of your life and no detail is too small! How you choose to celebrate your wedding day should be your kind of magical, and Ranna Zahra McSwain is here to create that for you!
Prices & packages
Couples usually spend $850
Looking for more pricing details?
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Details
Ceremony Types
Civil Union
Commitment Ceremony
Elopement
Interfaith Ceremony
Non-Religious Ceremony
Religious Ceremony
Second Wedding
Vow Renewal Ceremony
Religious Affiliations
Spiritual
Wedding Activities
Getting Engaged
Wedding
Ceremony
Awards and Affiliations
Any questions?
Meet the team
Ranna Zahra McSwain
Owner
Let’s Elope New Orleans is founded on love, and love is the reason I do what I do. I believe in happy ever afters and love overcoming all obstacles. I welcome couples from from all cultures, gender expressions and faiths.. It is with a great deal of joy and pride I perform each and every wedding ceremony. Celebrating love is my calling and something which comes from my heart and my soul.
Availability
Reviews
5.0
out of 5.0173 reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
Ranna from Let's Elope New Orleans is highly praised by multiple couples for her exceptional officiating skills, personalized and heartfelt ceremonies, and genuine care and attention. Couples describe Ranna as a loving, caring, and thoughtful officiant who takes the time to understand their journey and creates customized vows that reflect their relationship. Her professionalism, warmth, and ability to craft beautiful ceremonies have left lasting impressions on couples, making their wedding ceremonies truly magical and unforgettable. Highly recommended for those seeking a meaningful and personal wedding experience in New Orleans.Review photos
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Natalie W
5.0
6/22/2025
Ranna was amazing, we highly recommend her, and genuinely miss hanging out with her! From the start, she was easy to work with, and we felt completely at ease knowing she would honor our love during our wedding ceremony. Her process began with an introductory call to set expectations, which felt organic and allowed us to focus on our emotions, perfectly setting the tone for the ceremony.
In planning, we had several meetings and exchanged drafts of the ceremony. Ranna was always prompt and efficient in her responses. Her organization and proactive approach in preparing the drafts were invaluable as we managed other wedding preparations.
We particularly appreciated Ranna’s sentimental and loving approach. Part of her process involved each partner writing about the other, which helped us reflect on our feelings for each other and helped her learn about our love. She incorporated these words and her own into the ceremony beautifully.
She arrived early on the wedding day, ensuring everything was in place, and her calming presence before the ceremony was incredibly reassuring. She matched our energy and even our color scheme! She made everything feel seamless.
After the ceremony, many guests commented on how wonderful Ranna was. She struck the perfect balance—serious when needed, loving and sentimental, yet also bringing moments of lightness and laughter. The ceremony touched on all the right emotions, executed naturally without anything feeling forced or out of place. Ranna’s authenticity and genuineness shone throughout, and we feel fortunate to have had her as part of our ceremony.
We wholeheartedly recommend Ranna as a wedding officiant.
Thank you, Ranna, for helping make our big day so special! We love you <3 xoxo
Abby K
5.0
6/09/2025
I've never been to a wedding where guests raved about the officiant all night long... until my own wedding with Ranna! From the very beginning, she brought such a calm, kind presence that instantly put us at ease. She has a way of making every moment feel meaningful and personal, and her warmth and sincerity came through in every word she spoke. Our ceremony felt like us, and that’s all thanks to Ranna. We’re so grateful she was part of our day!
Any questions?
KATHRYN K
5.0
6/07/2025
If you are planning an elopement in New Orleans, I can’t recommend Ranna at Let’s Elope New Orleans enough. She is the most caring, delightful officiant you can hope to find. After striking out with another option, Ranna responded to my query promptly and quickly scheduled a call to understand our needs. Her pricing is very reasonable, and she made the entire process seamless! In our case, we were not looking for traditional or religious vows. All I can say is we were in tears hearing the most heartfelt vows. She takes the time to listen and understand your journey as a couple, and that is reflected in the highly customized vows she writes. We wore so tickled when we went back to the marriage license office to get our official documents, and the wonderful Ms Tina Boudreaux knew immediately who our officiant was based on the signature, and said such nice things about Ranna. Do yourself a favor and call Ranna first—your search for your wedding officiant will be done!
Jessica W
5.0
5/14/2025
From the moment we met Ranna we knew we found the right officiant! Ranna was a true joy to work with as we crafted our ceremony! We really appreciated meeting with her throughout our planning; each time we felt seen and cherished in her presence. She was instrumental and inspiring how my husband and I's love for each other was expressed and celebrated. She was also helpful in the more practical aspects of tying the knot when it comes to the license and witnesses. We highly reccomend her!
Jennifer D
5.0
5/12/2025
Ranna is an amazing human that is incredibly professional, and fantastic as an officiant. She is beyond helpful, kind, and communicative. She put so much love, thought, and detail into our elopement ceremony. It was a true reflection of our love story.
Isheika R
5.0
5/05/2025
Absolutely amazing experience. We had a small elopement with 5 guest. The chapel was beautiful! Thank you so much Ranna for helping me and my husband get hitched 🥰😘
Brooke H
5.0
4/09/2025
When we got engaged in December 2023, I began looking high and low for a place that offered an intimate, easy-to-plan, inclusive chapel wedding. I couldn’t find this anywhere until I came across Ranna and The Chapel in December of 2024. Ranna was the most wonderful wedding celebrant and planner. She made everything so easy, and even sourced a photographer for the wedding day, which was included in the package. My husband and I very much enjoyed working with her, and we could sense her genuine care to get to know us as a couple. I couldn’t have asked for more for our March wedding! Thank you, Ranna, from the bottom of our hearts.
Trevor C
5.0
4/09/2025
We found Ranna through a brief search on The Knot. We watched one of her content videos and immediately connected with her.
We met with Ranna virtually and in-person leading up to our event. She is incredibly thoughtful and inquisitive, and took the time getting to know us. She asked questions about the details of ceremony that we would never thought to have asked. Ranna curated a very personalized and special ceremony that was inclusive of our story and the journey leading us to that moment.
We are so grateful for the support and investment Ranna put into this. She is an amazing individual and we would highly recommned her!
Kirby B
5.0
3/16/2025
Ranna is fantastic to work with! She’s is so caring and helpful. The ceremony she wrote for us was perfect!
Valerie M
5.0
3/11/2025
Ranna is the most loving, caring, thoughtful officiant we could have asked for! She was recommended to us for our ceremony just as she was in the process of opening The Chapel and she still gave us all of the time and attention. She really worked with us and listened to our requests and wants for the ceremony. She felt like a family member was officiating and every attending family and friend commented on how amazing she was at the ceremony and rehearsal. She even asked me to approve what she was wearing, which was SPOT on to our wedding color palette. I can't recommend her enough!! We love you, Ranna!
Olivia L
5.0
1/09/2025
We don’t even know where to begin with Ranna —she was truly the heart and soul of our wedding ceremony in New Orleans. After I stumbled upon her through social media, I knew almost immediately that we needed her to officiate our wedding. In planning our destination wedding (from Chicago), our planners raved about how wonderful she is.
From the moment we met her, it was clear she wasn’t just there to “officiate”; she genuinely wanted to understand who we are as a couple, what makes our love unique, and how to bring that to life in our ceremony. She took the time to get to know us as a couple, ensuring that every detail of the ceremony reflected the spirit of our love perfectly.
On our wedding day, she delivered a ceremony that was nothing short of magical. Every word felt so personal, like we had known each other for years. Her warmth, grace, and incredible ability to weave our story into such a personal and beautiful narrative left not a dry eye in the house. She perfectly captured the essence of our relationship—blending love, laughter, and a celebration of the connection that brought us together.
New Orleans was the perfect setting for our wedding, and Ranna brought so much of the city's charm into her words and presence. She was truly a gift to our special day, and we will forever cherish the memories of the ceremony she created for us. Her warmth and presence made everyone feel connected to our love story. Our guests couldn’t stop raving about how beautiful and heartfelt the ceremony was, and it’s something we’ll remember and cherish forever.
Ranna, we love you. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making our wedding so magical and unforgettable. If you’re lucky enough to have her as your officiant, you’re in for something truly special.
Courtney K
5.0
1/05/2025
Ranna, as many of her other reviews will state, is the BEST officiant in New Orleans. From my very first zoom meeting with her, I was sure she was the perfect choice to officiate our wedding.
She has a joy and magic about her that is infectious. A true hopeless romantic, the bespoke ceremony she creted with my husband and I ws nothing short of perfect. Our guests used the words "best wedding ever" over and over again, and couldn't belive that Ranna was not a friend of ours from before.
Her romance and artistry is only elevated by her professionalism, timeliness, and organization. If you are looking for an officiant to bring heart, passion, and love to your ceremony, you CAN NOT make a better choice than Ranna.
Cady H
5.0
11/11/2024
If you want a personalized ceremony that will warm your guests' souls while staying true to who you are as a couple, hire Ranna. She was an absolute GEM throughout our entire process, from the first Zoom call to even after the ceremony. We truly felt like she saw us as individuals and created the perfect blend of both of us for our ceremony and vows. All our loved ones are still praising how great she was and how much love they felt hearing her ceremony outline. She was one of the best and easiest decisions we made during our wedding planning!
Maggie H
5.0
10/11/2024
Ranna is a wonderful officiant. She collaboratively lead us through the process of planning a ceremony that felt true to us, and facilitated it so gracefully. She is a warm and encouraging presence that brings calm and joy to shepherd you through an intimate and significant moment in your lives. We feel lucky we got to share our special day with her!
Cameron A
5.0
9/26/2024
Ranna was an incredible officiant for our wedding. From our first meeting, she took the time to understand our story and what we envisioned for our ceremony. Her warmth and genuine approach made us feel at ease throughout the planning process.
On the day of the wedding, Ranna delivered a beautifully personalized ceremony that captured the essence of our relationship. She was professional, organized, and attentive, ensuring everything went smoothly. Many of our guests commented on how touching and engaging her words were.
We couldn't have asked for a better officiant to help us celebrate our special day. Highly recommend Ranna for anyone looking for a meaningful and heartfelt ceremony!
Katie B
5.0
8/16/2024
Ranna was so wonderful. From the word go, she was everything we could hope for with an officiant plus more. You can truly tell that she loves what she does and is truly invested in making your special day perfect. She is such a huge part of our wedding being so beautiful. I can’t thank her enough. I highly recommend her to everyone.
Jessica S
5.0
6/14/2024
Ranna put us at ease from the start and made us feel seen and supported with her thoughtful questions for us and her carefully curated ceremony. She helped us feel confident about eloping halfway across the country by assuring us that everything would go smoothly—and she was right! I recommend her wholeheartedly!
Amanda C
5.0
6/07/2024
We chose Ranna for our destination elopement. Ranna is the sweetest, kindness, uplifting person you will ever cross paths with. Ranna took the time to get to know us via Zoom meetings to help us build a ceremony script exclusive to our relationship. You can tell she is passionate about what she does. She made our ceremony truly magical and we would recommend her to anyone getting married in the New Orleans area.
Mary K
5.0
5/21/2024
Ranna was a warm, calm presence on our wedding day. She hand wrote a beautiful ceremony that encapsulated our story. After two Zoom calls to get to know each other, Ranna captured our dynamic and energy, creating a custom ceremony that felt unique and special. She delivered the ceremony draft a month before, so we knew the flow, pace and verbiage of the ceremony well before we ever said I do. She was a professional. And she was able to connect and get to know us as a couple — an essential attribute for a ceremony officiant. Our guests commented on how elegant and personal our ceremony felt, which is a testament to Ranna’s talents. She is a gifted public speaker. But more so, she is a good person. I remember a moment of panic before the wedding, I can’t recall over what. I do know that Ranna smiled at me and said something that helped me relax and laugh. She felt like a friend. I will always be grateful she was part of our wedding day. Hire her as your officiant!
Danielle D
5.0
5/08/2024
We can't say enough good things about Ranna. Right from the first contact she was very professional and helpful. She answered all our questions in a timely matter. The initial script sent to us was exactly what we wanted and beautiful. The day of our wedding was perfect in every way imaginable thanks to Ranna and the beautiful city of New Orleans. We highly recommend Ranna!
Bree H
5.0
5/02/2024
What can we say about the woman who married us.
We hope you’ll always remember us & we hope to make you proud.
You are everything and more of who we wanted to remember our start of forever with.
You were patient, kind and gentle with us from the beginning. Even better, you let us be raw and emotional.
We’re not religious and didn’t want to appear like hypocrites. We also didn’t have anyone we knew personally who could marry us.
Ranna was recommended to us from both our venue and our wedding coordinators.
I started following her on social media and quickly knew she was the one.
It wasn’t just her post about the ceremonies, couples and weddings. It was when she shared her personal life that I knew that she was our girl.
She was real, honest and true. She also shared similar values to ours.
And she radiated love from her rosey cheeks to her smile.
A plus side is her voice is just so lovely and soothing, you’re mesmerized every time she speaks.
She delivered the most beautiful ceremony script that we’ll cherish forever and share with our grand kids one day.
I remembered being so nervous walking down the aisle, first I saw my husband and then I saw Ranna, and during the ceremony it felt like it was just the three of us.
When planning our wedding day, we wanted to be surrounded by people who brought us peace, supported us and were our biggest fans. And even though we had only met Ranna for the first time in person the day before our wedding, it felt like she was already cheering on our marriage. You can honestly tell this is more than just a job for her, she loves love, craves it and love loves her back.
That’s the kind of person I wanted to remember marrying us.
Ranna we love you, thank you for watering us<3
~4/14/24
Bree & Mike
The JANISZEWSKI’S!
Kelli H
5.0
4/30/2024
If you are looking for an officiant, look no further. Ranna is an absolute blessing from the heavens. From the moment we met her, we were at peace. Her presence is so kind and genuine. She took some time to get to know us and helped us create our vows. Then she created a ceremony for us that spoke to our unique relationship. The ceremony was more than we expected and all of our guests commented on it and how lovely Ranna was. I did my research on officiants in New Orleans and Ranna is the one that EVERY vendor gushed over. She was an absolute blessing to us and our wedding day!
Emily K
5.0
4/27/2024
From the beginning, Ranna was absolutely wonderful to work with! You can truly tell how much she cares for each of her couples. Even when I made a timeline mistake, she moved mountains to make sure she was at our ceremony (with time to spare)! She radiates love and kindness and creates the most unique and wonderful ceremony. All of our guests were telling us how wonderful and moving it was. I cannot recommend her enough to officiate your wedding!
Jessica P
5.0
4/27/2024
There's not enough stars allotted to appropriately rate Ranna's services through Let's Elope New Orleans. Perhaps 100/5 🌟 would do it for my husband and I. Fate or divine intervention lead us to Ranna in the very early stages, (or dreams) of planning an elopement in NOLA. Because we were traveling from NJ we had some apprehension on if a NOLA elopement was in reach for us. Ranna made our dream a reality and made the entire process, from the very first email exchanged, such an enjoyable experience. She was attentive, caring, compassionate, & understanding of all of our needs and concerns. She was accommodating when minor changes needed to be made, and above all she was so, so sweet, and loving. It's as if we've gained a family member in Ranna. Her recommendations of vendors were also 100/5 🌟. From our incredible second line band Knockaz, to our crawfish boil dinner party at Deanie's on Iberville, to recommendations for hair and makeup, and everything in between. There wasn't a single question that we asked Ranna that she didn't immediately have an answer or solution for. She was always on time as promised, and so thorough in all stages of planning. Her ceremony script brings me to tears just thinking about it. She so beautifully articulated our love story in our ceremony script and all of her words touched everyone present, it was truly a work of art and love wrapped into one. She has a gift in what she does, If we had the chance to do it all again we would choose Ranna in every lifetime.
Erin R
5.0
4/26/2024
I knew our elopement would be wonderful - but it was pure JOY. From the moment we met Ranna on a facetime call, we knew she was the one. Some souls just radiate magic and love - and that is Ranna. She will laugh with you, cry with you, and write you the most beautiful script imaginable.
Thank you for celebrating us, with us! You are JOY!
Love, Erin & Sid
Bryanna G
5.0
4/23/2024
Ranna was amazing in planning our elopement / micro wedding. She’s so helpful and made the process stress free even through we’re from out of town. We loved the ceremony she created and the photographer she recommended!!
Lauren K
5.0
4/17/2024
My now husband and I were initially unsure about how much time and effort to put into the ceremony of our wedding. It was going to be 30 minutes, after all, and most weddings we remembered going to through our lives didn't have the best so we figured it could be a check of the box. After truly every vendor we worked with for our destination wedding in New Orleans not only told us to re-think that mindset and to go with Ranna at Let's Elope, we knew we had to pray her schedule was open for our date. Thank goodness it was and we were able to sort a few things out over email before she made sure she got to know us. We had a nice long chat laughing and telling stories with Ranna over a zoom call since we were out of state. She gave us some important homework to write out some of our own thoughts and she would have all she needed. When we read the first draft, we were tearing up! She puts so much love in her words but you do need to be willing to help her out so she can make it "you!"
We were so pleased with our ceremony! We also had so many friends and family reach us to ask "how did you find her? She is amazing!" I think we had equal parts laughter and tears up there! Thank you, Ranna, for allowing our personalities to shine. It was so special and exactly what we wanted!
Samantha E
5.0
4/17/2024
Ranna was an amazing officiant and just a wonderful person overall. She was very professional, and whenever I had any question or a change request for the ceremony she was always so quick to respond; while also being very thoughtful in her response. She helped us find a photographer, had great vendor recommendations and always accommodated our schedule for zoom meetings. She is very kind, and held the most beautiful ceremony that was non-denominational, allowed for a meditation grounding statement at the start and wrote both my husband and I’s story into the ceremony beautifully. We couldn’t have been more happy with Ranna. I HIGHLY recommend 💗
Hannah G
5.0
4/17/2024
Ranna was absolutely wonderful! She was able to help us on relatively short notice (one month prior to our big day), and she ended up being a perfect fit. We knew we were in good hands from the start - Ranna is incredibly organized and detail-oriented. She made sure that we were comfortable with our ceremony details and was able to curate the perfect, personalized script for our ceremony. 10/10!
Lori N
5.0
4/15/2024
Ranna with Let's Elope New Orleans is an absolute joy to work with. She has such a kind, gentle spirit and her aura is radiating. She listened to us and she heard us! She took time to put together our beautiful love store in words. Ranna is the best!
Colin Y
5.0
4/07/2024
Ranna did an incredible job for us. She is warm and inviting while being thoroughly professional. We specifically wanted a secular ceremony but had no culrural traditions to use as a guidepost. As soon as our first meeting with Ranna, we felt at ease that she would be able to write a ceremony that was meaningful and fit us well. After the ceremony, guest after guest came up to us to tell us how moving the words were. She has a very pleasant voice to listen to. We would recommend Ranna to anyone.
Kaylee K
5.0
4/05/2024
We are so grateful to have had Ranna as our officiant! Leading up to our wedding she gave us great advice and support. We really appreciate the effort she put in to get to know us ahead of time. Writing the ceremony was a fun, collaborate effort and in the end it all turned out so beautifully. We'll cherish the memories of our ceremony forever and would highly recommend her to others!!
Kristen H
5.0
3/18/2024
Ranna was just wonderful to work with and truly made our day the lovely celebration that we wanted! We planned our elopement from another city and I was so grateful for her expertise as we consider multiple venues, photographers, etc. She also spent time to get to know us and Ranna's description of love was absolutely wonderful! I remember reading that someone else mentioned this but it's true - our guests still talk about how beautiful the ceremony was! She was the key to our whole elopement :) I can't imagine a more professional officiant or lovely shepard brining us into love and marriage :)
Ashley B
5.0
3/17/2024
Ranna was phenomenal! She helped with the tiniest of details, was so professional, and kept us calm the entire process. She is so kind hearted and kindly spoken. We loved working with her!!!
Courtney W
5.0
3/14/2024
When looking for a minister in New Orleans, LA I wasn’t really sure where to start. Let’s Elope New Orleans was the first website I came across and reached out on a whim thinking I wouldn’t be able to book her. Boy was I wrong!! Ranna answered me the very same day! Working with Ranna to plan our destination ceremony was so easy. She walked through step by step for all the needed paperwork and the requirements. We were very prepared for our visit to the NOLA marriage license office.
We had a small elopement with about 15 adults total. The praise we heard over and over about our ceremony and how Ranna honored both fathers who are no longer with us and how special it was will always be a great memory for us.
Thank Ranna for everything! You are amazing!!
Adrianna B
5.0
2/14/2024
I will recommend Ranna to absolutely everyone. Everything was beyond perfect, better than any expectations we had. Ranna was recommended to us by our planner Bailey Rose Events and from our first phone chat, we instantly connected with her energy. She is so amazing at what she does and she has the most calming presence. Our ceremony was so beautiful and perfect for the celebration of our love. We received so many compliments about the ceremony and we were so honored to have Ranna be a part of our love celebration!
Lindsay M
5.0
1/18/2024
Where do I even begin?! From the start, Ranna's ability to connect with us and the genuine joy she shared in our happiness elevated the entire experience. We reached out to her two weeks before our elopement and she was immediately a weight lifted from our shoulders. Her passion for her job was evident from the start, and it translated into an elopement ceremony that exceeded our wildest expectations. We felt a profound sense of connection, not only with each other but also with Ranna as our guide. During the ceremony itself, her presence was felt in the most beautiful way. She managed to strike the perfect balance between being organized and being present. Her recommendations were every bit as wonderful as she is (forever in photography love with Hannah Pickle!), and she was instrumental in creating a day that we will always remember as pure magic.
Ranna, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for being extraordinary. Your dedication, warmth, and expertise turned our vision into a reality, and for that, we will be forever grateful. We couldn't have asked for a better person to help us begin this beautiful chapter of our lives. You are a GIFT!
Morgan G
5.0
1/18/2024
Ranna was absolutely amazing! She was so willing and communicative to ensure our ceremony script was absolutely perfect! She made us feel comfortable at the altar and spoke so well regarding our story and sharing the special moment with our guests. Our guests are obsessed with her presence, script, and her magical presence! We woukdn’t have wanted to share our day with any one else!
Amy W
5.0
1/13/2024
Working with Let’s Elope- Ranna was such a genuine and lovely experience. We were eloping in New Orleans from Australia and needed guidance and support, which was absolutely provided. Every step of the way Ranna provided great options that really aligned to us as a couple, was contactable anytime and always responded with loving energy. Thank you Ranna for everything and for creating the most special day for Dale & I, we are forever grateful 💛🌼💛
Lori H
5.0
1/09/2024
Ranna was spectacular! I sent an inquiry to her on Christmas Eve, thinking I was asking the impossible,…but she was amazing, and was able to accommodate our short notice. She was so welcoming from our first contact with her,…and after having an interview with her, I knew that we had made the right choice. The vows were perfect. She provided me with options for the ceremony, options for photographers and flowers. Any questions I had, she had answers. Ranna is truly a God-send! She made us feel so comfortable and I honestly felt like my best friend was officiating our wedding. It was the most wonderful day. She made everything better than I could have ever imagined!
Christina B
5.0
12/26/2023
We had the privilege of having Ranna McSwain as our wedding officiant, and we can't express how grateful we are for the incredible experience. Ranna’s warm presence, genuine words, and attention to detail made our ceremony truly unforgettable. Ranna not only personalized every aspect of the ceremony but also created an atmosphere of love and joy that resonated with everyone present (yes they all told us so). Her professionalism and passion for what she does shines through, making her not just an officiant but a cherished part of our special day. We encountered the unpredictable New Orleans weather and had to make several shifts within our plans. Ranna provided us comfort and peace during those times and never cracked under the pressure, allowing us to follow her lead. Everything turned out exactly as it was supposed to! If you're looking for someone who will make your wedding ceremony uniquely yours and leave a lasting impression, Ranna McSwain is the perfect choice. Highly recommended for her expertise, kindness, and the ability to turn moments into lifelong memories.
Steve R
5.0
12/11/2023
Personal, warm and unique. We felt like we were being married by a good friend!
Jim M
5.0
11/23/2023
I'm very late in doing this. :-(. The Wedding was on 10/30 of this year. I've been waiting on some pictures and going through them selecting those that I'll share. So now that that's ready to go, I need to pour all the praise in my heart out here for Ranna.
She was amazing.
A simple phrase that could never possibly fully capture the impact of her involvement in this milestone in my husband's and my life together.
Ranna was the most welcoming, comforting and nurturing soul from the first moment we got on our vid call to meet for the first time. She took time to try to get a feel for us and get to know us in, as much as could be possible given the time involved. And she was successful I think, also in showing us who she is as a person, as a human and as a kind soul.
Probably most importantly to me, being the coordinator in the relationship, was Ranna's seemingly near infinite patience for answering questions and soothing concerns, of which, I had many. LOTS of questions, lol. But I care about this big change in our lives, and Ranna not only recognized that, but fully supported and encouraged it, making me feel totally at home with her.
I told her right off that we were on a very very tight budget and any savings we could manage would really be helpful and thanks to her, we ended up choosing the Tree of Life in Audubon, in New Orleans, LA (of course, since that is where Ranna is located.. but I mention it because we are not from there, we live in California currently, so we travelled from out of state, which contributed to my paranoia and questions trying to make sure every necessary detail, process, document, was obtained and properly presented since our trip was for a short 5days, )really 4 leaving early that Thursday) and only arriving the day before the wedding which was a Sunday. So we had to get our license first thing Monday morning before getting ready for the wedding later that afternoon.
Anyway, Ranna helped answer all those questions, with her provided documents and her direct communication via email or via vid call.
The point is she was there for us and never once was I REALLY worried once we were in her hands...I felt safe. And because I did, the Hubbie to be did too.. he knows how I am and if I'm good, it's because all is IS INDEED GOOD.
The ceremony she preformed was created based on her lovely framework of eloquent words and phrasing, acknowledging of our blend of agnostic and religious/spiritual beliefs, with splashes of our own individual and personal details to really make this ceremony ours, and ours alone.
Anyway, I really could go on, in case you couldn't tell that by now (yeah right, lol).
But bottomline... RANNA... THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS. YOU WILL BE A KEYSTONE TO THE MEMORY OF THAT MOST SPECIAL AND PRICELESS MILESTONE IN OUR LIVES.
We highly recommend Let's Elope New Orleans!
Whether you're a LA native/local, or coming from anywhere else... Ranna will take excellent care of you all around!
Abbie B
5.0
10/30/2023
Ranna made our simple but intimate elopement dreams come true! She was so accommodating, personable and inclusive. She made sure that all of the small details that we wanted before, during and after the ceremony were perfect and the day was nothing short of an absolute dream!
Jennie W
5.0
10/20/2023
Ranna is absolutely wonderful. Our ceremony was so thoughtful, and personal, it was everything we had been dreaming of. She made the process so painless and stress free, we couldn’t have asked for a better day. Ranna makes it feel like you have a true friend, not just an officiant, celebrating your love. So thankful for her and all her help!
Michael Z
5.0
10/18/2023
Ranna was the best officiant, wedding planner, and true gift that we could ask for. She made our wedding more special than we could ever ask for. She helped pick the perfect location, wrote an amazing script for the ceremony and even helped make a ring out of the grass after my husband dropped and temporarily lost the wedding ring. She kept cool, calmed us down and delivered the perfect ceremony. I couldn’t think of a better person to help us get married. Thank you Ranna!
Michelle M
5.0
9/26/2023
Ranna is amazing!!
Daniel B
5.0
9/19/2023
We decided to marry in New Orleans but we were not familiar with the process and area. We came across Let’s Elope New Orleans and after some consideration scheduled a virtual meet and great. Being a gay couple can add a little stress to discussing marriage with someone unknown but right away we could tell we liked Ranna and it would be a pleasure to work with her. We are located fours away by plane which made it challenging to know what we wanted and she helped us all along our marriage planning and New Orleans journey. All of her support and help was truly appreciated. If you are looking for an welcoming ally to officiate your marriage, then I encourage you to reach out to her for yourself and best wishes for your own future!
Ly N
5.0
8/02/2023
Ranna is a kind, sweet, beautiful and loving soul. Our consultation was through a video call. We met with her a few times so we could get to know each other. We opted for a non-religious ceremony with a more modern take of our vows and remembrance of 2 family members who passed recently. She works with you on how you would like your wedding officiated. We wanted to keep the whole thing short and sweet because the ceremony was outdoors, downtown New Orleans at 5PM in the middle of summer. She is a genuine gem of an officiant and person with a slight British accent, which I (the bride) focused so hard on trying to repeat after Ranna that I might’ve taken on her accent too. Was funny to say the least. If we were to get again, Ranna is the one!
Gabrielle O
5.0
6/29/2023
Ranna made our wedding ceremony so magical! She took the time (months prior) to get know us and tailored her speech specifically to my partner and I. She helped us with our vows and even had a back up plan if one of us was too nervous to speak in front of everyone. One of the best moments and decisions of our lives! Thank you, Ranna!
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Let's Elope New Orleans
Ranna Zahra McSwain
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