New Orleans wants a piece of Bermuda's lucrative wedding market and plans to do so by allowing people from outside Louisiana to get married without waiting three days.

Louisiana legislators passed the law on Thursday - reversing state policy that introduced the option of "covenant" marriages, requiring pre-wedding counseling on the seriousness of the marriage commitment and make divorces more difficult to get.

"We're trying to make New Orleans a destination place like Bermuda is or like Las Vegas is," explained state Rep. Mitch Landrieu arguing for the bill on the House floor.

Currently only ministers who obtain a waiver from a judge can perform "quickie weddings". But anyone authorised to perform a marriage will be able to do so under the bill. Bermuda weddings have a waiting period for marriages and the banns must be published beforehand. Still, the Island is a popular place for non-Bermudians to get married.