No, you don't have to wear one, but you're encouraged to wear one when possible. The wedding ceremony and reception will be mostly outdoors, so you should be able to socially distance to your comfort level. We'll also have hand sanitizer in a few different areas around the space.
We recommend the Marigny or the French Quarter near Esplanade Avenue (this part is less touristy). These areas are great for walking and exploring, with lots of good restaurants and sights to see. If you're looking to get off the beaten path a little more, the uptown area is great. Anywhere along Magazine Street should be nice. There are lots of cute shops, restaurants, and things to see.
Uber and Lyft are great, of course. Since you're in New Orleans, we also recommend riding a streetcar! Public transportation is available, but isn't the most user friendly system. That said, we have a bunch of FREE 3-day RTA passes - if you'd like one, let Jamie know.