The St. Louis Cathedral is an iconic New Orleans landmark. It is one of the stars of the city both nationally and worldwide and one of the most sought after Crescent City ceremony locations.
So the big question is, how does a couple go about attaining the ultimate New Orleans wedding dream? Here's what LTEC found out.
The Cathedral makes it a point in its marriage preparation materials to stress that a couple must begin the process at least six months before the wedding. This means filling out and submitting the church’s application for marriage. The materials continue to suggest that the couple wait to make any other definitive plans until their application of marriage is approved by the priest or deacon, stating, “reserving a date and time for the wedding on our calendar does not automatically assure the couple’s readiness for sacramental marriage.”
Before submitting your application, there are a few additional steps to check off your to-do list.
- Decide which priest will prepare you and your future spouse for the sacrament of marriage.
- Priest responsibilities:
- Gathering all dispensations and documents needed for the couple
- Must be in good standing with his diocese
- Have proper ecclesiastical faculties from his diocese
- Registered in the state as an authorized minister of marriages
- Confirmation in the form of fax, phone or letter from the officiant that he is assuming responsibility for your marriage preparation.
- Priest responsibilities:
- Marriage preparation program
- Interview with the priest or deacon
- Premarital inventory or FOCCUS
- Attending an Archdiocesan approved marriage prep program
- Wedding ceremony planning session
- Wedding Rehearsal
- At least one person should “profess” the Catholic religion
- According to the documents, “profession of faith implies some practice of religion such as prayer, attendance at mass and reception of the Sacraments.”
Things to remember:
- A stipend of $250 is not included in the fee for the church and should be given to the priest or deacon prior to or at the time of the wedding
- If a couple from out of town is not able to bring in their own officiant, the Cathedral Wedding Director will help in obtaining the services of a priest or deacon.
- If either of the couple resides outside of the Cathedral parish, a written letter from his or her pastor from their church parish is required.
- It is a $2,750 to book the St. Louis Cathedral
- -A $1,500 deposit must be paid at the time the church is booked and the entire balance must be paid at least two months before the wedding.
- Saturday weddings at the Cathedral are at 11 a.m., 3 p.m. or 7 p.m.
- Monday-Friday weddings at the Cathedral are at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
- No weddings are performed on Holy Days of Obligation, other special liturgical days or major civil holidays.
Note that this is a basic overview, or starting point. If you envision the Cathedral as your dream location, be sure to review all of the materials — and there are a lot — so that you are informed and prepared before submitting your application.
Additional information needed to book the St. Louis Cathedral, along with the application for marriage, can be found here.
P.S. Save the date for the June 2016 New Orleans Magazine Bridal Show, 6 to 9 p.m., at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Meet with the city’s premiere wedding industry professionals and plan every aspect of your Big Day from the engagement to the honeymoon and everything between! Click here for advance tickets and additional information.
