A Week Before Wedding----

 To make things go smooth and easy a week before the wedding be sure to have and do the following:

1. Get marriage license, and inform officiant that you have it and are ready to go

2. Understand the time needed for the ceremony itself, usually 30 minutes to do from music prelude to recessional. Let minister know any special requests needed in the ceremony and style of ceremony, religious or civil.

3. If you have readers be sure to let them know with copy of reading when they will be called on. And also let minister  know who, what, and when the reading is to be done.

4. Contact other people who need to know things like, location, caterer, musicians, etc. or have a planner or friend contact all parties.


 Communication is important so be sure to let people know you have the marriage license and are ready to be married. Read up on what documents you need to get a marriage license as laws change and some license offices are strict.

 If there is any problem or issue contact the minister who may have a solution.

Elope To New Orleans French Quarter

 It is simple to get married in a historical setting. Chaplain Jerry Schwehm of Fig Street Weddings with Victoria Broughton of VCB Photography at the spectacular Lamonthe House in the historic French Quarter Courtyard for an elopement for Traci and Kevin. Contact any one of us to schedule your elopement in this beautiful spot.

 Like us on Facebook too. (https://www.facebook.com/ChaplainJKSchwehm)

Chapel Rental for Weddings in New Orleans Area

 Couples ask me about renting a church or chapel for their wedding service in New Orleans. Usually I tell them to rent St. Mary's in Kenner, LA. The city of Kenner has a replica church in Heritage Park at River town near the airport. The pavilion can be rented too. Also a hall is there for a reception. Here is the information and phone number to call to rent the chapel. The chapel is in Kenner near the New Orleans Airport. About 20 minutes drive from the French Quarter on the interstate.

 Church Capacity is max 45 people
Rental fee of $100/hr (alone)
Rental fee of $75.00/hr (if booked with another Hall)
Deposit of $150.00 ($100 is a refundable damage deposit)
Deposit waived if booked with another Hall
Includes 1 hour before and 1 hour after event for set-up and clean up
Extra set-up time available for $50.00/hr (2 hours maximum)

__________

 All Kenner rental Facilities are set up with tables and chairs on the day of the event. Applicants are responsible for catering, table coverings, *ice and all other items associated with their function.The Kenner Recreation Department is proud to offer a variety of facilities available for a variety of events. To obtain information regarding the rental of the Kenner City Pavilion or the shelters at Veteran's Park and Laketown, please contact Alice Baroni at 504-468-6638 or abaroni@kenner.la.us.  For Heritage Hall, Heritage Park, St. Mary's Chapel or the Rivertown Exhibition Hall, please contact Heidi Glorioso at 504-468-7231 or hglorioso@kenner.la.us.

*Ice is available ONLY at the Kenner City Park Pavilion.

Special Requirements on all Rentals
A Police Detail is required for events serving alcohol, with over 50 people in attendance, for events invloving teenagers, for couples showers, etc. and for any other event the City of Kenner deems necessary. The Police Detail is $30/hr (4 hour minimum) and will be arranged by Kenner Staff but must be paid in cash to the officer on the day of the event. The officer must be present for all party time plus last hour assigned for clean-up.

 Call or contact the City of Kenner for more info about renting this small church for your wedding in New Orleans.

Google Map To River Town and St. Mary's Chapel New New Orleans Airport

View Larger Map

Destination Wedding: New Orleans, LA.

New Orleans, LA is the third choice of most couples for destination weddings. An  average of 10,000 weddings occur in the New Orleans Metro area each year.
The average attendance is 150 people costing about $25,000.

 Chaplain Jerry Schwehm has been performing wedding ceremonies for over 20 years in the New Orleans area. From his experience he has discovered many ways to save money yet have a beautiful marriage.He performs marriage ceremonies in many locations, homes, hotels, halls, and public parks.Historic sites in the French Quarter, beautiful views of the Mississippi River, and the spectacular Lake Pontchartrain shoreline. Some areas like parks have free to use spots for small elopements. Some larger weddings must rent a spot like inside Jackson Square. He can be contact at his e-mail address chaplainschwehm@figstreet.com or his weddings web page at http://www.figstreet.com/weddings. Stop in the page for more details. Links to help you plan your wedding are on his web page.

Photos At Weddings Are Important

Having photos of your wedding whether it is a small elopement or elaborate affair in a large venue is important. Years later looking at the photos evokes memories of the day that is most likely the most emotional and fun time of your life. In an effort to learn more and to find unique photos I can recommend to couples, I searched through Google. To my amazement I found that some photographers seem to have fetishes  Like the above shoe photo. The recommended photo of the day in the article was of the shoes. Personally I think a shoe photo is fine in a shoe catalog but a wedding album? I discovered a large selection of ideas ranging from pictures of food, to sky, and other things to me not related to a wedding. So my lesson is be sure the photographer realizes it is a wedding album and not a flash photo contest of apparel.
 It reminded me of once I asked a photographer to send me a photo of a wedding I did. I put them in my blog. What I got was a picture of me holding a baby? No wedding ceremony, no bride or groom. Some child at the wedding I held for a moment. Nothing to do with a wedding at all. So it never made it to my blog. Select a photographer who does what you want, wedding pictures. Talk with them before so they understand it is a wedding album not a contest of cool shoe pictures.

The Secret to Affordable Weddings

Chaplain Jerry Schwehm at  New Orleans Pirates Alley elopement.

  For over 20 years I have done many weddings in the large New Orleans Metro area. I am often contacted by couples on a budget wanting to be married simply in a beautiful spot without a large expense. For an elopement of less than 12 people attending, several beautiful public spots are available for free to use. A marriage license is less then $30, a free location, several witnesses in a public park runs less then $300. A lot better then an office setting where an elopement may be a little less but also a lot less romantic. Cheap, budget, affordable, whatever you want to call it a simple elopement under $300 in a beautiful location saves the couple a lot of money and a lot of planning.
 Over the many years of doing weddings I have found several beautiful locations around New Orleans that we can meet and do a small wedding. I have pictures on my web page with instructions how to get a license and how to book me to meet you to perform a wedding ceremony. Stop in my weddings web page at www.figstreet.com/weddings and see some of the pictures. E-mail me for further details.

Chaplain Schwehm, elopement  in City Park, New Orleans

 I can assist you in locating an officiant in most any city in the USA. I am the President and Moderator of a nation wide group of wedding officiants.


Chaplain JK Schwehm
New Orleans
Wedding Officiant
President American Association of Wedding Officiants

Chaplain Jerry Schwehm at Simple elopement in the French Quarter. Photo by Kathleen Parker.

Changing Name After Wedding

  Most American brides change the last name after marriage. It requires some effort. Here are a few tips, and there are web pages that offer help. A certified copy must be provided to certain agencies, so it takes time. A certified copy of your marriage certificate comes from the office where you obtained your marriage license. The state will mail you a copy for a fee when you requested one.

Changing Your Name After A Wedding

  It is a tradition in western cultures that a bride takes the last name of the husband, it is not a requirement to do so. You need to order several certified copies of your marriage certificate from the office you received your license. Usually this is done when you apply for your marriage license by prepaying for certified copies to be mailed to you.
1. A new drivers license should be obtained by going to your local motor vehicle office with a certified copy of the marriage certificate. That office will help you get a new license with the marriage name. They may charge a fee so you should call before going to get particulars. You may also need to change your auto title and auto insurance.
2. A new Social Security Card should be obtained by getting the necessary forms off the web at:  http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/315  You can mail the form in or go in person to your local office but you need a certified copy of your marriage license to present to them. You can telephone them for details.
3. A new Passport can be obtained by going in person to a local office or following the directions on the State Department page at http://travel.state.gov/passport/correcting/ChangeName/ChangeName_851.html
4. You will also need to change your name with banks, credit card companies, landlords, and any other agency that has your name on record. Generally by getting the first 3 done the rest are easier as some agencies will accept the new drivers license as proof of you new name.
5. Be sure the IRS, Voter Registration, your insurance agent, and CPA also knows of the name change so that they make the necessary charges to their records too.

Weddings Under The Tree of Life, Happiness, and Love

 Best place to elope in the Greater New Orleans area are its beautiful parks and lake front.

City Parks Tree of Life, Happiness and Love are great spots for weddings. For details contact Fig Street Weddings with Chaplain JK Schwehm to arrange an elopement or wedding under the biggest and oldest oak tress in the US. More details can be read at: http://figstreet.com/guesthouse/parks.html

 The oldest oak trees are found along the bayou by City Park Ave. Some of these old oak trees are up to 800 years old. They began a forest along a water way that once connected to the Mississippi River. The bayou now forms part of a beautiful lagoon in the park and is populated by water fowl and moss covered trees. A lovely area for small outdoor weddings. More big trees are located in City Park then any other park in the area. Parking is easy. Food is near by in the Parkview Cafe and at Ralph's At The Park. The beautiful New Orleans Museum of Art is a short walk away. The Red Canal Streetcar runs right in front of the park with a beautiful walk to the trees. The park rents spots for larger weddings but a small elopement is OK under the trees with no rental fee for use of the location.

Chaplain Jerry Schwehm at City Park elopement.

BOOKING CHAPLAIN SCHWEHM

 After years of performing weddings I have found it best to obtain information from the prospective Bride and Groom as soon as possible. There is a form that can be cut and pasted to your word processor or download a copy at http://www.figstreet.com/guesthouse/serviceagreement.html. A downloadeable  ".doc"  format for you to complete and get to me along with the required deposit to book your wedding date.  Chaplain Schwehm does waivers of delay for out of state couples. If Chaplain Schwehm is not available he has associate Ministers who help

Marriage License Info--NOTICE: Vital Records Central Office will offer walk-in services at Benson Tower, 1450 Poydras St, Suite 400, New Orleans, LA. Vital Records Customer Serivce Call Center can be reached at 504-593-5100 . You can also get a marriage license at  Jefferson Parish Clerk of Courts Office or any Clerk of Court in Louisiana.

City Park area has several covered spots.

Elopement under tress Scott Myers Photography

Elopement by Scott Myers Photography

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MAP OF CITY PARK:  Tree of Life, Love, and Happiness

View Larger Map ___________________________________________________________ Video of one of the many big trees in City Park. http://youtu.be/HaYUiIaZWDk _______________________________________________________

The Morning Call Coffee Stand has food and large rest rooms. We can meet there to complete the paperwork, it is a covered area with easy parking. Map link below:
https://plus.google.com/106745417835638918906/about?hl=en -------------------------------------------------------------   Video of Wedding in City Park:

Cafe in Pirates Alley. Place to meet before and after a wedding in New Orleans

Pirates Alley. Nice place to meet before and after a wedding in Jackson Square, French Quarter, New Orleans, LA. Chaplain JK Schwehm, Fig Street Weddings will assist.

 Couples meet at the Pirates Alley Cafe then find a nice spot to get married near Jackson Square for a small romantic elopement. Several spots in the French Quarter are available for an intimate ceremony. Larger weddings need to rent a place but for a few people a nice stand up ceremony can be done in certain public areas,

 A short walk from Pirates Alley are the gates to Jackson Square that also can be used for a short small elopement. More info here- http://frenchquarterweddings.blogspot.com/2010/08/get-married-in-pirates-alley-new.html


 Very short video of area by St Peter St gates to Jackson Square from Youtube.

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View of St Louis Cathedral from spot in Jackson Square, New Orleans. Nice spot for a wedding. Some spots rent out some are free for small elopement.

Gates St Peter St to Jackson Square

Chaplain Jerry Schwehm at gates to Jackson Square simple elopement.

                                    Elopement at gate to Jackson Square, New Orleans, LA..

Photo by Kathleen Parker.

NOTICE: Vital Records Central Office will offer walk-in services at Benson Tower, 1450 Poydras St, Suite 400, New Orleans, LA. Vital Records Customer Serivce Call Center can be reached at 504-593-5100 . You can also get a marriage license at Second City Court, Algiers or the Jefferson Parish Clerk of Courts Office or any Clerk of Court in Louisiana.


Google Map to Pirates Alley Cafe area   :  MAP Jackson Square Area



View Larger Map

Sample Wedding Ceremony with Poems

Here is a sample of a wedding ceremony using quotes from poems and bible:

New Civil Celebration with Poems

Welcome to this celebration.

We gathered together here with family and friends to celebrate
the love which BRIDE and GROOM have for each other, to give
recognition to their decision to become husband and wife and to travel through life together.

If any of you has anything to say that might change their minds…
the don‟t want to hear it !-- However, they do want to hear from you, your love and support as that is why you were invited here. To encourage them to begin their married life together even with its faults and travails as you know there are times of great joy.

So Bride and Groom , please focus your attention on each another, to become man and wife you must answer a question before these witnesses to affirm you want to be married by law.

Bride, "Do you take Groom to be your wedded husband, to share your
life together, living with him, in sickness and in health, in joy and in
sorrow, in hardship and in ease, to cherish and to love, from this forward?"

Groom, "Do you take Bride to be your wedded wife, to share your
life together, living with her, in sickness and in health, in joy and in
sorrow, in hardship and in ease, to cherish and to love, from this forward?"

Because it is love that brought us all here today. Before you exchange rings and vows, I‟d like to remind you what the Apostle Paul said about love:

If I speak in the tongues of men and ofangels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clangingcymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries andall knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but havenot love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrendermy body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it isnot proud. It is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered,it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoiceswith the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, alwaysperseveres.

Tradition has you exchanging rings to mark you as married to one another.

Groom, as you place this ring on Brides hand, please repeat after me:

I take you -----to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this
day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness
and, in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part.

Bride as you place this ring on Grooms hand, please repeat after me:

I take you ------to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold, from
this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in
sickness and, in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part.
NOW- Gibran on Marriage:

“You were joined together and together you shall be forevermore.
You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter yourdays.
And you shall be together in the silent memory of God.
But let there be spaces in your togetherness,
And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.
Love one another, but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other‟s cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.
Sing and dance together and make a joyous noise unto the Lord, butlet each one of you be alone,
Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with thesame music.
Give your hearts, but not into each other‟s keeping.
For only the hand of life can contain your hearts.
And stand together yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other‟s shadow.”

You may now kiss as husband and wife..

The New Orleans Wedding Reporter, news for planning New Orleans weddings

LINK:  The New Orleans Weddings Reporter


A cool widget allows me to post on the web wedding related info from all over the web. I do this daily and post on Twitter when it comes out at my Twitter account @ElopeNewOrleans I use the list on Twitter to find interesting articles and include them in my weddings report that I then post it in my reporter. See http://paper.li/elopeneworleans:  then follow  us and your interesting news may be included in the reporter.


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TWITTER account info:

@ElopeNewOrleans 

New Orleans Wedding Minister, former Justice of the Peace, Moderator AAWO does elopements in New Orleans

Can I Have A Friend Perform The Wedding Ceremony?

Sometimes I am asked if a friend can officiate the wedding. Most states require that a person who officiates a wedding be a minister or judge. That officiant also must be registered to perform weddings in the place the wedding is done. The registration process is sometimes difficult and has legal issues. I have read on some web pages that you can have a friend "ordained" on the web, register, then perform the ceremony. That is a lot of paper work and risky at times so I offer to allow the friend participate in the ceremony avoiding the need to become a minister for a day. I find that when family and friends help out in a ceremony by either being a reader or master of ceremonies that the audience is more attentive. Just me standing there reciting things is not as entertaining as having a dear friend stand up and read a poem or tell a story. Grandparents are wonderful at that sort of thing. I do not think going through the paper work of an ordination for a day is necessary. The friend or family member can participate and assist in the ceremony and no risky web page ordination is necessary. I often tell couples be sure that the person doing the ceremony is registered and capable to avoid future issues like learning the friend gets too nervous to speak  or somehow discover the marriage was not legal. As I am a professional wedding officiant I do not assist in having people ordained on the web to perform a friend's ceremony. That is what I do, weddings, for a living. A friend can assist in the service if the couple desires they have a part to play.

 A recent news article says to be cautious with having a friend be ordained simply to do a friends wedding, it may not be legal see: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/18/fashion/weddings/making-sure-that-online-officiant-is-legal.html

How To Get A Marriage License In New Orleans, LA.

The New Orleans Marriage License Office is now conveniently located in Downtown New Orleans. The Louisiana Office of Vital Records, New Orleans Marriage License Office opened at 1450 Poydras St., Suite 400, New Orleans, La 70112.  Parking is also nearby on street with meters or in a paid parking lot for those with local transportation.. Office hours are posted as 8 AM to 3 PM weekdays only, but licenses are not issued after 3 PM due to the time it takes to complete the paper work. The office is closed weekends and holidays. Couples must bring with them proper identification, a drivers license, Passport, or suitable picture id with certified copies of a birth certificate and divorce. One person can apply if they bring the others documents and information. The Marriage License Office has on its web page details of their policy and forms. Sample information and forms can also be found on this web page- New Orleans Marriage License Information

Couples from out of state can get the license and also get married on the same day in New Orleans if they also obtain a waiver of delay from a judge or Minister registered in New Orleans. This makes New Orleans an easy place to elope to with plenty of pretty places to have a wedding. Some couples book the honeymoon at a French Quarter Hotel or cruise out of New Orleans and get married the day they arrive in the city.
Well over 5,000 marriage licenses were issued in 2003 in New Orleans, and many couples visit New Orleans in the spring to get married from other states.

Elope In Jackson Square

Elope to Jackson Square in New Orleans, it is easy. All you need for a small ceremony is to contact Fig Street weddings for details on how to rent the Square or use a free spot by one of the gates. Get a marriage license at the Marriage License office at 1010 Common St. New Orleans. Set up a time and date and even select a photographer like Kathleen K. Parker,www.kathleenkparkerphotography.com, who took the above photograph of a couple who eloped to New Orleans. (Photo By Katheleen Parker®)
See for more details- http://www.figstreet.com/guesthouse/jacksonsquarewedding.html

Favorite Wedding Songs

Here are 5 songs that are favorites at weddings:



1. FROM THIS MOMENT ON by SHANIA TWAIN
2. A WHOLE NEW WORLD from Disney's Aladdin
3. CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE Elvis Presley
4. COME WHAT MAY Ewan McGregor
5. COULD I HAVE THIS DANCE Anne Murray

When To Book Your Wedding Officiant?

Let's face it basically marriage is a written contract executed before a registered official. Most states require a couple to declare before a recognized official they want to be married and sign a "contact" before witnesses. History, culture, and tradition adds to it with formal ceremonies, certain music, and apparel but without the signed contract before an official and witnesses a couple does not get married. Often couples ask me when should they schedule a ceremony with me. After years of doing weddings six months seems to be a good time to secure the services of a wedding officiant. All too often couples call me a week before a wedding after they have booked the hall, band, and food. I ask them what is the most important element in getting married, good food and music or a competent officiant who knows what to do and how to conduct a ceremony, execute the documents and be sure they are legally married? Sometimes I get called after they get a license as the license office gives them instructions on how to get married and about the need to have the paperwork completed by a registered officiant. Generally that is way to late to start a search for a competent officiant but if I am not already busy that day I will do the wedding.
My best advice is always consult a Clergyman, Judge, Justice of the Peace as soon as you have picked a date. The official can help you with what is the essential element in getting married and six months before the wedding is a good time to start that process.

Getting Married In One Day

It is possible in New Orleans to get a marriage license and get married on the same day. Most states require couples applying for a marriage license to get tests and wait s few days before getting married. The rules in New Orleans have been made easy, no test and no waiting if you get a waiver. The waiver of the delay can be done by a wedding officiant or judge when the couple are from out of state and visiting New Orleans. All the couple need do is ask and get the license during office hours which are weekdays during regular business hours. Calling the license off ahead is good to do to be they are open and discussing the waiver before hand is also a good policy. A wedding officiant needs to attach the waiver done on letterhead showing his office to the completed license when returned to the license office. This makes it easy for visitors to elope to New Orleans to get married in one day. More information about getting a license in New Orleans can be found at this link- http://www.figstreet.com/guesthouse/new_orleans_marriage_license.htm