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)

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 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

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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



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How, Who, Why of Wedding Rehearsals

This discussion is about who, what, where of a wedding rehearsal.  The wedding rehearsal is for the participants to know what to do. Generally  the wedding rehearsal is a day or two before the actual wedding in the afternoon as not to conflict with other weddings being held. It is attended by the wedding party. The wedding party are the immediate family, attendants, and bride and groom. It is conducted by the coordinator or staff of the venue generally at the spot the wedding occurs. The wedding party also may go after to a rehearsal dinner. The wedding Minister is generally not needed if they are well versed in weddings and the ceremony is selected before the wedding day. Some musicians may attend but usually they too are well prepared and they charge to be there so having only those needed saves expenses.

Most weddings do not need a rehearsal depending on how large it is. All rental halls have a staff person who schedules and conducts a walk through. That is the person to contact and talk over when and how the rehearsal is to be conducted. When a couple contacts a person to participate they need to discuss with them what is expected. Think about how many attendants and realize the more you have the more rehearsal it takes. Small weddings a walk though can be done right before the ceremony. There are many web pages with info on who walks when and who sits where. Reading over those before the selection of attendants help you plan before you ask people to be attendants. Wedding planners are well versed on what is needed for big weddings and may be needed to help you plan. Small weddings a friend who has done weddings may be helpful to discuss things with.

Advance preparation by reading up on rehearsals, processional, and recessional is best before asking someone to be an attendant. Usually best man, and maid of honor is all that is necessary with ushers to seat people. Plan out in your mind who stands with whom. Who seats who, when, where. What children will participate and realize kids may wander off. keeping things simple is best. All wedding halls have a system they follow for each wedding and they use that program for the rehearsal. More or less a package system they follow for each wedding.

More details can be found by doing a search on the web like this planning page at Martha Stewart:  http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/ . 
With a chart for standing: http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/230635/wedding-ceremony-basics/@center/272440/wedding-etiquette-adviser#143199

Realize it is your wedding and follow a plan you like best.


Here is a nice web page with outlines on wedding planning. Online Marriage Preparation

Wedding Planning Check List

                Read over, print out, use as a guide to help plan a wedding.

WEDDING CHECK LIST

12 MONTHS  BEFORE THE WEDDING

	Tell families you want to get married. Then have them meet each other.
	Fully discuss type wedding, elopement, formal wedding, big, small, destination, etc..
	Think budget! Discuss what is important and how much to spend on things..
	Discuss with family who pays for what.
	Create a wedding organizer (Binder, files, book). Use it to store all your information, contracts, ideas, photos, etc.
	Speak with your clergy/officiant to learn what is expected and what to get done. Book facility and officiant if ready.
	Visit wedding sites. Book if ready. Church, hall, hotel, home, get ideas off web.
	For large wedding consider a wedding planner and talk with several to see who you can work with.

9 TO 11 MONTHS BEFORE THE WEDDING

	Line up, interview, and visit wedding service providers.
	Photographer
	Videographer
	Caterer  or Restaurant
	Officiant, Clergy if not already booked.
	Florist, decorations, chairs
	Contact ones you like, book them, get written agreement, many of these vendors can be booked up to a year in advance.
	Develop your preliminary guest list.  Base it on wedding size. Talk with family about who must be there.
	Use web to get wedding ideas, style, type, colors, destination.
	Finalize plans with family and friends who are helping.
	Pick and list attendants (bridesmaids, groomsmen, ushers, flower girl and ring bear) . Notify them of selection and what is expected of them.
	Select your wedding rings.
	Begin looking at honeymoon, use web to find a nice place.
	Consider and get wardrobe, gown, tux, dresses.

6 TO 8 MONTHS BEFORE THE WEDDING

	Start planning ceremony and reception music choices.
	Purchase your wedding gown,and accessories.
	If you are having a prenuptial agreement, take care of that now.
	Discuss ceremony with officiant, civil, religious, poems.
	Start pre-marriage counceling (if required)
	Start looking at invitations.
	Sign up for your gift registry
	Send save-the-date cards/newsletter

4 TO 5 MONTHS BEFORE THE WEDDING

	Work with your florist on decorations.
	Place wedding announcement in local newspaper
	Order wedding stationary (invitations, envelopes, programs, etc.)
	Start shopping for bridal party tuxedos
	Book limo/transportation
	Start planning the wedding decorations
	Select hotel. Arrange accommodations for out of town guests, if necessary.
	Select wedding cake (and Groom's cake if you are having one)
	Start making arrangement for rehearsal and rehearsal dinner
	Book anyone not already booked. Get agreements.
	Decide on wedding favors and gifts for family attendants.
	If you decided not to use a Wedding Coordinator, consider asking a close friend not in the wedding party to be your Wedding Coordinator/Personal Assistant.

3 MONTHS BEFORE THE WEDDING

	Order your wedding cake and groom's cake
	Meet with your officiant to discuss details of the ceremony
	Finalize the guest list
	Reconfirm the rehearsal dinner plans
	Buy the cake knife, guest book, toasting glasses and garter
	Choose gifts for your attendants, parents, helpers.
	Have the male members of the wedding party, including fathers, fitted for tuxedos.
	Reconfirm honeymoon arrangements.
	Start writing your wedding vows, if you are doing them yourself.
	Start addressing the invitations (or drop them off with calligrapher)

2 MONTHS BEFORE THE WEDDING

	Send out invitations
	Schedule a hair and make up consultation to do a trial run.
	Start making/buying wedding favors
	Obtain wedding license
	Schedule your first wedding dress fitting.
	Write thank you notes for any gifts that may start arriving.
	If you are having one, begin putting together your ceremony program.
	Meet with vendors (caterer, florists, etc.) to finalize arrangements.
	If you are changing your name, complete the proper documents.
	Finalize music selections for the ceremony and reception and turn them in to the DJ/Band/etc.
	Have formal wedding portrait taken.
	Finalize music selections for the ceremony and reception and turn them in to the DJ/Band/etc.
	Meet with your officiant to finalize ceremony details.
	Reserve room for wedding night.

1 MONTH BEFORE THE WEDDING

	Confirm honeymoon your reservations.
	Meet with photographer and/or videographer to discuss last minute details.
	Start working on the reception seating chart.
	Have final wedding gown fitting.
	Arrange for a reception babysitter, if needed.
	Finish (and print) the wedding program.
	Finalize wedding vows
	Confirm all final payment amounts with your vendors as well as date, time, etc.
	Pick up marriage license. Be sure to have needed documents and cash for the license.

2 WEEKS BEFORE THE WEDDING

	Finalize reception seating chart.
	Confirm delivery time and locations with florist.
	Contact any guests who did not respond to the invitation.

1 WEEK BEFORE THE WEDDING

	Pick up wedding gown, attendants' gowns and all accessories.
	Give final guest count to reception venue/caterer.
	Reconfirm everything with vendors one last time.
	Make sure men get their final fitting for their tuxedos.

1 DAY BEFORE THE WEDDING

	Attend rehearsal.
	Attend rehearsal dinner. Give attendants their gifts.
	Have a manicure and/or a pedicure.
	Put together the tip envelopes (for the vendors) and give them to the designated "tip person" - generally the best man.
	Confirm wedding day transportation.
	Confirm hair and make up appointments.
	If you have access to the ceremony and/or reception venues, bring everything over there that you may need (decorations, guest book, etc).
	Layout everything you need for the next day in a safe place (marriage license, dress, shoes, etc.).
	Speak with everyone in the wedding party and make sure everyone knows where to be at what time. Give them a list or program with times and places.
	Try to go to bed early, rest up the day before.

YOUR WEDDING DAY

	Relax, and eat. Stay calm.
	Share a private moment with your fiance.
	Have your hair and makeup done.
	Give the best man the groom's ring and marriage license. He can give them when needed to officiant.
	Begin dressing two hours before ceremony is scheduled to begin.
	Spend time with parents before you go down aisle..