Wedding Policy

Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Washington, LA

Congratulations on your engagement! We are happy to assist in preparing you for your wedding and more importantly, the holy Sacrament of Marriage. In the Catholic Church, sacraments are acts of the Church’s worship and the ceremony must conform to the Rite of Marriage. A marriage rooted in Christ will last; therefore, the couple should begin attending Mass every Sunday and be active in their faith. The following guidelines should answer frequently asked questions.

State Requirements: Louisiana State Law requires that a marriage license be obtained from the Clerk of Court’s office no earlier than 30 days before the wedding, and at least 72 hours before the ceremony begins. Contact the St. Landry Clerk of Court Office at 118 S Court St # 37, Opelousas, LA 70570; (337) 942-5606 for more information.

Church Requirements:

  1. An appointment with the pastor must be made at least six months prior to the intended wedding date.
  2. A recent copy (i.e. issued within the last six months) of the bride and groom’s “baptismal certificate with notations”should be provided at the initial meeting. Contact the church at which you were baptized to obtain a copy.
  3. Our office will register the couple for an online surveyafter the initial meeting with the pastor. The survey results will be discussed at subsequent meetings.
  4. Diocesan requirements include a Marriage Preparation program. You will be givena handout regarding this.
  5. Times/Seasons: Weddings may be Friday evening; Saturday morning or early afternoon (the latest for an afternoon wedding is 1:30pm), and Saturday evening after the Vigil Mass. Weekdays are also an option. The liturgical seasons of Advent and Lent are sacred times of penance and spiritual renewal for the Church, and weddings in these seasons should be appropriately simple. During the seasons of Advent, Lent, and Easter, the Sunday prayers and readings are used at a Saturday evening wedding Mass.
  6. Decorations: Decorations in the church must always be tasteful and in good form. Decoration plans should be discussed with the pastor.The attire of the wedding party should also be respectful and dignified.Ceremonies during the Lenten season should be especially simple. Tape is never to be adhered to the pews and walls, or any other object or edifice. Nor should anything be placed on pews or doors which could potentially scratch these surfaces. Flower petals are not to be sprinkled. The family is responsible for promptly cleaning up after any service and restoring the church to its previous condition. For Saturday evening weddings the church may not be decorated before the 4PM Vigil Mass.
  7. Photography/Music/Sound System: Photography and videography is permitted within reason, and should be done by professionals. All photography before or after the wedding should be done with decorum and reverence for the sacred space. Photos are not permitted in the sanctuary. All music during the ceremony must be of a religious nature. Traditional marches and other secular music in good taste are allowed for the processions before and after the wedding. The church does not provide musicians. The sound system controls/PA system is not to be adjusted.
  8. Decorum: Chewing gum or eating in church is strictly prohibited. Alcohol consumption prior to or during the wedding is expressly forbidden, and does much to jeopardize the validity of the sacrament. Any person, including the bride and groom, who is visibly intoxicated for the rehearsal or wedding will not be permitted to take part in the ceremony.
  9. Preparedness: The entire wedding party must be on time for the rehearsal and ceremony. The marriage license should be brought to the rehearsal. Ushers and readers should make every effort to attend the rehearsal, and readers should be of the Catholic faith.
  10. Church Fees: A suggested church donation of $200 is recommended for parishioners. There is a $350fee for those who reside within the church parish boundaries, but do not have identifiable participation and support of our parish. There is a $750 fee for the wedding of those who are notactively supporting and registered parishioners for six months prior to their first meeting with the pastor and who do not reside in the church parish’s territorial boundary. These donations andfeesoffset the debt the parish accrued in building ourbeautiful new church as well as regular church maintenance. Checks should be made payable to Immaculate Conception.
  11. $100 deposit: A nonrefundable deposit of $100.00 is required for all couples to secure the church building for the ceremony. This deposit will be applied to the total church fee and/or suggested church donation. (A wedding date cannot be scheduled until #1, #2, and #11 are successfully completed.)
  12. Damages: If any damages occur to church parish property (by means of decorating the premises or otherwise), the bride and groom are responsible for repairs.
  13. Questions: Call the rectory office at (337) 826-7396 or e-mail Father Jared at .

We will abide by the aforementioned policies, procedures, and consequences.

Groom ______

Bride______

Church Seal Parish Witness ______

Date: ______

Revised 1-21-16