Complete Wedding Guide
How to Get Married in Louisiana (2026)
Everything you need to know about marriage licenses, requirements, costs, and planning your wedding in Louisiana. Louisiana offers unmatched culture and celebration with New Orleans jazz, French Quarter courtyards, Cajun country charm, and plantation alley grandeur unlike anywhere else in America.
Louisiana weddings carry a festive, maximalist quality that reflects local culture: second lines, brass bands, beignet bars and late-night bar crawls are common reception elements in New Orleans. The Audubon Tea Room inside Audubon Zoo pairs a ballroom with private gardens under live oaks, and Oak Alley Plantation in Vacherie hosts garden gazebo ceremonies for up to 150 guests, though couples should research each plantation venue's approach to historical context before booking. Louisiana requires a 24-hour wait after the license is issued, but in Orleans Parish a registered officiant can waive it when both partners live out of state, and couples can also choose the state's distinct Covenant Marriage option.
Louisiana Marriage License Requirements
Louisiana has a 24-hour waiting period after the license is issued (R.S. 9:241). A judge or justice of the peace authorized to perform the marriage may waive it for serious and meritorious reasons (R.S. 9:242(A)); in Orleans Parish, a registered Orleans officiant may waive it when both parties live outside Louisiana (R.S. 9:242(B)). The license expires 30 days after issuance and is valid anywhere in Louisiana but not outside the state. Two witnesses of full age are required at the ceremony (La. R.S. 9:244). The state offers two types of marriage: standard and Covenant Marriage. Covenant Marriage requires premarital counseling and a notarized declaration of intent, and limits grounds for divorce.
Who Can Officiate a Wedding in Louisiana?
Ordained ministers, priests, rabbis, and other clergy. Judges and justices of any court. Louisiana also offers a Covenant Marriage option with stricter requirements.
Wedding Costs in Louisiana
Average Wedding Cost
$28,000
This includes venue, catering, photography, attire, and other typical wedding expenses in Louisiana.
Average Guest Count
155
The typical Louisiana wedding hosts 155 guests. Plan your seating, catering, and photo sharing accordingly.
Best Seasons
Fall, Spring
The most popular seasons to get married in Louisiana. Book venues early during peak season.
First dance
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Every Louisiana wedding leaves photos scattered on a dozen phones
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From Mom
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THE ALBUM
Emma & Jack
June 21, 2026
647 photos · 95 guests
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Coastal Wedding Tips for Louisiana
Secure your beach or waterfront permit early
Many coastal and beach ceremony sites in Louisiana require permits from the county parks department, the National Park Service, or the state coastal commission. Permit availability is limited and often opens months in advance. Apply as soon as your date is confirmed.
Always plan a weather backup
Coastal weather in Louisiana can shift quickly. Even if the forecast looks clear, have an indoor or tented backup venue confirmed before you send invitations. Many beachfront venues include a backup space in the contract.
Time the tide and the sun
For a beach ceremony, check both the tide table and the sunset time for your specific date. A low tide gives you more sand space, and a ceremony that ends 30 to 45 minutes before sunset positions you perfectly for golden-hour portraits with your photographer.
Protect your guests from wind and glare
Coastal ceremonies in Louisiana frequently deal with ocean wind that disrupts officiant scripts and guests' comfort. Provide printed ceremony programs so guests can follow along, and orient seating so the sun is behind the couple rather than in guests' eyes.
Popular Wedding Regions in Louisiana
New Orleans
The Big Easy delivers French Quarter courtyards, jazz-filled second lines, and some of the best food and music on earth.
Plantation Country
River Road between New Orleans and Baton Rouge features grand antebellum oak-lined plantation homes.
Cajun Country
Lafayette and the Atchafalaya Basin offer authentic Cajun culture, swamp settings, and zydeco music.
Top Wedding Venues in Louisiana
First dance
You guys!!
Planning a Louisiana wedding? Collect every guest photo in one album
Free QR photo album your guests use without an app. 20 uploads free, no card.
From Mom
Scan to join the album
No app, no account
UPLOADING
Saving your moment
THE ALBUM
Emma & Jack
June 21, 2026
647 photos · 95 guests
SCAN TO TRY
pix.wedding/
your-wedding
How to Get Married in Louisiana: Step by Step
Apply for Your Marriage License
Visit the Parish Clerk of Court in Louisiana with your partner. Bring valid photo ID (driver's license or passport), proof of age, and the license fee of $27.50 (Orleans and Lafayette parishes; the fee is set by each parish, and Plaquemines charges $35 including one certified copy). Both partners must appear in person.
Wait 24 hours
After receiving your license, you must wait 24 hours before the ceremony. Your license is valid for 30 days after issuance, so plan your ceremony date within that window.
Choose Your Officiant
In Louisiana, your wedding can be officiated by ordained ministers, priests, rabbis, and other clergy. Make sure your officiant is properly authorized before the ceremony.
Hold Your Ceremony
Have your ceremony at your chosen Louisiana venue. You will need 2 witnesses present at the ceremony.
File Your Marriage Certificate
After the ceremony, your officiant will sign the marriage license and return it to the Parish Clerk of Court. Once filed, you will receive your official marriage certificate. This is your legal proof of marriage.
Louisiana Wedding Planning Tips
Second line parades are a beloved New Orleans wedding tradition where a brass band leads guests through the streets
Avoid late summer when hurricane season and extreme humidity peak
Louisiana weddings tend to have larger guest counts and bigger celebrations, so budget accordingly
Louisiana's 24-hour waiting period is short enough to plan around easily, and the optional Covenant Marriage path requires premarital counseling.
Explore Louisiana Wedding Venues
Browse our guide to the best wedding venues across Louisiana.
Wedding Photo Sharing in Louisiana
Learn how to collect every guest photo at your Louisiana wedding.
What Makes Getting Married in Louisiana Unique
Louisiana weddings carry a maximalist, festive quality rooted in local culture: second-line brass bands leading the bridal party through the reception, beignet bars at dessert and late-night French Quarter walkability. New Orleans dominates the wedding market with French Quarter courtyards, Garden District mansions and oak-shaded settings around Audubon Park, where the Audubon Tea Room inside Audubon Zoo pairs a ballroom with private gardens under live oaks and hosts receptions of up to 450 guests indoors. Upriver, Oak Alley Plantation in Vacherie is a bucket-list plantation venue with garden gazebo ceremonies and pavilion receptions for up to 150 guests, and couples should research each plantation property's approach to historical context before booking. Nottoway Plantation's mansion in White Castle, long on the same bucket lists, was destroyed by fire in May 2025, so check the current status of any venue saved years ago. North Louisiana around Shreveport and Natchitoches operates as its own sub-market with a slower, small-town pace. Louisiana's 24-hour waiting period is short enough for destination couples to plan around, and in Orleans Parish a registered officiant can waive it when both partners live out of state.
Louisiana recorded 3.7 marriages per 1,000 residents in 2023, the lowest rate of any state in the CDC table and down from 9.1 in 2000. The CDC counts marriages by the state where they take place, so destination weddings held in Louisiana are included.
Source: CDC/NCHS, National Vital Statistics System: Marriage rates by State, 1990, 1995, and 2000-2023, 2023
Louisiana Marriage Law: What You Need to Know
Louisiana requires a 24-hour wait between license issuance and the ceremony (R.S. 9:241). A judge or justice of the peace authorized to perform the marriage may waive it for serious and meritorious reasons (R.S. 9:242(A)); in Orleans Parish, judges of the First or Second City Court can waive it for Louisiana residents on weekdays, and a registered Orleans officiant can waive it when both parties live outside Louisiana (R.S. 9:242(B)), according to Louisiana Department of Health guidance revised in 2025. Fees are set by parish: Orleans and Lafayette list $27.50, and Plaquemines lists $35 including one certified copy. The license expires 30 days after issuance and is valid anywhere in Louisiana but not outside it. Applicants bring ID, a certified birth certificate, Social Security numbers and, if previously married, a divorce decree or death certificate. No one under 16 may marry, and 16- and 17-year-olds need judicial authorization plus consent from a parent, tutor or guardian (Children's Code art. 1545). Two witnesses of full age are required at the ceremony (La. R.S. 9:244). Louisiana also offers Covenant Marriage, a legally distinct marriage type that requires premarital counseling and a notarized declaration of intent, and limits divorce grounds to adultery, a felony conviction with a sentence of death or hard labor, one year of abandonment, abuse of a spouse or child, two years living apart, or living apart after a judgment of separation from bed and board. A standard marriage can be converted to a Covenant Marriage after the fact by filing with the official who issued the original license.
Signature Louisiana Wedding Angles
Verified Places to Get Married in Louisiana
Each venue below was checked against its own website. The notes cover planning details only, so confirm dates and current rules directly with the venue.
Audubon Zoo, 6500 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA
A 5,000 square foot ballroom and veranda with 45-foot ceilings, plus 4,000 square feet of private gardens under live oaks. Receptions run up to 450 guests indoors or 750 indoors and outdoors, catering is by Dickie Brennan & Co., and ceremony sites include the Tea Room Garden and the Odenheimer Area by the Sea Lion Colonnade and Hygeia Fountain.
1113 Chartres St, French Quarter, New Orleans, LA
Formerly known as the Beauregard-Keyes House, it hosts weddings, bridal showers and corporate events in the French Quarter. Its wedding page features a couple who married in the Rose Garden, ate dinner in the house and danced in the courtyard.
Vacherie, LA
Ceremonies take place at the Garden Gazebo and receptions in the West Pavilion Banquet Facility, for groups of 50 up to 150 guests. Pricing includes facility rental, tax and gratuity, with catering and bar staff, china, tables and chairs and on-site event coordinators, and cottages on the property offer overnight lodging.
Louisiana Wedding Season: What Locals Know
Louisiana weddings peak October through April, when humidity drops and outdoor French Quarter ceremonies become comfortable. May through September is hot and humid outdoors with frequent afternoon thunderstorms, so many couples move to evening ceremonies or indoor receptions. Carnival season and Mardi Gras bring parades and heavy hotel demand to New Orleans, so check the parade calendar before locking a date in that stretch. Hurricane season for the coast runs June 1 through November 30, and the National Hurricane Center puts most activity between mid-August and mid-October.
Louisiana-Specific Wedding Questions
How does Louisiana's marriage license waiting period work?
Louisiana law (R.S. 9:241) sets a 24-hour wait between the license being issued and the ceremony. A judge or justice of the peace authorized to perform the marriage may waive it for serious and meritorious reasons under R.S. 9:242(A), and in Orleans Parish, judges of the First or Second City Court can waive it for Louisiana residents on weekdays. The license expires 30 days after issuance and can be used anywhere in Louisiana but not outside the state. Fees are set by each parish: Orleans and Lafayette list $27.50, while Plaquemines lists $35 including one certified copy. Two witnesses of full age must be present at the ceremony.
What is a second-line wedding entrance in New Orleans?
A second line is a New Orleans tradition in which the bridal party and guests parade behind a brass band, waving handkerchiefs or decorated parasols. At weddings it often opens the reception or carries the party from the ceremony to the reception. Band packages and lengths vary, so ask each band what its wedding second line includes, and if you want the parade to leave the venue and move along a public street, confirm early with your band or planner what that route requires. Some French Quarter venues spread the evening across several spaces: the Historic BK House & Gardens on Chartres Street features a couple who married in its Rose Garden, ate dinner in the house and danced in the courtyard, a layout that leaves room for a short procession between stages.
Is hurricane season a serious risk for Louisiana weddings?
It is a real planning factor for summer and fall dates. The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs June 1 to November 30, and the National Hurricane Center says the peak falls around September 10, with most activity between mid-August and mid-October. Couples booking in that window should read each venue's contract for weather, relocation and rescheduling terms, ask vendors how they handle a storm postponement, and look into event insurance and what it covers for named storms before paying large deposits. October through April avoids the peak of the season and brings more comfortable outdoor temperatures.
What is Louisiana Covenant Marriage and who chooses it?
Covenant Marriage is a legally distinct option chosen when the couple applies for the license. Couples complete premarital counseling with a priest, minister, rabbi, clerk of the Religious Society of Friends, any clergyman or a marriage counselor, then sign a declaration of intent that includes a recitation, an affidavit and the counselor's attestation, all notarized, and receive the Attorney General's informational pamphlet. Divorce grounds are narrower: adultery, a felony conviction with a sentence of death or hard labor, abandonment for one year, physical or sexual abuse of the spouse or a child, living apart for two years, or living apart for one year after a judgment of separation from bed and board (18 months when there are minor children). It appeals to couples who want a more binding marital framework for religious or personal reasons, and married couples can convert an existing marriage by filing with the official who issued their original license, according to the Lafayette Parish Clerk of Court. The standard marriage remains available and requires no counseling.
Can nonresident couples skip the 24-hour wait in New Orleans?
In Orleans Parish, yes. The Louisiana Department of Health says that if both parties live outside Louisiana, a registered Orleans officiant can waive the 24-hour wait under R.S. 9:242(B), and the signed waiver is attached to the marriage certificate when it is returned. Orleans Parish licenses are issued at the Benson Tower office, 1450 Poydras Street, Suite 407, from 8:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Monday through Friday, so plan a weekday stop even when the wait is waived. Both parties should be present; if one cannot come, that person's signature must be separately notarized, and at least one applicant must sign in person.
Catching Every Second-Line Clip in One Guest Album
A New Orleans reception moves fast: the brass band starts, handkerchiefs go up, and the best moments of the second line happen in the middle of the crowd, away from the photographer's position. Guests filming on their phones catch those angles, then scatter to French Quarter bars and hotel rooms. With a Pix Wedding QR album, guests scan the code on a table card, upload photos and videos straight from the phone browser with no app, and the parade footage lands in one gallery the couple can keep.
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Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Marriage laws and requirements can change. Always verify current requirements with your local Parish Clerk of Court in Louisiana before making plans. Last reviewed: 2026.
Louisiana Marriage & Wedding FAQ
Straight answers to the questions people ask most about this topic.
A marriage license in Louisiana costs $27.50 (Orleans and Lafayette parishes; the fee is set by each parish, and Plaquemines charges $35 including one certified copy). You can apply at the Parish Clerk of Court. No residency requirement, so out-of-state couples can apply as well.
Louisiana has a 24 hours waiting period after the marriage license is issued before the ceremony can take place. The license is valid for 30 days after issuance.
Ordained ministers, priests, rabbis, and other clergy. Judges and justices of any court. Louisiana also offers a Covenant Marriage option with stricter requirements.
The minimum age to marry without parental consent in Louisiana is 18. Applicants who are 16 or 17 need written parental consent plus authorization from a judge, and they cannot marry an adult who is three or more years older. No one under 16 can marry in Louisiana.
The most popular wedding seasons in Louisiana are Fall and Spring. During these windows, top venues in regions like New Orleans and Plantation Country book out months in advance. Fall weddings benefit from cooler temperatures and, in some regions, stunning foliage color.
The average wedding in Louisiana costs $28,000 with an average guest count of 155. Fall and Spring are the most popular seasons for weddings in Louisiana. Popular wedding regions include New Orleans, Plantation Country, Cajun Country.
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