We are thrilled to be able to get married on St. Joseph's Day, a day steeped in history and tradition for Sicilians in New Orleans.

Liz went to the church at which they are getting married on St. Joseph's Day 2026 and stole a lemon off the altar, per St. Joseph's Day traditions (more on that below). The very next day, Will proposed, and a year later they are getting married!

If you have time earlier in the day, Will's and Liz's favorite altar is at St. Angela Merici school and church - 901 Beverly Garden Dr, Metairie, LA, 70002.

St. Joseph's Day celebrations are believed to have begun in the Middle Ages, when drought caused a famine in Sicily. The Sicilians prayed to St. Joseph, Patron Saint of workers (and immigrants), to intercede on their behalf and relieve the drought, in return for which would feast in his honor every year from then on.

Sicilian immigrants brought these traditions to New Orleans in the late 1800s. Since that time, churches and schools all over the metro area boast large altars and dinners. Altars feature elaborately decorated breads, Italian cookies, flowers, lemons, and more.

Although less common nowadays, celebrants used to host public altars in their homes, which were commonly listed in the newspaper. Will's Nonna occasionally had one; he has fond memories of her and her friends making buckets and buckets of Italian cookies to stock her altar. We are excited to get married on a day that means so much to his family!

Although Liz never had the privilege of meeting Nonna, she would like to think that our (initially inadvertent) choice to set March 19 as our wedding day is Nonna's way of blessing our union from Heaven.

According to tradition, a woman who steals a lemon from a St. Joseph's altar without getting caught finds luck in love and ensures that she will be married within the year. Liz stole a lemon on St. Joseph's Day 2026 and here we are!

Immaculate Conception Jesuit Church, where the ceremony will be, always has an altar. Arrive at the church early to enjoy it! Also, be sure to enjoy some Italian cookies at the reception, which are always handed out at St. Joseph's Day celebrations.

St. Joseph's Day Altars: A New Orleans Tradition - New Orleans Public Library

St. Joseph's Day - New Orleans & Co.

A St. Joseph's Day Celebration - Pain Perdu