One of our all time, favorite things to do when we visit a new city for a wedding is to visit the local Catholic churches! But there’s something special about the ones in our hometown, the ones where we attend mass and regularly do weddings. Here are our thoughts on the six prettiest churches in downtown Indianapolis!

6. Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral

Built in 1906, the Indianapolis Cathedral is an external facade with beautiful stone pillars. The main church is a basilica style sanctuary that is very open with lots of soothing neutrals and a pretty ceiling detail.

Black and white photo: The Cathedral’s Website, taken 1906. Color photos courtesy of Kaitlin Mendoza Photography

Even more lovely in our opinion is the Blessed Sacrament Chapel! With a capacity of less than sixty, this chapel would make a lovely setting for a small downtown wedding.

5. St. Mary Catholic Church

St. Mary’s in Indianapolis dates back to the mid 1800’s, when it was founded as a German parish. The style is gothic revival, but is on the lighter side compared to some gothic churches we have visited! Its spires are visible from I65, making it a notable landmark near one of Indy’s visited downtown areas, Mass Ave! Our favorite thing about St. Mary’s is the absolutely vivid jewel toned windows.

Photos from our friends at Colette M Photography

4. St. John the Evangelist

St. John the Evangelist is a staple for the Indianapolis downtown community! This parish is a hub of families and young adults, which means that this church often sees two or three weddings per weekend. Their wedding and music team always makes a nuptial mass there a glorious experience, and we love the blues of the sanctuary. Here is one of our favorite weddings from St. John’s!

Top two photos from Colette M Photography, interior altar shots from Stacey Harting Photography

3. Holy Rosary

Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary is another gorgeous institution among Indianapolis Catholic Churches. This church is historically Italian, and still hosts an Italianfest that is famous city-wide. Holy Rosary also offers weekly Latin Mass, and boasts a population that is full of young families. In our opinion, Holy Rosary is possibly the church in downtown Indianapolis that photographs the best! The large stain glass windows let in plenty of light to bathe a bride and groom.

Photos from Colette M Photography

2. St. Joan of Arc

St. Joan of Arc is one of those churches that makes you catch your breath as you walk inside! It is a basilica style church with a capacity of over 700. This church holds a special place in our hearts because we did our first official wedding as a company here six years ago! We adore this church for its painted arches and side altar paintings.

Photos from Kaitlin Mendoza Photography

1. Sacred Heart of Jesus

Sacred Heart of Jesus is a hidden gem in Indianapolis and has always been a confection for the eyes. This parish is also very special to us. In fact, we named our company in part after Sacred Heart because this is the church that introduced us to the world of Catholic weddings.

Photos from Cindy Johnson