The low-down on destination weddings in France
Having an elegant ceremony in the City of Lights is the dream of many. As a wedding planner in Paris, I should know. And as an affirmed lover of France, I can see why!
It’s true, there are a plethora of exquisite places to wed. From a simple terrace to a famous garden, from a luxurious private yacht to an ancient chapel, Paris itself has many unique venues. And just outside of Paris you can find a charming abbey or a castle built for Kings. Take a short train ride to the South, and you can be married in a sunlit vineyard, in a field of lavender, or on the solemn steps of a historic church.
However, if you thought finding the love of your life was going to be the hard part, you might be disappointed by all the red tape you need to untangle before tying the knot in this gorgeous country. If you’ve chosen la France as your dream wedding destination (and rightly so!!), your next step should be to contact an onsite wedding planner! But if you’re confident your tante in Toulon and your cousine in Cannes are going to be able to take care of all the décoration details, let me at least give you some tips on how to efficiently fulfill the marriage requirements necessary to have the wedding of your dreams in France.
Symbolic or Religious Ceremonies in France
Most destination weddings are symbolic or religious ceremonies, which are administratively, the simplest ways to wed in France. After going to your local city hall and getting civilly (legally) married in your home country, you come to us to create a meaningful ceremony in France. A Professional Wedding Officiant can symbolically marry you during an intimate wedding in a park, in the salons of an ornate hôtel particulier, on a secret balcony overlooking the Eiffel Tower or in the halls of a stylish museum…
For religious ceremonies, often preparations and permissions are needed beforehand, but once the requirements are met, a traditional wedding in a Cathédrale or other house of worship in the heart of Paris can be planned. As every religion is different, you’ll need to talk to your local religious leader, and the leader of the establishment in which you hope to wed. Professional’s side note : it’s always easier to get approval from religious authorities when someone close to you actually attends the house of worship in question. However, great wedding planners have relationships with a variety of English speaking Priests, Pastors and Rabbis and can help your requests be heard.
Civil Ceremonies in France
Foreign couples who wish to be civilly married in France (without first being legally married in their own country) should prepare themselves for quite a bit of paperwork. Even a foreigner marrying a French person must comply with the following requirements.
First of all, there is a residency requirement of 40 days (only one of you has to be there for the 40 consecutive days preceding the wedding).
Second, you must post a wedding announcement at the French city hall (la mairie) where you will wed, 10 days before the ceremony.
In addition, you must prepare a file with the following documents (list needs to be confirmed with the mairie where you will wed):
- Recently obtained (3 month old max) original birth certificates (extraits d’acte de naissance) generally with a state issued Apostille, plus the translated copies of each of these documents. These French translations must come from a sworn translator (traducteur assermenté), which are listed at every mairie: (http://france.usembassy.gov/consul/guideoas/translators.pdf).
- Valid passports, and if you have them, your residency permits (cartes de séjour).
- You will also need affidavits of law, and/or of marital status which can usually be supplied by the American Embassy in France.
As you can see the civil ceremony requirements are quite complicated, but with a little understanding of the French system, and the help of this article, your dream day can become a reality!
PS To create a French wedding unlike any before, let Rendez-vous in Paris unlock the doors and open the gates to unique and incredible ceremony and reception sites you’ve never even imagined!
For more information on Marriage Requirements, visit the website of the US Embassy in France
United States Embassy
American Citizen Services
4, avenue Gabriel 75382 Paris Cedex 08 France
Telephone: +33 (0)1 43 12 22 22
Website: http://france.usembassy.gov
E-mail: citizeninfo@state.gov
For fabulous French weddings visit www.rendezvous-inparis.com.
