WHY SHOULD YOU GET MARRIED IN FRANCE?

France is one of the most romantic countries in the world so it’s no wonder that it’s home to some of the most breathtaking wedding venues. Delicious wine, exquisite food and so much stunning scenery, from vineyards to chateaux and stunning coastlines and scenery you’re spoilt for choice and having a fairytale wedding.

So what do you need to think about when having a wedding in one of Europe’s most romantic countries such as France? We’re here to go through that with you, from the legal side of things to the best locations and what things you’ll need to think about so you can feel organised and start planning your fairytale wedding!

Legal Information for a French Wedding

There are two ways of getting married in France - one incredibly easy and the other, slightly more complicated.

The easiest way to get married in France is to get legally married in your country of residence first and then have a religious or humanist wedding ceremony in France. This way of doing things is a lot less complicated and requires less paperwork! You’ll be ‘married’ when you walk down the aisle, but many couples choose not to tell their guests and consider their French ceremony as their ‘official’ wedding. All you need to do for this type of wedding is to follow the UK process of registering your intent to marry, and you’ll need your marriage certificate as proof that you are legally married.

The second option has a few more requirements. You, your partner or one of your parents needs to have lived in the location you want to get married for at least 40 days prior to the ceremony. If you’re able to meet the requirements you’ll need to contact your local embassy and the Mairie (Town  Hall) of the location you want to get married, who will help you with your application.

You’ll need specific documents that must be certified by your embassy and translated into French. Here’s what you need:

• Proof of residency for 40 days in France (this could be an electricity, phone bill ect)

• Certificate of celibacy for non-french nationals

• Certificate of law for non-french natives l

• Passport

• Birth Certificates (these must be less than three months old)

• Solicitors certificate

• Death or divorce certificates if you have been previously married

Once you have your paperwork together you’ll need to visit the town hall where you’re going to get married where the mayor will legally perform the ceremony in French. You will then sign the register and you’ll be married! After that you’re able to have the ceremony of your dreams!

FRANCE WEDDING AND ELOPEMENT SEASON

The best time to get married in France honestly depends on where you choose to have a wedding or elopement. Paris and the Loire Valley are great options whatever time of year whilst Provence and The French Riviera are the best in the Spring or Autumn where the temperatures are bearable, but still beautiful.

Summer is typically the most popular season for weddings in France with the guarantee of warm temperatures and sunshine making it ideal for outdoor ceremonies. But don’t rule out Spring and Autumn. Spring is a great time to get married in France as temperatures can still be warm and nature is in full bloom and similarly in Autumn there’s still ample opportunity for good weather and the golden landscapes make for stunning scenes for your ceremony.

Whilst most ceremonies are planned outside winter, winter weddings shouldn’t be ruled out. Winter weddings have a magical, enchanting feel about them and the French Alps are a perfect setting if you’re wanting a picturesque, snowy ceremony.

The best places to get married in France

Paris

Why not get married in the city of love itself?! Paris has some incredible luxury wedding venues for an unforgettable wedding.

Best Luxury Venues in Paris:

• The Palace of Versailles: Probably one of the most desirable and luxurious venues in the world, if you’re wanting to go all out for your wedding then you might want to consider the Palace of Versailles, a wedding here is incredibly exclusive, they only host a few weddings each year and come at a hefty price. The Orangerie is one of the most beautiful settings, overlooking 1,200 exotic trees and seating up to 1,200 people for dinner. If big and lavish is what you’re after, this is the place for you.

• The Ritz: Helping host intimate ceremonies to lavish soirees, The Ritz Paris is a wonderful choice for a wedding. The Salon d’Ete is a dreamy setting for your wedding and reception and The Grand Jardin is wonderful for an outdoor summer ceremony.

• Four Seasons George V: From Michelin star chefs, stunning views of the Eiffel Tower, the prettiest of floral arrangements and white marble staircases almost made for wedding photos, the Four Seasons is a magical place to have an unforgettable Paris wedding.

Loire Valley

The Loire Valley is glamorous, romantic and the perfect place for a fairytale-esque wedding with all its chateaux and castles. Here are some of the most beautiful venues to feast your eyes on:

• Château De La Chance: Dating back to the 11th century, this stunning venue is set on the banks of the river Layon and boasts spacious grounds, beautiful gardens, thick stone walls and true french grandeur. Good wine is a must and the owners have great relationships with the local wineries should you want to plan any fun pre-wedding celebrations the night before!

• Chateau Crystal: Does your dream ceremony involve saying I do overlooking a glistening lake with a wooden pier, enchanting towering trees and flower gardens? This can be made a reality and Chateau Crystal, which looks like something straight out of a storybook. With 105 acres to play with, this venue was made for hosting lavish weddings.

• The Secret Hamlet: A beautiful stone castle covered in ivy with turrets, winding staircases, and flowers galore - what better place to get married than The Secret Hamlet. Perfect for more quaint and relaxing affairs, the grounds are on top of a hill which leads down to the gently flowing River L’Anglin, with one of the private dwellings offering a terrace overlooking the river. It’s the perfect place to have a beautiful french wedding. Did we mention it has two pools?

Provence

If it’s good enough for world renowned artists, it’s most definitely good enough for a wedding. Provence offers some of the most romantic settings  from the infamous lavender fields, delicious Provençal rosé to cities with beautiful history and architecture. Here are some of the best wedding venues in Provence:

• Domaine de Manville: A stunning 5* hotel nested in a valley below Les Baux, a beautiful mediaeval village, this venue boasts 100 acres and used to be a working farm. You’ll be surrounded by olive trees, herbs and greenery. But despite its roots to nature, you get all the luxury in the form of elegant interiors, a spa and an 18 hole golf course and pool.

• Bastide Saint Julien: Beautifully rustic yet still impressive, the lush gardens, lakes and fairy lights set the scene for a perfect evening wedding ceremony. The location is wonderful, right near Bastide with the opportunity to visit some amazing markets, restaurants and vineyards around your big day.

• La Lauren: If you dream of beautiful green gardens, flowers galore and blue skies as your wedding backdrop then this whimsical, enchanting venue is the right one for you. You can even get married in the never ending lavender fields if you’re wanting your wedding to rival that of a rom-com.

The French Riviera

If you’re after good weather and a ceremony by the sea then you need to head to the French Riviera, one of the sunniest regions of France and home to some of the most beautiful venues. The best months to visit the French Riviera are April and May where you have the guarantee of good weather where the temperatures are perfect for a wedding.

• Hotel Belles Rives:  Ready for the celebration of all celebrations? With views spanning the Esterel mountains and the Lerins Islands as well as a private beach, you know that you’ll have an unforgettable wedding here. The venue embodies a true Riviera glamour and elegance where you can feel the atmosphere of romance, charm and exclusivity.

• Tiara Yaktsa: Timeless, relaxing and peaceful, the Tiara Yaktsa is a true jewel of a venue. With lavish buffets, breathtaking views from multiple terraces and overlooking the glistening mediterranean the atmosphere this is the perfect place for a intimate yet high brow affair.

• Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild: Nestled between Nice & Monaco overlooking the beautiful peninsula of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, this venue is one of the most iconic on the coast. Surrounded by nine different gardens overlooking the sea, everything about this venue screams masterpiece. It’s luxury, elegant and the ideal venue for the most glamorous of affairs.

The French Alps

Winter weddings are magical, enchanting and if you and your partner are into adventure and snow sports, then the wonderful villages of the French Alps are a perfect way to celebrate.

• Domaine du Baron: If you’d rather a venue than a chalet for your winter wedding then look no further, but be quick! This venue gets booked out a year in advance and you need to submit booking requests at midnight on the 1st Jan which are then allocated on a first come first serve basis. And we can see why, the venue is stunning - with the Lac Montriond lake as your backdrop with all its trees and mountains making it a perfect scene for a winter ceremony getting married on the decking overlooking the lake.

• Beau-Ciel: If your ideal ceremony is gathering your nearest and dearest for a ski holiday and having your ceremony in amongst the ski antics then Beau-Ciel is a perfect venue, sleeping up to 18 people and hosting for 40 people for events, the luxury chalet comes with its own in house chef for all your dining needs!

With all of these beautiful venues, beautiful locations and a beautiful wedding looming on the horizon you need to have a wedding photographer on hand to capture your amazing day - be that through photos, film or both! It’s amazing being able to relive your wedding day over and over, and also seeing it through the eyes of your guests.

We offer  wedding photography and videography in France and are here to help you create your dream wedding so you have the most incredible day. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us so we can chat about all things weddings and help you start your journey!

HOW TO PLAN A FRANCE WEDDING OR ELOPEMENT?

Now that you’re getting a feel for locations, venues, potential dates for your marriage and how to sort out the legal side of things, here is a speedy checklist for you to refer to so that you can plan your dream French fairytale wedding. Following these steps ensures you can organise everything that needs to be done for your wedding and enjoy the process as you go along…

France Wedding Checklist

12-18 Months Before your Wedding

• Plan your budget: Decide how much you want to spend overall and factor in costs such as your travel and accommodation, your wedding venue, catering, photographers and videographers, entertainment ect

• Choose your location and venue/ the date for the wedding: Consider this with your budget, number of guests and the style of wedding you want

• Organise your guest list: Start writing down who you want to be there on your special day and consider your location/venue numbers and travel arrangements - people are coming from afar so be sure that it’s people you 100% want to be there at your wedding and it’s feasible for them to get there

• Book accommodation and travel: Once the ball is rolling and you have a venue and date secured and your guests know about the wedding, it’s time to book your travel and accommodation - will you stay at the venue your getting married at, or if you’re getting married on the beach will you stay at a hotel or villa nearby? If flying, make sure you have booked your flights to arrive a couple of days prior and get transfers booked to your destination.

• Plan your ceremony: What time will the ceremony be? What decorations do you want? What food and drinks do you want to be served - will you have an all-inclusive package or source out some interesting local vendors? What music and entertainment will you have? What will the wedding attire be? These are all important things to consider when planning your dream ceremony.

• Send out your save the dates: Once everything is set in stone, you can send out your save the dates with information about the wedding venue, the ceremony itself and all the details, the surrounding location and information to help your guests sort their travel and accommodation. It’s a good idea to start a group chat so everyone can discuss where they are staying and help one another out.

12 Months Before your Wedding

• Purchase your wedding dress and attire, accessories and gifts for the bridal party

• Research and book hair and makeup vendors

• Confirm transport arrangements for yourself and guests during their stay

• Prepare a welcome pack for guests with information about the area

• Start sorting all the legal information and documents

6 Months Before your Wedding

• Confirm final guest numbers

• Purchase flowers and decoration for the ceremony and reception

• Confirm catering and cake services

• Plan pre and post wedding activities for you and your guests

• Finalise details

1 Month Before your Wedding

• Make a packing list and start packing what you need

• Get all treatments done e.g. hair, eyebrows, lashes, nails

• Finalise details with all your vendors

Planning a wedding can seem like a very big task which is why a lot of people tend to opt for a wedding planner to help guide them through the process. We’re able to provide some tips and recommendations for sorting out a wedding planner and why it might be beneficial to have one. For a more in depth version of this checklist, read our complete wedding planning timeline.

And finally…

It’ll soon be time for your big day! With our checklist, you should have everything you need to plan your dream wedding in France so that by the time your big day arrives you’ll be ready to have the time of your lives and make incredible memories with all your loved ones.

Having a wedding in France will be a dream come true and a truly unforgettable experience, so enjoy every moment and make sure it’s everything you want it to be.