Destination Wedding in France

Fairytale Wedding in France

Have you ever dreamed of getting married in a French castle – a fairy tale and destination wedding folded into one – but assumed that this is only for the rich and famous? It is not as far-fetch as you might think. With over thirty thousand castles in France, you are bound to find one that fits your budget and fulfills your dream. Yes, there are a lot of legal and documentation hoops to go through, but they are not insurmountable. And, there are ways to get around them without getting into legal trouble. Prepare to learn how to have a stress-free romantic fairy tale-destination wedding in France…

Firstly, let us look at the “hoops”:

• Religious ceremonies are not recognized under French law. Although religious ceremonies are very common in France, priest, rabbi or ministers may only perform a marriage ceremony after the couple’s civil wedding ceremony. The civil ceremony must be performed by a French civil authority. It cannot be performed at an Embassy or a Consular office. All marriages must be performed at a French city hall; no buts, no exceptions.
• There are strict residency requirements in France prior to the civil ceremony. At least one of the marrying couple must reside in the town where the marriage ceremony will take place for thirty days prior to the marriage. French law also requires the publication of the marriage banns at City Hall for ten days, which makes a total residency requirement of 40 days before the ceremony can be scheduled to take place at City Hall
• There are a number of documents required for the civil ceremony:
  • All foreign documents must be legalized before presenting them to the French authorities. Legalization is done by an Apostille obtained through the office of the Secretary of State of where the document was issued.
  • All documents must be translated into French for presentation to French officials. Translation can be done in the US by a Translating Agency or by a certified translator in France. If the translation is done in the US, both the translation and original document must be presented to the French Consulate General for verification.
  1. an official birth certificate from the couple’s government bureau, i.e, not from the hospital
  2. a notarized “Affidavit of Law” drawn in the State of residence of the betrothed couple stating that the persons are free to marry, that the marriage to be performed in France will be recognized as valid in their home country, and the publication of marriage banns is not required in their home country, neither under States nor Federal law.
  3. In case of previous marriages, a a certified copy of the death certificate of the deceased spouse or a certified copy of the final divorce decree must be produced.
  4. a prenuptial certificate of health issued not more than two months prior to the date of the marriage by a medical doctor that includes: serological tests for syphilis, blood types and possibly the presence of irregular anti-bodies. Females also need serological test for rubella and toxoplasma.

  It is possible to have all these tests done in France.

  As legal requirements may change, it is recommended that you contact the Marriage Bureau of City hall upon arrival in France as extra documents may be required, such as a residence affidavit as mentioned earlier.

Now, now, before you start shaking your head thinking this is way too complex for you, let us talk about how to go around the “hoops” without the stress – have a legal wedding in the United States. The choice is yours. It could be a small religious wedding or a civil ceremony prior to your destination-fairytale wedding in France. This way you can enjoy spending time with your guests at your reception without worrying about all the legalities and paperwork. In addition, since you are not concerned about the legality of your French wedding, you can choose to have a romantic religious ceremony held in one of French’s beautiful chateau. Honeymoon is just a couple of stair steps away…

Photo and Video Credits: Chateau de Guerinet Loire Valley, France