Wedding in Paris

Ah, the romance and love of “gay Pareee”. Beautiful art, high fashion and wonderful wines are all pictures we see when we dream about Paris, France. How spectacular the French landscape and ambience in which to be married!

One of the major obstacles, however, to marrying in Paris for a non-national is the marriage license process. In addition to a residency period of forty days for at least one of the couple, the couple must take a medical exam provided by a French doctor and the couple must appear in person to apply. Once approved, on the actual day of the wedding, couples must be married in a public hall by a French Civil Authority then, they carry on to the church to be married in the religious ceremony. Religious ceremonies, without the civil ceremony, are not legal marriages in France.

Undeniably, most couples are not going to be able to meet the necessary requirements to obtain a marriage license. Thus, it is often recommended that the couple wed at home in front of the Justice of the Peace for example and then hold the church wedding in Paris at the chosen location. Only the bride and groom need to know that the legal ceremony was performed at home while the official ceremony to the guests will be the one they attended in Paris. This avoids all issues of residency, language barriers and inadequate documents. Much stress and anxiety come from paperwork and following this new wedding destination trend will help the happy couple stay happy.

Because of the culture and awe-inspiring scenery in Paris, many places lend themselves nicely to a destination wedding. France is home to many castles and old churches that provide the perfect backdrop for romance. Some of the more popular wedding venues are:

• The Abbey Grand Estate on the outskirts of Paris, is a tranquil, lush setting that was built in the twelfth century for the monks’ worship area. Handcrafted of stone and set upon a magnificent lake, the estate boasts fifty-seven rooms, wedding reception area for one hundred and fifty, horseback riding, heated pool, boating, musical performances and even allows your precious pets to accompany you.
• The Blue River Chateau is the perfect location for an outside wedding. Chairs and flowered arches are set up on the manicured rolling lawns surrounded by pretty ponds and lush gardens. Forty-seven rooms, seventeenth century furniture, fireworks, fishing and swimming can make a wedding fun, romantic and luxurious.

Other wedding themes may include:

• A less informal river boat excursion on the Seine River playing jazz music.
• A private yacht charter on which one holds their ceremony and reception.
• A ceremony and garden reception in one of the many parks leading up to the Eiffel Tower.
• Marais is one of the most scenic areas in which to be married. Interestingly, the word Marais means “swamp”.
• Place Vendome, an elegant and chic area of Paris has many hotels that take great pride in putting on the ritziest of weddings.

And do not forget the gourmet food. Use your Paris wedding reception to enjoy the exquisite culinary delights of the best chefs in the world.