Want to get married in France?

Posted by Olivier Lalin -

Getting Married in France.
If you've been doing your research as a foreign couple wanting to get married in France there are many governmental technicalities that arise, that most people just can't get around, either because of time, efforts or money involved.


The biggest is that at least one of the marrying partners has to be in France for at least 40 days (continuous) before the wedding.
So you cant just hop on a plane and get married the next day or even the next week. Making it impossible to simply elope to France. A marriage here takes planning in advance.

Then the second biggest issue is that in France you have to get married at the City Hall first, then you can have the normal tradition religious wedding ceremony elsewhere afterwards.

And then, you will need to have “ Publications of Banns” at the Town Hall (Mairie).

As the British Embassy, France notes “Most Mairies take approximately 4 –6 weeks to process an application. Requirements will vary for each Mairie, therefore, it is essential that you first meet with them in order to determine their exact documentary requirements and terms of validity (documents may need to be issued less than 3 months prior to date of marriage or publication of banns)”

By this point you might be thinking, “what a drag!” and “we can’t possibly do all of that”
What to Do to Make your Dream Wedding Come True.
Don’t be in despair there are still ways to still have your “wedding” cake and eat it too, in France!

What to Do
I suggest you get a civil marriage done in your home country, which basically eliminates all the obstacles listed above, which is comparatively a less tedious task in most countries. Then you can have the wedding ceremony here in France.

Olivier Lalin Weddings Paris office is based in the heart of Paris with over a decade worth of experience shooting elegant destination weddings the Packages Include:

1. Engagement and Pre-wedding Photography
I’ve been taking pre-weeding portraits as a part of my wedding package for years and it’s certainly a pleasure to be able to do it in the “City of Lights”. Not only is the ambiance romantic but the images capture the pre-nuptial bliss amidst some of the most beautiful backdrop to be found anywhere: La Seine, Tulleries Garden, Eiffel Tower or simply your favorite place here in Paris.
You can view Pre-wedding portraits shots in Paris here





2. Wedding Photography
Having your wedding day taken care of by a wedding planner, especially when you are so far away might be essential. So in addition to the glamorous photo package, we’ll help you fine-tune the details of your wedding day.
You can view Wedding Photography here





For more detailed information on our packages available please contact us:
weddinglight@mac.com

Embassy Information:
US nationals see ...
UK nationals see...



photographe © Olivier Lalin © photographer