France is a country renowned the world over for being the epicentre of romance. And it’s for this reason that lovebirds choose it to be the place where they tie the knot and celebrate their love for one another.
From the stunningly picturesque chateaux of the Loire Valley and Provence, to the chic beach front splendour of St Tropez, Nice, Antibes and Cannes, not to mention the exquisite beauty of French cities, such as Paris and Toulouse it really is hard to go wrong when planning a dream French wedding. However, getting married in France isn’t necessarily as straightforward as it might seem.
Because of the amount of documentation needed and paperwork involved in a French wedding, many UK residents choose first to get legally married at home.
There are a fair few hoops to go through if you want to be legally married in France and for this reason, many couples opt for a UK civil ceremony then come to France for a religious, humanist or other type of symbolic wedding, which can be hosted at one of the many beautiful French wedding venues that there are.
A wedding should always run smoothly and it’s much nicer to spend time choosing your wedding dress, planning the theme or picking the stunning venue for a celebration after the civil ceremony is complete, rather than get caught up in complex legal matters.
After the UK civil ceremony, it’s then a great idea to head over the English Channel to celebrate the momentous occasion or hold another type of symbolic wedding in one of the many romantic wedding venues France is so famous for.
Getting married in France – what you need to know
If your heart is set on a legal French wedding, however, then the alternative option to having the civil service in the UK is to marry in France through a civil ceremony. This will take place at the mairie, or town hall in the town or village that one or both halves of the couple is linked to. It must be where one or both live, or (since 2013) where a parent lives.
Once the necessary requirements have been met, the civil ceremony will be officiated by the local mayor and conducted in French in a room that’s open to the public. Some churches will allow an English-speaking priest to carry out the service, but some form of legal ceremony must happen (whether at home, or abroad), before any religious or other symbolic weddings occur.
The paperwork you’ll need to get married in France
Non-French couples need the following for their marriage application if they want to legally be married in France:
- To be over 18 and consenting to the marriage
- Proof of residency in France for at least 30 days prior to the application, for at least one of the parties (or a parent)
- A valid passport for both parties
- Original birth certificate for both parties
- Certificate of celibacy, stating that you’re not already married
- Affidavit of law, stating that you’re free to marry and your marriage will be recognised in your home country
- Prenuptial agreement, with a notary’s certificate, if applicable
- Divorce decree, if applicable
The marriage application must be made and received by the town hall where the civil ceremony will be held, at least ten days before the wedding date. Original foreign documents may need to be translated into French and be authenticated with an Apostille stamp.
This is the case for both heterosexual and same-sex couples. Non-residents who do not have a parent living in France require a special dispensation to get married here and it is really quite rare for this to be granted.
Where to choose for your French wedding
As mentioned above, France has some of the most stunning wedding venues in the whole of the world. Whatever type of ceremony you go for, choose from a French chateau wedding venue, French countryside wedding, to get married on the coast in the South of France, or perhaps a wedding in Paris in the Springtime. If you’re looking for inspiration, take a look at our wedding venues page which has a whole host of beautiful ideas.
