Paris is the most romantic city in the world. This is something that nobody argues with. Whether it is strolling through the city streets hand in hand as you visit tiny cafes, or visiting some of the incredible art and cultural treats, or perhaps a visit to some of the most beautiful monuments in the world, Paris has everything a couple could need. For many couples that means that Paris is their dream wedding destination. Yet it is not so easy to get married in Paris. Allow us to explain why and what you can do about it.
To get legally married in Paris you must have lived in the city for at least forty days. You will also have to provide a long list of legal documents and abide by some rules. If a Parisian wedding is your dream then this should not be enough to put you off and we can explain in more detail how to make this happen. However, if you want a truly romantic ceremony in Paris you could look at having a symbolic ceremony in the city of romance and then returning home to legally wed. This is a great option as it means you can have complete control over the ceremony in Paris and an easy and quick service back at home as well.
To get legally married in Paris you need to live in the city for forty days and then visit the town hall of the district you are in. Here you will be given a long list of documents to complete and then you must get married within 12 months of that date but at least 10 days later than the date you handed in the documents. The list of documents is entirely in French but most will come as no surprise. One tricky part of the request is that every document you provide must be no more than three months old which can mean some last-minute chasing around to ensure everything complies.
You will need to fill out a marriage application, provide photo identification, birth certificates, proof of residency, and information on your witnesses. The birth certificate and some other documents will need to be translated into French by an official translator. You will then need to have some of these documents stamped at your home country’s embassy in Paris. This whole process can take a lot of time and is pretty expensive as well as it costs over 500 euro in total.
The ceremony itself will then take place in a wedding room and is conducted usually by a government official like the mayor. This is the main reason we think it is a better option to choose a symbolic ceremony because the venue itself gives you a 20 minute slow between other ceremonies and lacks that special feeling that you have traveled all that way for. Instead, why not have your special day and leave the legal stuff until you get home.
If organizing a symbolic ceremony in Paris things are far easier. If you want the ceremony to be presided over by a French catholic priest you will need to prove you are married already so you must have the legal bit done at home first. If you are choosing someone else to officiate then you can wait until you are home.
Just remember that these symbolic ceremonies hold no legal merit so you will need to get the legal side of things done at some stage or else you are not technically married. However, this is the best way to ensure you can have your dream wedding in the most romantic city in the world.
