Types of French Wedding Ceremony

France a civil ceremony is the only legally recognised marriage ceremony. It is still possible to have a religious wedding ceremony in France however this must take place after your civil ceremony. Your wedding ceremony will be conducted in French and your marriage licence and all paperwork will be issued in French.

Civil Ceremony

In France only a civil ceremony is legally binding.

A civil ceremony will take place at the Mairie (Town Hall) of the town in which you are staying and will be performed by the Mayor or his legally authorised replacement.

The ceremony will be conducted in French and you are not required to have a translator present. However if you do wish to have your ceremony translated into English I would advise speaking with the Mayor to make the necessary arrangements.

Religious ceremony

In France a religious wedding ceremony is not legally binding.

If you would like to have a religious ceremony you must first have a civil ceremony.

The religious official performing your ceremony must be given your marriage certificate as proof that your civil ceremony has taken place before they can conduct your ceremony.

Many couples choose to have their civil ceremony the day before their religious ceremony or have their civil ceremony in their home country of residence prior to arriving in France.

Alternative Ceremony

Because of the France’s residency requirements many couples choose to get legally married in their home country and have a blessing in France.

A very popular type of blessing is a Humanist Wedding Ceremony. The advantage of this type of ceremony is that you can have it in any location of your choice, taking advantage of the many beautiful settings that France has to offer.

More information on getting married in France