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France is one of the most romantic countries in all the world. For many people France is synonymous with both love and romance, and thousands of couples the world over dream of a French wedding. And why not? France has it all. Whether your wedding dreams are to tie the knot in an ancient castle, a romantic chateau in the mountains, along the beautiful seashore, or within sight of the Eiffel Tower, France boasts one picture-postcard-perfect wedding locale after another.
Surprisingly, however, the country of love and romance seems to make it rather difficult for lovers to be wed. To begin with, to be legal all couples must first be married in a civil ceremony. Religious ceremonies are not valid in France. You may, of course, have a religious ceremony – but only after a civil ceremony has been performed. In fact, a priest, minister or rabbi may not perform a wedding ceremony in France without first being presented with the certificate proving that a civil marriage ceremony has already taken place.
France also has civil wedding requirements. Before a civil wedding ceremony can take place, at least one of the couple, either the bride or the groom, must have lived within the district in which the marriage is to take place for at least 40 days. Also, before a legal ceremony can take place the marriage “banns” – or announcement – must be posted for ten days in the town hall where the ceremony is to be performed – and the banns must not be posted until at least one of the parties to be married has lived in the area for at least 30 days.
According to French law these rules apply to everyone and cannot be waived for any reason. French law also prohibits marriages from being performed within foreign Embassies or within foreign Consulates.
In order for a non French citizen to be married in France you will be required to present several documents – and because each local city hall may require additional documents it is highly recommended that you contact the city hall in which you plan for your civil ceremony to be performed and get a full list of required documents.
At a minimum you will need a valid passport or French resident permit, a newly-obtained birth certificate, a certificate of celibacy, a legal document asserting that you have the legal right to marry, proof of residency of at least one of the marriage partners, a health certificate, plus additional documents.
Once you are officially married in a city hall, you will receive a booklet that is your official record of marriage. The booklet has spaces to record important events in your family, such as the birth of a child, a death in the family, name changes, divorces and such things. If you wish an actual marriage certificate, or license, you must write to the city hall at which the ceremony took place and officially request one.
Once the civil ceremony is concluded, many couples choose a wide range of religious ceremonies either on the same day as the civil ceremony or following within a few days. Religious ceremonies carry no official weight in France. Most religious ceremonies in France require that at least one member of a couple be a member of the organized religion conducting the ceremony.
Many couples simply wish the emotional experience of being married in France. For thousands of couples a Fantasy Wedding, or Symbolic Wedding, fills the bill nicely. A fantasy wedding is a romantic ceremony which has no legal or religious attributes.
Fantasy weddings allow a couple to plan the wedding of their dreams in France without any non-romantic legal requirements or the hassles of a religious ceremony. Many companies specialize in Symbolic Weddings, and maintain private romantic sites just for special dream-weddings.
Because Symbolic Weddings have no legal standing and have no religious affiliation, there is no paperwork required and no residency requirements. Couples are free to create a ceremony that is perfect for them and which fulfills every wedding fantasy. Couples are free to choose their own music, and may write their own vows.
Some of the most popular destinations for Fantasy Weddings include a yacht off the coast of France, a beautiful private mountain chalet, a French farmhouse, a classic Mediterranean villa, or a castle wedding in Paris – but couples may ask to be married in almost any setting.
If your dream is for a wedding in France, then you have several choices. You may have a civil ceremony followed by a religious or Symbolic Ceremony, or you may choose to marry first and then come to France for only a religious or Symbolic ceremony.
Whatever your choice, France is now and has always been the birthplace of romance and the home of lovers. Let your love bloom and let your fantasies be fulfilled with a magical wedding in the country known throughout the world for the passion and romance of its lovers – France.
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