Let’s Get Married in France
Getting married in France is truly the choice for the romantics. France is a destination synonymous with beauty, passion and love. With beautiful countryside and iconic cities, a wonderful climate, and some of the world’s best food and wine, France is the perfect choice for choice for couple’s looking for a truly memorable wedding.
These tips come from destination wedding planner’s Matthew Oliver Weddings, who have planned dozens of weddings across the country.
Where to Get Married
Paris will always be a popular choice due to its history and iconic architecture, but to experience a wedding set in a traditional French landscape, head to the chateaus of the Loire Valley or the stunning hilltop villages of Provence.
Another popular destination for couple is the Dordogne, due to its stunning array of picturesque venues situated in vineyards and medieval villages. France has a diverse landscape encompassing the mountainous Alps to the luxury of the French riviera, so every preference can be catered for.
Another unique location is the French island of Corsica, a natural paradise nestled in the Mediterranean sea and often overlooked by tourists.
France is also spoilt for choice when it comes to wedding venues, with hilltop chateaus, rustic barns and luxury hotels spread across the country.
Some unique types of venue to France are, of course, a fairytale chateau in the Loire valley;ÿ a luxury mansion in Provence; 5-star hotel in Paris or an intimate beachside resort in Corsica; and what’s more these venues are often far cheaper to rent than comparable venues in other countries.
French culture
France is a large and diverse country where you people’s views differ from one village to the next. Despite this, French people are often united through a shared love of romance as well as the gastronomic delights of the country’s local food and wine.
Similar to its people, the food and wine varies greatly in different regions dependent on the climate and natural resources of the area. Wine is, of course, a shared passion with a Merlot from Bordeaux and a Sauvignon Blanc in the Loire Valley ÿ and what better way to celebrate a wedding than with champagne, which takes its name from the region of the same name in the North-East of France.
French climate
French people often comment that the weather changes once you go south of the Loire valley separating the milder and more unpredictable Northern climate with the often baking heat of the South. That’s one of the reasons why locations south of this such as the Loire Valley, Bordeaux and Provence are such popular choices as wedding destinations.
For lovers of heat and sunshine you really can’t beat the South of France where endless summer heat waves are sporadically broken with thunderstorms. For a winter wedding, a mountainous stone church overlooking the glaciers in the snowy French alps is always an option.
Legal Requirements
One thing that remains the same across France are the legal requirements for getting married. There is quite a large amount of bureaucracy involved with being officially married in France, so if you are planning a destination wedding it may be easier to do the ‘official’ part in your home country and have a more symbolic ceremony in France
If you do want to go ahead with being legally married in France and are aware of the potential complications with language and resident restrictions, please contact the British Consulate.
Your French Honeymoon
One of the best things about a destination wedding is the couple, and even the guests, usually find themselves in a picturesque location for a honeymoon or holiday.
Paris is, of course, a world-famous honeymoon destination due to its reputation as the Ville d’amour. However, the great thing about honeymooning in France is the choice of adventures for newlyweds, helped enormously by the excellent road and rail links across the country.
Whatever you choose, make sure you embrace the joie de vivre of French life: take a trip down the French Riviera in a 2CV; relax on a luxury yacht in the Med; or explore some of the world’s best vineyards in the Dordogne.
A honeymoon in France will uncover beauty and wonder in the culture and people, helping you to relive the passion from your wedding day again and again.
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