Destination Weddings in Paris
As you think about getting married in France, consider the cosmopolitan city of Paris for your celebration. Located in the North of France, this capitol city will not disappoint you, with its exciting combination of new and old, from museums and cathedrals to parks and monuments, shops and restaurants.
Established in the Third Century B.C., many of Paris’s awe-inspiring structures, like Notre-Dame Cathedral (1333) date from Medieval times and earlier. Modern times, however, have also made their mark on the city, through monuments like the Eiffel Tower (1889) and the more recent glass pyramid in the Louvre Museum and the inside-out Centre Georges Pompidou, both results of President François Mitterand’s grands projets initiative.
The highlights of the city include some of the most famous historical and religious structures in the world; as you stroll through the various districts of the city, you will be able to see the Sacre-Coeur, the Arc de Triomphe, the French Pantheon (the 1790 church structure modeled after the Roman Pantheon), and the beautifully-vaulted Gothic structure Sainte-Chapelle. As already mentioned, you can visit the Centre Pompidou, as well, for its Modern Art museum, cinema, library, and cadre of shops. You may also want to take a romantic cruise on the Grand Canal as a part of your celebration of marriage in Paris.
There are, of course, a variety of cafes, bars, shops, and markets, from relaxed and comfortable to fast-paced and chic, which ensure that the delicious foods of France will be available for your wedding ceremony and celebration. From the fancy Alain Ducasse and Guy Savoy dining places to the lively and fun Scheffer and Le Baron Rouge restaurants, you will have your choice of a variety of places to host family and friends or to have your own, more private romantic meals in Paris.
The city also provides a wide array of cultural experiences, including jazz and classical music festivals, world-renowned bike races, film showings, and seasonal celebrations. A variety of theatrical entertainment is also available in Paris.
As far as reception locations, there are many options in Paris as to where you might hold your wedding ceremony or reception: you will be able to choose from many parks and gardens, places of worship (both catholic and protestant), mansions and galleries, and museums. A large number of these venues are available for reservation, all at different rates, and some at varying times during the year. Wedding halls are also available, but French law requires that, for official civil ceremonies, at least one member of the engaged couple holds residence in the city for at least forty days prior to the wedding.
There are several options for the type of wedding ceremony you would like to have in Paris. French regulation requires that a civil ceremony by a French civil authority must be performed before a religious ceremony takes place, so you may choose to have a simple vow renewal ceremony in Paris after holding a small, official ceremony in your own country. This is an option that is often preferable to travelers in France, as it avoids extra paperwork, while still retaining the emotional and personal significance of a wedding ceremony. Or you may choose to go the whole nine yards, and hold both a civil and a religious ceremony in France.
Whether you choose to hold a simple vow renewal or an official ceremony, your wedding celebration in Paris will be surrounded by the romance of the old and the excitement of the new in this city of soaring cathedrals, romantic rivers, and exquisite cuisine. From the grand and majestic architecture of the Champs-Elysées district to the small-town charm of the artistic Montmartre area, the many offerings of Paris will contribute to a lovely and memorable wedding ceremony for you.
