Ultimate Paris Wedding Guide: Plan Your Dream Celebration From Abroad

1. Enlist an experienced local wedding planner.

Hiring a top-notch English-speaking Paris wedding planner (or coordinator) is non-negotiable. She’ll make life easier and prevent costly missteps by helping navigate the local wedding scene, language barriers, and French customs. Here are excellent reasons to invest in the best planner you can afford:

• A well-connected local planner has presumably worked at the finest Paris wedding venues and will recommend fantastic options to suit your preferences and budget. She’ll typically set up multiple in-person wedding venue visits so you can visualize your celebrations and make an informed decision.
• Expect her to present high-quality, established, and vetted wedding vendors—and possibly even leverage her connections to get you better value.
• Unless you speak French fluently, she’ll double as a translator;
• Time is money. You’ll need a lot of time and patience to plan the perfect wedding in France, including activities and entertainment for your guests, accommodations, party favors, and hiring a seasoned vendor team. Your planner will manage such tasks, so you don’t have to.
• We’re not big fans of “Plan B.” However, weddings never go exactly according to plan. That said, only an influential Paris event planner has the Rolodex and the capability to handle last-second travel delays, weather contingencies, vendor cancellations, etc.

---

2. Determine the perfect time of the year to celebrate your dream wedding in Paris, France.

Most people advise getting married in Paris sometime in spring or fall when the City experiences milder temperatures and fewer tourists. Then again, there are no hard rules, and your decision ultimately comes down to a combination of factors:

• Availability of Parisian wedding venues and vendors;
• It’s considerate to give guests advance notice to budget for Paris weddings, book flights and accommodations at affordable rates, request time off from work, make special arrangements for kids and pets, and obtain visas, etc.;
• Consider the best time of the year to experience your honeymoon destination.

---

3. Research, visit, and book your Paris wedding venue. Start early.

No wedding venue means no date. No date, in turn, prevents you from confidently moving forward in the planning process, including hiring talented vendors, arranging accommodations and activities for guests, and sending out invitations.

Paris offers spectacular Palace Hotels and nearby historic castles to suit almost any style, guest count, and budget.

Still, your choice of venue sets the tone for the wedding festivities and will affect your experience. Start early and give yourself ample time to complete this critical step before moving on.

Visiting multiple potential Paris wedding venues in person is a fantastic idea; it allows you to make a more informed decision. Expect the following benefits:

• Understand a venue’s spaces and layout and visualize your party;
• Evaluate the professionalism and attentiveness of the catering and events team;
• Identify potential hidden costs and surcharges, allowing for more realistic budgeting;
• Schedule tastings to compare the quality and presentation of catering options. It’s also an excellent opportunity to discuss menu choices.

---

4. Understand the legal marriage requirements in France.

France has specific legal requirements for marriage, including the residency requirement. While you can always have a symbolic wedding ceremony in Paris and complete the legally binding paperwork back home, it is a good idea first to familiarize yourself with French legal requirements.

Keeping in mind that regulations change over time, our understanding is as follows:

Residency requirement: At least one individual in the couple must reside in France for at least 30 days before the wedding day. After 30 days, a certificate of non-impediment can be obtained from the local Mairie (city hall).

Civil ceremony: In France, only civil marriages typically conducted by the mayor at the Mairie are legally recognized. A religious ceremony with no legal standing can optionally be held after the civil ceremony.

The publication of marriage banns must be posted at the Mairie (of the town where the marriage will occur) for 10 days before your Big Day.

Both individuals in the couple must provide the following (translated and authenticated with an Apostille) documents:

• Passports;
• Birth certificates (less than 3 months old for French citizens or less than 6 months old for foreigners);
• Proof of residence (e.g., utility bill, rental agreement);
• Certificate of non-impediment;
• Affidavit of law;
• A prenuptial agreement (if applicable) prepared by a French notary;
• Divorce or death certificates (if previously married).

---

5. Hire the best wedding vendors you can afford based on prioritizing what matters most to you.

Whether you use a wedding budget calculator or lean on the expertise of your local Paris event planner, staying organized and prioritizing what’s most important to you will prevent unnecessary stress.

The amount you’ll spend on your wedding in Paris depends on factors such as the size of your guest list, style and decor preferences, chosen vendors, travel expenses, menu choices, and more.

Some couples may allocate more for a dazzling couture wedding gown or the best destination wedding photographer possible. In contrast, others may invest disproportionately in French cuisine and wine. Again, others may prefer spectacular entertainment, including a world-class live band and performers.

You get the point—prioritize spending and focus on those elements of the wedding that are most important to you and your family.

---

6. Send out your wedding invitations early.

You must send out invitations for a destination wedding in Paris, France, much earlier than for a local one. The idea is to give your friends and loved ones the maximum time possible to make travel arrangements, book accommodations, and request time off from work.

We recommend sending out save-the-date cards at least one year before your wedding and following up with formal invites four months before the marriage. Providing your guests with an overview of envisaged pre and post-wedding activities is considerate and a welcome gesture.

---

7. Simplify communication with an informative wedding website.

A high-quality website is even more important for destination weddings than local events. It’s ideal for communicating all necessary information about your Parisian celebrations, including the venue location, accommodation & travel recommendations, event schedules, dress codes, a link to your wedding registry, and more.

It simplifies RSVP management and allows you to share your love story and build excitement for your Big Day. Think of your website as a centralized hub to communicate relevant real-time updates.

---

8. Enjoy the process and your experience.

Remember to relax and enjoy the actual process of planning a wedding. This point may sound cliché but don’t get stressed over the inevitable challenges. Unforeseen issues will arise, so maintain a flexible mindset.

Have fun practicing the first dance, extend your stay when you visit Paris to interview vendors and evaluate venues and tasting menus, try fabulous hotels, and work out to get in the best health and shape possible.