June R. Says:
My fiancé and I would love to get married in France. What do we need to do? Can the U.S. embassy help or would it need to be a priest?
IL France Correspondent Tuula Rampont Says:
Hi June,
Congratulations on your marriage plans! If you plan to get married in France, there are a few things you’ll need to consider.
First off, American diplomatic officials have no legal authority to perform marriages abroad. Also, religious ceremonies have no legal significance in France.
To comply with legalities, a French civil authority must perform the marriage before any religious ceremony occurs. Either the bride or the groom must have resided for at least 40 continuous days prior to the marriage in the district where the civil ceremony is to take place. All Americans in France must comply with this 40-day residence requirement. It will not be waived.
Contact the mairie (municipal hall) in your place of residence for details of other requirements. Some mairies accept affidavits of civil status, birth, and freedom to marry. A marriage performed in France under French law is generally recognized as valid throughout the U.S.
If you want a religious ceremony, it can be performed only after the civil marriage has taken place. A minister, priest, or rabbi will require the certificat de célébration civile (certificate of civil marriage) as proof that the civil ceremony has already taken place.
If you’re married in a Catholic church in France, it is customary to attend a series of marriage preparation classes with other couples if you enlist the services of a French priest.
U.S. military personnel wishing to marry in France should contact the legal officer of the Defense Attaché Office at the U.S. Embassy.
You can find more details about getting married in France in Chapter 6 of our Escape to France guidebook.
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