The Legal Side
It is worth noting that if you wish to have the civil ceremony performed in France the following legal requirements apply:
All marriages must be performed by a French civil authority before any religious ceremony takes place. Traditionally the mayor can authorize a city councillor to perform the ceremony in the French town in which one of the parties to be married has been residing for 40 days minimum prior to the marriage. These requirements can not be waived. The religious ceremony has to be performed after the civil ceremony and never before. The minister, priest or rabbi will require a certificate of civil marriage before any religious ceremony takes place.
Alternatively, most couples hold the civil service in their country of residence prior to arriving at the chateau in France. Then they can hold a blessing ceremony in the grounds of the chateau itself or a church nearby. A full wedding service is possible in France by first taking care of the legal side in your own country of residence. Each of our castle owners online with Simply Chateau can assist you with your wedding plans, both on site at the chateau, and at the local town hall and mayor’s office.
Information from the Foreign Office
The British Embassy Consular Section cannot give authoritative advice on the formalities that a British person must complete in order to marry under French law. Such advice must be obtained from the mairie (town hall) where the marriage is to take place. The following notes are intended as a supplement to information received from the mairie. Three important points:
1. A religious ceremony cannot be performed until AFTER the civil marriage.
2. A French civil authority (mairie, adjoint, or conseiller municipal) performs the civil ceremony in the town in which one of the parties to be married has resided for at least (40) days immediately preceding the marriage.
3. Publication of the banns in the town hall (mairie) where marriage will take place is compulsory in France. Most mairies take approximately 4–6 weeks to process an application. Requirements will vary for each mairie, therefore, it is essential that you first meet with them in order to determine their exact documentary requirements and terms of validity (documents may need to be issued less than 3 months prior to date of marriage or publication of banns).
A marriage performed in France under French law is recognised in the UK.