Wedding help needed!

Hello,

We are planning our wedding at a private chateau near Carcassonne next summer (2010) and would be really grateful for any advice or experiences anyone can share. We are particularly looking for info on caterers and %26#39;marquee%26#39; hire.

Thanks everyone!

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Hi

Can%26#39;t help with the catering etc. I live at the other end of Languedoc.

I do know something of French bureaucracy, however !

Briefly, the marriage is normally performed by Mr le Maire, at le Mairie. The church service is in the form of a %26quot;blessing%26quot; after the wedding. Notes from the govt website :

A religious ceremony cannot be performed until AFTER the civil marriage.

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.

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).

More info :

fco.gov.uk/en/…france

…fco.gov.uk/en/…marriageinfrance

Bonne chance

Peter

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and one of you has to be resident in France for at least 60 days prior to the posting of the banns.

It would be better for you to marry (legally, at least) in London, then have a lovely honeymoon -- if you still feel the need to have a formal wedding, you can have a church wedding as long as you are legally married.

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eep. Sorry, 40 days is correct. (edit button, please!)

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Thanks so much for all the advice everyone. I should have said - we are planning to do the %26#39;legal bit%26#39; in the UK but would then like to have a blessing and party in France. So if anyone has any information about the party side of things that would be greatly appreciated - thank you!