french-wedding-dessert-buffets

france-destination-wedding-tipsI feel so lucky to live in Paris, a city so full of love, culture, fashion, incredible gastronomy and people. It’s the perfect place to get married! France is full of historic monuments, ancient chateaus, grand palaces, the options for a French destination wedding venue are endless. There are so many reasons to come to France to wed (we could fill a year’s worth of stories about it). Our marvelous country isn’t without it’s restrictions however. If you’re considering a France destination wedding, before you book, read through a few of my most important France destination wedding tips and a few pieces of advice I always give my wedding planning clients.

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Legally wed at home, not in France.

If you’re planning a destination wedding, tie the knot legally at home before you travel. The requirements to wed legally for foreigners in France is heavy. If you’re from the US, there’s a 40 day mandate that you be in this country for that period of time before you can make it official. It’s simply not realistic. Complete your paperwork and legal ceremony at home and then travel to France for your spiritual or public ceremony.

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It gets hot.

I love to work and produce weddings in historic monuments throughout Paris and the countryside. But in summer, it gets hot. These historic venues don’t come with air conditioning so your guests may melt, depending on your date and time of ceremony. There’s a simple solution however – consider the calendar before you come and you could have a stunning fall wedding or a springtime I do that’s a bit later in the evening.

If you do get married in a French chateau or historic monument (I highly encourage it if you come to France), then remember the rules book.

These properties are magical. They are also part of our history, culture and future. That means great lengths must be taken to protect the grounds, the structures and the art. Monument weddings are not without their rules and regulations so just be aware of what those are when designing your day. There are endless ways to produce a magical monument wedding, you just need to know what the parameters are first. Remember, these are public places open to guests during the day, so manage your expectations on timing and then embrace the culture of the site (plan a tour for your guests or a meal amongst art) and everything will be picture-perfect in the end.

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Embrace what we love in France.

A France destination wedding is not a wedding without a fine dining experience and exceptional gastronomy. We love to celebrate with food and wine and we love to create an experience from it. This serves you well in a destination wedding. Our gastronomy expectations are very high (especially in Paris). The culture is one to embrace as it will only enhance your event experience. Leave your guests talking about the meal for years to come! Then pepper in elaborate and unique entertainment and art and your France destination wedding is fitting of the special setting.

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End the evening with an incredible dessert buffet.

If I can give you my best France destination wedding tip, it’s to enjoy dessert! We’re known for our pastries in this country, enjoy it! An elaborate and expansive dessert buffet is a must-do at a destination wedding in France. Eclairs, fruit sculptures, colorful macarons and of course, the French wedding cake, the croquembouche should be displayed and served to your guests. What’s a croquembouche? It’s a beautifully delicate tower of profiteroles filled with creme patisserie, lightly coated with caramel to finish the look. It’s wonderful! You won’t be disappointed with a dessert bar in France.

french-wedding-dessertsAre you thinking of a destination wedding in France? We’d love to assist! To see France wedding venues, get additional ideas and learn about getting married in our beautiful country, click through to our website here.

Monday March 18th, 2019

France Destination Wedding Tips + Advice Before You Go

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