France the land of over thirty thousand castles is a spectacular country to choose to hold your wedding ceremony. However a civil wedding in France requires legal requirements and advance planning, as well as a minimum stay of 4 weeks and blood tests to complete the necessary documentation prior to the legal ceremony.
As this is usually difficult to comply with, many couples elect to have a legal wedding in their own country, before jetting to France for a religious ceremony held at a spectacular location like a fairytale chateau in the Loire Valley or in Paris and they then honeymoon in France. Either a civil or religious ceremony in France will offer you a romantic and picturesque setting for that special day.
A civil marriage is mandatory in France and religious ceremonies, which are optional, are not legally binding in any way and can only be performed after the civil ceremony. To be legal, a marriage in France needs to be performed by a French civil authority. In practice this means that the mayor or his legally authorized replacement performs the marriage ceremony.
For a civil ceremony there is a condition of residency in France which one of the parties to be married must comply with. One of the parties must reside in the town or the arrondissement if in Paris, for the 30 days prior to the marriage. In addition to these 30 days, French law requires the publication of the marriage banns at City Hall for ten days which makes a total residency requirement of 40 days before the ceremony can be scheduled to take place at City Hall.
Like every culture, a Greek wedding portrays a unique combination of traditions, each of which has different meanings. Starting from the engagement till the marriage day, many ceremonies are held in a Greek wedding. In Greece, the couples are not supposed to get married on certain days like Lent and other Christian observances. Though the wedding traditions may vary depending upon the region and/or beliefs, there are certain wedding customs that are commonly followed.
So, you wish to get married away from home? That does not sound like a too bad idea as many couples who have done it confirm that it is less of a hassle and definitely costs less. Some great beach and summer wedding destinations are located in Italy, Cyprus, Greece, Malta and Turkey. Couples who have opted to declare their love for each other and exchange vows here have found the experience to be beautiful and truly memorable.
