I am travelling to Paris next week & wanted to know how easy is it to get married in Paris.
I am already married but wanted to surprise my wife with a wedding ceremony there.
We did it in New York & I now want to repeat it in Paris.
My French is not so good & have had trouble following the guidance on the web. Any advice would be appreciated.

Hmmm... am I missing something? Isn't a wedding done once and meant forever?

I think john is likely renewing his vows

I thought renewing my wedding vows would not be as nice as going through the whole ceremony. It is less formal.

This 'renewal of vows' seems to be an American thing, it's not common in Europe, at least in those parts of Europe I know - the vows are done once and are meant to be valid forever, that's it to us. People have blessings in church for an anniversary, but no repeating of vows. So what is it about? Why do people feel the need for a second, third etc. marriage ceremony with the same person? Can anyone explain? I'd like to understand.

I know that I'll be beaten up again for asking because any question about the American lifestyle is immediately considered an attack here. (Why, by the way?)

I think you need to understand marriages in France. The official wedding is done by the mayor, and you then have the option of a church ceremony. Normally you must be a resident. I doubt that the Mairie will do this for you if you are not a French resident.

You can try to arrange to renew your vows in church, but this is NOT something that is done very often in France - at least not in the country.I have just investigated renewal of vows for someone who wanted to do this in Sarlat. The priest I talked to was interested, but had never heard of it being done.

What you should do is track down the person responsible in the diocese in which you want to renew the vows. This may of course require more French than you have. Then you need to talk to someone - who will again be French speaking. I assume you also need to be Catholic, but haven't confirmed that.

The person for whom I investigated this decided not to go ahead - I would have had to translate everything for them, and was in bed with a cold at the time.

Is johngerard American? Has US imperialism advanced so far under Bush that it's finally annexed Liverpool?

The city's always thought anything east of Bowring Park (like St Helens) is just as foreign as Boston or Sydney - and a great deal more foreign than its western suburbs like Dublin or New York.

But I didn't realise the US had finally legitimised Liverpool's Green Card status.

I'm English, lived in the UK all my life.
I just want my wife to say yes & being given the option again.
I will renew my vows again in the UK on our anniversary but it just seems right in a diferent country to be able to get married again.

If you are legally married, you are legally married. You can't get married to the same person 'again'.

I don't get the concept either, at least not calling it a 'wedding'. Anyway, on another forum, it was said that one must reside in France for 40 days prior to holding a wedding/marriage ceremony.

<<it just seems right in a diferent country to be able to get married again.>>

It does? I don't know why France would want to marry anyone who was already married just because it's a "different country." Anyway, I'm quite sure you will find that the French bureaucracy will require you to spend many months, if not years, and a mountain of paperwork, to effect this whim of yours and that not speaking French well enough to follow the guidance on the web will be a considerable detriment to you from the start.

Oooh, I know about this.

You can only get officially married by the State, which is a civil affair, a bit like going to Town hall with witnesses and walking away with licence.

ALL other ceremonies, religious or otherwise are considered "blessings". A priest, of any persuasion is not licenced to marry anyone.

Thus, what most people do is precicesly what John is planning. Civil ceremony...official...signature..blood test. Then she puts on the Meringue, him his morning suit, and off to Church to meet the friends and family for a traditional wedding which is officialy meaningless.

Google around and see if you can find a wedding planner to organise it for you.(Just looked, there are tons)

If you were coming to the French West Indies, I could organise it myself.

PS. It is be very easy to organise and since unofficial, the French bureaucrats don't get involved.

I do it all the time, in a French territory.

Venue, priest or unofficial registrant, flowers, music, chairs and voila!

Robert est la frere de ta mere!

Use a planner..What you have to pay for their services you will gain in time and lack of stress.

My wife and I renewed our vows on our 20th anniversary at the American Church in Paris http://www.acparis.org/ last year. The church is right on the Seine at the Quai d'Orsay (not near the museum).

The ceremony was performed by a retired American clergyman, and was simply delightful. All arrangements were handled over the internet, except we met with the Pastor a couple of days before so he could tailor the service to our needs.

There is another American church in Paris, The American Cathedral, and I think they do renewal ceremonies as well.

Despite all of the naysayers on this thread, we feel that the renewal of vows "thing" is a loving and completely appropriate act of commitment for two people who's affection has grown, but changed, over the years. It gives one the chance to examine the relationship, and ones self, and decide the basis on which the two of you want to continue together.

I bet when couples get a divorce, they only hold the proceedings <b><i>once</i></b>

Do the English do that, too? That's new to me, sorry.

You do have to find one of those for-profit planners as it's basically just event planning and a party. It is not remotely a wedding, and I can't believe people seriously think marriage is up for an &quot;option&quot; to renew. Since when, there is not such thing I've ever heard of, if you decided you wanted out, you'd get a divorce. You don't just exercise an option to renew. If you don't even know if your spouse would do that, you need marital counseling.

John seems to need multiple confirmations by this wife that she really wants to be married to him. &quot;surprise&quot; weddings are also absurd, as is the idea of doing this in a country where you have no ties whatsoever and don't know the language.

see www.weddingsabroad.com for one of those secular party-type nonwedding &quot;renewals&quot; of options, but they aren't cheap so I wouldn't plan all that as a surprise to a spouse who has been asked repeatedly to renew the vows, just in case they are getting fed up with it and say no this time.

What's with all of the hostility? I'm not married, but see no problem in people wanting to renew their vows.It's common here in the States. I think it's a nice jesture and good for you johngerard.
With the high incidence of divorce, I think it's quite nice that folks would like to have another ceremony to show their love for each other.
And thanks J.R.Hardley and Nukesafe for answering the question. Who knows...some of my friends might want to do it while on a romantic vacation as many of them have been married 10-25-plus years. Happy Travels!

Guenmai: &quot;<i> . . . see no problem in people wanting to renew their vows.It's common here in the States.</i>&quot; Did you read johngerard's response?

&quot;<i>I thought renewing my wedding vows would not be as nice as going through the whole ceremony. It is less formal.</i>&quot;

He is not talking about renewing vows. He doesn't think that would be &quot;nice&quot; enough - he wants a full blown wedding.

And then he says - <i>&quot;I just want my wife to say yes &amp; being given the option again.</i>&quot;

johngerard: If it was me - I'd spend the money on a lovely 2nd honeymoon instead of a wedding. That would be nice.

Forget about having a wedding to let your wife say yes agin. And if you think Fodorites have been hard on you, just wait til you tell your mates about your plans.

I'm completely <i>hors de comabt</i> on this situation in principle, but I can't help wondering what Mrs OP might make of it all.