From the classic Technicolor dance scenes of An American in Paris to more recent films like Amelie Poulain and Midnight in Paris, for many Americans, Paris is the epitome of style and romance. And what could be a more romantic place to get married? After deciding to get married in Paris, the first thing most couples do is make a giddy, “so crazy this just might work” phone call to their local French consulate where they are instantly brought back down to Earth by their first encounter with the infamous French bureaucracy: “Quoi?! Non! Les étrangers ne peuvent JAMAIS avoir un mariage civil en France s’ils ne vivent pas en France. Impossible! Au revoir!” (“What?! No! Foreigners may NEVER have a French civil wedding if they do not live in France. Impossible! Good-bye!”) Click . . . And for some couples, that will be that. In a flash, they’ve swept directly to Plan B, their local country club with an impersonal, pre-packaged “One Night in Paris” themed reception. Do not pass “Départ.” Do not collect 200€.
Photography by Milos and Natasa Horvat.
My own wedding adventure wasn’t quite as perilous. My husband is French, and with his mother and sister in the trenches for us, we were able to plan our wedding in France long distance from San Francisco. That’s not to say planning a wedding in a foreign country 3,000 miles away was a cakewalk. One main roadblock was that I didn’t speak French, and my husband’s family didn’t speak English, which made my sole method of communication with my in-laws via my French-born, “weddingly challenged” husband-to-be. I remember standing behind him in silent anguish during one of his family phone calls as I listened to him try to translate the color sage to his sister. Le pauvre (poor guy), it’s a wonder he went through with the wedding at all.
Besides the language barriers, the cultural aspects of the American Wedding Machine played a big part in my wedding frustrations. For example, back when we got married, no self-respecting Follower of Martha would dare to NOT offer her guests a favor trussed up in a mini Chinese takeout box. In the midst of my destination-wedding-planning frenzy, I had to rely on my husband to explain to his maman in a tiny town in the North of France:
What Chinese takeout was . . .
What Chinese takeout boxes were . . .
What an American wedding favor was . . .
. . . and why his American wife didn’t want traditional French chocolate-almond dragées for her wedding favors (when what I really didn’t want were the pastel tulle and satin ribbon sachets they came in).
Language, legal and cultural roadblocks aside, in the end our wedding was perfect—with just the right mix of French and American traditions to make both of our mamans happy.
Soon after our wedding, we moved to Paris and started our family. Within a few years, I began to plot out the next phase of my life. Remembering my “colorful” wedding-planning adventure, I realized that there must be other hopelessly romantic, monolingual Francophiles just dying to get married in Paris. So, tapping into my corporate and social event-planning background, I decided to create a wedding-planning agency, “Parisian Events—for stylish Parisian celebrations” in 2006. I started blogging about my adventures in 2007.
Since the beginning, my wedding clients have primarily been either dual-Anglophone (couples who both have come to Paris from English-speaking countries specifically for their celebration) or locally based Franco-American (usually American brides in Paris who are marrying French husbands). Because of this, the raison d’être behind Parisian Events has always been to creatively blend traditional American elements (like coordinated bridesmaids, multilayered stacked cakes or funky and original wedding favors) with classic Parisian elegance to create unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime celebrations.
While it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg, I know that it’s not in everyone’s budget to be able to host a wedding or special event in Paris. Francophiles around the world would agree that what sets French weddings apart is their inherent refined elegance. Fortunately, with a little know-how, this elegance is something that can be brought to French- inspired celebrations anywhere—and for nearly any budget. That’s why I’ve written this book, as an ideas-packed, go-to guide for globally minded trendsetters who are, above all else, in love with the style, romance and refined elegance of Paris, whether they have the means to physically make the trip or not.
In addition to being a resource of practical information for those planning a wedding IN Paris (legal requirements for marrying in Paris, how to get married in a church in France, what to wear to a French wedding, etc.), I’ve also opened up my personal Black Book to help you to define your Parisian wedding style: I share stylish tips and insider info on choosing top-of-the-line professionals and resources, both in Paris and around the globe, to help you add that Parisian je ne sais quoi (certain something) to your fête fabuleux (fabulous party)—no matter where you’re hosting your celebration.
Photography by Milos and Natasa Horvat.
Photography by Milos and Natasa Horvat.
Photography by Milos and Natasa Horvat.