
When we first thought about getting married in France, we did some preliminary homework and quickly realized as two Americans with zero real connection to France, it would be impossible for us to legally marry in France. As non-citizens, we’d have to establish residency in France for a minimum of 30 days before we’d be allowed to marry and that — unfortunately — wasn’t in the cards for us! So, we resigned ourselves to doing a quick legal ceremony here in the States and then we’d do a symbolic one over in France.
So, when visiting Chateau Rigaud for the first time and learning that they could arrange a legal wedding with the local mairie (mayor), we jumped at the chance. Yes, the ceremony would be conducted in French. Yes, the paperwork would be entirely in French. Yes, we’d leave with a livret de famille (a family history booklet where all marriages & births would be recorded). None of this mattered to us; we were smitten with the novelty of being able to legally marry in France when it seemed so out of reach.
Photos by Corrina Tough




After waking up in the bridal suite and taking a “tower shower,” we had a quick breakfast downstairs. Then, it was time to gather our passports, meet up with our translator Fiona and head to the mairie with our parents & siblings.


















After a quick ceremony en français, we took the obligatory photo with the portrait of Macron and were on our way back to the chateau.


Back at the chateau, the chefs were working hard on putting together tiffin tins for lunch.


After a quick celebratory crémant toast in the chapel bar (I genuinely regret not getting pictures of this, as it was just me & Bill realizing we were officially married), we changed outfits and were on our way to our next activity: our Welcome Lunch.

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Bonjour, babe!