Friday: Legal Wedding

Leaving the mairie after our legal ceremony

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

The view from the bridal suite overlooking the courtyard
Morning frost on the windows, despite the daytime temps reaching 80+
Another view from the bridal suite overlooking the gate entrance to the chateau
Ready to get legally married!

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.

Riding in style to our legal ceremony
Kind of regretting this hair elastic choice
Leaving the chateau on our way to the mairie
Walking into the mairie in Mouliets-et-Villemartin
In my opinion, it’s not a true French wedding without a braless nip
Mid-ceremony at the mairie
My grandmother’s bracelets (since she couldn’t come to France), my Reggie nail art, and Bill’s wedding band purchased a few days earlier in Paris at Le Bon Marche
Bill rocking his bachelor/ette friendship bracelets
Beautiful bouquet made by the chateau’s florist Jilly to match Bill’s suit
Making it official
This is where I unknowingly agreed to change my last name
My family
Posing with the mairie (thrilled)
Official wedding portrait with Macron
I can’t remember what everyone was taking photos of…

Just noticed that Bill is wearing oyster socks and the gold chain down the back of my dress is shells. So nautical.
Married!
Great pic of Bill (and my double chin… so selfless)

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.

Returning to the Chateau as a legally married couple
Glam

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

The chef prepping the tiffin tins for our picnic lunch at La Roberterie
Fresh cherry tomatoes 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.

Heading down the long drive through the vineyards to arrive at La Roberterie
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1 Comment

  1. theneighborhooders
    Author
    October 15, 2024 / 12:01 pm

    Bonjour, babe!

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