You’re ready to get married? Congratulations! How about planning a destination wedding to the South of France? This beautiful, romantic countryside is rich in history and contains many of the loveliest. The most famous regions in the nation that you’ve probably already heard of are Provence, the French Riviera, the city of Nice, the island of Corsica, the French Alps, and much more. Whatever your vibe – mountains, coasts, islands, rolling hills – the south of France is your oyster.
In this wedding guide, our mission is to help make planning your destination wedding in the south of France as smooth and painless a process as possible. To do that, we included an “Inspiration” section so you can see what area of southern France would best reflect the mood and atmosphere of your wedding; important information like cost, weather, and the legal requirements for marriage in France; a list of top wedding planners; a list of suggested chateaus, which are extremely popular for wedding ceremonies in southern France.
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Inspiration: Top 5 Best Areas In The South Of France For Your Destination Wedding
Provence
This region is one of the most-visited in France, and for good reason. For one thing, the landscape in Provence is incredibly diverse. In this beautiful area of the country, you’ll find the Maritime Alps, the Mediterranean coast, vineyards, rolling hills, and cities bubbling with life. In fact, Provence is home to two of the most populous and famous cities in the south of the country: Marseille and Nice. Both cities were originally established by the Greeks and feature archaeological and architectural history from a long line of different occupants throughout the millennia. Marseille is well known for its proliferation of museums, while Nice has for many decades been a popular tourist destination due to its mild weather, culture, and situation on the Mediterranean coast. With all these offerings, Provence is a wonderful area to hold your destination wedding in.
French Riviera
The French Riviera, or Cote d’Azur in French, is the part of southern France that makes up the Mediterranean coastline. Not only is it a verdant and picturesque area with stunning views of the sea and surrounding beaches, the water is as blue as the sky and cool even in the summer. This area sees lots of sunshine, and because of its refreshing air it has been a popular resort since the 1700s for royalty, from British kings and queens to Russian czars. Today, it’s not just exclusive to the ridiculously wealthy. You can easily plan a destination wedding in this area, especially if you love the sweeping blue swaths of sky and sea as big as your love for your future spouse.
Corsica
Corsica is an island off the coast of south France. It’s part of the Mediterranean’s warm, mild climate, with beautiful landscape features such as mountains and chestnut forests. It’s a charming location for an outdoor wedding in view of the Mediterranean’s glittering waters. In addition to the views, it also has a rich and tumultuous history, and has slipped in and out of French rule for centuries. As a result of changing hands multiple times, the island is strongly influenced by Genoese and Italian culture. You’ll see evidence of this in the Genoese towers on the coast and Italy;s influence on the Corsican language.
The island is a unique blend of cultures and geography, the perfect location to blend two families together in a destination wedding.
French Alps
The French Alps are grand, powerful, and towering beyond belief. They are the ideal backdrop for a power couple wanting to tie the knot in southern France. Their mountain slopes are some of the most stunning views in the world, certainly in France. In and around the French Alps are towns – including Grenoble where the 1968 Winter Olympics were held – and ski resorts. If you like snow and winter weddings, this is a prime location to take inspiration from.
Pont du Gard
The Pont du Gard is an architectural feat of the ancient Roman era situated in the mild, warm climate of the south of Italy. It is an aqueduct bridge that once carried water to a Roman colony. It still spans the river Gardon to this day in its original three-tiered arch design built out of warm yellow stone. It’s surrounded by beautiful green countryside, and the remains of other Roman architecture. There is definitely an old world feeling in this area, an echo of an age gone by that has ultimately withstood the test of time. It’s a fitting tribute to the long lasting power of love and marriage.
Planning Your Destination Wedding In The South Of France
Cost
If you’re planning a destination wedding in the south of France, you probably already have a large budget. Let’s be honest: it’s not cheap to plan a destination wedding in a foreign country. With that in mind, the cost for one in southern France is roughly 8000-15,000 Euros according to Destination Wedding Directory. In US dollars, that comes out to around $9500-$18,000. This price point takes the venue, food and drink, accommodations and entertainment into account. It’s not too shabby considering that people spend that much or more on weddings in the US every day.
Weather
Per Destination Wedding Directory, the weather in the south of France is some of the mildest, warmest, most accommodating weather you’ll find in the entire country. Thanks to the Mediterranean sea and protection from the French Alps, cold air is deflected away from the southern regions. Spring and Autumn are considered the best times of the year to hold a wedding outdoors in France, as the summer is too hot. In the north, it would be too cold in the winter to have a wedding. In the south, though, the temperature is still surprisingly mild. Lucky you! Most of the year is open to you!
Legal Requirements
France has its own unique set of legal requirements to get married within its environs, and one of them is extremely important to know ahead of time. First of all, France only recognizes civil ceremonies and not religious ceremonies. So if you want to get married in the country you must first hold a civil ceremony at the local town hall, or mairie. Second of all, and this is a big caveat: you have to live in France for 40 days and present “proof of domicile” in the form of a bill or a bank statement in order to be able to go to a mairie and have the civil ceremony performed.
The fact that you have to have a residence in France in order to get married there is a huge consideration to take into account. The Destination Wedding Directory recommends (as do we) that you hold the official marriage ceremony in the US and go to southern France at a later date for the “wedding.”
Professional Planners
Wedding planners make your life so much easier. A good wedding planner or planning resource will plan everything about your destination wedding in the south of France according to your tastes and approval.
Below are some of the top planners we recommend you hire for your special day.
Hitched in France
This website is an excellent source of resources for venues, music, food and drink, flowers, and marquees. You can also hire a wedding planning team who will handle all these things for you.
Your Wedding Planner
June Francis is a lovely, friendly wedding planner who offers a whole range of services to plan your wedding in the south of France. Her “Full Service Package” includes finding a photographer, a videographer, musicians, and sources for flowers, wedding carriages and cars, and transportation for guests. She also offers additional services upon request, such as finding hair and makeup artists for the wedding party, and providing table decorations.
NKT Events
NKT Events will plan a “modern ,elegant, and sophisticated” wedding for you in southern France. The owner, Nyachia, is well-known for her gorgeous events. Her wedding planning site has even been called “Best In Class” by Martha Stewart Weddings. If you’re looking for a fancy, fabulous event with services pulled from all over the world, look no further than NKT Events.
J’ai 2 Amours
If Provence is your dream wedding location, then Aurelie at J’ai 2 Amours is the perfect wedding planner for you. Her company is located in a village in Provence. She is very familiar with the area – indeed, with all of the south of France. She’ll book your venue, create the event look, arrange the budget and logistics, and see that everything runs smoothly on the actual wedding day.
Suggested Wedding Venues in the South of France
Château Saint Georges
Chateau Saint George is a glorious venue in which to hold your destination wedding. Located in the French Riviera area overlooking a medieval town called Grasse, you can hold your wedding ceremony on a terrace with incomparable views of the sparkling Mediterranean. The interior is just as beautiful, with parquet hardwood floors, glittering chandeliers, gilding, and antique-style wood furniture. Chateau Saint George offers a few different wedding packages. You can buy depending on the size of your wedding and how many of their elegant, high-end services you want to take advantage of. This is a once in a lifetime experience you won’t ever forget.
Château La Tour Vaucros
Chateau La Tour Vaucros is a private residence in the heart of Provence. It exudes charm and beauty in every corner of the huge property, which includes a lovely garden where you can hold your wedding ceremony. In addition to a large reception room, the chateau offers guest houses. So you, your party, and your guests have a place to stay when they travel to your destination wedding. The exterior walls of the buildings are made out of a warm-colored stone. And the garden and lawns are beautifully manicured and well kept. Surrounding the property, the hills and fields of Provence are laid out for your viewing pleasure. You’ll feel nothing but joy in your heart when you book your destination wedding at this venue.
Lartigolle
At Lartigolle, a private chateau in southwest France, you are encouraged to “celebrate life” in an intimate destination wedding event. This charming 18th century house is owned and run by Londoners who respect the good life, which is what the traditional French countryside is all about. You’ll love the rolling hills, the “Pasture” – an extensive outdoor area where you can hold your wedding ceremony – the club and dining room set inside a cave under the estate (yes, that’s right, a cave), and the beautifully furnished rooms inside the chateau itself. For a unique, “boutique chateau” experience like no other, you must book Lartigolle for your destination wedding in the south of France.
Chateau d’Alpheran
Chateau d’Alpheran is a fairytale dream come true in the form of a castle. This gorgeous building was built in the 18th century. It’s turned into a magical venue for destination weddings in the south of France. Here, you’ll find elegant rooms and accommodations for your guests, an esplanade in case you want an outdoor wedding or reception, and a 19th century chapel for a religious marriage ceremony. Fascinating surprises await around every corner. Including an orangery and a swimming pool on the property, and eclectic decor that blends modern convenience with antique sophistication. The sophisticated couple will find no better venue than the Chateau d’Alpheran.
South Of France Wedding Photography Packages
A fantastic team of photographers is essential to any destination wedding. But especially one set against the incomparable backdrop of the south of France. We want to be that fantastic team for you on your special day.
Below is a list of wedding packages we offer:
Conclusion
The south of France is calling to you with all the strength of its natural romance, beauty, and elegance. Use this guide to start planning your destination wedding in the South of France today!
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