Congratulations, you’ve decided to get married in Paris, what an amazing day you’re going to have! You’ve probably got your Pinterest board created and have thought about your wedding day outfits, your rings, and your flowers. But now, it’s time to think about who will officiate your Paris wedding.
There are a number of fantastic officiants and celebrants in Paris, and this article will help you to get to know 5 Incredible Paris Wedding Officiants For Your Special Day, that I, a professional Paris wedding photographer recommend for your perfect day!
What’s An Officiant and Why Do I Need One?
An officiant, also known as a celebrant, is a very important person on your wedding day, but their work starts long before you arrive in Paris. An officiant is someone who, as the name describes, officiates your ceremony. They work with you in advance to get to know you as a couple, to develop a ceremony that’s uniquely tailored to you. They have a ton of experience officiating weddings in Paris, and know the city well.
All officiants in Paris speak English very well or natively, and some also speak French and Spanish and other languages.
Your ceremony could include special poems or verses, it could recount your incredible love story, how you met and all the things you love to do together. It can also tie in Paris itself, and what a magnificent city you chose for your wedding. Your ceremony can be non-denominational or religious, it’s totally up to you. Some officiants even infuse your ceremony with French language, in addition to English, which is incredibly poignant, being that you’re getting married in Paris.
How Do I Find an Officiant in Paris?
There are so many wonderful officiants and celebrants in Paris, but here are my Top 5!
Laura Montorio – The Paris Officiant
Laura Montorio, The Paris Officiant, is an absolute joy to work with. She’s incredibly professional and takes the time to get to know her clients really well, therefore she crafts a ceremony that is incredibly unique. Laura is super in-demand, and has officiated two-person elopements as well as large gatherings. What I love about Laura’s ceremonies is that in addition to speaking the ceremony in English, she also infuses French language into your ceremony if you would like that, which is incredibly romantic. Laura gets booked very early, so don’t delay in contacting her!
Angie Herberholz
Angie Herberholz, a Paris marriage officiant, is one of my favorite officiant’s in Paris. First, she’s incredibly classy and professional. Not only that, she’s very kind and cares deeply about her couples. Angie takes a great deal of time to understand each couple’s unique story, and creates a powerful, yet intimate ceremony that will not leave a dry eye anywhere. Touching and moving, Angie can also incorporate some French into your ceremony. My clients love working with Angie and so do I!
Naïm Terrache
Naïm Terrache, The Paris Celebrant, is French, but speaks perfect English. As a native Parisian, he knows his city well. His warm and inviting smile, in addition to his trademark bow tie, is a classy addition to any Paris wedding. Not only that, Naim creates a tailor-made ceremony that’s poignant and emotional, and touches on all the wonderful things you love about each other. Naïm is a delight, and I highly recommend him!
Aude Abadie
Aude Abadie, Celebrant in Paris, is a stunning lady whose eyes will captivate you the first time you see her. Her wide smile is welcoming and she’s incredibly professional. She infuses so much of her personal style and heart into the ceremonies she creates for couples, and really takes her time to get to know you. She also has a great sense of humor and is fun, too, in addition to being incredibly professional. You can’t go wrong with Aude as your celebrant
Rev Michelle Wahila
Reverend Michelle Wahila of Ruffled By Grace, is a pastor in Paris, and she’s very special. Originally from New York, in the USA, she is warm, personable, and bubbly, and she specializes in crafting ceremonies that could either be non-religious or religious in nature. She’s the perfect choice if you’d like to incorporate your faith into your ceremony, and Michelle will work with you to select Bible verses, for example, that have special meaning to you. As the only reverend in Paris, Michelle is especially fantastic for religious ceremonies. However, even if you’re not a couple that considers yourself religious, you’ll still love the incredible ceremony she creates for you. Every time I work with Michelle I feel so good, she has a way of humanizing a ceremony and will make you smile!
How Do I Work With a Paris Officiant?
After you’ve had a chance to look at the web sites or Instagram accounts of the officiants I’ve included here, feel free to reach out to a few to get a sense of their style and see if it matches yours. Then, get on a call with them to get a better understanding of what they offer and how they can make your Paris wedding ceremony what you dream of. Most officiants and celebrants have you complete a questionnaire so they can get to know you better. Additionally, they’ll have a call or video chat or two with you to discuss your ceremony and learn even more about you, and better understand your preferences.
Your officiant will also likely discuss the vows you’d like to make, and can even help you write your vows, or give you ideas. Additionally, your officiant will ask you about any music you’d like during your ceremony, special traditions, and then, how you’d like to end your ceremony. A champagne or cider toast, perhaps?
Your Paris officiant is also an expert on the city itself, and can often suggest venues for your wedding or beautiful outdoor locations, some with views of the Eiffel Tower. Outdoor ceremonies usually have a limit on how many people can be accommodated in a public space, so if you have a larger group, you’d likely need a private location like a hotel.
At the conclusion of your ceremony, your officiant will likely provide you a symbolic certificate that you an both sign and save as a beautiful souvenir of your special day.
How Much Does a Paris Officiant Cost?
As your ceremony is an essential part of your wedding day in Paris, it’s crucial to budget for your officiant. Each officiant has their own offerings and rates, but you should budget between 500€ and 1000€ for your wedding officiant or celebrant. Make sure you understand the services your officiant can provide you, and speak with several officiants to determine the one that fits your personal style and budget.
Can We Have A Ceremony Without An Officiant?
Of course! Some couples prefer to have a trusted family member or friend officiate their ceremony, keeping in mind that weddings in France for visitors are symbolic and not legal weddings. Other couples prefer to read their vows to each other and not have an officiant at all. The choice is completely up to you, however, in my personal experience, my couples are over the moon happy with their officiants and all agree that it’s a very crucial part of their wedding day in Paris
As a Paris elopement and wedding photographer, I’m delighted to capture your day with professionalism and emotion, so that you can relive this day forever. I would love to photograph your Paris wedding or elopement! Feel free to reach out to me to learn more about my services.
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