Your Dream French Wedding: A Step-By-Step Guide
The wedding is one of the most significant events in a couple’s life. In many cultures, it is believed to be the happiest day in a person’s life. With such great expectations, it is easy for it to become also one of the most stressful.
If you’re planning a destination wedding in France, you might be unsure where to start. In this article we’ll give you our insight on how to plan the French wedding of your dreams.
Hiring a Wedding Planner in France
The first step in planning your dream wedding is hiring your wedding planner. Whether in France, Miami, Lake Como or any other destination, the role of a wedding planner is to make your big day stress-free and memorable.
A wedding planner is someone who helps newly engaged couples with the organisation and management of their wedding day. On the day, the wedding planner makes sure that everything flows perfectly and coordinates all the suppliers. Hiring a French wedding planner takes off all the event-planning stress from you, ensuring all the details are taken care of with great attention to detail.
Did you know the first party planners were French and were working for the king to plan lavish events in his court? It became common for couples in the United States to use a wedding planner from the ’80s and it spread globally.
A wedding planner in France will typically start by meeting with you for a consultation to understand your vision and budget. He will explain what services they can expect to get for that amount. Getting a clear understanding of the couple’s taste and their overall vision is important as some wedding planners specialise in a particular type or style of wedding.
Why Should You Choose an Experienced French Wedding Planer?
An experienced wedding planner would have successfully organised many weddings in their career. Therefore they know what they can accomplish with the budget they are given and plan accordingly. A wedding planner with more experience will also have a broader network of suppliers that can accommodate both a luxury wedding or one with a smaller budget.
Before you hire a French wedding planner, it’s important to do excessive research and prepare some questions to ask. This will help you judge their expertise and ensure you find a planner that suits your needs.
In our experience, hiring a local wedding planner is the best solution for a couple looking to celebrate a destination wedding. Along with expertise, they often have a local network of vendors they have established over the years. Additionally, there might be cultural differences between countries, so working with someone who understands the local culture is a valuable asset.
What are the Different Types of Weddings?
“One thing that I have found couples don’t recognise at first is that there are different types of weddings,” explains our luxury event planner Jean-Charles Vaneck, “One of the first questions that I always ask clients to get an understanding of their dream wedding is this: When you’re envisioning your wedding, what comes to mind and how many guests are you planning to invite?”
Deciding on the final guest list takes some consideration and time. We recommend starting with the guests you definitely want to be there on the day like your closest family members. The number of guests attending will ultimately impact your wedding budget as well as the venue you choose and the style of the wedding.
Let’s explore the different types of wedding in more detail:
ELOPEMENTS
One of the big wedding trends that have emerged over the years is elopement. It essentially means escaping in a foreign with a few close friends, to celebrate your love with a very small ceremony and a fun-filled weekend. A lot of people are under the assumption an elopement is a prudent option, however, we have been hired before to produce luxury elopements, where the only limit was the sky.
INTIMATE WEDDING
Over the last few years, we have also seen an increasing trend of couples choosing to have a more intimate wedding ceremony. There are a lot of advantages to having an intimate wedding in France. Normally the bride and groom are so busy during their wedding day that they don’t have the chance to properly socialise with each guest. By opting for a smaller wedding reception you can focus more on each guest and be able to converse with everyone. To get an idea of what you can expect from an intimate wedding, you can see examples in our portfolio of luxury events in Paris.
BIG WEDDINGS
Many couples still prefer to have the traditional big wedding ceremony particularly in certain cultures. “I have noticed that Lebanese people, for example, adore big celebrations,” says Jean-Charles, “They are well known to transform even an empty storage room into a magically decorated venue. It is part of their culture and it wouldn’t be possible to cut down the guest list, no matter how much it will cost. Often it’s not just the couple that invites the guests, but also their families.”
If you want a big wedding, you have to be prepared to invest a bigger budget. The bigger the ceremony, the more staff you will need on the day. Usually you will also need extra photographers and videographers with assistants sometimes needed as well. You may need several bar displays through the reception room and possibly a larger band, in addition to a big sound system. During these big weddings, you won’t have many opportunities to talk to each guest, so this type of wedding may feel impersonal. At Sumptuous Events we have plenty of experience in curating extravagant weddings with hundreds of guests. Just take a look at this lavish 500 guest Chinese Wedding we planned in the centre of Paris. However, another solution has emerged.
DESTINATION WEDDINGS
A destination wedding is a one that is held in a setting away from your hometown. For couples this is an opportunity to hold their wedding in an exotic, romantic location like Paris. Destination weddings are normally held in a smaller circle which makes them popular with many couples who want an intimate yet luxurious ceremony.
Something to keep in mind with destination weddings is that guests are often less willing to travel abroad, so the percentage of RSVP confirmation will be lower. If you are planning a destination wedding in France, you can send out invitations to more people, without feeling guilty for cutting anyone off the list. Typically, the majority of destination weddings we see have about 80 to 150 guests. It is often the case for guests to take a vacation and explore
How to Choose the Perfect Wedding Venue in France?
While pretty much every aspect of a wedding is optional, from your flowers to the wedding cake, there is one thing that you cannot skip: the venue! Choosing the perfect wedding venue is one of the most difficult aspects of your wedding planning.
From Iconic French castles to some of the world’s most famous museums, yachts, private estates and some of the world’s finest hotels, you definitely won’t be stuck for venue choices if you choose to get married in France. Here at Sumptuous Events have planned, designed and produced luxury destination weddings and events not only in the country of wine and love but also across the world.
You can explore a selection of the beautiful wedding destinations we love to work with in our French Wedding Venues guide. We have hand-picked some of the most luxurious locations that we love for their aesthetic and beauty. Wherever you are based on the globe, we provide VIP access to our extended curated venue resources and database.
The incredible team of luxury event planners here at Sumptuous Events is familiar with the capabilities and layout of all the most popular French wedding venues so we can transform the space to suit the theme of your wedding.
Our Top Tips for Planning a French Wedding
Planning your dream wedding in France is a beautiful experience, especially when you’re in the hands of a professional wedding planner. Planning a destination wedding might seem a bit more intimidating than planning a local one, but with the help of a professional it will be an unforgettable experience that will allow you to really embrace time away with your friends and family.
Here are our top 5 tips if you are considering getting married in France.
- Find Suitable Wedding Insurance
Once the wedding venue is booked, look for wedding insurance. If you’re relying on commercial flights to get to the venue and booking local hotels for you and your guests to stay, it’s important to also have a comprehensive cancellation policy. When you’re investing so much money in your wedding you want to be covered for all unforeseen circumstances.
- Create a Wedding Timeline
Although this is your big day, you have to ensure your wedding is planned with your guests in mind. Create an itinerary to get people excited about the day and make sure everyone knows what time things are happening. You should also make sure the day itself flows from one event to another and allocate enough time for each. But not too long as your guests might find the day long and jarring.
- Pick English Speaking Vendors
Make sure your key suppliers speak fluent English, especially those in direct contact with your guests. This includes your photographers, videographers and waiters. Feel free to give them some outfit directions as well to ensure everything is on theme for your wedding.
- Create Welcome Baskets
There is nothing more charming than a welcome basket for your guests. This thoughtful gesture will make your guests feel special. It is also a way to keep them informed with itinerary. For a Parisian wedding we recommend including typical French favours – wine, cheese, grapes, baguettes and macarons. You can drop off the baskets with the hotel front desk the night before your guests arrive so that they can receive them upon check-in!
- Immerse Your Guests in the Local Culture
Make the most of your destination wedding by including events that will help your guests immerse in the local culture. For your wedding in Paris, for example, you can plan a cruise on the river Seine. You can book a private boat and some of them even offer food, drinks and live DJ. This welcome activity will break the ice while giving you and your guests the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful sights of Paris!
Sumptuous Events – Your Luxury Wedding Planner in France
Founded by Jean-Charles Vaneck – a young French luxury wedding planner based in Paris, Sumptuous Events is one of the most acclaimed events and wedding planning agencies in the world. After a career in the entertainment field, inspired by his cultural adventures to more than 70 countries, Jean-Charles Vaneck started his journey into premier event planning.
He quickly gained popularity thanks to his distinctive luxurious, sophisticated and editorial style, receiving several global distinctions and awards, including one of the most influential wedding planners in the world. Because of this he has become a trendsetter in his field.
Jean-Charles is consulted across the globe for his advice and expertise. He has expanded into inspiring fellow wedding planners in their own pursuit of creating amazing events.
Our Wedding Planning Service in France
Our full-service luxury wedding planning focuses not only on exceptional event management but also the design and style of your celebration. We handle all the logistics, making wedding planning as seamless as possible, from vendor referrals and contract negotiation to day-of execution of your vision.
We will also keep track of your budget, helping you successfully plan your wedding day and see that everything runs smoothly. Our responsibilities include establishing a planning timeline and working with the couple to choose everything from attire to ceremony and reception venues, catering, music and food.
Sumptuous Events has become well-known for its bold and opulent signature looks. Under the direction of Jean-Charles Vaneck, we specialise in creating unique events, sparing no attention to detail on everything from floor plans and lighting design to the flowers, furniture and attire. We help you with the decisions to give the event a cohesive, stylish and sophisticated look. Our ability to design an event and create a luxurious atmosphere, however, goes above choosing linens and chairs. With our artistic eye we can conceptualise the whole event and truly transform every venue to suit your theme.
As a full-service agency we offer both planning and design together, but can also work as a designer independently for branded, editorial and corporate events. We work on a limited number of events each year to maintain a high standard and be more flexible with time. Responsiveness is very important to our entire team of wedding planners in France and something that is also very appreciated by our special clients.
What Makes Sumptuous Events so Special?
Sumptuous Events have been highly distinguished worldwide, with features in several publications including Vogue, Grace Ormonde and Wed Lux just to name a few. We have also been interviewed by LCI, ARTE and RADIO MONACO.
Jean Charles Vaneck has been a keynote speaker and panellist in many wedding industry conferences such as EMC India, DWP Dubai, Bride Lux London and The Planners Extraordinary Show Lake Como. We have won 8 awards, including Best Wedding Planner of the year at the Love Travel Awards Vienna 2019 and Top 9 Most Influential Wedding Planner by Vanity Fair in 2018.
We proudly stand with an amazing reputation in the global event industry and the incredible reviews from our clients are proof of that.
If you are ready to plan your luxury wedding in Paris, get in touch with our team today!
JEN & SIMON
“Jean Charles Vaneck and his team at Sumptuous Events are the teams of dreams! We spent more than 18 months planning our wedding of dreams in Paris at the Chateau Vaux le Vicomte, and not only did we get exactly that the wedding of our dreams, but we also gained a now very, very dear friend in our fabulous wedding planner, Jean Charles! Thank you, Jean Charles and your Sumptuous angels, for being incredible to and for us. If you are looking for an event planner please stop now and choose Sumptuous Events!
FRENCH WEDDING PLANNING TIPS
Planning a destination wedding is a beautiful experience, and even more comfortable when you get help with a professional wedding planner. It may seem a little more difficult than in your home town but it should a lot more fun and allows your guests to really embrace time away with friends.
We have put together a list of 5 tips if you are considering getting married in France.
WEDDING INSURANCE
Tip 1. Once the wedding venue is booked, look for wedding insurance, even more so when relying on public transport such as airlines and hotels. Recent covid 19 put the world on hold, including wedding planning. Many have had to post pon to 2021. It is better to be safe!
CREATE A TIMELINE
Tip 2. Ensure your wedding is planned with your guests in mind. Create an itinerary that they will love and talk about for years to come. Make sure the day itself flows from one event to another- don’t spend too long on drinks reception, research the time of sunset to make sure you are doing the right part of the day in the right space at your venue.
PICK ENGLISH SPEAKING VENDORS
Tip 3. Make sure your key suppliers speak fluent English, especially those in direct contact with your guests: Photo, Video & waiters. Feel free to give them some outfit directions. You may want them to wear a bow tie as well. Your French wedding planner loves dressing up for his events.
WELCOME BASKETS
Tip 4. Nothing cuter than a welcome bags as a welcome gesture! No matter the size, it helps to make your guests feel special. It also a way to keep them informed with itinerary, keys phone numbers. We love to give some typical french favor ( Wine, Cheese, Grapes, French Baguette, Macarons ) Drop off your baskets with your hotel front desk the night before your guests arrive so that they can receive upon check-in!
MAKE YOUR GUESTS FEEL WELCOMED
Tip 5. If you are planning your wedding in Paris, you may want to include in your itinerary a cruise on the seine river. Some boats can be fully privatized, with food, drinks, and live DJ. It is also possible to be part of an upper-class touristic activity. That welcome activity will break the ice while giving the options to enjoy the most beautiful sigh of Paris!
WEDDING VENUES IN FRANCE
While pretty much every aspects of a wedding are optional, from your flowers to the wedding cake. There is one thing that you cannot skip: the venue! Choosing the perfect wedding venue is one of the most difficult aspects of your wedding planning.
From Iconic French castles to the museum, yachts, private estate and some of the world’s finest hotels. Sumptuous Events have planned, designed & produced luxury destination weddings and events across the world.
We have put together a selection of the beautiful wedding destinations & event location we love to work with in our French Wedding Venues guide. We love them for their aesthetic and the beauty of their estates. Wherever you are based on the globe, we always provide VIP access to our extended curated venue resources and database.
Our team of French wedding planners at Sumptuous Events is very familiar with the capabilities of those spaces and the layout. So it comes easy for us to transform them.
Are you planning a wedding in France ? We would love to help you with your wedding plans.
