There are only two instances in which American citizens may be legally and officially married in France such that the laws of the US and France recognize this union:

- In US states (Colorado for example) marriage is considered as a contract between two individuals, following which a formal registration is made. The only requirement for the marriage being the presence of a witness and the couple's commitment to each other makes any location in France ideal for a ceremony with or without a celebrant.

- If either one of the couple has at least 40 days of official residence in France, the couple is entitled to fill out a wedding application at the French city hall in the town where the residence has taken place. Thma can assist with this process as it involves paperwork, including a medical certificate and the fulfillment of residency requirements. The French civil wedding register being quite strict, the merit is fully recognized and transferable into US Civil laws.

No specific requirements for a sentimental wedding ceremony
Just fill the form that has been prepared by Thema, and fax the marriage license and/or wedding register once obtained in your country of origin.

For a renewal of vows ceremony
No official documents are needed, just provide the full name, gender, date & place of birth of each individual. We recommend a Chateau, scenic or historic setting for a really romantic ceremony.

For Catholic formal weddings
The prerequisite is a certificate of baptism for at least one of the couple. The couple also must meet the priest a few days before the date of ceremony.

Catholic marriage blessings (Fontainebleau, Normandy, Uss)
There are no specific requirements to meet for this type of ceremony in these Churches. For a Catholic renewal of vows ceremony, a certificate of Catholic marriage is required.

For Jewish wedding ceremonies in France
The "Ketubah" document is required.

Protestant ceremonies, weddings, and renewal of vows (Presbyterian, Reform Churches in Paris)
No specific requirements are to be met.