France has a long history of religious marriage under the Catholic Church, but established civil marriage in 1787. The French Revolution in 1792 fully secularized marriage and gave control to the government. Traditional French wedding customs include getting engaged, choosing witnesses, and having the ceremony and celebration at the town hall and afterwards. However, marriage is becoming less common in France, with fewer religious people and more children born outside of marriage. The legal definition of marriage is also evolving, such as establishing civil unions and same-sex marriage.

1. Weddings in
France

2. The progressive creation of civil secular
marriage
 Two kinds of marriages : religious and civil ones. We will concentrate on civil ones.
 France, called during the Middle Age the « Church’s daughter », will know during a long
time only the religious marriage, under the authority of Catholic Church.
 2 years before the Revolution, the civil marriage is officially created in 1787 by the Edit de
Versailles, under Louis XVI reign. Its creation is the consequence of the will of protestants to
make their unions be recognized as it is the case for catholic people.
 However, it’s still the Church who has the power of officializing unions. In 1792, the
Revolutionary governement takes control of weddings to the Church : the civil wedding
now truly exists, becoming secular. The divorce in particular circumstances become legal
at same time.

3. Wedding traditions
 Before the marriage
- Everything begins with fiançailles. The couple take the decision to marry, usually during a special and romantic
moment, during one the future husband offer his woman a ring.
- Each of the spouses chose usually two witnesses. They have an important role in the marriage, preparing it, being
beside the spouse during the ceremony, signing the officialization of the wedding.
- The marriage should compulsory take place in local town hall of the future spouses.

4. Wedding traditions
 During the marriage
- It consists in an official ceremony at town hall and a
fest, which can be days after.
- At the town hall, the future husband and wife should
agree on 3 law articles, after agreeing, they become
officially married :
Article 212 : the spouses owe each other respect, fidelity,
help, assistance.
Article 213 : the spouses together ensure the moral and
material direction of the family. They provide for the
education of children and prepare their future.
Article 215 : the spouses oblige mutually to a community of
life.

5. Wedding traditions
 After the marriage
- People throw confetti or rice on the new spouses, and make sound horns of their cars.
- The buquet is thrown on the guests
- The most important moment of the fest is the arriving of the traditionnal cake : the
coquembouche
- The new spouses leave for honeymoon a few times after.
An example of
croquembouche

6.  What would be a French dinner without wine ? A Tower of champagne is
typical on weddings.

7. Marriage in today’s society – its decreasing
importance
 Marriage decreased a lot since years, following the huge fall of religious people in society :
meanwhile there were more than 515 000 marriages per year at the end of the second
world war, there are today only 250 000 marriages per year.
 Marriage isn’t seen anymore as the first step before giving birth to children : today, 60% of
children aren’t born under marriage, and 30% of children attend to the marriage of their
parents. Marriage is seen as symbol for a couple and not anymore as a compulsory first
step for creating family.
 People live together before marriage. They marry pretty old : first marriage average is 32
years old for men and 30 years old for women. It’s seven years old older than in the 1980’s.
 45% of marriages end by a divorce.

8. Evolutions and future of marriage
 The law about civil union, firstly limited at the so-called « marriage », follows the evolutions
of society.
 1999 : creation of the PACS (Civil Pact of Solidarity). The marriage isn’t anymore the only
one civil union recognized. It’s a less strict union that marriage, especially concerning the
share of goods or separation.
 2013 : Taubira Law : marriage become open to same sex-people