Getting married in Montpellier

Do you live in Montpellier? You can get married in the commune. To organize this event, a file must be prepared and completed. You then need to choose the date and venue for the ceremony. Then, finally, experience this important moment in one of the city's halls.

The city of Montpellier offers the possibility of getting married in the commune under several conditions:

• Residence: one of the future spouses must be domiciled in the commune, or have resided there for more than one month at the time of the application. Marriage is also possible if one of the spouses' parents is from Montpellier;
• Age: you must be at least 18 years old;
• Filiation: the law defines certain family ties that prohibit marriage;
• Situation: one of the future spouses must not already be married in France or abroad. Conversely, it is possible to marry without breaking a
• Pacs: the latter will be dissolved;
• Consent: when filing the application and at the ceremony, each spouse will testify to his or her free and informed consent.

A wedding project begins with the preparation of a dossier. You can download it here, or pick it up at your local mairie.

To confirm that all conditions are met, several supporting documents are required:

• A full copy or extract with filiation of the birth certificate of each member of the couple. For a person born in Montpellier, this document will be attached directly to the file by the City of Montpellier's civil status department;
• Recent proof of domicile or residence for each of the future spouses;
• Please provide proof of identity for each of the future spouses;
• Notary certificate (in the case of a marriage contract);
• Attestation on honor of celibacy or non-remarriage.

For foreign nationals, and in certain special cases, other documents may be required.

The presence of witnesses is mandatory at the wedding ceremony. Their role is symbolic, but also legal: they certify the identity of the future spouses, and attest to the sincerity and validity of the union. Their identity and signature will be included in the marriage certificate, within the commune's civil status register.

One or two witnesses per spouse can be designated. To be a witness, the only requirement is to be of age or emancipated. His or her full identity must be indicated in the marriage file, together with a copy of an official identity document.

Please note: it is possible to change witnesses right up to the time of the ceremony. In the event of absence, the civil registrar can designate a witness.

Filing the application

Filing the application is an important formality: it confirms the marriage project. It must be submitted by appointment only to the City's registry office. Appointment slots are available online. It is imperative that both spouses be present for the filing of the file, in possession of official identification.

Delivery deadline: the file must be filed at least one month, maximum 10 days, before the planned date of the Ceremony.

Appointments to file a marriage application are available Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 5pm (Thursdays from 10am to 6:30pm).

Have you already booked an appointment and would like to change or cancel it?

When the file is submitted, the spouses will be able to determine the date and time of the ceremony with the registrar.

Depending on the period, it will be possible to choose between 2 ceremony halls: Harvey-Milk at the Hôtel de Ville and the Domaine de Grammont.

Please note: no time slots can be reserved before the complete file has been submitted.

For a marriage to be valid, the law requires the publication of banns. This formality involves posting the proposed union for 10 days in front of the Town Hall (on the interactive terminal), as well as on the commune's website. The information includes the first and last names of the future spouses and their contact details.

This posting enables the persons concerned to indicate their possible opposition to the marriage. The criteria for such objections are highly regulated.

Weddings take place from Tuesday to Saturday in two halls: Harvey-Milk at Hôtel de Ville and Domaine de Grammont.

The bride and groom, witnesses and guests are asked to arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled time. The ceremony is officiated by the mayor or another elected member of the municipal council, in the presence of a civil registrar. The bride and groom are seated in the front row, alongside witnesses and their parents.

The procedure is precise: reading of the marriage certificate and articles of the Civil Code, commitment or exchange of consent, presentation of wedding rings (if the bride and groom so wish), signing of the registers. At the end of the ceremony, a family booklet is given to the couple.

The choice of music is free, as is the floral decoration. The spouses decide on the placement of guests, as well as authorizations for photographers.

Important: the spouses must sign a charter of good conduct, which determines the behavior to be adopted during the ceremony and procession.

Thank you for consulting and taking into account the municipal by-law regulating civil wedding ceremonies.

Organizing a wedding can raise many questions. When it comes to regulations and procedures, don't hesitate to make an appointment with the City of Montpellier's Civil Status Department.

The department's staff will be able to provide information and answer many of your questions.