French wedding?

[idun]

There seems to be a lot on the internet today about the Pitt/Joli wedding in France, but I am at a loss as to what happened.

Says they were married in a small chapel. Also says that they obtained a marriage license from a local California judge, who also conducted the ceremony in France.

So is that what anyone can do, import their registrar and just marry in France, where ever they want, as long as the residence thing is OK.  I do not get this. Is this legal, is it a proper wedding? or is it just the rich who can do as they please.

I'm not bothered about these two, but I was told recently that a non french couple were married in a french chateau, where their reception was held, no residence or anything like that. I suggested that they would have been married elsewhere, but was told no, it was conducted in the chateau. Will this couple be legally married?

I am confused.

[Pickles]

[quote user="idun"]There seems to be a lot on the internet today about the Pitt/Joli wedding in France, but I am at a loss as to what happened.

Says they were married in a small chapel. Also says that they obtained a marriage license from a local California judge, who also conducted the ceremony in France.

So is that what anyone can do, import their registrar and just marry in France, where ever they want, as long as the residence thing is OK.  I do not get this. Is this legal, is it a proper wedding? or is it just the rich who can do as they please.

I'm not bothered about these two, but I was told recently that a non french couple were married in a french chateau, where their reception was held, no residence or anything like that. I suggested that they would have been married elsewhere, but was told no, it was conducted in the chateau. Will this couple be legally married?

I am confused.[/quote]

In the current headline case, my understanding is that certain administrations (State or country) can allow the appropriate staff with suitable competency to conduct out-of-state marriages under certain conditions. This was not a "French civil wedding" but rather a "US state civil wedding in France". With regards to the other anecdote, as I am sure you are well aware, obviously the devil is in the detail, because a marriage blessing can be carried out which may look to some like a marriage ceremony but is not in fact such.

[idun]

 Pickles, thanks for the reply, I find it rather strange. Wonder if that happens in the UK too[blink]