How to get married in Arras? The steps of the civil marriage

To get married in Arras is to unite one's life with that of the loved one in a town with a remarkable setting, between baroque squares and a listed belfry. But beyond the emotion, marriage supposes precise administrative procedures, beginning with the constitution of the file and the celebration at the town hall. To know well the steps, the delays and the formalities allows one to prepare serenely for this great day. This practical guide takes stock of the civil marriage in Arras, from the file to the ceremony, by way of the publication of the banns and the procedures that follow, to help the future spouses to organise their union in the best conditions.

Getting married in Arras, the main steps

The civil marriage follows a precise unfolding, marked by several steps that one should know in order to organise oneself well. Everything begins with the constitution of the marriage file, to be submitted at the town hall, followed by the publication of the banns, then the celebration itself. The civil marriage falls under the town-hall procedures, which frame the whole process: to situate this pathway within the whole of the municipal formalities, the town-hall procedures in Arras present the role of the town hall in civil status and administrative procedures. The first step consists of inquiring at the civil-status service of the town hall, to know the modalities, the documents to provide and the availabilities for the desired date. It is recommended to begin the procedures sufficiently early, notably to reserve the date of the ceremony, the slots being often sought after, especially in the summer period. The civil marriage is obligatory and precedes, where applicable, any religious ceremony. To know the main steps of marriage allows one to anticipate and to prepare each formality in due time. To organise oneself well, by respecting the delays and gathering the documents, facilitates the whole process. The pathway of marriage, from the constitution of the file to the ceremony, demands preparation but remains accessible by following the steps. To get married in Arras thus supposes knowing this unfolding and preparing for it methodically. To anticipate the procedures is the key to a successful organisation of this great day.

The marriage file

The constitution of the marriage file is an essential step, which conditions the celebration. This file, to be collected and submitted at the town hall, gathers a set of supporting documents concerning the future spouses. Among the documents generally requested figure the identity documents, a proof of address or residence, a recent birth certificate for each of the spouses, as well as the information on the witnesses. Depending on the situations, other documents may be required, notably in the case of a previous marriage, a marriage contract or a particular situation. It is important to inquire precisely at the town hall about the exact list of documents to provide, which can vary according to the cases. The file must be complete and submitted within the delays, in order to allow the publication of the banns and the fixing of the date. To gather the documents sometimes demands time, notably to obtain a recent birth certificate, which encourages anticipation. A well-prepared file, with all the required documents, avoids delays and complications. The town hall verifies the file and informs the future spouses of the follow-up of the procedure. To constitute one's marriage file well is thus a key step, not to be neglected. To take the time to gather the documents and to check their compliance facilitates the rest of the procedures. The marriage file, once complete and validated, opens the way to the following steps of the union.

The publication of the banns and the delays

After the submission of the file, the publication of the banns constitutes an obligatory step of the civil marriage. The banns are an official announcement of the marriage project, displayed at the town hall, which allows possible objections to manifest themselves. This publication must respect a legal delay before the celebration, which imposes anticipating the submission of the file accordingly. The banns are displayed at the town hall of the place of the marriage and, where applicable, at that of the domicile of the spouses. This delay, provided by law, aims to guarantee the publicity of the marriage and to allow the respect of the legal conditions. One should therefore take account of this delay in the organisation, by submitting the file sufficiently early before the desired date. Once the delay of publication has elapsed and the conditions are met, the marriage can be celebrated. The publication of the banns, an unavoidable formality, thus rhythms the calendar of procedures. To anticipate this step well allows one to fix the date of the ceremony in all serenity. The delays linked to the publication of the banns are among the constraints to integrate in the preparation of the marriage. To know these delays and to respect them is essential so that the celebration can take place on the planned date. The publication of the banns, by guaranteeing the publicity of the marriage, constitutes an important legal step of the process. To prepare for it, by anticipating the delays, allows one to organise the marriage without a bad surprise.

Meeting and preparing as a couple

Before the administrative procedures, marriage is first a story of meeting and common project. For those who seek their soulmate, different avenues exist, from everyday encounters to services specialised in matchmaking: on this subject, the Unicis matrimonial agency in Arras presents an accompanied approach to meeting, for those who wish to be helped in their search. Once the couple is formed and the marriage project decided, the preparation as a couple takes on its full importance. To get married supposes sharing a life project, discussing the concrete aspects of the union, from the choice of the matrimonial regime to the organisation of common life. This preparation, at once personal and practical, accompanies the passage towards marriage. To take the time to exchange, to project oneself and to prepare the procedures together strengthens the couple before the great day. The human dimension of marriage, made of meeting, commitment and common project, precedes and goes beyond the administrative formalities. To prepare as a couple, by addressing the concrete questions as well as the aspirations, allows one to approach marriage in the best conditions. This preparation, specific to each couple, is part of the path towards the union. Marriage, beyond the procedures, is thus the culmination of a shared story and project. To take care of this dimension, upstream of the formalities, gives all its meaning to the commitment.

The ceremony at the town hall

The ceremony of civil marriage takes place at the town hall, in the marriage room, in the presence of the spouses, the witnesses and the civil-status officer. It is the mayor or a deputy who celebrates the marriage, in the presence of the future spouses and their witnesses, whose number is framed by law. The ceremony comprises the reading of the articles of the civil code relating to the rights and duties of the spouses, the exchange of consents and the signature of the registers. It is a solemn and moving moment, which formalises the union before the law. The date and time of the ceremony are fixed in agreement with the town hall, according to the availabilities and the delays of the procedures. The spouses can often personalise certain aspects of the ceremony, within the provided framework, to give it a more intimate dimension. At the end of the celebration, the marriage is officially registered, and the spouses are given the family record book. The ceremony at the town hall, the heart of the civil marriage, constitutes the culmination of the procedures. To prepare it well, in agreement with the civil-status service, allows one to live this moment serenely. The solemnity of the place and the ceremony gives the civil marriage all its scope. This moment, at once administrative and symbolic, marks the official union of the spouses. To prepare the ceremony with care allows one to make it a memorable moment, worthy of the event.

Civil, religious or secular marriage

Beyond the civil marriage, obligatory and the only one recognised by law, the spouses can choose to associate other ceremonies with it, religious or secular. The civil marriage, celebrated at the town hall, is the only one to have a legal value in France; any religious ceremony must in principle intervene after it. The couples who wish it can thus organise a religious ceremony, according to their faith, in the place of worship of their choice, in complement to the civil marriage. Others opt for a secular ceremony, without religious character nor legal value, but rich in meaning, often personalised and organised in a place chosen by the newly-weds. This secular ceremony, more and more prized, allows one to celebrate the union in a personal way, with texts, rituals and speakers chosen by the couple. The choice between these different ceremonies depends on the convictions, the desires and the story of each couple. They can be combined, the civil marriage remaining the legal foundation of the union. To know these different possibilities allows the future spouses to compose the celebration that resembles them. Each couple can thus give their marriage the dimension they wish, between the official, the religious and the personal. Marriage, in its different forms, adapts to the aspirations of each one. To reflect well on the type of ceremony desired is part of the preparation of the great day.

Celebrating in a beautiful setting

To get married in Arras offers the advantage of a remarkable setting, conducive to beautiful celebrations and memorable photographs. The town, with its baroque squares, its belfry and its monuments, constitutes an exceptional backdrop to immortalise this great day. After the ceremony, many couples like to pose in the emblematic places of the town, which offer magnificent backgrounds: the Place des Héros, with its facades and its belfry, figures among the privileged settings for wedding photographs. Beyond the photos, the setting of Arras can also inspire the organisation of the reception and the festivities, in places of character. The town and its surroundings offer indeed a variety of places likely to host a wedding, from the most solemn to the most rural. To choose Arras to get married is to benefit from a heritage and an atmosphere that give the marriage a particular dimension. The setting of the town, between history and beauty, contributes to making this day an unforgettable memory. To enjoy this backdrop, for the ceremony as well as the festivities, enhances the event. To get married in a beautiful setting is to offer one's marriage a jewel case worthy of the emotion. Arras, by the richness of its heritage, thus lends itself wonderfully to the celebration of a union. The setting of the town adds a touch of magic to this unique moment.

After the marriage, the procedures

Once the marriage is celebrated, a few procedures remain to be accomplished to formalise the changes linked to the union. The spouses receive the family record book, an official document that attests to the marriage and welcomes, where applicable, the later events of family life. The marriage can entail changes, like the use of the name of the spouse, which one should report to the different organisations. It is thus often necessary to update one's documents and to inform the administrations, the employers and the concerned organisations of the change of situation. The chosen matrimonial regime, where applicable established by contract at a notary, frames the patrimonial aspects of the union. It is useful to inquire about the consequences of the marriage in fiscal, social and patrimonial matters, in order to accomplish the necessary procedures. These post-marriage formalities, although less visible than the ceremony, are important to formalise the new situation. To take the time to accomplish them allows one to put one's administrative situation in order after the union. The town hall and the different organisations can inform about these procedures. To inform oneself well about the follow-up of the marriage allows one to forget nothing and to live one's new life serenely. These procedures, the last step of the pathway, close the process of the marriage. To attend to them methodically allows one to approach married life with a clear mind.