Vow Renewal (30 years!) in Paris - recommendations needed

Having tried to arrange this for other people I think that the American church is your only option - no French church will understand the request. Weddings happen in town halls and are done by the mayor (or his assistant) and only blessings happen in church (if people can be bothered, which generally they can't). I've been to one church blessing in 13 years here, and they spent a LOT of money.

Because marriage is a civil (secular) event in France we don't have the trappings.

I'd say Luxembourg Gardens for the "service." There's a website The Paris Officiant, but I'd guess they might be as expensive as the American Church.

Does it have to be an official officiant?

Sounds lovely if you can work out the details! Good luck!

Thank you Simon. It's good to know how things work in Europe, so I'm not exhausting myself trying to organize something that doesn't exist.

Shawn: We don't have to have an "official" officiant since we are already married. :) I would like someone that takes it seriously, though. If some entrepreneurial minded person started this service, they could make a mint! Especially with Americans!

Congratulations on your 30 year anniversary. Since the American Church includes the pastor, the organist (live music, probably you can choose your selections), and use of the Church for an hour, I can understand the fee. Have you contacted them to see if you could eliminate the music, or if the pastor could do other non Church options for a lower stipend? Or maybe they would have other advice for you?

Your children or another relative you are close to? I "married" my sister to her husband in their backyard; the religious part wasn't important to either one of them. The legal part happened at the appropriate city hall before hand.

Thanks Barbara & Andi for the ideas!

Congratulations on your upcoming 30th Anniversary!

Another option - when we did our vow renewal on our 35th, instead of doing it in our church with our pastor, we decided to just have our kids and grandkids and go to a small restaurant and a garden setting. Since our pastor wasn’t there, my husband and I each shared a faith-based commitment and “looking back/looking forward “ perspectives that we had each written. I had a pretty dress and full bouquet, and it was very intimate and meaningful to our whole family (based on people’s tears).

At the restaurant, my daughter brought a bakery cake with the words from our wedding napkins, “Yesterday, today, tomorrow “ - loved it!

Thank you Jean - that sounds lovely!

hey mkzoomer
congratulations on 30 years then celebrating vow renewal in paris woo hoo.
couple other suggestions that may interest you and checking out.
mygenieinparis.com (under paris unusual experiences vow renewal paris)
atasteofparis.com
getyourguide.com (type in renewal of vows in search)
you may ask hotel/apt host if they know of someone that does something like this. maybe a flower shop can make you a small bouquet and lapel flower
after your event, check out o-chateau.com they have a champagne cruise or tour de france of wine tasting at a local bar.
maybe le fantastic tour by tuktukinparis.com with your family or retro-tour.com something totally different, have fun and a few laughs.
angelinas on rue rivoli for great hot chocolate, breakfast, brunch and champagne. you may need to make reservations.
bus-burger.com take a bus tour around paris having burgers with a french flare and desserts
have a blast and enjoy family vacation
aloha

Thank you for all of the great suggestions Princess!!!

We renewed our vows in Paris October 2017. It was our 37th. It was just us and we did it before our RS best of Paris tour.

We booked on viator. It was actually more than just a photo shoot. The photographer met us before by the Eiffel Tower and took some photos. Then the officiant arrived and completed the vow renewal. It was a very personal service with the Eiffel Tower as the backdrop. The photographer also took photos during the ceremony. The photo were then emailed to us. Overall, it was good experience and we have great memories and photos to boot.

If you pm me, I could email you a photo to show you.

Dreamsparis -- I wish there was a "like" button! Sounds wonderful!

Dreamsparis: I sent you PM. Thanks for offering to share your pics!

Mkzoomer I sent you a message.

I just went to an actual wedding in NYC where the brother of the groom was the officiant -- because they were a little nervous about the legality of the on-line minister license, the bride and groom just did a quick courthouse official marriage the day before and then did the formal exchange of vows at the country club wedding with the brother.

Since you are married, you don't need an officiant who is official. How about having one of your kids -- maybe your oldest do the ceremony? You could choose pretty much any lovely park in Paris. There are a lot of little nooks at the Luxembourg Gardens and tons at the more out of the way Butte Chaumont and Parc Monceau has some lovely patches. Parcs Montsouris and Bercy are both very large and less 'public' or crowded with tourists and you could certainly find a spot there. You could spend a day or so in Paris scouting locations. which would be fun. The entire bank of the Seine offers possibilities. At the tips of the Ile St. Louis and Ile Cite there are parks on the water. Some are quite busy but others are much less used and we have seen them quite empty.

Take a look at Square Barye on the upriver tip of Ile St. Louise accessed from the Pont Sully. There is a park tip above the bank and then you can also walk down to the bank right on the river. I have never seen many people here and is lovely.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Île+Saint-Louis/@48.8507056,2.354335,15.84z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x47e671fcbd4e8ee5:0x56c004e969467530!8m2!3d48.8515572!4d2.3574207

janettravels44: thanks for all of the suggestions! After much research and help from fellow travellers, I've decided on a vow renewal service with photographer...2 hours for $325.00 and the reviews and pictures that I've seen are great. Thanks everyone for all of the great tips & helpful suggestions!

Congratulations, mkzoomer! Great choice and it will be a time to remember for all of you!